LCA 2010 - Edu Miniconf

Workshop

http://lcamoodleworkshop.catalystdemo.net.nz

what is Moodle?

An open source course management system used by thousands of educational institutions around the world to provide an organised interface for e-learning, or learning over the Internet.

Moodle allows educators to create online courses, which students can access as a virtual classroom.

why the funny name?

Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment

AuthenticationUser managementEnrolmentFiltersActivitiesBlocks

Portfolios (Moodle 2.0)Repository (Moodle 2.0)

moodleverb (moodl, ing)

To dawdle aimlessly, to idle time away.

The process of lazily meandering through something, doing things as it occurs.

An enjoyable tinkering that may lead to insight and creativity.

Source: AllWords.com

how did it begin?

It began with this man, Martin Dougiamus, who started out as computer science graduate student.

He started work in 1986 on early internet and web applications at Curtin University in Australia. Part of his role involved supporting a popular proporietary course delivery software known as WebCT. Like a lot of developers and systems administrators, he was frustrated with the software and his inabilty to hack/extend blackbox.

So he decided to pursue a PhD in education, and the title of his thesis was The use of Open Source software to support a social constructionist epistemology of teaching and learning within Internet-based communities of reflective inquiry.

Developing Moodle was at the heart of his thesis.

Social constructivism

Constructivism is a theory of knowledge which argues that humans generate knowledge and meaning from their experiences. Constructivism is not a specific pedagogy.

Constructivism is often associated with pedagogic approaches that promote active learning, or learning by doing.

Social constructivism encourages the learner to arrive at his or her version of the truth, influenced by his or her background, culture or embedded worldview.

Distance learning

learn by doing

So how does Moodle support this model of learning by doing?

who is using it?

Louisiana State University with 21,000 undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students in 17 schools and colleges.

Albany Senior High Schoolcredit to Mark Osborne

Elearning Guild 360degree report on learning managements systems from 1,250 members of the eLearning Guild (a member-driven online information center and Community of Practice).

VetLearn Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organisation providing continuing education services to the NZ veterinary profession and related animal health and welfare groups.

It was launched in February 2006, and close to 1000 students (vets and vet nurses) have participated.

what's in it?

activity modules

Assignment

Chat

Choice

Forum

Lesson

Quiz

SCORM

Survey

Wiki

Workshop

Database

Glossary

Hotpot

Resource

+ 100's of contrib modules

blocks

Activities

Admin

Admin bookmarks

Calendar

Messages

News

Participants

Recent activity

Search

Tags

+ 100's of contrib blocks

Questions