Frances Long: Mike McLeod: knowplace.ca September 08, knowplace.ca Teach and Design Online Using Moodle (and other programs)

Our Rules For Our Time Together Ask questions, interrupt and make MANY mistakes

~ About Knowplace ~  Knowplace Environment  Online Learning Communities/Facilities  Programs, Activities & Services  Knowplace People

Knowplace Environment

2/3 Programs, Activities & Services (with & without partners) 3/3 People Talking & Sharing 1/3 Learning Communities (online community centres)

Knowplace Environment  Rarely meet in person (if ever)  Rarely hear voices  Very few photos  Talk through typed words  Talk through Internet (VOIP)

Choose open source products only when there is a robust programmers community and a robust user community Choose freeware only when there isn’t a viable open source alternative Choose proprietary systems only when freeware and opensource don’t meet needs Principles

My Simplistic Definitions Open Source? Free and available programming code that permits others to download the code, install the program and change the code to suit your interests Freeware ? Programs that are free to use but usually contain ads

3/4 Open Source?  Free and available programming code that permits others to download the code, install the program and change the code to suit your interests = FLEXIBLE  Need an active programming and user community to support the software eg: Moodle  Many upgrades to meet community needs Freeware ?  Programs that are free to use but usually contain ads eg: Yahoo, MSN Proprietary ?  Programs that cost, and you can’t change the code or manipulate them eg: MS Office

1/3 Online Learning Communities/Facilities

1/3Online Learning Communities (The knowplace family of sites) KnowPLACE KnowCOACHKnowMOODLE Partners’ communities KnowTIPS online conference KnowSCHOOLS

Each Community has…. Moodle Tools  Blogs  Searchable Resources  Surveys  Communication tools  Photos/images  Member’s area  Wikis Supplementary Tools  Bookmarks  Elluminate,  Yahoo and other instant message programs

Online Facility Requirements Intake An easy way for people to join our activities Advertise activities Calendar Course Descriptions, dates (visible to guests) Easy to open new courses Easy methods to take money Programs, Courses & Activities Discussions Group projects Self directed projects Polls Enrolment key protected Re-use some courses (eg: change dates) Track participants Rate activities Real-time Chats Exit Quizzes Assessments Follow up

We chose Moodle…. open source learning management system: Moodle=Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment

Knowplace Moodle We Use…. – To talk to each other: discussion forums, chat –For Group projects: wiki, dialogue –For Personal reflections: Journal, personal forums –For Content: Resources, Book Activity Modules –For assessment: Quizzes, poll

Moodle gives us…. Community: Personalized member identity, learning groups, registration options for guests, cross- course/institution collaboration, etc Design and Content separate: Teacher forum, back up, restore reuse and share courses and student contributions. Multiple Layers Of Help And Support Context help (institution-wide and course-specific) FAQ, glossary, resource, and communication tools. Access to administrator support contracts. Communication Tools Private dialogues, Personal reflection journals, Chat, Variety of formats and access privileges for asynchronous discussions, Option for notification of posts, integrated feedback/rating options for posts Assessment And Evaluation Grades recorded with customized scales, Options to grade any type of activity, Quiz tool allowing choices and combinations of quiz types, Survey tool, User logging and tracking. Flexible Customization Site branding and themes, Course organization according to pedagogical approach (topical/project-based, weekly units, etc.)

2/3 Programs, Activities & Services

knowplace Open knowplace Capilano College & knowplace Partnership Our Partners’ Communities Online Conferences KnowWEEKS (proD) Specialty activities

 Two week interlocking courses that satisfy Capilano College partnership program requirements  Open knowplace  KnowWeeks discussions  Mentorship  Annual Conference 2/3 Programs, Activities & Services

3/3 Knowplace People

3/3Knowplace People are … 2/3 Comfortable Online (knowmates) 3/3 Live Online (knowmads) 1/3 New to Online (knewbies) Roles are Interchangeable

Where are we? Freeware tool:

Or – we can be just next door!

New To Online Connect With PeersGuide Others  CapCcollege partnership courses  Activities/Courses through BCED Online/knowplace  Custom designed courses  Mentorship Opportunities  Presentations online and f2f.  Professional Development/Openweekends  Courses  Blogs  Knowmates host Open Weekends  Bookmarks  Resources  Mentorship  Host their online activities with asynchronous & synchronous tools  Knowplace ‘behind the scenes’ support

Introduce Ourselves Using Moodle