Simmons Moodle is the home for your online classroom. Dive into your courses, explore new resources, and connect with your peers and instructors. Be sure to download the Moodle App for iOS or Android to stay updated. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out via the question mark (?) icon at the bottom of your Simmons Moodle homepage.
We are excited to announce a significant upgrade to our learning management system, Simmons Moodle, which will take place on January 8, 2024. The transition to Moodle 4.1 represents a substantial improvement in our online learning experience, offering enhanced features and a more user-friendly interface.
Key benefits of this upgrade include:
Modern User Interface: A new sleek and intuitive interface that will make navigation and course management more straightforward.
Improved Mobile Compatibility: Increased responsiveness on mobile devices, allowing for a seamless learning experience on smartphones and tablets.
Enhanced Accessibility: Better support for accessibility standards, ensuring that all community members can access and benefit from online resources.
Streamlined Assignment Submission: Students will find it easier to submit assignments, and instructors will have a more convenient grading process.
Advanced Analytics: Improved data analytics tools, helping instructors and administrators make data-driven decisions to support student success.
There will be a scheduled downtime on the morning of January 8th, 2024, to ensure a smooth transition. We anticipate that Moodle will be unavailable for four to six hours. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.
We are committed to providing the best online learning environment for our university community, and this upgrade is a significant step towards achieving that goal. To that end, we will continue to update the Simmons community with details about specific improvements directly through the Moodle platform. In addition, the Center for Faculty Excellence will be providing instructor workshops to further introduce new key features on January 10th at 11 a.m., and January 11th at 2 p.m.
Thank you for your cooperation and patience as we work to enhance your Moodle experience. If you have any concerns or questions, or would like to be considered as part of a small pilot group to provide early feedback about the new Moodle experience, please don’t hesitate to contact our Moodle Support team at [email protected].
The Simmons Moodle platform is scheduled for an upgrade before the Spring 2024 semester commences. To ensure a smooth transition to the enhanced user experience, we will be sharing updates and sneak peeks of the upcoming features during the Fall semester. If you’re interested in getting acquainted with the fresh offerings, which encompass streamlined navigation, an upgraded course page, and a revitalized dashboard, kindly explore the resources available on Moodle’s New for Teachers and New for Students pages, or refer to their dedicated YouTube playlist.
We are pleased to report that GSLIS and SNHS courses for Fall 2012 are live in Simmons Moodle. Our in-person demonstration tables in the GSLIS Palace Road lounge and the 3rd floor of Park Science Building were well-attended by students, and faculty members can continue to find orientation materials and drop-in sessions in person or online. We are beginning to meet with departments that will be rolling on in Spring 2013. Information about the upcoming Spring 2013 roll-out can be found here.
Please remember that any questions, comments, or feedback about Simmons Moodle can be directed to [email protected].
Big news for GSLIS and SNHS students: Simmons Moodle will be replacing eLearning as the online platform for you course materials and activities this Fall. If you are registered for a Fall 2012 course in one of these schools, you will automatically have access to Moodle 101. This student resource includes basic information on how to access Simmons Moodle classes, set up your profile, change your messaging settings, and more. If you have any questions related to this new tool, please e-mail [email protected].
Last month, we mentioned that our pilot test of the new eLearning system, Simmons Moodle, was getting under way. We’re happy to report that one month into the semester, we have received positive feedback from faculty members involved in the pilot. Last week, the team released a survey within Simmons Moodle to gather feedback from their students.
One of the major highlights pilot testers have been pointing out is improved communication, both between professors and students, and between students themselves. Simmons Moodle makes it easier to send, and reply to, class-wide announcements and has additional tools for collaboration and sharing of information.
Simmons Moodle is also structured more like other web services and many members of the pilot have found it easier to use than Blackboard and have responded positively to the enhanced communication and interactivity it provides.
Rex Krajewski, Head of Library Information Services for Simmons, and a faculty member, said he has found his experience with Simmons Moodle to be “overwhelmingly positive.” He also mentioned that, “It is easier…to use as an instructor, and it seems as though the students are having an easier time using it, as well. It feels less like an add-on or extra thing to do ‘just because,’ and more like an integral part of the course.”
In the near future, we will be working with members of the Administration and representatives for each school to outline a plan to make Simmons Moodle available for all classes at Simmons. Keep an eye on upcoming issues of TechNews for more about Simmons Moodle.
If you read last month’s TechNews, you know that Simmons is engaged in a project to replace Blackboard-based Simmons eLearning as the College learning management system (LMS). Because this project will affect most of the Simmons Community, we want to keep you informed of its progress while highlighting some of the exciting things it will make possible.
The new LMS, currently called Simmons Moodle, has been made available this semester to a pilot group of professors who have volunteered to use it in their classes and to provide feedback. During spring semester, there will be ten courses and more than 250 students using Simmons Moodle and sharing their experiences with us. In preparation for these courses, the Simmons Moodle Team has created tutorials, videos, and FAQs for both faculty and students. We will use what we learn from the pilot to help us plan and prepare for the campus-wide roll out.
We are very excited about Simmons Moodle and the capabilities and improvements it will bring to a technologically integrated learning experience. Among these are more customizable features and increased communication between students and professors. In the coming months, we’ll provide updates on our progress and share with you the experiences of some of the students and faculty using Simmons Moodle.
As we integrate our experiences from the pilot into a plan for campus-wide roll out, you can expect to hear more about this project. Additionally, you are welcome to visit lmsproject.simmons.edu, to read our blog and stay on top of updates as they occur.