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Learning Design and Development Moodle Course
Working with Moodle was interesting and challenging. I initially approached the assignment in the same way that I approach projects at work. I first draw out a map of the course that I would like to create based on the needs (this was easier this time as the needs were defined exclusively by me for the contents), put the meat on the bones with the content, and then begin to format it. In this case, the map was easy as I got to make all of the decisions, the content was less important in this project as the assignment was to design an online course, which made the most challenging aspect the format; it seems this time I would not have a team of layout designers and graphic artists to make my plans a reality.
When I first switched from being a PC user to a Mac user (a great decision), I felt a little bit patronized by the control that the Mac had over how I work. It is not as customizable in terms of placing folders and shortcuts virtually wherever you like, it looks after things for you, and a few other instances. It seemed that the Mac was designed to be used by anyone, which meant it restricted some of the functionality that more advanced users would like (I now see this is the trade-off for a machine that actually works, sorry, my Mac bias leaks out again). This is how I felt about working with Moodle. It seemed that the HTML editor was so carefully refined that it was limiting. Not all complicated HTML functions worked perfectly, but smoothly enough to get by. This echoed the sense that I had when working with WebCT in 2007: the tools were so carefully built that they were uncustomizable.
I have broken my reflection on this assignment into three sections: challenges, transferrable skills, and resources.
Challenges
The biggest challenge for me in designing this online course was the familiarity with Moodle. I made the mistake of beginning by building my map, filling in the content, and then approaching the format (Moodle in this case) near the end of the assignment. While I had a basic understanding from the previous ePortfolio assignments of some of the functionality, I found that there was so much more to explore with the potential that was out there. When I did find an add-on that I would have liked to use, I quickly learned that I didn’t have that privileges to install add-ons (which would have simplified the selective release functions). In retrospect I would have spent more time exploring all of the functionality of Moodle in order to design the map specifically for Moodle.
The selective release function also presented a challenge. There are a number of add-ons that simplify (or claim to, I was unable to try them) this process, but I figured there must be a way to do so on the site. I opted to set-up the selective release based on time by the instructor. I make it invisible to students (module four is planned to be released as such) and once the fifth week of the course is reached, the instructor makes it visible. This is not the most clean version of a selective release, but I believe that it met the requirements. Other solutions I explored included:
- various Moodle forums (where I came across the add-ons and hacks that could fix it)
- HTML code (I was unable to find anything that was simple enough for my HTML skills)
- releasing based on a completed quiz (decided against as this is adult learning and I could not justify a test; upon further reflection and discussion with colleagues there is a place for it to review the content from the previous facilitation course)
- timed release based on a the week (I believed that I had this setup, but I am not sure that this is correct)
- reviewing the postings on Vista, but it was equally cryptic
- selectively releasing sections of the course to a various groups via groupings (I did this with discussion forums)
- discussing with previous ETEC 565 students
Groupings also eluded me at the beginning as I was unable to find the functionality. It seems that when I move from Safari to Firefox, there is much more functionality made available to all of the Moodle tools. I was able to find the groupings after hours of searching (at the top of the groups page).
A final challenge that I spent far too much time exploring was creating the splash page. For past projects I have been able to design nice initial pages in Photoshop and then slide them up, export for web, and then upload the HTML to a website, linking the slices to specific pages. I wanted to do this again to have a nice GUI, but was unable to remove the borders from the tables that are created by the HTML code. It seems that Moodle functionality was preventing it from achieving what I was looking for. I opted to slice more simply and accept the borders.
Transferrable Skills
This assignment (and course) left me equipped with many new skills. My basic HTML repretoir has been built considerably and I am much more comfortable shuffling through code to find what I am looking for in order to make the modifications that I would like.
I found this assignment similar to the projects that I typically do (I design courses for adult learners) with one key distinction: instead of writing the materials for a facilitator to deliver, I was essentially acting as the facilitator at the same time as I was designing. I was forced to think about what I was writing from the perspective of a very different audience. No longer was I describing activities to someone with a strong understanding of the content, but now that resource was removed. What I was writing would be accessible to the end user (the participant). This is a very different type of writing. After I had initially written up much of module three (the module that I began with), I found that I needed to go back and rewrite much of the material as it was given as if to an expert. I have been striving to develop my facilitation skills in the future in my place of work, and I felt that this assignment gave me a safe opportunity were I was able act as the facilitator and carefully construct my persona for the students. In reflecting on the past ETEC courses, I can see the personalities of the instructors even in the online forum. This was a really interesting exploration for me as I was able to look back at all past ETEC courses and reflect on my entire experience. I really enjoyed this aspect of the reflection.
Conclusion
Much like ETEC 565, this assignment has been somewhat of a culmination of the ETEC courses that I have taken until this point. It was interesting how I was able to draw on my motivation assignment from ETEC 511, experiences in posting on forums and how I felt as a learner when posting, or even the cultural and technology perspective from ETEC 531. By reviewing previous courses, I was also able to see how the personalities of the instructors (in spite of the shells being designed by different people) were able to come out. I have now been in courses with instructors that also instruct other courses, and I think about how different that delivery would be very different with another instructor. When I initially entered MET, I thought that the delivery of online courses would simply be an interface with administrators on the other side, but this has clearly not been the case.
I am pleased and proud of the result of my work. I have shared it with some of the directors in my organization and we are planning on exploring it further as an option for public outreach in our field (international peacekeeping).
