Moodle Workshop 19 th Oct 2009 Dot Waterhouse

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 info 3.1 Generally 3.2 When there is a lot of information and students are starting at different times 4. Customising the grade book and assessment marking 4.1 Generally 4.2 for training package outcomes 5. Quizzes V Questionnaire 6. e-portfolios – Exabis Examples available from: Ongoing discussions and meeting records at: Future Topics How to assist teachers to move forward

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

2. Encouraging students to participate (1) Starting gently with simple tasks - even before the course starts s to get permission to display s 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

2. Encouraging students to participate (2) Gilly salmons approach - 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

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 * html to give a nice size player

3. How to avoid overwhelming students with info 3.1 Generally Have future weeks’ sections closed and 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)

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 Gradebook for training package outcomes To set up custom scales, use the 'Scales...' link in your course administration menu.)