1. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
From ‘Woe to Go’
How Moodle Changed my Life
-- Creating a small Moodle-based business --
Tish Kirkland
YES! IELTS
Australian MoodleMoot 2015

2. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
The Context

3. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Have you heard of this thing called Moodle?
No.
It’s really cool. I think you’d really like it.
mid 2008
Uh... OK.
Well... sign me up! (1.9)

4. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
2007
2007
2005
2004

5. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Teacher (2002)
Senior Teacher, Resource Coordinator
Accommodation Coordinator
Activities Coordinator
Assistant Director of Studies
Director of Studies
School Manager (2007)
... School Director?
... School Owner ?

6. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
early 2008
Image source: http://gbaustralia.wikispaces.com/GreatBritain-Imperialism-In-Australia

7. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
2008
First Moodle site: e-learning
• 1.9
• reliable contingency plan
• topic-based
• easy access
• quality materials
• photocopy-free

8. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
The Bad Shit

9. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
‘... moderately infiltrating ductal carcinoma in situ
and ductal carcinoma in situ.’
early 2009

10. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Bugger.
‘... moderately infiltrating ductal carcinoma in situ
and ductal carcinoma in situ.’
early 2009

11. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Diagnosis 30/Jan/2009. First surgery (wide local excision, sentinel node biopsy)13/
Feb/2009. Second surgery (WLE, axillary clearance) 27/Feb/2009. First
chemotherapy 27/Mar/2009 (3 infusions of FET, 3 infusions of Taxotere, spread
over 18 weeks). Final chemo 10/Jul/2009. First radiation session 3/Aug/2009.
Thirty sessions over six weeks. Final radiation 16/Sept/2009. Zolodex started pre-
chemo in March 2009. Treatment side effects included: fatigue, inability to think
straight, word loss, nausea, constipation, achy legs, achy joints, dry eyes, body and
scalp hair loss, body and facial hair thinning, mucositis, neutropenia, blotchy rash,
menopause, hot flushes, oral candidiasis, loss of some tastes, odd metallic taste in
mouth, burnt feeling in mouth and digestive system, depression, anxiety, radiation
burn, and tinnitus. Tamoxifen started October 2009. Tamoxifen ceased October
2010. Arimidex started November 2010. Zolodex & Arimidex ceased August 2013.
Tamoxifen re-commenced. Tamoxifen ceased Sept 2014. All treatment at the Royal
Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

12. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
July
July
Sept
Sept
Sept

13. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
mid 2009

14. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
I needed to do something

15. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
I needed to do something

16. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
I needed to do something

17. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
I needed to do something

18. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
I needed to do something
private students
short teaching stints
one-to-one students
conversational English
small groups
IELTS test preparation

19. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
I needed to do something
private students
short teaching stints
one-to-one students
conversational English
small groups
IELTS test preparation
fatigue
hospital appointments
fatigue
recovery from treatment
uncertainty
fatigue
confidence

20. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
I need to do something
Image source: https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=3226

21. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
The Business

22. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Text source: Burkinshaw, V. (2011) The Bizness Book. Australia: Affirm Press. ISBN 9780646561431
Image source: http://superhypeblog.com/marketing/how-body-shop-founder-anita-roddick-taught-businesses-to-do-good
Dame Anita Roddick
(1942 – 2007)

23. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Text source: Burkinshaw, V. (2011) The Bizness Book. Australia: Affirm Press. ISBN 9780646561431
Image source: http://superhypeblog.com/marketing/how-body-shop-founder-anita-roddick-taught-businesses-to-do-good
Dame Anita Roddick
(1942 – 2007)
Never stop asking
questions and always
look for better ways of
doing things.
1. Have a vision of something new and believe in it
so passionately it becomes a reality.
2. Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and
skills on an idea, do the research, see what others
are doing and see how you can be different.
3. Seek knowledge – observe, read, listen. Knock on
doors and ask for as many opinions as you can and
as much help as you can muster.

24. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Have a vision of something new and believe in it so passionately it becomes a reality.

25. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Turn your talents into business
Things I am good at Things I love to do Talents I have made
money with in the past
Create a ‘vision board’
• cut outs from magazines
• pinterest
Have a vision of something new and believe in it so passionately it becomes a reality.

26. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Turn your talents into business
Things I am good at Things I love to do Talents I have made
money with in the past
• teaching English
• writing courses
• online communication
• help others
• work with people
• create things
• work with computers
• explore language
• English language teaching
• examining
• management roles
• training & customer service
Create a ‘vision board’
• cut outs from magazines
• pinterest
Have a vision of something new and believe in it so passionately it becomes a reality.

27. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Turn your talents into business
Things I am good at Things I love to do Talents I have made
money with in the past
• teaching English
• writing courses
• online communication
• help others
• work with people
• create things
• work with computers
• explore language
• English language teaching
• examining
• management roles
• training & customer service
Limitations
Create a ‘vision board’
• cut outs from magazines
• pinterest
Have a vision of something new and believe in it so passionately it becomes a reality.

28. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Turn your talents into business
Things I am good at Things I love to do Talents I have made
money with in the past
• teaching English
• writing courses
• online communication
• help others
• work with people
• create things
• work with computers
• explore language
• English language teaching
• examining
• management roles
• training & customer service
Limitations
Create a ‘vision board’
• cut outs from magazines
• pinterest
the need to sleep; uncertain timetables
Have a vision of something new and believe in it so passionately it becomes a reality.

29. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.

30. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Identify your business skills and abilities (strengths and weaknesses):
• product/service knowledge
• business development
• cash flow management
• profit and loss analysis
• marketing
• sales
• customer service
• business plan writing
• recruitment
• staff management
• design
• market research
• negotiation
• contract management
• governance
• OH&S
• planning (time & resources)
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.

31. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Identify your business skills and abilities (strengths and weaknesses):
• product/service knowledge
• business development
• cash flow management
• profit and loss analysis
• marketing
• sales
• customer service
• business plan writing
• recruitment
• staff management
• design
• market research
• negotiation
• contract management
• governance
• OH&S
• planning (time & resources)
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.

32. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
product/service knowledge
• an easy ‘go-to’ resource site for my class
• 7 years’ experience of teaching IELTS
• knowledge of options already available in language schools
• Australian visa & registration requirements
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.

33. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
product/service knowledge
• an easy ‘go-to’ resource site for my class
• 7 years’ experience of teaching IELTS
• knowledge of options already available in language schools
• Australian visa & registration requirements
market research
• target market
• requests for help with IELTS writing
• lack of one-to-one resources available
• limited resources for advanced-level students
• surveymonkey
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.

34. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
business plan
• USP (unique selling point)
• business name
• location-based – website name – search rankings
• business ‘personality’
• logo / colours / fonts / vision board
• Moodle 1.9 theme constraints
• business cards
• vistaprint, moo business cards
• time – don’t underestimate or undervalue this
• revisit, re-evaluate on a regular basis
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.

35. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
money
• PayPal & plugin
• Course Merchant, WooCommerce, Ecwid
• Excel or similar
• Cost of goods sold (COGS) – breakdown of manufacturing costs
• Xero / get a book-keeper
• tax: keep 30% of each payment aside for tax, any excess into superannuation fund
• opt to pay tax quarterly if you can
• GST registration: only if annual/ 12-month turnover (business’s gross income)
ŸAust: $AU 75,000 or more; ŸNZ: $NZ 60,000 or more
• Set up a separate bank account. It doesn’t have to be a ‘business’ account.
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.

36. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
governance
• ABN (Australian Business Number) from the Australian Business Registry abr.gov.au
• business, not hobby
• business structure: individual sole trader / partnership / company / trust
• business name registration
• Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) asic.gov.au
• ideas for names
• Business name vs Trading name (YES! IELTS – Tish Kirkland)
• domain name registration
• e.g. Crazy Domains – .com? .com.au? .net? .co.nz?
• DNS
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.

37. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
marketing
• the 6 P’s
• personality – educational, values, bright, simple
• product – Moodle site; features & benefits
• price – look at the competition; value your time
• place – online, Moodle site
• position – high end, advanced
• promotion – online
• cultural considerations
• gumtree, sunbrisbane, featured service, guest blog, guest article, word of mouth
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.

38. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
marketing
• social media
• your website
• facebook
• twitter
• Google plus
• Wordpress
• your blogs
• other people’s blogs
• YouTube
• scribd
• LinkedIn
Stand out from the crowd. Set your sights and skills on an idea, do the research,
see what others are doing and see how you can be different.
Google Plus page
• QR code (google)
• instagram
• ScoopIt
• Feedburner
• IFTTT ‘if this then that’
blogspot
wordpress
facebook
twitter
#IELTS

39. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Seek knowledge – observe, read, listen. Knock on doors and ask for as many opinions
as you can and as much help as you can muster. Never stop asking questions and always
look for better ways of doing things.

40. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Moodle
• Moodle.org (forum)
• Moodle docs (‘manual’)
• Google search ‘moodle x’
• MOOC LearnMoodle
• MCCC, HRDNZ
• iMoot
• MoodleMoot
Other courses & resources
• FutureLearn, Khan Academy, Lynda.com
• Free trial versions e.g. Camtasia
• Purple Pyjamas .com.au (Melbourne-based)
Books
• ‘The Bizness Book’ by Vickie Burkinshaw
• ‘Body and Soul’ by Anita Roddick
• ‘Business as Unusual’ by Anita Roddick
Seek knowledge – observe, read, listen. Knock on doors and ask for as many opinions
as you can and as much help as you can muster. Never stop asking questions and always
look for better ways of doing things.

41. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Official Assistance - Australia
• Web search ‘small business’ + name of state
• Look for .gov.au e.g. www.business.qld.gov.au
• Australian Tax Office ato.gov.au
• Australian Business Register abr.gov.au
Official Assistance – Aotearoa / New Zealand
• Citizens’ Advice Bureau www.cab.org.nz > starting a small business
• Look for .govt.nz e.g. www.business.govt.nz
• WINZ www.workandincome.govt.nz > start your own business
• Te Tari Taake / Inland Revenue www.ird.govt.nz
Seek knowledge – observe, read, listen. Knock on doors and ask for as many opinions
as you can and as much help as you can muster. Never stop asking questions and always
look for better ways of doing things.

42. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
The Moodle Site

43. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
• Enrol at any time
• PayPal enrolment
• Course Settings: Topics based
• Quiz Settings: Adaptive mode – no penalties
• No focus on grades
• Use grades for Course Completion tracking & Restrict Access
• Asynchronous feedback via Message / Assignment
• No or very few plug-ins
• Careful activity choice
• Calendar for booking and confirmation (if necessary): Setmore
• Incorporating themes of social justice, human rights, peace education
The Moodle Site: YES! IELTS

44. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
YES! IELTS
• one-to-one online students in Australia and overseas
• courses for use in language schools

45. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Thank you, Moodle!

46. YES! IELTS c T i s h K i r k l a n d w w w . y e s - i e l t s . c o m
From Woe to Go: How Moodle Changed my Life
Thank you.
Questions