Blackboard -> Moodle Course Conversions

Please join me in welcoming Eric Bryant, our new Blackboard -> Moodle Course Conversion Specialist. Eric started at LBCC a few weeks ago, and has been busy converting courses for Fall Term 09. He can be reached at eric.bryant@linnbenton.edu or 541.917.4373.

Here is the basic procedure we have established for our Blackboard -> Moodle course conversions:

1. Create a copy of a Blackboard course to be converted (thus avoiding unecessary student info exposure, and the potential for messing up a live course). We will email you shortly after creating this course copy to let you know we are starting your course conversion.

2. Study the general layout of the Blackboard course, and create a bare Moodle course shell to reflect that layout.

3. In an effort to deliver as much of our eLearning content as possible via web pages vs. files to download and manage, we will be converting existing files to HTML via Moodle’s easy-to-use web page creation tool. Because these formats do not require a software purchase, LBCC's recommended delivery formats are as follows:

a. HTML (Web Page) with text, images, links, etc. (Moodle’s tool is as easy as using Word)
b. Adobe Acrobat PDF
c. Native Format (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) can be used, but is not recommended for universal access

4. When Eric is finished (or nearly so) with your course conversion, we will give you Instructor access (if you don’t have an LBCC Moodle account, we will create one for you), at which point you can review the Moodle version of your course and make changes, as needed. Of course, we are also here for questions, help, support, etc.

With that said, let me add that a terrific way for a new Moodle Instructor to learn Moodle is to take an active role in the course conversion process. You already have your content, so learning while you build is a great way to learn how to navigate, develop, and deliver your course in Moodle. Please feel free to contact Eric as early in the conversion process as you can, and strongly consider taking an active role in your Blackboard -> Moodle course conversion process. You will be glad you did!

One more item before closing: if you haven’t already updated your LBCC Moodle profile, please do so upon your next login. The Staff Information tool in Blackboard is course-specific, while Moodle user profiles are site-specific, meaning you can put a lot of great information about yourself into your Moodle profile one time, and it’s only one click away anywhere your name appears on the site! See how to update your Moodle profile here.

Eric is the guy on the right in the "Thursday Bike Rides!" post picture below.