Moodle for Your NoodleMoodle for Your Noodle

What in the world is Moodle?What in the world is Moodle?

An open source Content Management System An open source Content Management System (or Course Management System) built around a (or Course Management System) built around a sound educational philosophy.sound educational philosophy.Developed by Martin Dougiamas, who was a Developed by Martin Dougiamas, who was a WebCT admin at a University in Perth, Australia. WebCT admin at a University in Perth, Australia. Moodle = acronym for Moodle = acronym for MModular odular OObject bject OOriented riented DDevelopmental evelopmental LLearning earning EEnvironmentnvironment

Why Use Moodle?Why Use Moodle?

Is open source = FREE!!!Is open source = FREE!!!Has huge community that supports it at Has huge community that supports it at www.moodle.orgwww.moodle.org Dougiamas based Moodle on core theory of Dougiamas based Moodle on core theory of social constructionism. social constructionism. Dougiamas and his core team are responsible Dougiamas and his core team are responsible for what features are added next to Moodle. for what features are added next to Moodle. Is an alternative to other online educational Is an alternative to other online educational course management systems. course management systems.

What can I do with Moodle?What can I do with Moodle?

Can be used as a tool for a simple Can be used as a tool for a simple classroom web pageclassroom web page

Is designed to handle the online Is designed to handle the online environments for a university. environments for a university.

What else can Moodle do?

upload and sharing of documentsupload and sharing of documentscreation of online HTML contentcreation of online HTML contentonline discussionsonline discussionsgrade discussions and participationgrade discussions and participationonline chattingonline chattingpeer reviewpeer reviewonline quizzes & surveysonline quizzes & surveysstudent workgroupsstudent workgroupsstudent journalsstudent journals

Moodle InterfaceMoodle Interface

Logical site layoutLogical site layoutShows courses in middle of screenShows courses in middle of screen

Courses can be categorized into any grouping desired. Courses can be categorized into any grouping desired.

Can show Calendar, users currently online,Can show Calendar, users currently online, activities, latest news, activities, latest news, etc. etc.

Moodle User LevelsMoodle User Levels

Administrator has full rights to entire Administrator has full rights to entire system. system.

Teacher or Class Creator account has Teacher or Class Creator account has control of their class.control of their class.

Student is enrolled in respective classes.Student is enrolled in respective classes.

Also allows guest access Also allows guest access

Courses – Teacher ManagementCourses – Teacher Management

Must Click “Turn Editing On” button.Must Click “Turn Editing On” button.

Control over layout (by week, topic, or Control over layout (by week, topic, or social)social)

Can also control such items as the class Can also control such items as the class name, the dates for the course, the name, the dates for the course, the category for the course, and if you want an category for the course, and if you want an enrollment key.enrollment key.

Compose a Text PageCompose a Text Page

Compose a web page within moodleCompose a web page within moodle

Link to a file or web siteLink to a file or web site

Display a directoryDisplay a directory

Course ResourcesCourse Resources

Course ActivitiesCourse Activities

ForumsForums Discussion threadsDiscussion threads

QuizzesQuizzes Types of questions (multiple choice, short answer, Types of questions (multiple choice, short answer,

numerical, matching, random, & calculated)numerical, matching, random, & calculated) Can allow students to retake and moodle can score it Can allow students to retake and moodle can score it

for you.for you.

WorkshopsWorkshops Student’s work can be submitted and offered Student’s work can be submitted and offered

for peer review.for peer review. Uses a rubric for grading.Uses a rubric for grading.

Assignments and ExercisesAssignments and Exercises Easy way for students to upload digital Easy way for students to upload digital

content for grading. content for grading. Exercise requires student assess themselves Exercise requires student assess themselves

before submission.before submission.

Course Activities continuedCourse Activities continued

JournalsJournals Like a personal diary. Like a personal diary. Students reflect on a topic. Students reflect on a topic.

GlossariesGlossaries A powerful word list that can be organized to be A powerful word list that can be organized to be

specific to a given course. specific to a given course.

LessonsLessons Is similar to a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book. Is similar to a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book.

The resulting page is dependent on the answer a The resulting page is dependent on the answer a student gives to a question.student gives to a question.

Course Activities continuedCourse Activities continued

Wikis Wikis (come from Hawaiian term “wiki wiki”, meaning (come from Hawaiian term “wiki wiki”, meaning “very fast”)“very fast”) A collection of collaboratively authored web A collection of collaboratively authored web

documents. documents. The class wiki community edits and develops The class wiki community edits and develops

its own content. its own content.

Grades & ScalesGrades & Scales Currently not real fancy in moodle. You can Currently not real fancy in moodle. You can

download your scores to a spreadsheet or download your scores to a spreadsheet or other tool for analysis. other tool for analysis.

Course Activities continuedCourse Activities continued

CourseworkCoursework

Using Moodle with Using Moodle with October SkyOctober Sky

Class discussed issues raised by the book Class discussed issues raised by the book in more depth than our typical classroom in more depth than our typical classroom discussiondiscussion

Community of learners was evident: Community of learners was evident: Students and I posted questions…we all Students and I posted questions…we all responded to each other’s questionsresponded to each other’s questions

October SkyOctober Sky - Discussion Topics - Discussion Topics

October Sky – A Good Book?October Sky – A Good Book?

PoetryPoetry

American Academy of Poets sponsored a American Academy of Poets sponsored a contest during April, 2006contest during April, 2006

Students were required to respond to Students were required to respond to many different kinds of poetrymany different kinds of poetry

Used both the forum and the log for this Used both the forum and the log for this unitunit

Poetry ForumPoetry Forum

Sharing Interpretations of Poetry Sharing Interpretations of Poetry

Analyzing Poetry in the LogAnalyzing Poetry in the Log

Students did not need to share their Students did not need to share their thoughts with other students for this thoughts with other students for this assignmentassignment

The log is a private communication The log is a private communication between myself and each individual between myself and each individual studentstudent

Useful for more formal, graded Useful for more formal, graded assignmentsassignments

Poetry LogPoetry Log

Benefits of using MoodleBenefits of using Moodle

Especially useful with large classes in creating a Especially useful with large classes in creating a community of learnerscommunity of learners

Eliminates the stress of “public speaking”Eliminates the stress of “public speaking”

Students provide each other with feedback (a Students provide each other with feedback (a skill that needs to be taught)skill that needs to be taught)

Immediate form of publishing Immediate form of publishing

Conversations more on taskConversations more on task

Think time increasesThink time increases

Greatly reduces paperworkGreatly reduces paperwork

Difficulties of using MoodleDifficulties of using Moodle

Class management and etiquetteClass management and etiquette

Not all students had home accessNot all students had home access

Some problems with logging inSome problems with logging in

IssuesIssues

Dependable serverDependable server

Robustness of server and the systemRobustness of server and the system

Learning curveLearning curve

CookiesCookies

Screen sizeScreen size

To auto log in or not to auto login?To auto log in or not to auto login?

What does it need to work?What does it need to work?

PHP, MySQL, ApachePHP, MySQL, Apache

Can install using a tool from Can install using a tool from www.moodle.org called “Easy PHP”.www.moodle.org called “Easy PHP”.