Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Get on the TRAIN Train! Introducing Moodlerooms' New TRAIN Package


By Tara Thompson, Instructional Designer and Trainer

Moodlerooms knows that the needs of institutions can evolve over time. With every new release of joule, we try to deliver the new features you want and need to enhance your learning programs. But new features are only a small piece of the puzzle. What about additional services and training?

That's why Moodlerooms recently introduced TRAIN, an affordable, annually recurring, comprehensive training package. TRAIN offers suggestions for a variety of activities and services to support the academic community in its Moodle implementation, with a focus on the pedagogical implications of those choices.

TRAIN offers customers access to updated training material at the same time as new software releases, creating a fast track for new feature implementation. Because TRAIN content is deployed on the customer site, where it is facilitated by the customer (not Learning Solutions), institutions can re-brand and edit the TRAIN content, tailoring the learning experience specifically for their institutional needs.

For about a quarter of the cost of an in-house instructional technologist, this travel themed package, (updated twice yearly with new features, tools and materials), bundles some of Learning Solutions' most attended online courses, workshop materials, implementation plans, instructor training protocol, self-paced tutorials, and more.

TRAIN benefits customers by:
  • Solving the issue of training large numbers of staff
  • Supplying master trainers and site administrators with top of the line training materials
  • Saving money by providing unlimited course and webinar seats
  • Addressing the issue of staff transition/attrition with an ongoing training package
  • Anticipating exact training costs well in advance.

TRAIN: The Details

The package kicks-off with a webinar hosted by Learning Solutions, and focuses on how to optimize the use of TRAIN materials. For ideal implementation, we recommend master trainers use their package flex seats to take courses with Moodlerooms, outside of the auspices of TRAIN, in order to gain competency and observe best practices in course facilitation, such as frequency of grading, quality and quantity of announcements, and substantive but manageable feedback.

After this learning opportunity, the master team can then pair these experiences with the content provided in TRAIN to roll-out their joule training plan to the rest of the organization.

In addition to training material, TRAIN customers also receive an enrollment key good for unlimited seats in the TRAIN Community--a site used by Moodlerooms to posts announcements on developments and updates to the TRAIN package. We encourage customers to use the activities on the site to share their experience with other members of the TRAIN community, and we welcome feedback about desired additions to future versions of the package.

Visit our website to learn more about TRAIN or other engaging learning opportunities
delivered by Moodlerooms’ Learning Solutions team.

All aboard!

- Tara

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