Project Overview
Asociatia Techsoup is a major provider of free training for teachers in Romania. Their courses focus on teaching methods and digital skills. The platform has about 20,000 users, and each season, around 2,000 students enroll in their instructor-led courses offered in the spring and autumn.
The project’s goal was to migrate the existing LMS and user data to a new, unified platform based on the Open edX LMS. The new platform should allow for faster scaling of courses and users.
Challenges At The Start Of The Project
Platform Migration.
Migrating the existing LMS and user data from two separate WordPress platforms, each using Gravity Forms for user management, to a new Open edX platform. The migration involved around 20,000 user accounts with specific registration and socio-demographic data, as well as existing student progress reports.
1Scaling the Platform.
Developing an LMS capable of handling faster scaling of courses and users compared to the previous WordPress-based system, which relied on multiple plugins like LearnDash, Elementors, and Gravity Forms for user management and UI/UX.
2Custom Reporting.
Building custom reports tailored to Asociatia Techsoup’s requirements, automating much of the reporting process that was previously handled manually through CSV downloads from LearnDash.
3Localization.
Providing the platform with a localized Romanian version while maintaining the admin and reporting functions in English
4The Solution
The new Open edX platform for Asociatia Techsoup.
1. Discovery Phase:
- Defined the full scope of the project with detailed estimates and set deadlines.
- Created a comprehensive data migration plan and determined the costs for the migration.
2. Base Installation and Analytics:
- Installed the latest Open edX version (Lilac release) on AWS.
- Configured essential components like DNS, security measures, backups, emails, and bulk emails.
- Set up SSL certificates and certificates for students completing courses
- Configured grade reports and video hosting through platforms like YouTube and Amazon S3.
- Installed the RG Analytics module to provide actionable insights and reports on student progress.
3. Translations:
- Implemented Romanian language translations from Transifex while keeping admin functions in English.
4. Data Migration:
- Successfully migrated 20,000 users from two WordPress platforms, including detailed registration, socio-demographic, and course progress data.
5. User Registration Requirements:
- Implemented a predefined list of schools, counties, and cities in Romania and Moldova, with the ability to periodically update this list.
- During registration, users could select from multiple categories, such as primary school teachers, students in pedagogy, and computer science teachers.
6. Course Registration Requirements:
- Created a simplified process for users to register for courses based on their specific categories and needs.
7. Overall Reporting:
- Set up comprehensive reports across the platform: number of users, categories, and geographical distribution.
- Provided insights into course enrollment, graduation rates, and the average number of courses taken per user.
- Generated detailed reports based on socio-demographic data, teaching experience, and feedback collected through baseline and endline surveys.
- The implemented solution provides Asociatia Techsoup with a scalable Open edX platform that meets their growing requirements.
8. Platform Maintenance:
- Ongoing maintenance processes for the platform’s stability and performance.
Results
The project delivered several key results for Asociatia Techsoup:
Minimized Manual Work
Reporting on courses, tracking student progress, and emailing students were all automated, significantly reducing the need for manual processes.
Enhanced Learning Experience
New functionalities, such as peer-to-peer reviews, self-evaluations, self-paced learning, and community discussions around courses, were introduced.
Faster Course Deployment
The new platform enabled faster course launches.
