What in the World is Moodle Anyway? Brian Pool Technology Coordinator National Trail LSD

My Background Systems Analysis Degree from Miami University Programmed for NCR Corporation and Dayton Power and Light USAF  T-37 Instructor  MH-53 Special Ops Pilot  C-141 Aircraft Commander  IT Director NTLS Tech Coordinator & Teacher  Since 2003

What is Moodle? Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment Like WebCT or Blackboard Like ProgressBook on Steroids Free, open source, FREE software Can be used by any computer with Internet access (or can be intranet based.) Is hosted/run from a web server  I recommend internal  There are other external (and free) options

Short and sweet… FREE software that connects teachers with students (and their parents.)  Because our students are already connected  We need to get connected with them  It is Web 2.0 (bundled and under your control)

Moodle is broken down into Resources and Activities Resources are things to see, read, view, explore… Activities are things to do (and there are a lot!) All the ways these are used in a Moodle course are up to your imagination!

Resources Links to other websites Internal Moodle webpages Documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoints, pdf…) Documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoints, pdf…) Pictures Videos Online File Directories RSS Feeds The resources you post and the way you use them are limited only by your imagination.

Activities Assignments Blogs* Chat* Choice Database Forum* Hot Potatoes* Journals Quizzes (Tests) Wiki* Audio Recorder Podcasts* Surveys VodCasts* Webquest*

Assignments 3 Types - Upload, online submissions, offline Uploadonline submissionsoffline  Allow parents access to student assignments  Allow teachers to see if assignments are turned in on time or not (if online or upload)  Allows for paper or non paper generated assignments.

Audio Recorder The Opposite of a Podcast! Have your students submit spoken assignments online!  Great for a foreign language teacher! Great for a foreign language teacher!  Only works with Internet Explorer.

Blogs We have blogging enabled but no one is currently using is. Must teachers seem to prefer a forum with more guided discussion.

Chat Allows for open discussion during class.  Students can help each other  You can monitor it (in real time) and later in the logs.  NO outside guests or students outside your groups.  Open discussion outside of class.

Choices Like a one question survey  Let students choose what chapter they want to cover next.  Let students select topics for class projects.  example example  exampleexample

Journals Are simply online writing journals that can be used in a number of ways…  Class Lab Journals – to give students a place to keep class work and observations.  Writing Journals – writing to write!  Keeps each students entries together.  Allows teacher to keep all journal entries for a class together in one place! Example Journal

Podcasts Podcasts are a complete course in its own right and are fantastic class learning projects.  Audio broadcasts that are posted online. Moodle is a great way to podcast!  New projects that promote collaboration or independent projects. Example. Example.  Teacher recorded lessons to be posted. Example. Example.  Daily or weekly school announcements. Example. Example.

Quizzes & Tests Create online quizzes/tests  Multiple choice  True/false  Short answer  Essay  Matching Can Import from most other testbanks. Fully customizable. Great Data!

Vodcasts A great new idea for student projects.  Weekly News Broadcasts Weekly News Broadcasts Teachers can record lessons and post them.  Record Smartboard lessons. Record Smartboard lessons.  Record with webcam  Record Screen Capture Lessons with Media Encoder. Record Screen Capture Lessons with Media Encoder. Allow Students to review and repeat lessons online at workstation.

Webquests What is a WebQuest?  A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.  Tens of thousands of teachers have embraced WebQuests as a way to make good use of the internet while engaging their students in the kinds of thinking that the 21st century requires. All the parts of a “traditional” webquest are integrated into the Moodle module.  Example Example

Wiki Wiki is a collaboration document that allows multiple users to edit (like wikipedia)  What is a wiki video. What is a wiki video.  Uses in education… 1 2 There are more…

Surveys/Feedback Customizable survey  Can be anonymous  Results can be private or viewable Examples  Student feedback Student feedback  Staff feedback Staff feedback  Self-Assessments Self-Assessments

Lessons Online lesson tool.  Allows teacher to integrate reading and activities along with scored questions.

Other Tools and Mods? Currently there are 702 Moodle ModsMoodle Mods We have implemented and tested only a fraction as time has permitten. There are others in Moodle that we may use but I could not cover them all.others in Moodle

Grades Grades can be maintained as a sole online grading tool.  We use it instead of other options 5-12  Alternative to products like Progress Book.  We recently implemented Indicator Based Gradebooks for K-4 thru Moodle Basics  Students can see their grades  Parents can access grades. Customization was our key to success!  Interim Reports.  Upload to DASL

Why Moodle? It is an amazing tool to give any teacher. Its only limitation is the imagination of the teacher using it. It is FREE…but it requires someone to administer/make it in the first place.  How to on our Moodle Site! How to on our Moodle Site!

Useful links National Trail Home Moodle page   Moodle home page  Moodle.org

Thanks for coming! Brian Pool National Trail LSD 6940 Oxford Gettysburg Road New Paris, OH x 1235