Letting people know part 2

In addition to the generic posters that we have designed for use in the Colleges (see this post), we have now created a rolling PowerPoint presentation that can be displayed on monitors in areas of the Colleges such as the student unions and libraries. To download the file (which is best viewed in PPT 2011 but works ok in 2007), visit this link

Migrating Turnitin from Blackboard to Moodle

One important activity that we need to plan into our migration project is dealing with the Turnitin building block in Blackboard. At some point this academic year, we will have to switch off the building block so no more submissions are made. Once the building block is switched off, staff will not be able to mark any assignments which have been submitted via Blackboard. We then want to be able to access an archive of past submissions and associated user data (i.e. when assignments were submitted).

This week, I have been working closely with Turnitin Support at iParadigmsUK to agree a schedule for this process, which is looking like this:

1. Users create their last Turnitin assignments in Blackboard.
2. Any new assignments going forward could be created in a Moodle course - linked in the Bb course.
3. Assignments are marked in GradeMark via Blackboard, last grades are released.
4. Blackboard Turnitin building block is turned off.
5. Integration classes created through Blackboard are transferred to pre-made submit.ac.uk web user accounts.

A challenge with this activity is that we have to coordinate with five separate institutions who have different requirements. But that's why I love my job! :)

Automated Student Integration with Moodle for RVC

RVC's student enrolments are now fully automated with Moodle.
This takes the BLE a step closer in our migration journey. 
A very good news indeed!
Well done RVC and ULCC!

Comfort Reading

Thanks to Nick for spotting this paper which evaluates Moodle - it reassures us in Bloomsbury that we are doing the right thing. Epic have put this review together as part of an advert for their Moodle support services. We're quite happy with ULCC for our hosting, but the paper is still worth a read :) http://goo.gl/VTJS1

Where were we in December 2011 ...

@ Birkbeck: a small number of very early adopters from Politics, Biology and Humanities have been using Moodle since October. Around half of Birkbeck's departments will be running January-start modules on Moodle, and in December there have been several training workshops (with more to follow in January) for the staff who are migrating early.

 

@ IOE: we still don't run trainings, but hold consultancy sessions
at the moment to find out VLE requirements from the horses' mouths.

 

@ LSHTM: IT Services is supporting a Live MOODLE service for the School’s Distance Learning Modules for the current academic year. This service aims to provide a core set of tools and will, predominately, use the Discussion Forum tool throughout the 2011/12 academic year, as well as a small number of CPD Courses.  Both IT Services and the DL Department continue to work closely to consider the extension of the MOODLE service for Distance Learning from October 2012 onwards.

The LSHTM MOODLE service for the Taught Course programme continues to be developed: Themes and System Administration settings, including Roles, are now complete, and during January 2012 IT Services will be consulting with the School with a view to finalising the core LSHTM MOODLE Module template.  This will allow IT Services an early opportunity to produce Staff Development resources (according the Staff Development Plan published during Autumn 2011), as well as make the platform ready for early adopters from within the Taught Course Programme.

@ RVC: we have commenced our training of staff on the early adopter courses which are to take place in February. Staff have shown a postive attitude towards the features that RVC Learn has to offer and are now beginning to work their way through rebuilding their courses ready for course commencement.

@ SOAS: we are looking forward to the start of our early adopters on January 6th and we are working on the development of creative training materials that will be used in our training sessions.