The move from WebCT to Moodle

During 2007 and 2008, Moodle replaced WebCT as the LSE's institutional VLE. This page explains why and how this change has happened, and how it may have affected teachers that previously used WebCT.

Why change?
Schedule for change
Migration from WebCT to Moodle
WebCT Designer Folders
Training and Support
Funding
Any other questions?

Why change?

WebCT 4 has been used at LSE since 2000 and has served us well in that time. However, it has been superseded by a new version (WebCT 6), and soon it will no longer be supported by the manufacturer.

Rather than upgrade immediately to the new version of WebCT, we decided to take this opportunity to evaluate the new system against the alternatives and choose the one most suitable for LSE. After a period of research by CLT staff, two systems were idenitifed as candidates: WebCT 6 and Moodle.

During the 2006-2007 academic year we piloted these systems, running ~ 10 courses from a range of departments on each. Feedback was collected from staff and students during the year, and further user data were obtained from a series of focus groups held during Lent term. Meanwhile, CLT staff conducted a thorough technical assessment of the two systems, and made visits to other institutions where they are already in use.

Moodle emerged from the evaluation as a clear winner by almost every criterion. As a result is was subsequently recommended by the Library and Information Services Committee to be the new VLE for LSE.

Schedule for change

Summer 2007: All Masters courses using the VLE in Michaelmas term moved from WebCT to Moodle.
Undergraduate courses (*) remained on WebCT for the 2007-2008 academic year.
Michaelmas 2007: Remaining Masters courses using the VLE in Lent term moved from WebCT to Moodle.
Summer 2008: All undergraduate and other courses move from WebCT to Moodle.
WebCT switch off: July 18th 2008.

(*) Exceptions will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

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Migration from WebCT to Moodle

We migrated courses from WebCT to Moodle using an automated process, and employed casual staff to check that each course migrated successfully and to replace any missing files.

As Moodle works quite differently from WebCT, the migrated course looks rather different from the original. Therefore a migrated course may need some work by the editor to get it looking the way the teacher wants it.

Note that you are not obliged to use the migrated courses. If preferred, we can replace the migrated course with a new, empty course, so that you can recreate the course from scratch. Several users have chosen this option as it gives them a chance to re-think the layout of the course.

The original WebCT courses are no longer available as the WebCT system was switched off on July 18th, 2008.

What you need to do (Summer 2008)

Attend Moodle training
Update your Moodle course as required.
If after July 18th you realise that you forgot to download some student assignments etc from WebCT please contact clt-support@lse.ac.uk and we will recover them for you.

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WebCT Designer Folders

In the past, each new course using WebCT was given a folder called the 'Designer folder' to save files in before they were transfered to WebCT. These folders are being phased out in July 2008. Staff will be free to store files for use in Moodle in a location of their choice (as many staff do already). We strongly recommend that you save files on a network drive - for example your personal H space or a departmental drive. The CLT has consulted widely on these plans but if you have any concerns please don't hesitate to contact us.

Before Thursday 31st July you must copy-and-paste all the files you need from your designer folders to a network location of your choice. If you have any questions about where to keep files or about network drives please contact your IT Support Team.

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