This paper will focus on the progression in the use of Moodle and technology by educators at AUB, which seems to be calling for a paradigm shift in training strategies. A shift that should take into consideration that IT support and the Moodle application should be better tailored to the individual needs of educators. Presented by Hossein Haman at the Moodlemoot Dublin 2013 http://moodlemoot.ie

1. Moodle Training: a Shift in Paradigm
Hossein Hamam
http://www.linkedin.com/in/hosseinh
American University of Beirut
February 19, 2013 MoodleMoot Dublin 2013

2. Outline
• About AUB
• Moodle Use
• Moodle Support
– Types of Support
– Trends
• Survey Results
• Suggestions and Recommendations
– For Support Staff
– For Moodle

3. About AUB
• American University of Beirut
– Total Number of faculty members: 817
– Student to Faculty ratio: 13 to 1
– Average number of new faculty members per year: 40
• History of LMS at AUB
– Started using WebCT in 2001
– Switched to Moodle In 2005
– The Academic Core Processes and Systems (ACPS)
department administers E-learning solutions

4. Moodle Use
90%
79%
80% 74%
69%
70%
60% 58%
50% 48%
40% 37%
32%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
% of faculty using Moodle

5. Moodle Support
• Group training sessions.
• Individual training sessions.
• Other: Phone calls, E-mails…etc.

6. Group Training Sessions
• Covers basic and technical support.
350
300 295
250 249
233
200
150
100 95
50
0
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
Participants in Group Training

7. Individual Training Sessions
• Individual customized support.
350
300
250 240
217 230
200 203
150
100
50
0
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
Participants in Individual Training

8. Participants in Individual vs. Group Training
350
300 295
250 240 249
233 230
217
200 203
150
100 95
50
0
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
Participants in Individual Training Participants in Group Training

9. Introduction of Web-Enhanced Group Training
350
300 295 284
250 240 249 248
233 230
217
200 203
150
100 95
50
0
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Participants in Individual Training Participants in Group Training

10. Introduction of Blended Group Training
350
300 295 284
271
250 240 249 248
233 230
217
200 203
150
100 95
50 51
0
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Participants in Individual Training Participants in Group Training

11. Hypothesis
• Basic Moodle support has decreased, while support
for advanced usage of Moodle had stayed the same
or increased. Faculty were moving away from the
basic needs, and looking for more advanced features.

12. Survey
• Sent to all faculty using Moodle at AUB

13. Survey: Results of Q1
• During your first semester while using Moodle, how often did you do the
following in order to solve a problem or learn something new?
80%
70%
70%
60%
50%
50%
40% 32%
30%
30%
20%
9% 8%
10%
0%
Phone or Ask a Moodle Clicking the Read a Watch a
Email Colleague Online "?" Tutorial Video
Community
Support During First Semester

14. Survey: Results of Q2
• Currently in this semester after gaining experience-using Moodle, how
often do you do the following in order to solve a problem or learn
something new?
70% 64%
60%
50% 44%
40%
30%
20% 16% 18%
7% 10%
10%
0%
Phone or Ask a Moodle Clicking the Read a Watch a
Email Colleague Online "?" Tutorial Video
Community
Support During Current Semester

15. First Semester vs. Current Semester
80%
70%
70% 64%
60%
50%
50% 44%
40%
30% 32%
30%
20% 16% 18%
10%
9% 7% 8% 10%
0%
Phone or Ask a Moodle Clicking the Read a Watch a
Email Colleague Online "?" Tutorial Video
Community
First Semester Current Semester

16. Conclusion from Q1 and Q2
• No substantial difference between two states.
• Most of the faculty members depend primarily on support
staff.
• Most of the faculty members don’t depend on each other for
support.
• The support that the Moodle application provides is helpful to
a large portion, but its not enough.

17. Survey: Results of Q3
• When given the choice to attend one of the following
training sessions, which one would you choose?
– How to create Forums in Moodle.
17%
– How to engage students effectively in discussions using Moodle.
83%

18. Survey: Results of Q4
• When given the choice to attend one of the following
training sessions, which one would you choose?
– How to create Wikis and Chat rooms.
29%
– How to conduct effective group work using Moodle.
71%

19. Survey: Results of Q5
• What type of training you feel that you need?
– Training that focuses on the technical side of Moodle.
19%
– Training that focuses on the effective use of tools and their
educational approach (pedagogy).
81%

20. Overall Conclusion
• Based on what we just saw, all faculty experienced or
not still depend on support for Moodle. But the type
of support depends on level of experience and
usage. Changing with beginners with basic support,
to much more tailored support.

21. General Suggestions
• To support staff:
– We have to listen more carefully to the growing and changing needs of
faculty, since they are the ones who are in contact with students and
Moodle!
– Tailor our services to their dynamically changing needs.
• To Moodle Application:
– Moodle has to change the way it supports users by:
• Allowing itself to get better input from users so that it tailors itself.
• Get more input from us who are first recipients to the problems of faculty members
as we have shown.

22. Specific Suggestions for Support Staff
• Focus on the new faculty members:
– Orientation Sessions.
• Advanced workshops that focuses on:
– The effective use of Moodle.
– Designing web-enhanced courses.
– Designing blended courses.

23. Specific Suggestions for Moodle
• Accommodate different support needs
– Basic help tips for novice users
– Advanced help tips for expert users
– Users should be able to select which level of support do they need
• Focus on teaching methods rather than tools.

24. Specific Suggestions for Moodle
Instead of a list of tools:
Present a list of teaching methods:

25. Thank you!
IT ACPS
http://acps.aub.edu.lb
Hossein Hamam
hh49@aub.edu.lb
http://www.linkedin.com/in/hosseinh