Case Study: Support for the Introduction and Operation of the "Public University Faculty Training System" by Moodle
By introducing Moodle, we have built the e-learning platform "Public University Faculty Training System". It is now possible to provide teaching materials for about 30 courses.
The number of registered users has reached nearly 400, and it is widely used by various teachers and staff members.
We have received positive feedback such as "It's great that there are no time or location constraints" and "It's great to be able to learn at my own pace".
Japan Association of National Universities
The Japan Association of Public Universities Secretariat, Ms. Akane Ehara
- Introduction and Operational Support
Customer Requests Received
- Please tell us about the activities of the National Association of Public Universities and Mr. Ebara's duties.
Mr. Ebihara: Our association was established with the aim of promoting public universities, improving the level of higher education and academic research in Japan, and contributing to balanced development. This year, we have 99 public universities as members and are implementing various activities and support for business promotion at public universities, as well as organizing seminars to provide information for this purpose.
I am a member of the secretariat and in charge of planning and managing seminars.
- Please tell us about the background of introducing e-learning.
Mr. Ehara: Our association has been working to enhance our training business through face-to-face and group seminars before 2020. However, due to the spread of the new coronavirus in 2020, we have started conducting online training using platforms such as Zoom. By implementing online training and distributing video data on YouTube, we believe that our training business has become available "anytime, anywhere" and has improved our services to member schools. In order to store and utilize video data, we have built a platform and created a systematic training program at the Public University Association, which we believe can be utilized for the development of faculty members at member schools.
Initially, we established the "Working Group on Training Systems for Public University Faculty Members" in December 2020 with the aim of introducing an e-learning platform that would allow for efficient viewing and management by members.
- Was Moodle already decided upon when you first contacted us in November 2021?
Mr. Ehara: We received a presentation on the use of Moodle at a university from a member of our committee, and it became one of our options to consider.
In our working group, we considered other LMS options as well, but ultimately decided to adopt Moodle for the following reasons:
・It has the features that our association wants to implement
・It can be set up quickly within our budget and in time for our planned release
・As it is open-source, we are not dependent on a specific vendor for support and operation
・It is compatible with the e-learning standard SCORM, allowing for reuse of content even if we change LMS in the future
Afterwards, we were introduced to Human Science Co., Ltd. through a teacher at one of our member schools, and we reached out to them for inquiries.
We also spoke to other companies that provide Moodle services, but Human Science Co., Ltd. stood out in terms of support system, technical expertise, experience, and pricing.
Customer Feedback
- We provided support for the construction and trial operation of the verification environment from January to March 2022, and for the operation in the production environment from April. How was Human Science's response during the project?
Mr. Ehara: The main method of communication was through email, but I felt that it was difficult to understand each other's intentions through written communication alone. It may have been beneficial to have regular face-to-face meetings. Since this was our first time building an e-learning platform, there were many things we were unsure about, so being able to discuss and confirm through verbal communication or web conferences gave us a sense of reassurance.
――It has been approximately 3 months since the start of operations in April 2022. How has the response been? (Interview date: June 20, 2022)
Mr. Ebara: Currently, the "Public University Faculty Training System" offers 4 categories and a total of about 30 courses. We have started to provide information to our member schools from April 2022, and currently, the number of registered users has reached nearly 400, and it is widely used by various teachers and staff members.
From teachers and staff members, we have received positive feedback such as "It's great that there are no time or location constraints" and "It's great to be able to learn at my own pace."
It seems that it is also being used as training material for newly hired staff members.
Even university staff members are facing difficulties in providing orientation for new staff members due to the implementation of remote work. Even in situations where they are not familiar with practical work, they have expressed their appreciation for being able to watch video materials on the basics of public universities and how to proceed with their duties, saying, "It is helpful to have a grasp of the country's higher education policies and the basics of university work in general."
- How do you plan to utilize it in the future?
Mr. Ebara: We are currently promoting the use of the "Public University Faculty Training System" to a wider audience through our online seminars.
In the future, we would like to actively provide information to help you understand the "Public University Faculty Training System" and promote its use. We also plan to consider utilizing badges and other methods to grant them to specific course participants.
