Moodle for Beginners - Summary of In-service
Getting started with elearning
Sheila Douglas
29th July 2014
Providers need to find balance between elearning and face to face. Young people are quite happy with more on line but older students still like face to face. Sheila stressed however that we must embrace elearning - younger people are increasingly expecting it.
Most providers do a blended delivery. They have to decide which parts are best delivered online.
Remember that technology does not create good learning. We have to accept that technogy will never save bad teaching. Elearning is just a tool and it has to bring something extra to the learning experience.
Trainers are going to have to learn by doing. It is the best way but this encroaches on trainers’ time. There is the issue fear of the unknown.
We have to learn how to make it work and how to make it interesting. There are many issues. An important one is our need to think about students’ literacy levels etc. We can embed literacy support into our training by using elearning and so add that to compliance. One thing in favour of elearning is that students can repeat the exercise until they understand its requirements.
Elearning is computer based, mobile, includes all forms of electronically supported learning. Elearning must involve learning.
What isn't it? Teaching with computers face to face. It is not a replacement for face to face learning.
Beware it becoming an expensive filing cabinet – the cloud only. With elearning you are doing some thing else. Be careful how you advertise. Could be checked. More like “computer assisted education”.
Moodle
What is it? It is a piece of commercial software. An Australian invention. It is a platform, you put things up on the platform. To use jargon, it is a LMS - Learner management system.
It is so big just learn what you need. Start small, build your confidence. Use its front page for advertising. Moodle has a blog, webinar etc only one address and password .
WCAG compliant. It is meant to be able to cater for all levels. Watch copyright - youtube, slide share (for powerpoint) and Prezi (novel - dynamic) all free to use. ok. Check for existing resources. Get YouTube subtitles up. Look at black bar below video. At least attribute pictures etc. Source carefully. read rules carefully on images. shutterstock pay site gives you open access pictures by topic.
Use moodle's chatroom - enable people to get together. identify at start, use if for assesment make it private. Establish rules re; bullying, sexist, racist comment.
Put powerpont on moodle.
Weak students can go over and over in private at home.
What can we do?
Texts, videos, quizzes (hot potato), podcasts.
Quizzes can be really fun. Can use pictures etc. Provides evidence of participation if students log in, they have participated. See report button on left. Quiz for each unit meets one EOP requirement. Moodle logs everything. Podomatic for podcasts.
Always add comments. There is a grade book in moodle. It does the record keeping. All available on the left. Assignments can be marked any where and response to students is instant.
What does online learning add to the learning experience?
Where is value adding? Can do it anytime, gives students greater control over their time, gives them useful work experience.
Flexibility even for indigenous itinerant student, funerals.
Technology must enhance the learning experience. Must encourage student interactivity.
Key Tools
elearning has a culture of sharing (synchronous, asynchronous, LMS, learning object. cloud, webinars.)
What do I need to start?
computer, internet, programs (poor man's moodle - wiki, google drive, allow for basic learning) - much free software.
Moodle makes online assessment easy especially for observations as all cab be online and accessible by tablet.
For literacy think of Articulate ($1500 for two comp licence) allows you to link words to a meaning and picture set up by trainer
Beware too flashy software as it can take away from learning.
Wordle to create a word cloud. can tell you which words are moist used in a document.
Finally, elearning must improve and enhance the learning.
Recommendations
1. Staff need training.
2. Must enhance the learning experience.
3. Blended – a mix of both face to face and elearning is the way to go.
4. We must watch copyright. Just because it is on the web does not mean it is copyright free. Photos are a case in point. All material must be fully acknowledged.
Links: Moodle, some youtube videos: Overview, What is Moodle? Teaching with Moodle
Back Home
Sheila Douglas
29th July 2014
Providers need to find balance between elearning and face to face. Young people are quite happy with more on line but older students still like face to face. Sheila stressed however that we must embrace elearning - younger people are increasingly expecting it.
Most providers do a blended delivery. They have to decide which parts are best delivered online.
Remember that technology does not create good learning. We have to accept that technogy will never save bad teaching. Elearning is just a tool and it has to bring something extra to the learning experience.
Trainers are going to have to learn by doing. It is the best way but this encroaches on trainers’ time. There is the issue fear of the unknown.
We have to learn how to make it work and how to make it interesting. There are many issues. An important one is our need to think about students’ literacy levels etc. We can embed literacy support into our training by using elearning and so add that to compliance. One thing in favour of elearning is that students can repeat the exercise until they understand its requirements.
Elearning is computer based, mobile, includes all forms of electronically supported learning. Elearning must involve learning.
What isn't it? Teaching with computers face to face. It is not a replacement for face to face learning.
Beware it becoming an expensive filing cabinet – the cloud only. With elearning you are doing some thing else. Be careful how you advertise. Could be checked. More like “computer assisted education”.
Moodle
What is it? It is a piece of commercial software. An Australian invention. It is a platform, you put things up on the platform. To use jargon, it is a LMS - Learner management system.
It is so big just learn what you need. Start small, build your confidence. Use its front page for advertising. Moodle has a blog, webinar etc only one address and password .
WCAG compliant. It is meant to be able to cater for all levels. Watch copyright - youtube, slide share (for powerpoint) and Prezi (novel - dynamic) all free to use. ok. Check for existing resources. Get YouTube subtitles up. Look at black bar below video. At least attribute pictures etc. Source carefully. read rules carefully on images. shutterstock pay site gives you open access pictures by topic.
Use moodle's chatroom - enable people to get together. identify at start, use if for assesment make it private. Establish rules re; bullying, sexist, racist comment.
Put powerpont on moodle.
Weak students can go over and over in private at home.
What can we do?
Texts, videos, quizzes (hot potato), podcasts.
Quizzes can be really fun. Can use pictures etc. Provides evidence of participation if students log in, they have participated. See report button on left. Quiz for each unit meets one EOP requirement. Moodle logs everything. Podomatic for podcasts.
Always add comments. There is a grade book in moodle. It does the record keeping. All available on the left. Assignments can be marked any where and response to students is instant.
What does online learning add to the learning experience?
Where is value adding? Can do it anytime, gives students greater control over their time, gives them useful work experience.
Flexibility even for indigenous itinerant student, funerals.
Technology must enhance the learning experience. Must encourage student interactivity.
Key Tools
elearning has a culture of sharing (synchronous, asynchronous, LMS, learning object. cloud, webinars.)
What do I need to start?
computer, internet, programs (poor man's moodle - wiki, google drive, allow for basic learning) - much free software.
Moodle makes online assessment easy especially for observations as all cab be online and accessible by tablet.
For literacy think of Articulate ($1500 for two comp licence) allows you to link words to a meaning and picture set up by trainer
Beware too flashy software as it can take away from learning.
Wordle to create a word cloud. can tell you which words are moist used in a document.
Finally, elearning must improve and enhance the learning.
Recommendations
1. Staff need training.
2. Must enhance the learning experience.
3. Blended – a mix of both face to face and elearning is the way to go.
4. We must watch copyright. Just because it is on the web does not mean it is copyright free. Photos are a case in point. All material must be fully acknowledged.
Links: Moodle, some youtube videos: Overview, What is Moodle? Teaching with Moodle
Back Home