Changing Focus

Yesterday was Labor Day, so I went to work, and finished the planning for my fall online course.

As a by-task of my transitioning from full time teaching at PSU to the half-time Retirement Transition Program, I have moved into a new office located just across Merrill Street from Hyde Hall, where I have been based for the past 18 years.  It has taken awhile to get the Internet hookups to work correctly in the new location, so I have been spending many days this summer at Lamson Learning Commons (formerly known as Lamson Library), where there are many computer-equipped carrels, and where the Online Learniong Center is located.  The mission was to convert my MBA course "Accounting for Managers" from Blackboard to Moodle.

Moodle is a shareware product developed, I am told, in New Zealand.  As a platform on which to deliver online courses, I have found it quite easy to learn, and powerful in its ability to let me provide what I want the students to see and do.  My course is now ready for its launch next Monday, September 13th, when we will have a synchronous chat session at 6:00 PM EDT.

Now, I have a week or so to focus on the three courses I will be teaching starting October 1, in Cluj.  Fortunately, two are repeats of courses I taught in the 2008-2009 academic year, so I do not have to start from scratch. 
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Update: Campton's Liberty Tree Elm has been watered daily for almost a month now, and is looking happy and healthy in its new home.