Microsoft Official Distance Learning (MODL) provides a great opportunity for you (as a Learning Solutions partner) to engage with your customers in a whole new way… no matter where they are located – local, remote, or both. The content and design of each course is already developed; and you can modify and brand each element according to your needs. You can also customize the timing and delivery of these course modules to be over a period of days or weeks—to meet the unique requirements of enterprise customers.
Follow these seven (7) easy steps to become an authorized MODL partner and begin teaching your first of many MODL courses (click on the Step title to link to a more detailed discussion):
- Step 1: Submit a MODL Business Application – any Learning Solutions partner who wants to offer MODL courses must submit a Distance Learning business plan to dlcourse@microsoft.com for review. Upon approval of the business plan, you will be able to order MODL course materials using the same current distribution channels that you use today.
- Step 2: SELL, SELL, SELL – Step 2 is really all about Sales and Marketing: Get the Students! You can leverage the MODL Sales Tools that are made available to you at the secure CPLS partner website. On that site, you will find MODL presentations, sales demonstrations, a functional specification for your portal, web banners, and flash demos. In addition to sales tools, there is also a MODL playbook with some great ROI information and details about MODL delivery options.
- Step 3: Create a Class Portal – Step 3 focuses on the operational elements of delivering MODL. Primarily, you must build a “Virtual Classroom” and Class Portal. The Virtual Classroom is Live Meeting – so you will need Live Meeting licenses and Voice Conferencing (or you can use the FREE Voice over IP functionality built into LiveMeeting 2007). In addition, you will need a Class Portal. Fortunately, we have created one for you as a “Class-in-a-Box”.
- Step 4: Get a MODL MCT – Step 4 is all about MCT Authorization. An MCT must be authorized to teach a MODL course because it is such a different teaching paradigm. Authorization is a fairly simple process – check it out in the “MCT: Get Started” section of this website. If you don’t have an MCT of your own, you can choose from over one hundred MODL-authorized Independent MCTs at http://www.distancelearningtrainers.com (coming soon).
- Step 5: Order Student Kits – MODL Student Kits include the following items: an activity-based student workbook, a 90-day voucher for “Day-in-the-Life” Scenarios, a 90-day voucher for E-Learning (if appropriate), an MS Press Training Kit (if appropriate), and a student CD-ROM. To order MODL student kits, use the same ordering process as for MOC. Remember, Distance Learning SKUs all end with the letter ‘L.’
- Step 6: Download MCT Materials – before starting class, the MODL MCT should download the instructor materials from the MCT Download Center. These materials include: Instructor Slides, Instructor Notes, a copy of the MODL Student Workbook (in .PDF form), and Virtual Server Images for remote demos.
- Step 7: TEACH!! – finally, in Step 7, your MODL MCT and his/her students will kick off the class with (G)ATHER Session 1-1. This includes a brief MODL Orientation, some LiveMeeting tips, and an introduction to the Class Portal. Then, the real FUN begins!
