ETEC 565 e-portfolio

The learning platform I would like to integrate into my teaching is Moodle (Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment). Moodle is open source software (OSS) and is “free in the sense that people… [can] use, study, change and redistribute it” (Perkins & Pfaffman, 2006, p.35). When evaluating and selecting technology, Bates and Poole (2003) suggest using the SECTIONS model (Students, Ease of Use, Costs, Teaching and Learning, Interactivity, Organizational Issues, Novelty; Speed) as a framework (p.78-79). Moodle is easy to use both for students and teachers/designers, the platform design is intuitive to students (as has been my experience while observing students from grade 9-12 interacting with the LMS), promotes interaction among learners in the form of discussion forums and wikis, allows educators to clearly organize their lessons online, can easily be adapted and changed by the instructor and is inexpensive. The only costs associated with Moodle are consultant fees for occasional IT and ET as it can be hosted on existing servers (C. Christie-Bill, personal communication, June 11, 2010). This is preferable to propriety LMSs which require both “the administrative bother and cost of negotiating a license” (Perkins & Pfaffman, p. 35) in addition to IT support, and the professional development costs associate with training teachers to use the new learning platform.

Integrating Moodle into the everyday classroom routine is possible for all teachers. It can be used to support face-to-face (f2f) learning, in a hybrid learning context as well as a stand-alone online learning platform (Cole & Foster, 2007, p.2-3).

In an f2f environment, teachers can use Moodle as a platform to update their students on assignments, provide notes covered in class and allow students a location outside of class to discuss course materials. Providing this asynchronous option enhances student learning as students now have the opportunity to further reflect on their learning and provide more detailed questions and answers to queries covered in class.

Hybrid courses “combine the best of both worlds” (p.2). Students can engage with content outside of the traditional f2f environment and use their f2f time to engage in discussions about the material, clarifications and troubleshooting. Students may also continue discussions at their own place within online discussion forums and continue to discuss areas of interest even after the f2f class has moved on from a subject.

Moodle is an excellent choice for online learning environments. Students who may be shy or reluctant to answer questions in class now have the ability to formulate responses at their own pace, and interact with others in a less intimidating fashion. Also, students have the ability to express themselves online in ways that are often restricted in the classroom. In an online course environment, teachers facilitate online learning communities where students work together to provide feedback to one another to help enhance the overall quality of student learning.

Overall, Moodle would be an excellent LMS choice due to its ease of use and minimal implementation costs.

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.

Cole, J., & Foster, H. (2007). Using Moodle: Teaching with the Popular Open Source Course Management System (2nd ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O’Reily Media.

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