Moodle Workshop

1. Moodle Workshop 19th Oct 2009 Dot Waterhouse

2. The focus of the session is 'Using Moodle from a teacher, facilitator's point of view'. Planned topics 1. Useful Plugins - an overview 2. Encouraging students to participate 3. How to avoid overwhelming students with info3.1 Generally 3.2 When there is a lot of information and students are starting at different times 4. Customising the grade book and assessment marking4.1 Generally 4.2 for training package outcomes 5. Quizzes V Questionnaire 6. e-portfolios – Exabis Examples available from: http://augetonline.com.au http://jobequip2moodle.com.au Ongoing discussions and meeting records at: http://nswinnovations.wikispaces.com/message/list/2009+Online+Events Future Topics How to assist teachers to move forward

3. Plugins used Search at Moodle.org Modules • Audio Recorder • Certificate • Questionnaire • Book Blocks • Exabis-eportfolio (older version) • Marking Block 1.8+ • menu_site_and_course • Poll Block

4. 2. Encouraging students to participate (1) • Starting gently with simple tasks - even before the course starts emails to get permission to display emails plus a link to course and an invite to have a look around and do a poll/ Say G'day • Pushing all communications out from the Moodle * Weekly News - pushes out and pulls them back in • Setting up tasks that require interaction between students* not answering each post - summarising a couple and asking participants to add to someone elses comments. • Marking – is very motivating * Show how to access grades and have an easy task that can be marked quickly eg a technology task, or better have something that self marks. eg Scorm objects Examples at http://augetonline.com.au

5. 2. Encouraging students to participate (2) • Gilly salmons approach http://www.atimod.com - look at her stages in development - *image* • Expect and acknowledge the mid course slump - even 4 week courses have it. • Be ready with a short fun (if appropriate) interactive activity to bring people back in. “Winter cold recipes” • Use Glossary for group to create knowledge base that can grow and be reused in other courses - • Use Database to share images easily • Use quick polls – can be fun and also highlight a point Examples at http://jobequip2moodle.com.au

7. 2. Encouraging students to participate (3) • Use embeded audio and video files - including those made by students* Use AnyVideo Converter to convert videos to FLV files – embed nicely and low bandwidth http://www.any-video-converter.com* html to give a nice size player <p><a title="Name of file eg Welcome" href="http://yourmoodleaddress.com.au/moodle/file.php/19/video/)nameOfFileEGwelcome.flv?d=300x250"></a></p>

8. 3. How to avoid overwhelming students with info 3.1 Generally • Have future weeks’ sections closedand close past weeks to push students on. • Use a menu plugin • Show current week in sections 3.2 When there is a lot of information and students are starting at different times • Have reocurring images that lead people down - Reading, Task, Assessment, • Have a final image that shows where to STOP! • If appropriate have a game to end the weeks activities. Be aware that if you are referencing the web then students studing at work won't be able to access them. • Use Book to present large chunks of text – can have images and activities embedded easily • Use layout with one page with links and 'hidden' sections • Show students how to change to single daily digest (but not too soon in the course)

9. 4. Customising the grade book and assessment marking 4.1 Generally • Set up categories and get students to use as a checklist of work completed Choose >View > Categories and items>Simple view Some video howtos about Gradebookhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB58W3KePBc 4.2 for training package outcomes • To set up custom scales, use the 'Scales...' link in your course administration menu.)