Moodle Reflection
The major and final assignment for ETEC 565A was to create an online course using the open source software LMS Moodle. We were given specific criteria that needed to be incorporated, but otherwise were given freedom to decide what and how to create. We were also purposefully not given any instructions about how to use Moodle. It was expected that as educators we would be self-motivated and resourceful in successfully completing the assignment.
My Course
Since I have an interest in scaffolding my students in using online tools, I decided to take a subject I would normally teach and turn it into an online course that could possibly be used in the classroom. My Moodle course is created to function as a blended learning opportunity for grade 3/4 students. At this age, students need plenty of scaffolding for both traditional and digital literacy. By introducing them to an online learning situation within a classroom setting, it allows for support when needed. The course is a social studies unit that surveys various characteristics of China’s culture. It consists of 13 lessons: one each week. I have created lesson 1 (What is Culture?) and lesson 6 (Celebrations) in full.
The Process
Understand
My first step in this process was to read the criteria carefully to understand each component, getting a sense of what kind of time I would need. The case studies that we had engaged with previously, particularly Benoit, provided a framework for what to expect: copious amounts of time. I began to do some Internet research regarding different components of the course site such as developing a splash page with a customized GUI. While I felt I understood what was required, I was delighted to come across a discussion of the desktop GUI in an ETEC540 reading (Bolter, 2001), which further confirmed my understanding.
Plan
Once I had an understanding of the criteria, I needed to come up with a plan. It was strongly suggested in our first Wimba session that we should begin with a storyboard of our course before ever trying to create actual components. This advice was repeated again by Alan Levine in his Cogdogroo website in relation to developing a digital story with a Web 2.0 tool. It is easy to jump straight into the creative/creation portion of the assignment, but in the long run this will be detrimental to effective learning. Kanuka (2008) suggests that, “When we are aware of our philosophical orientation, it is then possible to make informed decisions about choosing and using e-learning technology” (p. 111). Using Powerpoint, I mapped out a course that I felt was appropriate for grade 3 both in content and ability level. I have seen the benefit of a constructivist approach and knew that I wanted to include at least one project that would be constructivist in nature.
By planning the overall course and lessons first, I was able to think more about my students rather than what cool tools I might want to use. Although many of the tools were already chosen for us (Moodle, discussions, a quiz, groups, and ideally our stories), these were relatively easy to include. Anderson’s (2008) four components of online learning (community-centred, learner-centred, assessment-centred, knowledge-centered), the Bates and Poole (2003) SECTIONS framework, and National Technology Standards for Students (2007) were helpful in thinking through content, activities, and the tools to facilitate them. By considering these articles, I believe I was able to create a more balanced learning opportunity.
Create
Part of the criteria was to create the content in html pages rather than work directly in Moodle. I understand that this is because more can be done in an html page than within the Moodle site itself. I had worked with NVU before but discovered that it would not work with my MacBook. Eventually after some exploration, I found I could use iWeb to create html pages and upload them to Moodle. I chose a template that I thought would appeal to young students. Up until this week, I did not know that I could have created my own designs within iWeb. I plan to explore this in the future.
After appropriate content, my number one goal was to try and create a Moodle site that would look and work more like a webpage than a typical Moodle interface. I felt this would better serve my young students and simplify the interaction. This was something that took a large of amount of time, first in researching how to achieve this goal, and then in actually implementing it. Much of my first weeks of creating were spent playing around within the Moodle site, trying out different templates and settings and working through issues. In the end, I am not satisfied with the outcome of my course interface, however I do feel that I worked to my potential at this time. I have downloaded my own Moodle site and will continue to work on it as I have time in a bid to improve and learn more.
Another major time component was uploading the html pages and making sure links worked. This was probably the most frustrating part for me and extremely inefficient. Each time I changed one thing, there were repercussions throughout the site. Because most of the effected pages were html, I had to redo them outside of Moodle and then upload them again. There was a steep learning curve involved. I suspect that there are more efficient ways to go about this task although at this time I am not aware of how I could have improved.
Resources
Classmates, the Moodle community, the wider Internet community, the eLearning Toolkit, and assigned readings were invaluable to me in this assignment. Although at times I felt ready to give up on certain issues, there was usually some way to find out information through one of the resources mentioned above. The constructivist nature of this course pushed me to search for the knowledge I needed. This has resulted in me growing in my understanding and appreciation of constructivism as a teaching and learning philosophy. In the end it has also left me with a sense of accomplishment as I see the results of my hard work.
My Flight Plan Goals
This assignment has afforded me the opportunity to develop in each of my Flight Path learning goals. As I have reflected back over the assignment and how it has unfolded, I have discerned tangible changes in my abilities with technology. I am more comfortable with Moodle and its components. I am able to work through technical problems to see a solution, and I have learned many new skills. Additionally, through this assignment I am moving towards meeting the National Technology Standards for Teachers (2008).
Bibliography
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: Aran Josse 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.
Bolter, J.D. (2001). Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ.
Anderson, T. (2008). Towards a Theory of Online Learning. In: Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Athabasca University. Accessed online 18 November 2012. http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/02_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf
Kanuka, H. (2008). Understanding e-learning technologies-in-practice through philosophies-in-practice. In T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds.) Theory and Practice of Online Learning, Chapter 4 (pp. 91-118). Available online at: http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/04_Anderson_2008_Kanuka-Online_Learning.pdf
Levine. A. (2007). “50 Web 2.0 Ways to Tell a Story.” Accessed 10 November 2012 from http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/StoryTools
National Education Standards for Students. Available from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students
National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_for_Teachers_2008.htm