I hope this is the right forum. I have been tasked with implementing an e-learning solution for my company and was directed to Moodle as an option. I've spent tons of hours reading through documentation, forum entries, etc. I've installed Moodle, and played with the course development, installed a theme, etc., but I'm not an educator and still don't have a clear grip on whether Moodle is right for us?
Here is what we are trying to do...
1) We are developing a training program for our associates.
The program will consist of mainly web based and instructor led courses that will teach various skills. We'd like to "package" the courses into a "roadmap" if you will. The roadmap for each associate will be based on the needs of the business, the associate's area of interest, and development needed.
2) We need the system to track the skills obtained and training path outlined for each associate, as well as the classes they've completed and test scores.
3) We'd like the ability to systematically state that an associate is "certified" in a given subject after successfully completing certain predefined courses.
4) We need a system that enables course development.
5) We need a system that enables us to update courses as info changes.
6) We need a system where associates can sign up for both web based and instructor led courses.
7) A system that delivers web based or instructor led courses.
We would like to integrate with our Joomla CMS, I've seen some code out there so I know this is possible, but I'm really struggling to determine if Moodle is right for us, and what Modules can best accomplish our goals. Any thoughts and/or input would be Greatly appreciated.
Hello Tom,
Let's see.
What is the difference between web-based course and instructor led course in terms of Moodle?
It is the most complex thing, afaik, there's no way to automate it (SIS?). But you can do this manually.
Is standard Moodle quiz enough? There's also 2 kinds of reports:
There's an additional module that allows to print certificates. Also, using Grade Letters, you can specify, is the person certified ot not.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Afaik, moodle does not have the function "sign up for a course". Users can register their accounts in Moodle, but not for a course.
But that can be done externally, with separate software (e.g. LDAP-server + automatic registration system, requires a little programming), but I'm not sure Moodle can do that alone.
If an LMS can not deliver courses — it's not LMS.
Many people have integrated Moodle with Joomla, I think the best way to find info about that is google: click this link.
If Moodle is not right for you, then you have two ways:
Let's see.
1) We are developing a training program for our associates.
The program will consist of mainly web based and instructor led courses that will teach various skills.
The program will consist of mainly web based and instructor led courses that will teach various skills.
What is the difference between web-based course and instructor led course in terms of Moodle?
We'd like to "package" the courses into a "roadmap" if you will. The roadmap for each associate will be based on the needs of the business, the associate's area of interest, and development needed.
It is the most complex thing, afaik, there's no way to automate it (SIS?). But you can do this manually.
2) We need the system to track the skills obtained and training path outlined for each associate, as well as the classes they've completed and test scores.
Is standard Moodle quiz enough? There's also 2 kinds of reports:
- user activity report
- user grades
3) We'd like the ability to systematically state that an associate is "certified" in a given subject after successfully completing certain predefined courses.
There's an additional module that allows to print certificates. Also, using Grade Letters, you can specify, is the person certified ot not.
4) We need a system that enables course development.
Yeah.
5) We need a system that enables us to update courses as info changes.
Yeah.
6) We need a system where associates can sign up for both web based and instructor led courses.
Afaik, moodle does not have the function "sign up for a course". Users can register their accounts in Moodle, but not for a course.
But that can be done externally, with separate software (e.g. LDAP-server + automatic registration system, requires a little programming), but I'm not sure Moodle can do that alone.
7) A system that delivers web based or instructor led courses.
If an LMS can not deliver courses — it's not LMS.
We would like to integrate with our Joomla CMS, I've seen some code out there so I know this is possible, but I'm really struggling to determine if Moodle is right for us, and what Modules can best accomplish our goals. Any thoughts and/or input would be Greatly appreciated.
Many people have integrated Moodle with Joomla, I think the best way to find info about that is google: click this link.
If Moodle is not right for you, then you have two ways:
- Look for other LMS that has all functions you need.
- Create pieces of software you need and insert them into Moodle.
Afaik, moodle does not have the function "sign up for a course".
A student can search for a course, click it, and if it is enrollable, answer 'yes' in the form that asks them if they want to enroll in the course.
For signing up for a package of courses, users often use custom development or integration with a backend system (amember, os commerce, or SIS like Banner).
Hi Tom,
If training and development is new to your organization I suggest that you hire a training or performance improvement consultant with experience in certification assessment. This person will be helpful in determining the things you need by way of a formal needs assessment. This person could also be an instructional designer who would actually do your course development and learner assessments.
If I go through your list it would appear you are leaning towards a blended e-learning approach where you would like to have Moodle manage your knowledge content and assessments, but perhaps have instructor led activities for learning reinforcement.
Try and keep in mind that technology requirements should be secondary to your learning outcomes, especially if certification is involved! Certification should not be taken lightly as it means a certain level of skill have been assessed and "certified" by the testing organization. This has an implied guarantee and liability. This is doubly important if this is training for any type of legal compliance...and I'm sure you are arranging for liability insurance as well?
Keep in mind there are very few on-line certifications as there are naturally problems ensuring the identity of the candidate. Usually these must supervised (like the way ETS does them) to be valid.
You did not say where you were located but you could look into finding a consultant through ISPI or ASTD. Also ETS is the largest private certification assessment company and you may want to consider them to design and deliver your certification exams.
If training and development is new to your organization I suggest that you hire a training or performance improvement consultant with experience in certification assessment. This person will be helpful in determining the things you need by way of a formal needs assessment. This person could also be an instructional designer who would actually do your course development and learner assessments.
If I go through your list it would appear you are leaning towards a blended e-learning approach where you would like to have Moodle manage your knowledge content and assessments, but perhaps have instructor led activities for learning reinforcement.
Try and keep in mind that technology requirements should be secondary to your learning outcomes, especially if certification is involved! Certification should not be taken lightly as it means a certain level of skill have been assessed and "certified" by the testing organization. This has an implied guarantee and liability. This is doubly important if this is training for any type of legal compliance...and I'm sure you are arranging for liability insurance as well?
Keep in mind there are very few on-line certifications as there are naturally problems ensuring the identity of the candidate. Usually these must supervised (like the way ETS does them) to be valid.
You did not say where you were located but you could look into finding a consultant through ISPI or ASTD. Also ETS is the largest private certification assessment company and you may want to consider them to design and deliver your certification exams.
Tom,
I am doing more or less the same thang.
I am an ex-skool teacher working for the last 20+ years as a software engineer so I have a bit of knowledge around training yadda.
So, to the chase.
Learning Management Systems I am looking at are:
Moodle
Olat (http://www.olat.org/website/en/html/index.html)
ATutor (http://www.atutor.ca/)
(there are few others)
SCORM/IMS content generation tools I am looking at are:
eXe (http://exelearning.org/)
CourseLab (http://www.courselab.com/)
The reason I have split the two is that if I am to have engineers from a non-teaching background developing content the second two tools are preferred as they have a smaller learning cycle (the second can be thought of as powerpoint++ as it can do everything powerpoint can do but you can include testing slides etc).
Then a system administrator come pedagogical specialist can build the actual managed courses.
My vote (to date) for ease of use and installation ease is OLAT. Moodle is good and has heaps of help files (for when things work). ATutor is (apparently) fighting off a patent claim at moment (according to a wiki entry) so I am likely not to go that way as I am trying to roll something out in the immediate near future and can't wait for the legal dust to settle.
One thing to note is I am having issues trying to import course material from third parties into all three tools as I suspect there are issues around compliance with exchange formats (SCORM/IMS). I do note that the two tools for content generation (eXe and CourseLab) currently appear LMS friendly.
The upshot is that there are some murmurings that LMS technology has gone commodity which means there is probably much-in-a-muchness between them so, like I said, currently I am looking at OLAT as 1st preference and Moodel 2nd.
Cheers,
AD
I am doing more or less the same thang.
I am an ex-skool teacher working for the last 20+ years as a software engineer so I have a bit of knowledge around training yadda.
So, to the chase.
Learning Management Systems I am looking at are:
Moodle
Olat (http://www.olat.org/website/en/html/index.html)
ATutor (http://www.atutor.ca/)
(there are few others)
SCORM/IMS content generation tools I am looking at are:
eXe (http://exelearning.org/)
CourseLab (http://www.courselab.com/)
The reason I have split the two is that if I am to have engineers from a non-teaching background developing content the second two tools are preferred as they have a smaller learning cycle (the second can be thought of as powerpoint++ as it can do everything powerpoint can do but you can include testing slides etc).
Then a system administrator come pedagogical specialist can build the actual managed courses.
My vote (to date) for ease of use and installation ease is OLAT. Moodle is good and has heaps of help files (for when things work). ATutor is (apparently) fighting off a patent claim at moment (according to a wiki entry) so I am likely not to go that way as I am trying to roll something out in the immediate near future and can't wait for the legal dust to settle.
One thing to note is I am having issues trying to import course material from third parties into all three tools as I suspect there are issues around compliance with exchange formats (SCORM/IMS). I do note that the two tools for content generation (eXe and CourseLab) currently appear LMS friendly.
The upshot is that there are some murmurings that LMS technology has gone commodity which means there is probably much-in-a-muchness between them so, like I said, currently I am looking at OLAT as 1st preference and Moodel 2nd.
Cheers,
AD
I have a similar query. I have set Moodle up on a server and am enjoying all the features. I really just need something simple though. My flowchart would go something like this:
- Teacher completes course with students
- Teacher logs in and creates student account for each student.
- Teacher states which course the student completed.
- Teacher enters the results of each student.
Bascially I just need a simple student tracking feature. Can I do this with Moodle?
Thanks
Like most VLE's Moodle is - by design - single course-centered from the perspectiv of the teachers. (The introduction of My Page is a big step forward and OU England has a promising student centered course format.)
Normally you use another system for student tracking where you also implement the course catalog with the (dynamic) degrees of freedom for the choosing student.
In the early days of Moodle Gustav Delius wrote a version of the gradebook where you could collect "grades per student per course" and you could write a complex-Excel-formula to combine these figures into one or more weighted scores before you would "beam it up" to your schooladmin.
Over the years I kept this version a live as a separated module.
In version 1.9 the new gradebook will offer Gustav's darlings and much, much more improvements over the old system grades!
(So 1.9 will become my darling!)
More from a students perspectiv: we created for version 1.4.x and again for 1.5.x and then for 1.6.x a very simple and clever student-track-your-self-system, including a teacher-overview-screen. (see my profil for details)
Can you have it? NO
What I can offer is the following:
As School we skip version 1.7.x and 1.8.x so our simple but clever tracking system needs to be implemented again for version 1.9.x.
With the redesign of the grades modul, the implementation will be much, much easier then before. Hereby I ask any Moodle partner in the world to contact me, if they wish to do a paid re-implentation of our add-ons. Interested other Moodle users are asked to participate.