I've been using Moodle 2.0 in anger for a few months now, and thought it was time to put down a few thoughts about how it differs from Moodle 1.x. At the moment, I would say I'm only scratching the surface of Moodle 2's functionality. There's a lot of behind-the-scenes changes that I'm just not touching at all (eg. the new API's ( API = Application Programming Interface ). So, this is just an initial look at some of the things that have jumped out as I've used it. Conditional Activities. In Moodle 1.x it was possible to set up conditional activities only with quite a major hack to the code. MORE >>

What advice around internet safety would you give to someone who is relatively new to using the internet, or social media in particular? Here's my starter for nine, followed by a link to some official advice: People aren't always who they say they are. That applies to websites too. Always make sure you get a second opinion from someone you trust. Your emails are your soft underbelly. If someone can get to your emails, they can change your password on most of the systems you'll be using. Your email password should be the strongest one you have. You are what you write. Original post. MORE >>

I don't normally write directly about the company I work for ( Capita Learning & Development ). value my independence too much for that. But, there are times when we put out stuff that's worth talking about. Today's a case in point. We've just published a research report (embedded below), based on the opinions of senior decision makers among the UK’s largest 500 firms. Here are some of the findings. The majority (70%) of business leaders fear that inadequate staff skills are the greatest threat to their ability to capitalise on the recovery. That might be partially true. MORE >>

The world of social software is large, diverse and complex. There are a multitude of applications that sit within this space. Some of these are single purpose applications, such as Twitter, Wordpress, Google Docs, Google Reader etc. Some are multi-purpose, such as Facebook, Elgg and Moodle. This post is not about how to choose the right application. wrote about that earlier this year ( Top tips for choosing and using social software ), and Jane Hart's directory of software is probably the most useful starting place. You've recognised the value that the social element brings to learning. MORE >>

#LSGroup #yam. Last week's Learning & Skills Group webinar on How Companies are Making the Most of Moodle attracted over 200 people and stimulated a huge amount of conversation in the chat room. Steve Rayson (from Kineo) gave a superb overview of how companies have used Moodle as the basis for a whole range of training, performance analysis and communication purposes. He talked about the potential for Moodle to adapt through new theme packs or custom-built modules. This will be very much an outline of the possible, rather than an in-depth exploration. Moodle is free. Moodle is free. MORE >>