On 6 – 8 November, US Moodlers from the around the country gathered in sunny Miami, Florida, for the second MoodleMoot US 2017 conference at the Hyatt Regency.
Let’s #Moodle #MootUS17 #Miami @moodle pic.twitter.com/4hOeVVI3Ei
— Elearning Experts (@ElearningExp) November 6, 2017
My plate since 2006 and the Governor Dummer, Byfield MA Moot #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/eqSdV3IYMj
— Don Schwartz (@GraniteView) November 6, 2017
In Miami. #MootUS17-Florida pic.twitter.com/6ym6EgQHi9
— Eric Merrill (@ericmblog) November 5, 2017
With a focus on a new look and a new program that focussed on envisioning two of Moodle’s key projects – Learn Moodle and MoodleNet – this Moot was a change from previous styles of keynote and 15 minutes Moodle presentations (though these were also still available within the program).
Let’s take a look at what happened in Miami for our second MoodleMoot US 2017!
Day 1: Masterclasses
Moodlers eagerly started day 1 of MootUS17 for a full day of learning and discovery through our Masterclasses.
Lining up to register at #mootus17 pic.twitter.com/JIOjdFEL4V
— Mary Cooch (@moodlefairy) November 6, 2017
First off the rank was the Moodle Analytics Masterclass, where our Research Analyst and member of the Education team, Elizabeth Dalton, talked attendees through the variety of perspectives on Learning Analytics and how they work within and outside of Moodle.
Of course, Inspire – Moodle’s solution to open source learning analytics – is available in Moodle 3.4 core, to be released on Monday 13 November.
#MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/ydkIGZ8gM7
— Mary Cooch (@moodlefairy) November 6, 2017
New Analytics, Project Inspire, looks very cool. Playing with Moodle 3.4 this Winter and deploying in Summer 2018 #mootus17 #ucla
— Rex Lorenzo (@rlorenzo) November 6, 2017
Wow. This Moodle Moot is off to an engaging start #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/aAmCqZrlK3
— Don Schwartz (@GraniteView) November 6, 2017
If you are eager to test Inspire, you can do so using our Inspire Test site at: /inspiretest.next.moodle.com
Inspire Test Site: https://t.co/kZSHrP62Nf #mootus17
— Michelle Moore (@michelledmoore) November 6, 2017
Straight from analytics, Moodle HQ’s Business Development Manager, Gavin Henrick, took Moodlers on a journey to take a look at learning through Moodle Mobile, especially through the lens of:
- Content creation and suitability
- Assessment approaches
- Communication
- Mobile strategy, our app and going offline
Gavin also showcased our new Moodle Desktop, which was released recently for Windows, Linux and iOS platforms.
Size matters! #MoodleMobile #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/8HmFSCul9Z
— Kim Salinas (@SalinasKim) November 6, 2017
#MootUS17 Teachers must realize that their content is always downloadable when online. Stop annoying students by making it hard to access.
— Emma Richardson (@emmayj1) November 6, 2017
All Moodle core activities are now supported in the mobile app. Anything you can do in Moodle, you can do on the app. @ghenrick #mootus17
— Michelle Moore (@michelledmoore) November 6, 2017
A lunch break was set before Moodlers returned back to the talk all things “Learn Moodle” – facilitated by our Education team as they introduced key concepts from our new Learn Moodle curriculum.
The workshop considered four common learning frameworks and highly effective teaching patterns and Moodle tools for each of the frameworks.
@solangelalonde growing the @moodle learning community at #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/C1BiPXGWgI
— Elizabeth Dalton (@e_m_dalton) November 6, 2017
With masterclasses done and dusted on day 1, Moodlers got the opportunity to ask our US Moodle Partners (eThink Education, Elearning Experts and Moonami) and Premium Integrators (Blindside Networks & IntelliBoard) questions about all things Moodle, edtech, support services and much more, as they took centre stage for a Q&A session.
#MootUS17 some of our US partners and premium integrators pic.twitter.com/s1IaTsOOqz
— Mary Cooch (@moodlefairy) November 6, 2017
A full first day ended with a meet and greet with the new leadership team of the Moodle Users Association, where Moodlers were able to put faces to names, get a better understanding of the Association’s work and how to get involved!
What’s new with the Moodle User’s Association by Emma Richardson #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/7WPLxnCePT
— Frances Le Page (@Frankiillouise) November 7, 2017
As one Moodler tweeted, the first day of MootUS17 started the trend for a “fantastic gathering of sharing of minds.”
Fantastic gathering of sharing minds #MootUS17 @Moodle @moodlemoot_us #learning pic.twitter.com/Ybx4xQhs48
— Don Schwartz (@GraniteView) November 6, 2017
Day 2: A keynote, Moodle presentations and “hello” MoodleNet
“Empowering Educators” was the title of our Chief Moodler’s keynote address as he opened day 2 of MoodleMoot US 2017 in Miami.
Outlining Moodle’s key projects and roadmap for the future and how they will contribute to advancing our mission were the key messages that our Moodlers resonated with at the Moot!
And @moodler takes the #mootus17 stage in Miami :) pic.twitter.com/4IFLm9f4MN
— TheGreatBabu (@TheGr8Babu) November 7, 2017
Can capitalism solve education? #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/SlI2geIycw
— Cédric Geffroy (@cedricgeffroy) November 7, 2017
Martin Dougiamis @Moodle and the most empowering keynote ever heard. Brilliant, inclusive and worldly. Not just for moodlers #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/aGDmNoeCaV
— Don Schwartz (@GraniteView) November 7, 2017
Feeling empowered with #MootUS17 keynote @moodler #MoodleLove pic.twitter.com/iX8IVZrb53
— Kim Salinas (@SalinasKim) November 7, 2017
Inspired by Martin’s keynote, our Moodlers were then immediately ‘treated’ to a number of Moodle presentations to inspire and show the many powerful features you can use and implement in your learning site.
The list of presentations include:
- Containers and Virtualization presented by Paul Greidanus (Moodle HQ)
- Customizations for a Responsive and User-Friendly Moodle Theme presented by Todd Mathews (eThink Education)
- Run a reporting + disaster recovery Moodle instance with Docker presented by Matt Rice (Mid Michigan Community College)
- 0-60: Increase your Velocity with a non-traditional Agile Team presented by Rex Lorenzo and Amber Stokes (University of California, Los Angeles)
- Forging a path with competency based education presented by Claire Machia (eThink Education)
- Educating Smithsonian Volunteers Using Moodle presented by Mia Musolino (Smithsonian Institution)
- What’s new with the Moodle User’s Association? presented by Emma Richardson (East Central BOCES)
#MootUS17 competency based education from @eThinkEducation pic.twitter.com/Z5PZ1WLwKz
— Mary Cooch (@moodlefairy) November 7, 2017
Increase your Velocity with a non-traditional Agile Team by Amber Stokes & Rex Lorenzo #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/3BxIapHBuy
— Frances Le Page (@Frankiillouise) November 7, 2017
Smithsonian showing how diverse #Moodle is! #Mootus17 #MoodleLove pic.twitter.com/heJqj1NRku
— Kim Salinas (@SalinasKim) November 8, 2017
Great presentation on what MoodleHQ uses for keeping their infrastructure alive. Thanks @majestik we took notes #MootUS17 https://t.co/OtDq5ahhL5 pic.twitter.com/rn5aufx58s
— J Federico ???? (@JesusFederico) November 8, 2017
At the same time, our Moodle supporters were also running a number of “Extend your Moodle” sessions, showcasing how plugins, integration and other features can be used in Moodle to get more out of learning sites.
The Math piece for Moodle presented by Pablo Guerrero @wirismath #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/cemkO1ASPS
— Frances Le Page (@Frankiillouise) November 7, 2017
Prevent Cheating during Moodle quizzes by Nick Laboda #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/tOazfQOAkq
— Frances Le Page (@Frankiillouise) November 7, 2017
Then came time to talk all things MoodleNet. Doug Belshaw took to the stage to facilitate an envisioning session, capturing people’s dreams, hopes and fears with our new planned social platform for educators.
The session got many Moodlers thinking and engaged, coming up with a wall of ideas and thoughts!
Human Spectrogram #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/peivDmtwLa
— Frances Le Page (@Frankiillouise) November 7, 2017
Hopes, fears, and dreams for @moodle What are yours? #MootUS17 – Florida #moodle @moodlemoot_us pic.twitter.com/DxKfowp55C
— Kathie Robeson (@ksrobeson) November 8, 2017
#MootUS17 teacher/instructor group discussing MoodleNet pic.twitter.com/aHCbgwDRnW
— Mary Cooch (@moodlefairy) November 7, 2017
Watch this space as we talk more about MoodleNet.
After a full day, Moodlers welcome a Moodle Party, filled with caricaturist, dancers, a unicycle, music and of course a lot of laughs, catch ups and networking with each other! A great way to end a full second day of the Moot!
Moodling the Night Away #MootUS17-Florida https://t.co/usWIrFMJLh
— Don Schwartz (@GraniteView) November 8, 2017
Moodle Moot US party is underway. #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/gUew9O1Qwl
— Bob Mathews (@afwings) November 8, 2017
Day 3: A final day of workshops and presentations
Last day of MootUS17 saw Moodlers greeted with important information on how to Extend your Moodle from our supporters – Blindside Network and eThink Education.
Last day of a great #MootUS17 is about to get started. Loved the workshops! #MoodleLove pic.twitter.com/HIttETfoaY
— Kim Salinas (@SalinasKim) November 8, 2017
eThink’s Courtney Bentley and Claire Machia gave a great talk about forging a path with competency-based education yesterday at #MootUS17! Stop by the eThink booth with all of your #CBE questions – we’ve got answers! pic.twitter.com/jYWywCHwwQ
— eThink Education (@eThinkEducation) November 8, 2017
@bigbluebutton on mobile? YES, even iOS. Thanks @blindsidenetwks and @ffdixon #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/yPSml6fkbC
— Kim Salinas (@SalinasKim) November 8, 2017
Then five impressive Moodle presentations took to the stage, talking everything from how our Moodle Mobile app can help alleviate poverty through promoting massages with Moodle:
- Implementing Moodle’s Mobile App for a Global Corporate Network – the Case of FINCA Impact Finance presented by Sergio Alguacil-Mallo (FINCA Impact Finance)
- Course design that works for Desktop, Responsive and Apps presented by Jeremy Schweitzer (eThink Education)
- Promoting Moodle with Massages: Running a Spa-Themed Faculty Training presented by Karla Fribley (Earlham College)
- Individualize! Adaptive learning scenarios with Moodle presented by Andreas Riepl (GTN Solutions)
- 3.4 Overview presented by Mary Cooch (Moodle HQ)
One of the “predictions” how Moodle can empower educators to improve our world that we love was summarised in this presentation:
@FINCA @moodle @moodlemobileapp Dream, empower, achieve. The possibilities are endless! #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/wRNTlgOlaG
— Kim Salinas (@SalinasKim) November 8, 2017
WooHoo! Anything is possible #Moodle #Mootus17 pic.twitter.com/FmY20vCXyx
— Kim Salinas (@SalinasKim) November 8, 2017
FINCA takes the stage at #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/si7MR4q6rz
— Elearning Experts (@ElearningExp) November 8, 2017
Another envisioning session, this time on another of our key projects – Learn Moodle, greeted Moodlers when they arrived from lunch day 3, close to closing the last day of the Moot.
Our Education team members – Tom, Bob, Solange, Mary and Elizabeth – worked the room to gather feedback, present the idea to date of the new curriculum and gathered more essential information to move forward with this key project!
Come check out the planning session on Learn Moodle with Tom @tom_murdock #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/tqUp4z5k0D
— Frances Le Page (@Frankiillouise) November 8, 2017
#MootUS17 learning includes unlearning and relearning. The destination is more discussions between teachers about practice. pic.twitter.com/wMI2WuqHTt
— Tom Murdock (@tom_murdock) November 9, 2017
#MootUS17 Choose what you want to happen. Design towards it. pic.twitter.com/MJ1n0Bm8yE
— Tom Murdock (@tom_murdock) November 9, 2017
Following that, it was a wrap Moodlers! Our chief Moodler took to the stage to thank everyone involved and announced that MootUS18 will be in Denver next year!
So thanks once again to our US Moodlers for making this event a success – we look forward to seeing you face to face again next year but in the meantime, we will see you online!
For everyone who joined in our MoodleMoot Conference in Miami this week, thanks for helping make it a really fun, engaging and inspiring three days! ❤️ #MootUS17
We are already cooking up some truly innovative ideas for #MootUS18 in Denver next October. It’s gonna be huge!
— ?Martin Dougiamas (@moodler) November 9, 2017
For everyone who joined in our MoodleMoot Conference in Miami this week, thanks for helping make it a really fun, engaging and inspiring three days! ❤️ #MootUS17
We are already cooking up some truly innovative ideas for #MootUS18 in Denver next October. It’s gonna be huge!
— ?Martin Dougiamas (@moodler) November 9, 2017
It's been a high quality Moot. I hate to see it end, but look forward to continuing and growing the connections I made here at #MootUS17!
— Becky Keith (@KeithTIS) November 8, 2017
#mtmoot @kachoodan Thinking of our Mountain Moot friends as we close down the bar for the second night in a row! #MootUS17 pic.twitter.com/1KugXAgkEM
— Emma Richardson (@emmayj1) November 8, 2017
Stay tuned while we upload presentation slides to our website and also recordings of some of the presentations onto your YouTube Channel.
In the meantime, to stay in touch and keep up to date with all things MootUS – follow us on Twitter!