LMS
The Vancouver Learning Network currently uses Desire 2 Learn’s LMS. I propose that the VLN could save more from its operating costs by employing the open source LMS, Moodle. The Bates and Poole (2003) article, A Framework for Selecting and Using Technology, helped provide the criteria for which to scrutinize Moodle. The SECTIONS model will be used to display Moodle’s advantages as a LMS. As the VLN is funded by tax dollars saving on costs is important, yet this does not mean that it wants to sacrifice support. Moodle reduces costs and it still maintains a high level of support.
Students
The students at the VLN are more tech savvy than the average student. They have experience taking courses online and using a LMS. Quite often they have to make screencasts and use powerpoint. To switch to a similar LMS would not be a huge leap for them. Furthermore, the biggest complaint online students have is that opportunities to meet other students online or in person is limited. By combining Second Life or Teen Second Life with Moodle, students will have the opportunity to meet other students in a synchronous environment (Delucia, 2009). Moodle is generally used asynchronously to organize course content.
Ease of Use and Reliability
Moodle is fully functional on all operating systems. This includes Win XP/Vista, Mac, and Linux. No matter whether it is Safari or Firefox, it will run on all browsers. In fact, you may install Apache MySQL and Moodle on your own computer and test it offline before you install the system on a server. This also allows changes to the course or the LMS to be made offline, tested, and then uploaded to the server. The interface language can also be changed at the users discretion. My personal Moodle site allows for Japanese as well as English usage, but there are many other possibilities for languages.
Costs
There are no initial software licensing costs as Moodle is open source and free of fees (Perkins & Pfaffmen, 2006). D2L charges a fee per learner. The only initial costs with Moodle come from hosting and domain registration. The VLN already has its own servers and technicians, but the VLN is not taking advantage of these resources.
Teaching and Learning
MOODLE stands for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment and was developed by Martin Dougiamas as a tool for social learning and constructivism (UBC Wiki, 2009). Therefore it is a good platform for distributing problem based learning. In fact all LMSs continue to be used more and more in learning environments (Panettieri, 2007). Constructivist problem based learning is the main teaching method taught to undergraduate education students. The ministry would like to produce more citizens that think critically about the world that they live. Online challenges students be even more motivated to learn than the face to face student because the online learner does not have anyone to push them to do the work. Therefore it is important that the LMS is able to create an engaging environment.
Interactivity
Moodle offers many social and cognitive affordances. Wikis, chat rooms, and forums allow students to discuss work and to collaborate on assignments. The creation of formative as well as summative quizzes can enable students to progress through the prescribed learning outcomes. Multiple choice quizzes may also be created easily by downloading plugins such as the Yatskovsky quiz authoring template. There is also a plugin that allows feedback to be recorded orally. Multimedia rich webpages may be developed with such programs as dreamweaver and uploaded to Moodle by webdav. The VLN will also benefit from the fact that iclickers are fully compatible with Moodle (iclicker, 2009). When VLN teachers have face to face tutorials, students will be able to provide feedback with their clickers that automatically gets sent to moodle grades.
Organizational Issues
If technical support is ever needed there is a plethora of different Moodle affiliated companies that can provide support for a fee. In Canada, Remote-Learner has been providing Moodle support since 1982 (Moodle, 2009). There is also extensive access to online forums, RSS feeds, video tutorials, chat-rooms, training opportunities, books, and manuals.
Novelty
The introduction of Moodle as the VLN’s platform of choice would by no means be a novel idea. However, the introduction of Moodle into a virtual world such as Second Life or Teen Second Life could prove to be a fresh idea (Delucia et al. 2009). It would combine the best of the asynchronous and synchronous worlds. Students would not only have an area to study, but also an area to socialize and frolic. This hybrid of software is often referred to as Sloodle (Delucia et al. 2009).
Speed
With the advent of WYSIWYG software within Moodle content can be backed up, imported, or altered very easily. Although the VLN already has technical support, they will not need to be burdened by such mundane tasks as mentioned above. Teachers will be able to do it themselves. The creation of course material will be just as time consuming as with any other LMS. However, compared to print the content found on the webpages will be easier to update (Bates and Poole, 2003).
Using Moodle will help the VLN teachers meet the NETS standards (International Society for Technology in Education 2008). The five rubrics created in ETEC 565 66b for selecting a LMS will undoubtedly show that Moodle has a slight edge over other LMSs. The category where Moodle differs the most and which should be the most important to the VLN is cost. It is just as effective as any other LMS, but at a fraction of the cost.
References
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: a Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. In Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. (Pp. 77-105). San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.
De Lucia, A., Francese, R., and Passero, I. (2009). Development and evaluation of a virtual campus on Second Life: The case of Second DMI. Computers & Education 52 (1), 220-233.
iClicker. Retrieved June 6, 2009 from: http://www.iclicker.com/dnn/
MOODLE. Retrieved June 6, 2009 from: http://moodle.com/support/
National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers. Retrieved May 4, 2009 from: http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_for_Teachers_2008.htm
Panettieri, J. (2007). Addition by subtraction. University Business, August, 58-62. Accessed online 11 March 2009 http://www.universitybusiness.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=845
Perkins, M. & Pfaffman, J. (2006). Using a Course Management System to Improve Classroom Communication. Science Teacher, 73(7), 33-37.
UBC Wiki: Moodle. Retrieved June 6, 2009 from: http://sites.wiki.ubc.ca/etec565/index.php/Moodle
Adam Rattray