Moodle E-learning

Moodle E-learning Suite is an Learning Management Systems (LMS) software for delivering, tracking and managing training. It can be used from simple systems for managing training records to software for distributing courses over the Internet and offering features for online collaboration. Corporate training departments can automate record-keeping as well as the registration of employees for classroom and online courses. Student self-service (e.g. self-registration on instructor-led training), training workflow (e.g. user notification, manager approval, waitlist management), the provision of on-line learning (e.g. Computer-Based Training, read & understand), on-line assessment, management of continuous professional education (CPE), collaborative learning (e.g. application sharing, discussion threads), and training resource management (e.g. instructors, facilities, equipment), are some of the additional dimensions to leading Learning Management Systems.

E-learning Suite is designed to help educators create online courses with opportunities for rich interaction. In essence, E-learning Suite is a high-level, strategic solution for planning, delivering, and managing most learning events within an organization, including online, virtual classroom, and instructor-led courses. The primary solution is replacing isolated and fragmented learning programs with a systematic means of assessing and raising competency and performance levels throughout a learning enterprise. For example, it can simplify certification efforts, enable entities to align learning initiatives with strategic goals, and provide a viable means of enterprise-level skills management. The focus of E-learning Suite is to manage students, keeping track of their progress and performance across all types of training activities. It performs heavy-duty administrative tasks, such as reporting to instructors, progress report and student management system.

Web-based interface of E-learning Suite facilitates "anytime, any place, any pace" access to learning content and administration.


Primary business problems an E-learning Suite solves are

1. Centralized management of an organizations learning content for efficient searching and retrieval
2. Productivity gains around rapid and condensed development timeliness
3. Productivity gains around assembly, maintenance and publishing/branding/delivery of learning content.

E-learning Suite has several features expected from an e-learning platform:

  • User management
  • Lessons, Courses and Categories management
  • Files management
  • Exam builders
  • Assignments builders
  • Communication tools (Forum, Chat, Calendar, Glossary)
  • Progress tracking
  • Authentication methods
  • Enrollment methods
  • Certifications
  • Reports generators
  • Student administration tools
  • Payment integration (through Paypal)
  • Automatic assigment of courses to specific job descriptions
  • Manage users, roles, courses, instructors, and facilities and generate reports
  • Course calendar
  • Student messaging and notifications
  • Assessment/testing capable of handling student pre/post testing
  • Display scores and transcripts
  • Grading of coursework and roster processing, including waitlisting
  • Web-based or blended course delivery


E-learnig Suite can create, manage and deliver not only training modules but also manage and edit all the individual pieces that make up a catalog of training. It allow users to create, import, manage, search for and reuse small units or 'chunks' of digital learning content/assets, commonly referred to as learning objects. These assets may include media files developed in other authoring tools, assessment items, simulations, text, graphics or any other object that makes up the content within the course being created. E-learnig Suite manages the process of creating, editing, storing and delivering e-learning content and other training support deliverables such as job aids.

E-learning Suite is flexible enough to allow for a full range of modes of teaching. It can be used for both introductory and advanced delivery of content (e.g. HTML pages) or assessment.

Interoperability
E-learnig Suite's interoperability features include:
  • Authentication, using LDAP or by direct interaction with an external database
  • Quizzes and quiz questions, allowing import/export in a number of formats: GIFT, IMS QTI, XML and XHTML (NB although export works very well, import is currently not complete)
  • Resources, using IMS Content Packaging, SCORM, AICC (CBT), LAMS
  • Integration with other Content Management Systems such as Postnuke (via third-party extensions)
  • Syndication, using RSS or Atom newsfeeds - external newsfeeds can be displayed in a course, and forums, blogs, and other features can be made available to others as newsfeeds