open source for online education justin loh instructional technologist, simpson university
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN SOURCEFOR ONLINE EDUCATION
JUSTIN LOH
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGIST,
SIMPSON UNIVERSITY
AGENDA
• About Simpson University
• Context and Background
• Moodle 2
• Mahara
• BigBlueButton
• Our Journey
• Opportunities
• Challenges
• Questions
ABOUT SIMPSON
• Founded in 1921 as Simpson Bible Institute in Seattle, WA• Moved to San Francisco in 1955 and current location of Redding in
1989
• Simpson University is a Christ-centered learning community committed to developing each student in mind, faith and character for a life-time of meaningful work and service in a constantly changing world. – Mission Statement
• Students• Total enrollment: 1100• Graduate: 187• Continuing Studies: 183• 19% of undergraduate students identified as ethnic minority• Senior classes offered to ages 50 and over
• WASC Accredited for all degree programs
ABOUT SIMPSON, CONT.
• Faculty• Total faculty:121• Part-time: 82• Full-time: 39• Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
• Staff• Total staff: 142• Part-time: 46• Full-time: 96• Staff-to-student ratio: 9:1
CONTEXT
• Currently using Moodle 1.9
• Of faculty polled• 78% report positive comfort in using Moodle• 28% report that Moodle is “essential” part of course
• Additional 38% report regular usage
• Assignments and posting files/docs is majority of usage• 97% report intend to use Moodle in future classes• More trainings and more self-help resources desired• Majority do not communicate with IT over
improvements• 100% report that Moodle plays a role in 21st century
education
CONTEXT, CONT.
• Strategic Planning
• More online offerings
• Better service• Integrations• Best practices• New procedures
OPPORTUNITIES
• Define best practices and efficient procedures
• Tools for a 21st century education
• New retention data
• Create and foster engagement
MOODLE 2
• Learning Management System
• Modern look and feel
• New analytics
• Integrations• Google Drive• Dropbox• SIS
• SSO
• Automation• Course creation• Enrollment
MOODLE 2, CONT.
Moodle Live
Moodle Archives
Moodle Developme
nt
MAHARA
• Student portfolio system (ePortfolios)
• Social networking capabilities
• Online resume
• Integration with Moodle 2
• Display virtually any learning artifact
BIG BLUE BUTTON
• Video conference platform a la Connect, WebEx
• Interact with dozens of users simultaneously in real-time virtual classrooms• Webcam, chat, audio• Share presentations, markup a document, visit
websites
• Integrates with Moodle 2
• Archives sessions (audio/slides only)
• No software to download
THE JOURNEY
• Summer ‘12: IT decision to move to Moodle 2• Outages, no statistics, limited
capabilities
• Fall ‘12: first communications to faculty• Presentations, email
• November ‘12: M2 test server (internal)
• January ‘13: Live beta• 70+ users
THE JOURNEY, CONT.
• February ‘13: first meeting of test teachers• Overwhelmingly positive feedback• Stability, usability
• February ‘13: Moodle development server• Testing of new plugins and requested features
• Feb/March ‘13: notify and train summer session faculty and students
• Early April ‘13: course curriculum ready
• Early April ‘13: students enrolled
• Late April ‘13: summer classes begin
• Fall ‘13: completed infrastructure in place
THE JOURNEY, CONC.
• To do• Archive server• Course import mechanism• Define many best practices and procedures• Integration with SIS• Training materials• Organize trainings
CHALLENGES
• Continuous classes
• Known unknowns and unknown unknowns
• Limited resources
• Faculty attitudes/levels of expertise
• Adjunct faculty
• Reigning in chaos
• Time
• Reach exceeds our grasp
• Communication
Demonstration
• Moodle 2
• Mahara
• BigBlueButton
QUESTIONS
@justinloh
justinloh.tumblr.com
blogs.simpsonu.edu/techademic
Thank you!