AU was facing issues with its online course delivery as it used multiple systems across different schools, with no central support. A review committee selected Moodle as the best learning management system (LMS) to address this, based on its strong ratings across evaluation criteria. AU then implemented Moodle following project management principles, with a phased pilot and rollout, training, and focus on automating administration. This consolidated AU's online delivery onto a single LMS, reduced complexity, and improved student services and systems management. Future plans include further system integrations and developing organizational structures to support Moodle within faculties.

1. Moving to Moodle - AU
Brian Stewart CIO

2. AU Situation – PreMoodle
• Majority of courses and students not online
• Four flavours of online delivery
– School of Business – Web based Lotus Notes
– Centre for Innovative Management – Client based Lotus
Notes
– Centre for Arts and Science – Bazaar and web programming
– Centre for Nursing and Health Studies - WebCt
• No central support
• Poor Integration
• No coordination across institution

3. Review - Composition and Evaluation
• A review and selection committee was
established, composed of representatives from across the
University with knowledge and interest in the selection.
• The Evaluation had five main categories
– Mandate
– Administration
– Cost
– Instructional Design
– Teaching and Learning Tools
• These categories were detailed out to include the aspects
and functions that a desired system should have.

4. Final Selection
• Five Month Evaluation using criteria
• Moodle with 11 first place ratings and with only one third
placement from any of the evaluators. Lotus Notes was
second with five first place ratings.
• Moodle garnered 40 percent of the total weighted score with
Lotus Notes getting 32 percent and WebCT 29 percent.
• Moodle had been selected by the group as the best choice for
AU with a clear and unambiguous majority.

5. Implementation
• Followed Project Management principles
• Two Committee Governance structure – steering and operating
• Five project domains
– Commissioning Infrastructure Daryl Campbell
– Content Rodger Graham
– Deployment Keri Michelchuz/ Karen Stauffer
– Training and Support Karen Rosa/ Jenny Lucas
– Research and Development Daryl Campbell
• Pilot Graduate – Paced
• Pilot Undergraduate- Individualized study
• Selected early adopters

6. Lessons Learned
• Automation of student administration
• Communication
• Change Management
• CMS for content
• Course conversion needed to be staggered and prioritized
• Moodle course shells
• Contextualize training

7. Benefits
• Single LMS Core
• Automation of administration functions
• Common language and focus
• Increased dialogue across intuition
• Certainty for future planning and development
• Ability to select and develop CMS integration
• Improved student service
• Reduced complexity
• Improved systems management
• Fit with culture and skill set

8. Benefits
Helpdesk Calls switch from WebCt to Moodle 2006-2007
PreMoodle Total
WebCt Q4 2006 - 407 Moodle Q4 2006 - 84 491
Post Moodle
WebCt Q4 2007 – 98 Moodle Q4 2007 - 107 205

9. Costs
• Transition from existing systems WebCT, Notes, Bazaar
– Training and communication
– Repurposing content into Moodle
– New positions to support Moodle - systems and academic
– Integration with existing systems
• Management and governance overhead to coordinate activities
• Custom development to fit working practices
• Development of centralised IT support and delivery infrastructure
• Allowing for the nuances of different disciplines

10. Future
• Continued systems integration
– Alfresco CMS
– Gradebook – Newton
– myAU Portal
– Banner student information system
– Social networking
• Interoperability with outside systems and resources
• Development of organization to support Moodle within Faculties
– Develop standards and procedures for delivering courses
– Develop policies for course delivery
– Redesign of organizational structure

11. Thank You
and good luck