Moodle - FAQs
The information provided on these pages is intended to answer many of the frequently asked questions we have received from our faculty and students. If you cannot find the answer here, please send your question to GSC Technical Support by using the button to the right.
Q. How do I login?
A. Users enrolled in designated FL 11 Moodle Courses will begin having access to Moodle on September 6th. Login instructions will be provided on Learn.Granite.edu prior to September 6th. This will also be reviewed at the Moodle Orientations.
Q. How do I get IT Help?
A. GSC recently updated its IT Help website. See http://it.granite.edu for help documentation on technologies supported by the college. Or if you need one-on-one assistance, submit a help request ticket from this site. IT Help is monitored by several staff, including on weekends, which ensures the quickest service.
Q. How do I learn more about Moodle?
A. GSC will be offering several Moodle orientations both in the classroom and online webinars. You will need to register for these free orientation sessions. See Moodle Orientation schedule
In the meanwhile, you will find that Moodle.org (http://moodle.org/ an invaluable resource for help documentation, community forums and important news. You can search for information as needed or you can become an active and contributing member of the Moodle community. Start here for information about Moodle 2.0: http://docs.moodle.org/20/en?lang=en
Q. What version of Moodle will GSC be using?
A. GSC will be starting on Moodle 2.0. This is the latest version of Moodle which includes expanded functionality especially in regard to leveraging web-based repositories such as GoogleDocs, Flickr, Picassa, Dropbox...to name but a few.
Q. What is the difference between the Blackboard & Moodle Learning Management Systems?
A. Blackboard is a proprietary Learning Management System (LMS) and its use is typically limited to educators at institutions which pay a fee each year to take on a license agreement for its use.
Moodle is an Open Source Learning Management System that is provided freely and can be run on many operating systems. It’s “free to download, change, share, improve, and customize to whatever you want it to be,” according to the Moodle website. Moodle however, is so popular that a small industry has evolved around it, providing a wide range of support and services. One of the most popular support and hosting services is Remote-Learner. GSC has contracted with Remote-Learner to host its Moodle courses.
As an open source product, Moodle is simply less expensive. Blackboard is sort of the “Rolls Royce” of today’s LMSs. If you want a premier product for a much lower cost, Moodle is really the way to go. Another thing to be aware of is that Blackboard builds substantial annual increases into their pricing model, since they are continually procuring and integrating additional products into their offerings, with the intent of adding value for their users. (adapted from: http://www.emergingedtech.com/2010/11/moodle-2-versus-blackboard-brief-comparison/
Q. What is the difference between Blackboard 9.1 & Moodle 2.0?
A. There are a lot of similarities between the tools in Blackboard 9.1 and Moodle 2.0.
Both allow use of content which uses text, video, images, links to web sites, and more. Both also include online quizzes and exams, uploading of assignments, and discussion boards.
The announcements, messages, and email in Moodle work a bit differently from Blackboard. Pages in Moodle will look different from those in Blackboard due to the addition of blocks for tools, such as the calendar, and (current) online users.
Q. How long will GSC continue to use Blackboard?
A. Starting in the Winter 2012 term, all courses at GSC will offered on Moodle. There will be limited access to Blackboard courses after January 8, 2012. On June 30, 2012, there will no longer be access to any Blackboard courses.
