Source : http://studentmediahub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/825412502_QACpDbUX_unitec.png

The first example is Unitec which is one the largest institute of technology in Auckland, New Zealand offering a comprehensive portfolio of 160 programmes for many possible careers. Unitec offers full-time or part-time study programmes extending from certificates and diplomas through to degrees and doctorates, across a wide range of professional and vocational areas. Unitec is a member of the International Association of Universities and has many formal relationships with overseas education providers.

A Blackboard licence purchased by Unitec in 1998 was used as a repository for core documents, and a means for announcement broadcasting until a Moodle pilot was undertaken in three departments in 2009 (Tabitha & Rata-Skudder, 2012a). Moodle (also known as Unitec eLearn) replaced Blackboard as Unitec’s main Learning Management System at the end of 2011. Currently Moodle 2.2.4 version, Build 20120706 with GNU Public Licensing is being used to facilitate teaching and learning at Unitec (Jacqui. T, personal communication, 26th October, 2012). 

Source : http://moodle.unitec.ac.nz/

The transition from the Blackboard to Moodle brought changes and anxiety to the staff that were dependent on strong support and adequate scaffolding for the change process while there were few who embraced the opportunity to experiment themselves. “Unitec leadership recognised the key value of providing well-resourced support services in enabling the pedagogical shift and technical skills acquisition required to successfully implement the eLearning Strategy” (Tabitha & Rata-Skudder, 2012a).  A moodle-based professional development course was held for the Library staff to enable an optimal response to the new LMS.

With the migration from Blackboard to Moodle, training workshops for students were also organised by the institute to enable them access course content online, lecture slides, notes and assignment details. Click on the video below to navigate around the Unitec's Moodle site.

Source : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kh8UwtPwUY&feature=youtu.be

Moodle is a web-based system that support context courses and quizzes along with tools for communication and collaboration which can be accessed from anywhere via internet. Moodle enables teachers and students to communicate and participate in a range of teaching and learning activities via forums. Using Moodle discussion forums, educators post news items, assign and collect assignments, post electronic journals, set quizzes, provide timely feedback and many more. It offers students an easy access to course related resources which is not limited students’ location and time zone. Below is a screenshot of a Unitec discussion forum.

Source : http://moodle.unitec.ac.nz/mod/forum/view.php?id=27747

Students enrolled at Unitec are supplied with a username and password to access Moodle. The username is the same as Unitec’s network username and the initial password issued is the date of birth of the student. Moodle can be accessed by selecting ‘Moodle login’ from the Unitec website homepage or typing the URL http://moodle.unitec.ac.nz into the web browser.

Critique of example 1