Moodle

By Berhanu Abebe

Making Moodle Work for YouStrategies for Classroom Use –

An Open Source Learning Management System

Presented by:Dr. Dan McDougall

Receive future educator’s discount of10% off your next purchase at bizedquest.web.officelive.com

Ideal Learning Environment

Virtual Learning Component

(VLE)

Traditional Learning Component

(F2F)

Portfolios

Products

Introduction to Moodle• Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic

Learning Environment

• Moodle is a software package for producing Internet-based courses and web sites

• Social Constructivist Pedagogy

About Moodle

• Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment

• Moodle is a web-based software package designed to help educators create quality online courses1

• Social Constructivist Pedagogy2

– Constructivism– Constructionism– Social Constructivism

1. Moodle. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moodle on June 28, 2006.2. About Moodle: Philosophy. Retrieved from http://docs.moodle.org/en/Philosophy on June 28, 2006.

• Moodle is a web-based virtual classroom designed to help educators provide quality learning experiences

Moodle Advantages• Access (24/7)

• Extended Education Time

• Resources at your fingertips

• Activities

• Collaboration

• FREE!!!!!!!

Pedagogical Considerations

• Advantages– 24/7 Access– Expanded

Collaborative Opportunities

– Variety of Online Activities available

• Limitations– Not all Students

have Internet Access– Student artifacts are

locked up in Moodle where outside users cannot view them

Applications of Moodle• Virtual Classroom

• Blended Learning/Hybrid

• Freestyle Course – Self Motivated Learning

• Forum-based Discussion Course

• Single Activity Focused Courses (portfolios, semester projects, etc).

Applications of Moodle“Online learning is really about how

traditional schools use online services to expand educational options and opportunities for students.” – John Bailey, former director of Office of Educational Technology, Dept. of Ed.

Michigan is the first state to require online learning for graduation

Moodle, Learning, & NCLB“Your school district should have an online

learning strategy to help enhance the educational options for your students and for your district to meet the goals of No Child Left Behind (NCLB)” – John Bailey, former director of Office of Educational Technology, Dept. of Ed.

Usage• Elementary

• Secondary

• University

• Also, business training

• Personal sites/resources

• Assignment• Blog• Chat• Choice (Poll)• Database• Forum• Glossary

Moodle - Virtual Swiss Army Knife

• Lesson• Quiz• Resource• SCORM• Survey• Wiki• Workshop

Typical Moodle Classroom

General Good Practices

• Reasoning– What are the advantages to using the VLE in this

case?– Can I accomplish this activity more efficiently using

F2F?

• Preparation/Training– What tasks are the students to complete?– Do my students have the skills to accomplish the

required tasks?

• Accountability• Grouping

VLE Good Practices

• Expectations

• Organization– K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple for Students)

• Integration

• Certificates• iPodcast• Choice Block• Dfwiki• Conditional Activities• Import PPT• Feedback

Add-on Modules

• Questionnaire• Netpublish• Presentation• Portfolio• Quickmail• InternalMail

Internet Access

• No “One fits all solution”

• Suggestions– Learn about your students– Enlist parental support– Identify additional access opportunities– Consider/Plan alternative options

Discussion Forums

• Suggestions– Use robust, open-ended questions– Provide response expectations

• Include sample responses (at least initially)

– Participate, don’t Dominate!– Groups

Ways to Moodle

• Online Courses• Blended Learning/Hybrid (Virtual Classroom)• Freestyle Course – Self Motivated Learning• Forum-based Discussion Course• Single Activity Focused Courses (portfolios,

semester projects, etc)• Shared Curriculum Activities

For More Information:• Moodle.org• Docs.moodle.org• Moodle.tcaps.net• Bizedquest.web.officelive.com• E-mail: bizedquest@gmail.com• Presented by: Dr. Dan A. McDougall, D.D.,

M.O., Ph.D., M.S., M.A., B.S., Sec.Cert., Voc. Cert., Online Cert.