Totara Learning Solutions released a new version of Totara LMS Learning Management System on April 30th 2013.

Totara 2.4 introduces a number of enhancements including Mozilla.org's Open Badges, evidence tabs for Learning Plans, multiple Learning Plan templates, improvements to the Face-to-face module, enhancements to the HR Synchronisation module, and improvements to the Report Builder.

Want to learn how Totara's corporate learning management features could benefit your organisation? Contact us to find out!

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The Open Badge concept developed by Mozilla.org is a new way to recognise and verify learning. It is a visual badge that enables its holders to show the skills they have acquired both through formal and informal learning, and to display this information on e.g. social networking sites, ePortfolios and websites.

Discendum collaborates with the Mozilla community to promote the Open Badge concept in Finland. For example, Optima is among the first LMSs that organisations can use to issue badges. We have also developed a functionality to the Mahara-based ePortfolio service Kyvyt.fi that enables users to display badges on their ePortfolios.

We are also using Open Badges to reward active contributors in our networks. Badge criteria covers, for example, participation in Discendum's seminars and events, or active involvement in our user communities.

Our efforts to make the Open Badge concept familiar for Finnish organisations include sharing information via seminars and trainings. The first of such training events will be arranged as an online course in September 2013.

Interested in Open Badges? Contact us: info (at) discendum.com

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Last week's Optima release (on January 17, 2013) contained several improvements.

The Videochat object, which was piloted with an end-user community during autumn 2012, was now released as a production version on optima.discendum.com. All Optima environments now host a limited version of this tool that can be used to host webinars, meetings and lectures.

Another major improvement is without a doubt the support for Open Badges. The concept is developed by Mozilla.org and it opens up new possibilities for life-long learning. Open Badges can be used to show one's achievements or completed courses. Badges can also be used for setting goals and motivating learners.

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How are eLearning video productions made?

Check out the trailer by Flumine Oy on what goes on in their session with Farmasian Oppimiskeskus (the training center for Pharmacy).

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Discendum carries out a customer satisfaction survey every other year. In October, we once again asked our customers to share their opinions of our services.

As many as 32% of the survey recipients responded, which is a very good percentage for online surveys.

On a scale from 1 to 6, where 6 is 'Excellent', our average score for different areas of operation was 4.93. This is clearly above the industry average (4.29) and gives a positive image of Discendum as a service provider.

The highest scores were given on our ability to commit to long-lasting collaboration, our ability to manage long-term customer relationships, and the high competence of our staff.

When compared to the previous survey from 2010, the results did not show much variance. This means we have been able to maintain the good standard over the years.

A warm thank you to all who took the time to participate in the survey and give us valuable feedback!

A major education conference of the year, Online Educa Berlin, is approaching. The theme of this year's event is "Reaching beyond tomorrow" and it will focus on lifelong learning in which technology enables learners globally to improve themselves.

Our experts will be joining the conference as participants. Hope to see you there!

Totara Learning Solutions Ltd. has won several leading eLearning industry awards this year. Read more!

In September and October, Discendum arranged the first ever Kyvyt.fi ePortfolio competition for Finnish schools. The goal of the competition was to encourage students to share their portfolios and receive valuable feedback for further development.

A total of 19 portfolios were submitted for the competition in three different categories: upper secondary schools, upper secondary vocational schools and polytechnics/universities.

The winners of each category have now been announced. Read more about evaluation criteria and judges' comments on the Kyvyt.fi News page!

A new version of Totara LMS software was released in mid-August.

The release goes by the number 2.2 and it contains an upgrade to the underlying platform and improvements to existing functionality such as SCORM reporting. Totara-specific highlights include Audience Management and Totara Sync.

We are also happy to share these great news by our colleagues at Totara Learning Solutions Ltd:

Totara LMS selected as a finalist for the Best of of Elearning

Totara LMS selected as a 2012 Top 20 Learning Portal Company announced by trainingindustry.com

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The financial performance of Discendum Oy has been acknowledged by Balance Consulting, the research and analysis unit of Kauppalehti newspaper, the biggest financial newspaper in Finland.


Balance Consulting undertakes an annual analysis of companies' performance on the basis of their financial statement data. The companies' financial performance is rated according to six key indicators.


A company is classified as an Achiever if its growth, profitability, financial structure and liquidity are on a good level. The Achiever certificate also shows that the management and organisation of the company are working efficiently, and that the company has the required business acumen.

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Totara LMS is designed to bring the benefits of open source learning management software to corporate enterprises. It is developed and distributed by the New Zealand based Totara Learning Solutions Ltd in cooperation with its global partner and service provider network.

Discendum is the Finnish Partner of Totara and provides a range of hosting, consultancy, implementation,
theme design and support services for the LMS.

Read more about Totara LMS on our pages. 

To find out how Totara can support your organisation, contact us: totara@discendum.com