Moodle Paper

Jeanine Thomas
March 21. 2011
Moodle Paper
EDTEC 700 LMS

Administrator Functions in Moodle
The administrator has a plethora of functions within Moodle to choose from. They can control the background and theme of the course design, control user accounts, create content such assignments, forums, blogs, quizzes (that can be set to score automatically), and countless other resources. Administrators can also control when a class starts and ends and determines enrollability of the course, grades, and file management for the course.

Course Creation in Moodle
Courses can be organized by week (chronological order). This modularizes the courses by the order in which it will be taught. You can also create and organize the course by topic. You also have other formats to choose from such as SCORM.

Blocks can also be added to the course that allow for students to see others who are online, an interactive calendar, and news/ class updates.

As previously mentioned, the administrator has control of the start and end dates of the course, but it is truly more than that because they can also control time parameters around each assignments, setting due dates, and making items unavailable/available at certain times throughout the course.

Editing Functionality in Moodle
There is a wide array of editing features available in Moodle. Once content has been added, it can be moved, changing the order in which assignments should be completed or chunked together. The use of HTML as well as Rich Text are both options available in Moodle.

Labels (or text) can be added to preface or explain assignments, directions, etc. From the editing “toolbar” you can also choose to hide assignments for any length of time. This feature is very beneficial if you only want to reveal content by week or topic, keeping students focused on current content and discussions. It is very easy to delete content as well as add content using the same “toolbar.”

Pros and Cons of the Functionality in Moodle
There are many pros to these functions but I think the vast quantity in variety of the content is probably what is one of the most valued components of Moodle. It is very flexible to meet the needs of K-12, higher learning, and corporate markets.

I do feel that Moodle is very “busy” however and while it is somewhat easy to figure out, it is not as intuitive as it probably could be. The Moodle terms that are coined, such as “labels” and “resources” can be somewhat misleading especially for a novice administrator of a course.

I also feel that it takes multiple steps to create material and then organize it. It can become tedious and time consuming and I found myself saying, “there’s got to be an easier way” on several occasions.

Description of Course
Our course, titled "E-Portfolios with Google Sites" presents an instructor with ability to teach students how to showcase and maintain a running record of their work. The use of student electronic portfolios for authentic assessment is increasing by leaps and bounds. E-portfolios are a 21st century approach to display and publish work, express challenges and accomplishments, and, in a sense, serve as a student's resume. E-portfolios, as an organizational piece, can also help build in a Personal Learning Network within the e-portfolio. Students will benefit greatly from learning how to do this while they are in the elementary grades. Electronic portfolios can be used for more than just academics. Many employers ask prospective employees to bring portfolios to interviews to display their qualifications for certain jobs. The use of electronic portfolios can be used in all academic subjects from elementary through graduate school.

Module 1 - WHAT IS AN E-PORTFOLIO?

* Learners will need to have an understanding of e-portfolios, what they are, and what they are used for. Module 1 will give them an opportunity to explore some e-portfolios that have been built by others, for both professional and educational purposes. In this module, learners will gain background knowledge and explore completed examples.

Module 2 - PLANNING AN E-PORTFOLIO

* In Module 2, learners begin planning, gathering, and organizing resources they will need to begin creating their e-portfolio. All resources will be placed in a folder created by the learner. Resources include a profile picture, an autobiography, and other information/ requirements given by the instructor.

Module 3 - CREATING AN E-PORTFOLIO

* In this module, students access the template that has been uploaded to the Google Template Gallery by the instructor. Learners will then begin building the e-portfolio by following instructions given in the module. There will be video tutorials as well as written instructions to help them along the way.

Live Participant Feedback
Three Randall Elementary educators served as our participants in the course. After analyzing the rubrics submitted, we found that our course had a solid foundation, with well-organized and easy to follow modules. Another strong point in our course seems to be the amount of communication and interaction peers have with one another. They are encouraged to collaborate and share ideas and worked examples.

All marks, with the exception of one, fell into the categories of effective or exemplary. Given the time allotted to modify the coursework for Moodle, create the course, and add the content, I feel very satisfied with the success of the initial test

Course Successes
As noted above, the content flow and organization I believe were well designed according to our participant feedback. The cotent centered around collaboration and student interaction were-well received. Participants also noted that activities were aligned well to course goals and objectives.

Elements Needing Change
I believe that our course needs a larger variety of activities to appeal and adhere to the various learning styles of students. It was noted by one participant that, “ the course provides few visual, textual, kinesthetic, and/or auditory activities to enhance student learning.” While we looked for content that would fit our needs, it was difficult to find. With more time, we could have developed video tutorials to help students create portfolios, include sound bytes of those who value e-portfolios (such as teachers, administrators, employers, etc) in order to include a true voice that uses portfolios in everyday life.
Elements to Remain the Same

I believe that our group did a great job of including the necessary components for students to understand what a portfolio is, the purpose it serves, and what is/is not appropriate to include as a component of a portfolio. I believe we built-in the ability to build an extensive background knowledge of the topic and that will become a valuable learning experience for students in years to come.

Aspects of VDILS
We included the following components of VDILS:

GOALS- At the onset of each module we have set goals and objectives for the learner.
DIRECTION- For each activity or assignment, we have include directions on how to complete the activity, as well s how to present the knowledge.
COMMUNICATION- We have established many ways in which learners can communicate and collaborate with one another throughout the course.
PERSONAL MEANING- Learners are constantly encouraged to post ideas and insight gained as they move through the course. They are then challenged to comment and report on what theirs peers are saying, leading to deeper understanding and discussion of topics.