Proposal for Implementing a Moodle LMS in School District #33-Chilliwack, BC
Presented to:
Mr. Michael Audet
Superintendent, School District #33
District Administration Office
8430 Cessna Dr.
Chilliwack, BC V2P 7K4
Presented by:
Mr. Tom MacIsaac
Sardis Senior Secondary
45460 Stevenson Rd.
Chilliwack, BC V2R 2Z6
Introduction:
A Learning Management System (LMS) is a software platform that provides teachers with a tool to present their course on a website. Moodle (Modular Object – Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is the LMS that would benefit our district the most. In order to provide for the 21st century learner, our district needs to offer the teachers, and students, the ability to use this LMS. The Ministry Of Education in BC believes that in order to provide learning in a 21st century environment we must provide “more access to digital tools and resources that support both face-to-face and online learning” (British Columbia, 2011). Moodle will provide the best platform to deliver these goals that are being set by the province of British Columbia
Rationale:
Using Moodle gives the School District of Chilliwack the ability to provide the kind of technology and online learning that the Ministry of Education is promoting. Moodle is the best choice because there is no need to revamp our IT system. Moodle does not require the purchase of better computers, more IT help, or other extraneous costs that are usually associated with the introduction of new technology. We can use Moodle while maintaining the status quo with regards to technology in our district. Moodle would help students keep in touch with their teachers and would keep the lines of communication between teachers, students, and parents open and interactive. Moodle gives students in our district both the technology and the flexibility to become active 21st century learners.
Evidence for Choosing Moodle
The framework for selecting and using this technology is the SECTIONS model (Bates & Poole, 2003). I feel that presenting the case for Moodle with this SECTIONS model shows the versatility and the benefits of this program.
Students-It provides students with an interactive platform. Students do not have to be very tech savvy to use Moodle. Moodle really puts the needs of the student first. The easy navigation and easy access to their class notes, work and marks makes Moodle a simple yet effective means od learning and communication.
Ease of Use- Moodle simply has to be downloaded on to the student’s or teacher’s computer. It can work on both Mac and PC computers. For teachers, there will be a learning curve to get comfortable with posting their course on site but the students will find it easy to navigate.
Cost- The cost for Moodle is free. There is a cost to the school district because it requires the use of a server but if our district has the available server space the price is nothing. Moodle does provide a list of servers and their price ranges between $100/year for a class to about $1000/year for an entire school or district” (Perkins & Pfaffman, 2006). This is much cheaper than other LMS which can cost up to $224,000 a year for 10,00 students (Panettieri).
Teaching- The teacher can present their course in a manner they feel comfortable with. Teachers can use Moodle with a lot or very little experience with technology. Moodle “can help someone to be more organized because it files all documents in one place.”(Davis, 2012) It will give the teachers more time to teach and work with students and less time putting together missing work for students that are absent.
Interactivity- Moodle is very interactive but the ultimate control is in the teacher. The Moodle site can be split into two categories. Resources where the teacher can keep the lecture notes and Power Point presentations if they wish, and resources which can contain quizzes, links to other sites, etc. The teacher can also use the grade book to keep parents up to date on the child’s progress and to see what work they are not completing.
Organizational Issues- There are very few organizational issues that are caused by Moodle. All the computers in our district have the ability to download Moodle so all that is required is a server or the use of the district server. Most students have access to a computer
Novelty- It is an open source format that means it is free to use and is constantly being updated and improved. The 21st century learner will enjoy the control and interactivity Moodle provides without the worry that the technology is old or obsolete.
Speed- Teachers can get a course up and running quickly. Obviously the more information that is put on Moodle the longer the time it will take. Since each teacher can download their own copy of Moodle, it can be put into practice quickly.
Summation
As I have stated above, I think Moodle is an excellent program for our district. It is a program that shows we are serious about the 21st century learner as prescribed by the Ministry of Education in British Columbia. It will provide students and teachers a means to communicate like nothing we have used before in SD33. Students, and in turn their parents, will be more involved and active in their education. They will be able to see their child’s progress and make sure their child is doing everything possible to succeed in school. Children will not be able to use the excuse that they were away, or sick, for not completing work because all work is available on Moodle. Moodle will improve the lines of communication between teacher and student as well as teacher and parent. The cost to the district is minimal because Moodle is free to download for as many teachers we have in the district. The only cost to the district is the cost of a server. Moodle will provide our students with the ability to participate in their learning and be more active learners.
References:
Bates, A.W. and Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: A Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. New York: Wiley, John and Sons, Inc.
British Columbia. Ministry of Education. (2011). The World has changed…the way we educate our children should too. Retrieved on Feb. 1, 2012 from www.bcedplan.ca
Chickering, A.W. and Gamson, Z.F. (1987). Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39(7), 3-7.
Davis, Zavier. (2012). Step aside, Blackboard:Moodle is here. Accessed online 01 February 2012 www.thenichollsworth.com
Panettieri, J. (2007). Addition by Subtraction. University Business, August, 58-62. Accessed online 11 March 2009 http://www.universitybusiness.com
Perkins, Matthew & Pfaffman, Jay. (2006) Using a Course Management System to Improve Classroom Communication. Science Teacher, 73(7), 33-37