Online Learning in an Open Source Environment

We put the earn in Learning!™

Online Learning in an Open Source Environment

D. Verne Morland

Managing PartnerROI Learning Services

4 March 2004


Objectives

1. Explain the Open Source SW movement

2. Summarize the Moodle design and features

3. Discuss social constructivist learning theory

4. Examine how Moodle works for: Students Instructors Administrators

5. Facilitate an open dialogue on commercial and open system learning environments


Who Am I?

Managing partner, ROI Learning Services

Corporate university designer for NCR

Business analyst and marketing director

Software designer and systems engineer

BSEE (Princeton) and MSEd. (U Dayton)

Verne Morland


What is ROI Learning Services?

Training outsource company

Network of skilled practitioners: Business and training needs analysis Instructional design Technical design and support Online and blended course development Classroom and virtual course delivery Learning and business impact assessment

Your potential partner! (www.roi-learning.com)


Getting to Know You

Taken an online course?

Independent, self-paced, self-study? Collaborative, facilitated,

synchronized?

Did you learn anything?

Did you enjoy the experience?

Have you:


Getting to Know You

Designed an online course?

Facilitated an online course?

Customized an online learning environment?

Built an online learning environment?

Have you:


What Is Open Source Software?

Free! Locally extensible Globally supported Platform independent

Details at http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.php


Advantages of Open Source

Open Source … means that because the source is available for all to see, developers are building on the work of others, rather than constantly re-inventing the wheel, and being recognized for their effort. Bugs are found and fixed more rapidly than in proprietary software, and a spirit of honest and open collaboration prevails.

- Visualising a Better Way by J. Ul-Haque and R. Whittaker


Disadvantages of Open Source

No single, responsible supplier

No committed development schedule


Leading Open Source Products

LINUX - Operating System

Apache - Web server

Perl, PHP - Scripting languages

MySQL - Database system


Moodle Is…

Modular,

Object-

Oriented,

Dynamic

Learning

Environment


Moodle Is…

A course management system for developing and delivering Internet-based courses

Based on social constructionist learning theory Available in 33 languages A free alternative to commercial software such as WebCT

or Blackboard Written in PHP Runs on Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, and Netware 6 Used by a growing number of universities, schools, and

corporations. (Currently 927 sites in 70 countries are registered on Moodle.org/sites.)


Moodle Offers…

Forums, Chats, Resources, Journals, Quizzes and tests, Surveys, Workshops, and Assignments.

Learning materials


Social Constructivism

Social constructivists view learning as a social process. It does not take place only internally, nor is it a passive development of behaviors that are shaped by external forces. Meaningful learning occurs when individuals are engaged in social activities.

- Social Constructivism By Beaumie Kim (2001)


Moodle Is Versatile

Moodle can be… A complete online learning environment A focal point for online collaboration A repository of self-study courses and

materials

Moodle can contain… Collaborative, synchronous courses Independent, self-paced courses


Plain Vanilla Moodle


Corporate Moodle


Training Company Moodle


The Student’s View of Moodle

1. Short video tour

2. Discussion using slides

3. Live, online demonstration


Logging In to the OLC

Your Username

Your Password


Center Home Page

Discussion forums for new communities of practice (CoP)

Link to first HH online course

Welcome message


Course Home Page

Instructions for taking the course and using the forums

Participant profiles

Recent activity


Course Topics

Student journal

Instructional articles

Topic description

Unit quiz


Navigating Through the Course

Intro

Unit 1

Unit 2

Quiz

Learning Objectives

Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3

• Each unit begins with “What You Will Learn”

• Navigation flows from lesson to lesson

• Each unit ends with a Quiz


Student Journals

Journal instructions

Your personal entries

Quick navigation


Case Study

Answer choices

Engagement question

Quick navigation


Retail CoP Forum

Forum charter

Click to start a new discussion

Quick navigation


Forum Posting

Message

Subject

Quick navigation


User Demo

Harte-Hanks Online Learning Center


The Instructor’s View of Moodle




Course Content Control Adding new components

Admin areas

Editing and positioning


Instructor Demo



The Administrator’s View of Moodle




Admin Controls

Course control

Who has access

How things look and work


Grade Book

GradesStudent

Assessments


Site Logs

Date and time Student Moodle object


Special Reports

Photographs

Student

Student progress


Administrator Demo



Key Take-Aways Open Source is FREE

Open Source is extensible

Moodle will be to online learning what LINUX is to operating systems

Moodle is flexible (based on social constructivism but fully amenable to independent learning)

Moodle is easy to use for students, instructors, and administrators

Contact ROI Learning if you need help…


Thank You

Discussion / Questions?

Documents

Online Learning in an Open Source Environment