Deploying Moodle in a large school district–or even a small one–can be a bit daunting. After all, if success means that every teacher (3000+) is going to have one or more courses, that means you could easily knock your server(s) offline!

But it also means you have to work out a process for handling all the new Moodle courses coming your way. After a long team meeting, here’s what we worked out. I’m not saying it’s the best approach, and it does require work, but what doesn’t?

Here is an email I wrote to summarize the meeting among my team members; I hope it’s instructive. I hope you’ll share how you’re organizing your Moodle deployment:

Thanks to all of you for your feedback during the Moodle Best Practices course meeting we had this morning. I thought I’d take a moment to summarize my take-aways and perception of responsibilities taken on 1) Moodle Creation Process and 2) Moodle Best Practices Course

1 – MOODLE CREATION PROCESS

1. End-User (e.g. teacher, dept head) completes an online form requesting Moodle creation*
2. Upon clicking SUBMIT on that Moodle Request Form, the user is taken to a confirmation web page that features background information on the Moodle Best Practices course with the requisite enrollment key
3. The user completes the Moodle Request course independently
4. The IT Facilitator assigned Moodle Creation creates the Moodle and places it in the appropriate space (e.g. Open Campus, Think) and notifies the user of the location and enrollment key to gain access to the new course.**
5. IT Facilitator enters ePath and assigns 1 hour of CPE credit in one class that “never ends.”

*Suggestion: Using our learning management system, move steps 1-3 into a SCORM module to minimize interaction. This will be figured out by November 1 and decision made whether to implement or not.
**Suggestion: Any new Moodle account would result in a face to face meeting.

2 – MOODLE BEST PRACTICES COURSE – Components

This is the “shell” for this Course

1. Welcome
2. Look-n-See (This is a video featuring various exemplary Moodle Courses in the District)
3. Video Resources
• “Moodle in SAISD Classrooms”
• Inclusion of simple how-to videos (I’ve requested we all review that to ensure they reflect our understanding of what needs to go into the course and so that we are all on the “same page” about those videos)
4. Activity – Reflection tied to Implementation. This is a simple discussion forum
5. Pick Your Path Questionnaire
• Face to Face Workshop Learner: These F2F workshops include a 1.5 hour Moodle Basics/Beginner course offered twice per month with additional Intermediate and Advanced courses offered throughout the year.
• Self-Paced Learner
• Moodle is Not For Me at this time.
6. Ongoing Support
1. Discussion Forum (standard) that Moodlers can come back to share questions and ask for support
2. Facilitators will cycle this responsibility

You can start to see the budding list of Moodlers. Wow, who would have thought it?

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Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin’s blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure