 Good afternoon everyone. As you may know, I'm Bob McDonnell, part of the Moodle Education team, and we're going to talk about today the Moodle Education Certification Program, otherwise known as MEC. Who's heard of MEC so far? Great, great. I know Martin's been talking a little bit about it, and today we're going to go through a brief overview of what the program's about, why it was created, and what the user experience will be. So we, the Moodle Education team was presented with a challenge to think differently on how we present Moodle Training. In the past there's been, actually there's fabulous training opportunities that have been conducted across many, many, by many people, by our certified partners, but we were challenged to think about a little bit differently about how we would approach Moodle Training. And so we started with Moodle's mission to empower educators, and we were thinking of a training program that empowers not only the educator, the person delivering the instruction, but also transfers to the learner. So in putting together the MEC program, we were thinking very much about the voice of the student, of the participant, the recipient of this training, and to bring their voice into it, and also to align with some of the global sustainability goals to empower not just educators, but also those who receive that excellent instruction. So we focused on building a teaching and learning program based on using Moodle knowledge and skills. So it's focused on teaching and learning. So we're looking at a program, the MEC program, that focuses on not necessarily every setting in a Moodle tool or specific configurations, but we're looking at a way of how to use Moodle to achieve teaching and learning outcomes. That was the guiding focus of us putting together this curriculum. Because we know when people use Moodle in a way that, or maybe using the wrong tools for certain activities, and wrong mean, wrong doesn't mean right, wrong, but suboptimal in the presentation. That means the learner might not have an optimal learning experience. And so selecting and knowing how to use the tools is really important as part of delivering instruction. And we also know that knowing the tool, knowing how to use a tool isn't always the only component. There's also the ability to know the skill in applying that tool to the learning context in which that person is educating in, whether it's a K through 12, higher education, workplace. There's all kinds of contextual skills that are needed to apply that Moodle tool. So those are two components. Knowledge and skill are what we're looking at. And also trying to make sure we're measuring the right elements with this curriculum. So that we're able to assess and be helpful in providing formative feedback to those who are in the MEC program to help them achieve, move along in their understanding and expertise with Moodle. So those are our organizing principles. And so let's get into the MEC program itself. Is everyone with me? Is that thumbs up? If I could see them? I'm sure they're all there. All right. So the MEC program is built upon the fantastic Moodle training resources that are available. First and foremost certainly from our Moodle partners, Ethink Munami, who have presented, who are our supporters and sponsors here, certainly have excellent training. Universities, K through 12 organizations have also put together remarkable resources, as well as the Moodle community itself has put together excellent training resources that focus on Moodle tools. So you can find some resources very easily on that course creation, how to set up a Moodle course, how to manage that, as well as admin settings and configurations. So that realm has been really well covered. Where the MEC comes in, the Moodle Educator Certification comes in, is the application of that knowledge and skill. So it's a little bit different than it's not a how to Moodle, but knowing how to Moodle is very important as part of the MEC program. And we do support a little bit of that knowledge as well. The other important thing about the Moodle Education Certification program is that it's based on the European Framework for Digital Competency or DigiCOP EDU. So is anyone familiar with EFDC? I see no one is. So essentially the European Framework for Digital Competency was released last November and it's a framework of the 22 skills, digital skills that educators should have in order to be both proficient in their skills as educators, but also to give the skills that are needed for their students to fully engage in a digital economy and digital world. So these are 22 standards that have been created and we at Moodle, the Moodle Education Team, and specifically Solange Lalonde, has been instrumental in, I just word, Moodle-lizing the EFDC framework to put it in a Moodle context. So we use the framework for EFDC as a structure for the curriculum where the layer of Moodle put on top to address these digital competencies using Moodle tools. So we created 22 modules in the MEC program, each focused on one big idea. And you'll see in this chart there are six numbers. To receive an MEC certification, we have four design areas, Design, Guide, Connect and Reflect. These are teaching approaches that you do all the time. You're always designing, you're always guiding your learners, you're always connecting learners and ideas and content, as well as helping them reflect on their educational journey and their teaching and learning practices. So we created these four areas and then created modules that reinforce these teaching approaches. For the MEC program, there are 22 modules, but to receive the certification, there are six core modules that are part of the completion process. So there's 22 offerings, but six of them are the ones that are the primary element to get the certification. So what's this look like for a participant? We designed the 22 modules in the MEC program to be consistent across every module. So learners will come into a framework in multiple contexts and have a similar experience, no matter what modules they're participating and enrolled in. So there's a module summary, which provides some of the key information, what's going to be assessed, how it's going to be assessed, that's usually question number one, and as well as welcoming videos and context, then introductions to build communal knowledge about the competency that's being evaluated, two design challenges. So we're going to ask participants in a module to build two examples that meet a competency standard. And later today at our one o'clock workshop that we'll be doing in this room, which is a great workshop room, we'll figure that one out, is to, we'll walk through the process of how participants go through the two design challenges. And then lastly, a conclusion section, which allows for that transversal thinking about how to take what I learned in this MEC program and put it into my teaching context. So this isn't really a program designed to be a checkbox, I'm done. It's one where we're asking the participants to think about how they can take their knowledge and apply it to their teaching context. So just really quickly what the what the framework looks like in Moodle. So we have our introductory section where we have the the module guy with core competencies and the examples of what's going to be covered, a welcoming video. Then the participant will have that introduction session where they can talk about the content standard that's being addressed in the module and discuss how that's being used in their university or their school or their educational context and how they how that standard is either being met or might not be being met. Then we have the two design challenges and within the design challenges, we provide four examples. So the first thing we do in a design challenge is provide an example to the participants of how that design challenge could be done. People might not know how to do that depending on the different skill levels or some people might have great ideas of how they can do it. But our idea here in the MEC program is to inspire but not impose. So we provide an example of how one could do this with a certain Moodle tool, but we want the participants to design a challenge or design their learning activity that meets the competency standard, however they see fit. So they can use different tools, different techniques. We're not imposing a certain framework on on participants to do that in the design challenges. And then last the conclusion piece is that place for reflection of transversal skills of how we apply it. And then we also have a survey which aligns to Moodle's educational goals and the MEC programs is hosted by Moodle HQ. So we'll be able to understand the data of is this program being effective for you and across across a global program that will get some really fabulous data to adjust and do that continuous improvement that hey, this module is doing great at meeting the goals. This module isn't necessarily meeting the goals because that's one of the challenges with training sometimes is that you do a fabulous session but then you don't know what the what the impact was or you don't get that feedback necessarily. And so we'll have that ability to get that information going forward. Yikes, going through time. So the other component is how do we how do you pass this right? Well, this isn't a pass sort of a pass fail course. This is a mastery course. So it's about coaching. It's about moving along different levels and it's about recognizing mastery, not necessarily evaluating mastery. So what we do with the MEC program is provide a framework a support sketch a sketching, if you will, of how to achieve mastery in these certain digital competencies. So it's not just hey, go be masterful. It's will we provide the guidance and the structure and the feedback and your facilitators will provide that feedback as well to two participants. And so this is the workflow of how a participant would be evaluated. They enroll in an MEC module. They have two design challenges which they they would conduct and then there's a valuation criteria. Remember that knowledge and skills element we put earlier. So we evaluate knowledge of the Moodle tool. Is it the right tool? Is it configured properly? And then the also the skill. Does it meet the content standard? Does it achieve the goal? So those are the two measurement elements within the MEC program. And then we have different achievement levels based on rubric specific to that module about emerging, developing, competent and mastery. So in order to get a badge and a check mark for an MEC module, a achievement level of mastery or competent is needed. So that's that's how we put it together. So in order to get certified, the process for certification, who's familiar with the MCCC certification? A couple people? Right. So we took some of the lessons learned and some of the workflows and processes from this. So in order to get certification, the a person will go through and take those six required MEC modules, get a an evaluation, a recognition of competency of competent or mastery and then take their portfolio, which which they'll have as part of the MEC program and submit it to Moodle HQ. We will review it to make sure all the all the modules are there and also to ensure consistency across a global program. So we'll have a review and look at the modules and then when that's done, you receive the MEC certification. And as Martin talked about yesterday, we're in the process of looking at various accreditation models and approaches as well for this for this program. So we're really excited that this is a program focused on teaching and learning. And we're really excited that our Moodle partner community has been really excellent in supporting and getting on board in terms of a certification process. Have a great experience with Ethink going through some of the initial training and getting feedback from these partners as well of their experiences. So this has been very much a conversation as we put the MEC curriculum together. And it's available through MEC partners who are also going through their own certification process as well. And they've been been fabulous and doing some tremendous work. Vanessa and Claire, I don't know if they're still here from Ethink in particular and Nick right there and Kathy Robison too have been fabulous in going through this type of training as well. So just in summary, oh excellent, 51 seconds. The MEC program provides a way to a practical application of Moodle, Moodle tools and Moodle knowledge. So people who have a masterful approach may come right in and just be able to go right through and get a mastery certification without much, much challenge. But most of the most the idea is that people will have received coaching and facilitation to move towards mastery, more successful teaching and education with Moodle in both in terms of their application and also in terms of their skills. And it's also a place for learners to build a portfolio of excellence, of exemplars of the great work that they're doing from teaching and learning. And then lastly, it's a place to bring together coaching and community within the MEC program to develop excellence within in teaching and learning and again to empower educators but equally important empower the students which you all impact on a daily basis. So thank you very much and I think if there are any questions would be happy to answer them. Could you repeat the question? I'm sorry. That's as part of our accreditation process. We're looking at how we can assign CEUs. That's very much a focus of we're putting in this program together at the present. Not right now, but that's in a our short term roadmap to get that established because we know how important that is for for universities and for professionals who are taking continuing education credits or activities. Absolutely. So the question is would this be appropriate for those who are supporting so academic technologists, those who are supporting the teaching and learning of staff? Absolutely. I think that would be a brilliant use of the MEC program. I can see the calculation. Lunch. One more question. Lunch. One more question. So let's let's I'll go to lunch. All right. Thank you so much, everyone.