My Reflection on Creating a Moodle Site
Wow, creating a Moodle site for the first time requires a great deal of time, effort, and patience. Creating and designing the layout for the Moodle site involved a really steep learning curve for me. I struggled with the ascetics of the page a bit. My first instinct was to create an interesting GUI using open source pictures of the Holocaust but I realized that Holocaust pictures would be a bit depressing for students to look at every time they entered the site. Instead, I decided to keep it simple. I used one picture for a banner and created simple buttons for the GUI. To create the buttons, I copied the green colour from the Moodle theme and outlined it in black. I then wrote the words for each button.
The next step for me was to create the content for the course. Doing a course with a focus on literature circles and the Holocaust seemed to make because lit circles involve splitting students into groups and grouping was one of the requirements for building the course. So, I began designing the unit by thinking about the order of the modules and creating the content.
Since the ETEC course requirements asked me to have 2 or more modules programmed for selective release, I decided to show only the information in the first module. As students move through the course, I (as the teacher) can release the modules when students are ready to see them.
I realized that since most of my students have not used Moodle before, it was important to use module 1 as a way to learn about how to use it. So, I set up a shell for this module that included a place holder that would explain the module, basic moodle skills, and rules for online. I also set up a general discussion form so that students could practice creating discussions and get comfortable following and responding to threads.
Module 2 is one of my completed modules. I included several web pages that explained the focus of the module, the holocaust information that I wanted students to learn, a wiki where they organize the information and build upon prior knowledge, and a quiz checking their understanding of the information. In the second part module 2, I included a discussion section to get students thinking about why we are learning about the holocaust. In this section, I embedded a teacher tube video to use as a discussion starter. Students then answer the questions that I have provided in the discussion form. This discussion section is hidden from students until the class completes the quiz and is ready to move on.
Module 3 is where students get an introduction to literature circles. Because some of my students are just entering middle school, they haven’t done literature circles before so it makes sense to explain what we are doing and why. This way, they will know what is expected of them and that understanding may make them feel more comfortable with this new way of learning. After students know what they will be expected to do, it is time for them to choose a book. I have provided them with several book options that they can research on the web. They can then decide which book is right for them and show that they did research the options by writing a reflection on the process.
At that point, Students will enter module 4. Here, I will separate the students into groups based on their book choices. And they will have individual discussion areas for each group. Although I haven’t completed this entire module on the Moodle site, I have created individual group discussion forms here.
Module 5 is incomplete on the Moodle site. It will involve the wrap up project that students will do when they complete their books.
Overall, creating this Moodle site has been an interesting experience. I have learned a great deal about designing a Moodle site and using HTML to create content for the site and I am happy to have learned these skill for future use.