Edubreizh MOOC platform dedicated to learning the Breton language

EduBreizh is a platform dedicated to learning the Breton language, created in 2011.

The Challenge

EduBreizh wanted to have a package to disseminate various resources in an easy to access environment.

As a MOOC tutorial was based on a facilitator and peer model, the solution was to facilitate discussions throughout the five weeks of the MOOC. With 2,000 pre-registrations, a system was needed that was able to validate and measure their progress over time. Each user had to have a personal account allowing individual interactions and the identification of difficulties encountered by tracking each of the activities on the platform.

The Solution

For this project, a Totara Learn LMS has been customized with EduBreizh branding which helped to maintain consistency with existing media. The ability to integrate graphics on the home page helped immediately immerse the learner in the device before they even consulted a resource.

Every week users had to complete a course including: watching 3 videos comprising repeating exercises, reference cards complementary media, participation in a collaborative activity and a summative quiz.

Totara Learn has proven particularly suitable for the distribution of resources. MP4 Video files, PDF files and SCORM modules were used for the quiz. Collaborative activities were directly designed in Totara Learn so that the learner could remain immersed in their training ‘ecosystem’.

EduBreizh designed activities based on images uploaded by the learner. Learners rated videos, collaboratively completed a cooking dictionary and even a photo gallery of learners with their certificates of achievement. These activities helped to foster a sense of community membership and helped to strengthen the motivation.

To address the concerns of a few latecomers at the end of the week mentoring was used to help allay fears, with individual support via the private messaging functionality, or collectively, via the forums.

“Organising the largest Breton over the world was a challenge! Totara Learn has brought us a complete technical solution that met our expectations pedagogically while facilitating the management of several hundred students, many new to and uncomfortable with digital learning. This success encouraged us to extend a second MOOC.”

One of the strengths of Totara is the ability to manage a whole training program automating the progress in terms of activities and over time. This program management function allowed EduBreizh to automatically enroll completed learners into activities for each following week. Taking away that administrative and technical effort, the tutors could focus on learning-oriented tasks with the launch of the MOOC.

Results

• More than 35% of registered voters completed all five weeks of activities
• Each student took an average of two hours of weekly training with a satisfaction rate of over 90%
• An equivalent of 5000 hours of training over 5 weeks
• A device-winning ‘Prizhioù 2015’ for the future of the Breton language
• Only 2% of questions to the tutor were on the technical aspects and navigation!