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MOODLE Reflections

MOODLE Reflection

During the latter part of this course, one of the many tasks that was to be completed was a LMS course built using the open-source Moodle platform.  It seems that this course development has taken over many evenings of my life and often the result was working into the wee hours of the evening.  Could this have been alleviated?  Maybe, but due to the nature of completing a graduate course while working full-time, I was left with few options, which I was definitely alright with!  Overall, I have been extremely satisfied with my end result and and have enjoyed working within the Moodle platform.

Currently, my employer uses Desire2Learn which I have been using within my classroom.  This tool serves a purpose for our current learning conditions, but I feel that it is lacking in overall ease and content delivery for my learners.  A future goal that I have is to somehow weave or flat-out utilize Moodle in the upcoming months of the school year and introduce the course that was created for ETEC 565.

During the initial flight path my goal for the term was to “become more of a proficient user of the Moodle LMS platform and to create a useable, functional and collaborative workspace for my students.” During the course creation, there were many ups and downs and hair pulling experiences, but in the end I do feel that I have become a more proficient user of the Moodle platform.  My Moodle course centred around Digital Citizenship.  The decision to focus around Digital Citizenship stemmed from witnessing smartphones (and apps) to computers, social networks, gaming devices and other digital technologies almost in a sense is invading our students lives.  The concern isn’t that he/she is using these devices, but more so that  “Technology has forever changed not only what we need to learn, but the way we learn.” (ISTE, 2012). As an educator who utilizes 21st century skills and tools, how can I educate my learners about digital citizenship in a positive way and allow them to connect, collaborate, and communicate responsibly and safely?

My solution….Welcome to the Digital Detectives!  

Digital Detectives LMS Breakdown:

To begin the process of the Moodle creation, we were to write a proposal to a decision maker.  I selected fictitious name but an actual individual who works within the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) Innovation and Leaning Commons (ILC) Web 2.0 Guidelines Department.

Moodle Requirements:

Splash page with a customized GUI with at least four (4) navigational components

My splash page consists of eleven images, ten of which navigate you throughout the course.  The images are themed using lego characters, based on many of my own students fascination with this wonderful building toy.  I believe the students enrolled in the course will immediately become excited with the images and want to click away to the various navigational links.  To further engage the learners in their first task, they get to create a miniature version of themselves using a digital tool.

Two (or more) complete learning modules (module shells or placeholder pages not acceptable), largely based on HTML pages

I created four complete modules with a final quiz and reflection activity using a digital story creator (influenced by one of the ETEC course requirements).  The contents of the modules is a blend of HTML and activities housed within Moodle.  The activities themselves are balanced between using multimedia to explain activities/tasks and slide shows to help understand concepts.  Activities also include external web tools such as: Mini-mizer,Toondoo, Xtranormal, Kidblog, ZooBurst, Digital Passport (CommonSense Media), and CyberSense and Nonsense (Mediasmarts).

One (or more) module programmed for selective release

Within each module, much of the content is based on selective release when a previous task is completed.  In the end, I am not entirely sure if the way I approached the selective release criteria is correct, but I feel that as I programmed it to release when a task is “checked off” but not graded, meets the “selective release” requirement.

Two general discussion forum topics

Within the LMS course itself, I have two general discussion forums for the students to participate in.  One is during the initial icebreaker activity and the other which provides an extension to the topic discussion in one of the modules.  A second discussion forum that is included is the Wiki component.  This section requires  students to engage in discussions with one another and to provide thoughtful comments to ones work.  The final discussion forum that I included in the course is the external blogging tool: Kidblog.  With my experience using this tool in my current classroom, I felt it was important to engage the learner outside the LMS course and utilize another web tool to further extend the learning about being Digital Citizens.

One additional group discussion forum for (at least) 2 groups (must set up groups; they need not be populated)

The group discussion is strategically placed in module two which focuses around the topic of “Respect” in the digital world.  In the module, students proceed through a slide show focusing on cyberbullying.  At the end, they are linked to the discussion page where the student is placed into one of three groups that is presented with a scenario.  This group scenario is to get the students to think critically and use their higher order thinking skills.  This type of open-ended/open-response question is to have the students reflect on what they have been learning in the module and how they would react to the presented scenario.  The smaller group discussion will be a valuable exercise for the learners as not everyone will approach the situation the same way.

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed the Moodle experience.  It challenged me to think critically about why I wanted to include the content, Moodle tools, and web 2.0/digital tools that I did and go beyond the flash and pizazz.  This Digital Detectives course that has been created, has been invaluable not only for myself but also for my students, partner teacher, and fingers crossed for my “future” Moodle users.

Moodle Quiz Reflection. Assignment #4

Moodle Quiz Reflection.  Assignment #4

The content of the online quiz for this assignment was focused around the information and tasks that students will have encountered about Digital Citizenship.  Throughout the online course, the learners will have worked through a Digital Citizenship course with tasks focusing on themes around: Respect, Protect, and Educate.

Creating the Moodle quiz initially seemed overwhelming, but after some tinkering and deletions, it was fairly “bump” free.  I haven’t had a great deal of Moodle experience before, which also could have added to the overwhelming sensation of the quiz creation.  As per the assignment criteria, the quiz consisted of the following question types: three multiple choice, three matching, two short answer, and two short essay questions.  The overall total score for the quiz was out of 15 marks.  With the ability to embed images into the quiz tool, several of the questions also had an image to provide a key visual to what the content of the question was pertaining.  The total time to construct the quiz for the assignment took several hours (really liked the delete and edit button), but in the end I felt that it was an intuitive and fulfilling task and a process that would become much quicker to complete with more experience.

In regards to the Moodle quiz tool itself, as a teacher I believe that the set-up of the quiz provides positive and constructive feedback for the students as I had the option to choose from a variety of question types with feedback options.  Gibbs and Simpson (2005) state in Condition Five “The feedback focuses on students’ performance, on their learning and on actions under the students’ control, rather than on the students themselves and on their characteristics” (p.18).  With keeping what Gibbs and Simpson suggest in mind, feedback is immediately provided for each question (except the short essay questions).  Also, the quiz is set-up to allow students to attempt the quiz as many times as they choose in the allotted time period.  By allowing this option, students have the opportunity to revisit questions and correct any mistakes.  By doing this, as the teacher I hope the students take the opportunity to revisit and understand their initial mistakes.

One of the questions that I included in the quiz was situational.  It contained an image of a text message that targets an individual.  The intention of the question is to tap into the students higher order thinking skills.  This type of open-ended/open-response question is to have the students reflect on what they have been learning and implement a course of action.  This type of question is challenging to grade in general and even more so in Moodle.  The student can interpret the situation in various ways and justify why he/she would act the way they would.  Thus, there is no one correct answer.  In regards to providing feedback for these questions and to insure students don’t misinterpret the end result I would need to explain thoroughly of how the work was graded in order to “develop understanding through explanations”  (Gibbs & Simpson, 2005).

The Moodle quiz tool and the course content itself has great potential to be incorporated into a blended learning environment.  By providing access to the online course and quizzes, this allow students to work on the course and receive feedback at school and/or home.  With access at home, parents can choose to take more of an active role in their child’s learning and provide helpful guidance when needed.

Currently in my classroom, D2L is the LMS of choice across the board.  Similar to Moodle, it provides a plethora of learning tools and assessment choices.  As I continue down the path of creating this particular Digital Citizenship course within Moodle, the end goal is to actively use it in the classroom somehow.  My current learners enjoy using digital and web-based tools and have become quite proficient users.  To introduce Moodle to them gives them more exposure to other avenues of learning in the digital world.

All in all, I felt quite satisfied in the end with my quiz.  The task was challenging and engaging (albeit there is still so much to learn). I feel that I would be able to tackle another Moodle quiz in a more timely manner.  The ETEC 565 community was one that was supportive and graciously provided tips of how to’s, or how not to’s, for this I thank you.  I wish I could have been able to provide the same service and support.

References:

Gibbs, G. and Simpson, C. (2005). “Conditions under which assessment supports students’ learning.” Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. Accessed online October 19, 2012 http://www.open.ac.uk/fast/pdfs/Gibbs%20and%20Simpson%202004-05.pdf

MOODLE Proposal

For the purpose of this assignment, the decision maker I have selected is a fictitious name but an actual individual who works within the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) Innovation and Leaning Commons (ILC) Web 2.0 Guidelines Department.  The last several months, the CBE has gone to great lengths to work closely with the legal services and FOIP’s Privacy and Access Officer to launch the Web 2.0 Guidelines.  This has made it easier to propose potential web 2.0 tools and software to utilize in the classroom.

To:
Mr. Iam Tupointo
ILC Web 2.0 Guidelines
Calgary Board of Education
1221 – 8 Street SW
Calgary, AB T2R 0L4

From:
Mr. Jon Patry
Erin Woods School

October 7, 2012

Dear Mr. Tupointo,

Please consider the following proposal to implement the following Learning Management System (LMS), MOODLE (Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) into current Calgary Board of Education classroom practice.  MOODLE will allow students, teachers, and staff to continue down the path of utilizing 21st century technology offerings within the Calgary Board of Education.

Educating Today’s Citizens for Tomorrow is the CBE’s current motto and during my 5-year employment I have seen and participated in the progression and implementation the CBE has undertaken in embracing 21st century learning.

Within the CBE, teachers and students currently use the LMS Desire2Learn (D2L) and you might be asking yourself; why should we use another LMS system when we already have one in place?  The proposal to use MOODLE in the classroom isn’t to replace D2L but to provide an alternative online learning space for teaching and learning to occur.  The National Educational Standards for Teachers are “standards for evaluating the skills and knowledge educators need to teach, work, and learn in an increasingly connected global and digital society” (ISTE, 2012, “NETS for Teachers”). MOODLE would allow teachers to effectively incorporate and design an online learning experience to engage the learners.

Rationale and Selection

MOODLE is an open-source LMS that is used to plan, deliver, and manage content in a virtual classroom setting which is facilitated by the teacher.  Similar to any web-based applications, pilot designs are first tested to insure that the tool or software will be effective for teachers and learners.  This proposed pilot will involve two classrooms using MOODLE to deliver online content focusing around Digital Citizenship for learners in Grades four and five.

Perkins and Pfaffman (2006) researched and stated that MOODLE “improved and enhanced student performance by promoting and organizing communication among parents, students, teachers, administrators, and the community”  (p. 34).  The National Educational Standards for Teachers and Bates and Poole’s (2003) Framework for Selecting and Using Technology, was used to rationalize MOODLE’s potential implementation.

National Educational Standards for Teachers

Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Using an open-source platform such as MOODLE in the classroom will provide an opportunity for students to collaborate and share information and knowledge learned, using a variety of digital tools available within the MOODLE platform.  This platform for learning will not only allow students to communicate digitally with their peers, but also parents can become more involved in the learning experience.

Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

MOODLE will be an integral part to providing a digital learning experience for the students.  It will not just be a platform to receive information passively, but also allow students to engage, participate in groups, collaborate with one another, receive feedback, and have the ability to connect digitally to real-world experts.

Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

MOODLE will support learning not only within the school environment, but also at home and mobile locations.   MyMOODLE  (iTunes App Store) is an application available on Apple devices which allows users to view content offline, upload video/images to the course and take part in the learning while on the go.

Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility  

With the focus of this particular MOODLE course design, the promotion and modeling of digital citizenship and responsibility will be in the forefront of the the overall course design.

Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

MOODLE will not just be for my students and own personal learning, but will allow me to become a more confident and a reliable source for other educators and teachers within my own school community and the CBE.

Bates and Poole’s SECTIONS

S (Students) To insure that students have ample time and access to understanding MOODLE, time will be allocated during the school days to familiarize with the LMS.  Communication is essential when introducing new tools to the learner and the more opportunity to share and explore in the classroom, the more success students will have.

E (Ease of use) To insure that my learners will be comfortable with this platform, I must first be comfortable. The MOODLE community of users is vast and diverse and if troubleshooting is required I can easily turn to this community of practice for support.

C (Cost) MOODLE is a free open-source download and can be easily managed by myself initially.  If MOODLE becomes an LMS desired by more schools within the CBE, an external hosting company such as Lambda Solutions may be considered.

T (Teaching & Learning) The design of MOODLE is constructivist in nature which will support the teaching and learning experience as students work his/her way through the course to develop knowledge and understanding.

I (Interactivity) Learning isn’t a passive experience and users will work collaboratively and gain new knowledge in formal and informal ways.  Digital tools such as wikis and blogs will be used in the experience.

O (Organizational issues) The CBE encourages teachers to use web 2.0 tools and classroom implementation.  MOODLE is currently not an approved tool, but is pending approval. A Privacy Impact Assessment form has been submitted adhering to the CBE’s Web 2.0 Guidelines. When a decision is made, the IT department will be contacted to install the software on the local school server.

N (Novelty) MOODLE isn’t a new open-source software, but it has been gaining more attention as it is a free open-source LMS to create a dynamic learning experience.

S (Speed) Once MOODLE is approved and installed on the school server, the speed for online implementation will depend on myself. Once up and running, students will have access to the various communication tools.

Educators within the CBE are encouraged to embrace digital technologies to assist in lesson design and delivery.  I believe MOODLE provides another opportunity to fulfill this purpose.

Thank you for your consideration of my proposal for MOODLE as an alternative LMS for teachers and students within the Calgary Board of Education.

Sincerely,

 

Jon Patry

 

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.

National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers. Retrieved September 5, 2012, from:http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers

Perkins, M. & Pfaffman, J. (2006). Using a Course Management System to Improve Classroom Communication. Science Teacher, 73(7), 33-37.

Flight Path

My personal educational upbringing was in a traditional classroom setting, which definitely was a challenge for my learning as I was a very on-the-go type of student.  The decision to become an educator really didn’t come until my early 20’s and when I had made the decision, my past schooling years had finally caught up with me and I was told I had to upgrade many of my high school courses by attending an adult learning facility.  This definitely didn’t hinder the process, but rather fueled the desire further and I vowed never to be a teacher who teachers learners in a traditional stand-up and deliver classroom setting.

I have entered my sixth year of teaching in a elementary school, where I teach grade 4/5 students in a blended learning environment filled with multiple purposeful technology.  Alongside teaching, I am also one of two in-house technology-learning leaders who provide supports for teachers to integrate technology into lesson design and use technology in a more purposeful and meaningful way.

In a previous MET course, Moodle was first introduced in my learning as new LMS tool and although it was tricky at first to become familiar with the ins-and-outs of creating content, I really saw the value and benefit this open-source tool LMS tool could have in the elementary classroom.  Last year our students began blogging using the Kidblog platform and this was an instant success!  Students enjoyed being able to use the tool at home and within the school to create content and comment on others blogs.  I envision a Moodle LMS to have that same effect with the students and parent community.  We currently use the course management system D2L within our board but it isn’t really a kid-friendly/student-oriented tool to use.  From my initial steps into Moodle, it seems to be an LMS tool that is very flexible in how the content is interacted with.

The NETS for teachers recommends that teachers “engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources” and “promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning.”  One of the goals for this course is to challenge myself with creating a Moodle LMS space for my learners to actively engage and have authentic discussions around curricular content.  Alongside with engaging the learners using digital tools, Chickering and Gamson also suggest that “good practices gives prompt feedback.”  Feedback can occur in multiple ways when using an LMS tool.  Whether feedback occurs using formative assessment tools such as concept webs, forum discussions, and collaborative documents.  When summative assessment is needed, tools such as online tests or quizzes and can implemented.

To coincide with the goal of creating a Moodle LMS, I have also been determined to utilize YouTube to share and showcase student works.  This is another purposeful use of technology that allows students to upload his/her work to the domain and allow the external community to witness the learning that is occurring in the classroom.  Students of all ages already access YouTube for a variety of reasons.  If the students knew that their work was being uploaded to this web 2.0 tool for all to see, I would think they would all be eager to share what they have done to family and friends.

Overall, my goal for ETEC 565 is to become more of a proficient user of the Moodle LMS platform and to create a useable, functional and collaborative workspace for my students.

Chickering, A.W. and Gamson, Z.F. (1987).  Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education.  American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39 (7), p. 3-7.

National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers

http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-for-teachers-2008_en.pdf?sfvrsn=2

 

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