1. eLearning and Moodle Jim Farmer June 20, 2006 | Fairfax, Virginia USA
As presented at the Jefferson Overseas Schools Technology Institute
June 20, 2006 | Fairfax, Virginia USA

2. The keys to eLearning: content, content, and content

3. Basic course types Introductory survey course
Skills development course
Theory discussion course
Capstone course
Jason Cole in “Using Moodle,” 2005

4. Types of e-Learning
Seizing the Opportunity: The Quality and Extent of Online Education
in the United States, 2002 and 2003, Sloan Consortium, Sep 2003

5. Content and teaching

6. Student effort Hours per week to achieve content mastery12 9
Hours per week to achieve content mastery 6 3
20 minutes terminal -> 1hr lecture
3hrs lecture requires 12 hrs study
Lecture/Discussion
3h 2h 1h
Blended Collaboration Tutorial
Method of instruction

7. Accommodating student needs
Early work by Pat Suppes has demonstrated that students have different learning styles, which he represented as “trajectories” of learning based on when different students mastered course content.
The flexibility of eLearning suggest opportunities to transform classical “term-based” learning.

8. Learning trajectories
Content Mastery
Course Grade
Time
End of Scheduled Term
ABCDF
Add “supplementary materials” to the red line
Add “more time” to the purple line
Supplementary mastery vs boredom
Additional time for those who need it.
Based on the work of Pat Suppes at Stanford University

9. Quick learner ABCDF Content Mastery Time
Boredom vs. supplementary course content?
ABCDF
Content Mastery
Course Grade
End of Scheduled Term
Time

10. Early intervention ABCDF Content Mastery Time
Monitoring tools can quickly identify students that are at risk
ABCDF
Content Mastery
Course Grade
End of Scheduled Term
Time

11. Success or failure? ABCDF Content Mastery Time
Immutable time constraints limit a capable student
ABCDF
Content Mastery
Course Grade
End of Scheduled Term
Time

12. Observations
Based on observations by Bryan Williams, remote-learning.net, in supporting Moodle services.
Students will continue learning if the eLearning resources are available.
Quick learners will go beyond the scope of a course if materials are available.
Those slow to learn or interruptions to their learning will succeed if given additional time.

13. Unexpected externality
Unforeseen events resulting in inactivity
ABCDF
Content Mastery
Course Grade
End of Scheduled Term
Time

14. Investing in courseware

15. The emerging learning environment

16. Lübeck University of Applied Sciences
“Engineered courses”
Lübeck University of Applied Sciences
Learning objectives (using EU transfer course objectives)
Contract author only for draft text and media suggestions
Development Manager
Instructional design
Media development
Assessment authoring
In separate units

17. Lübeck University of Applied Sciences
Academic services
Lübeck University of Applied Sciences
Technical support (separate from faculty)
Tutor
Domain competence
Native language of the student regardless of the language of the course
Selected for ability to communicate
Academic Services Support System
(see also University of Oxford and Open University UK)

18. Summary of trends Professional specialists
Move process control from faculty to learning designers (and learning systems)
Mergers or consortia to achieve economies of scale
Public pressures to improve cost/benefit
More granular content, more flexibility in schedule, multi-format learning materials

19. Barriers to success
Change in culture from teacher-centered instruction to student learning
Change in organization form – functional organization
Acceptance of increased “automation”
Development of feedback to achieve adaptive leaving activities
Adoption of standard learning objectives for all courses (No Child Left Behind).

20. Transformation is feasible
eLearning has produced an experienced and knowledgeable cadre (many attending JOSTI).
Increased effectiveness and reduced costs have been broadly demonstrated.
All needed information and education technologies have been developed and are being used somewhere.

21. Moodle and the Moodle community

22. Moodle
Supports constructivist learning—demonstrated effectiveness—and other methods of instruction as well
Complies with standards for content, interoperability, and “additions”
Professional documentation in the form of published books
Effective internationalization
Broadly adopted

23. The Moodle community
Teachers are the largest part of the Moodle community (using the Moodle Website).
Producing shared content and “best practices” for teaching and learning
Authoring useful documentation
“Remarkably helpful” teacher-to-teacher dialogue
Dedicated knowledgeable partners

24. The end jxf@immagic.com jxf@Georgetown.edu

25. Credits
This presentation is based on materials developed for Georgetown University, the UK Joint Information Systems Committee, and Oxford University.
im+m’s Jon Allen provided graphical design and graphics, and suggestions on presentation.

26. Permissions
im+m publications are in the public domain and can be freely reproduced. Information in this presentation was taken from public sources or with permission and can be redistributed.
The presentation itself can be reproduced and redistributed provided there are no changes made to the content and it is reproduced in its entirety.

27. Supplementary material

28. Student perspective

29. Students expectations shaped by...
Their use of information portals
Their use of the Internet
Their life in a “real-time, information rich” environment.
Be prepared:
94% of Internet-using (78%) youths age use the Internet for school research, 71% say it is the major source for their school projects and reports, 58% use a school or class Website, 17% have created a Webpage for school, 74% use Instant Messaging.
Pew Internet, August 2002

30. Students prefer A portal
Single sign-on even if that means revealing personal logons and passwords [aggregation/credential caching]
Selection of content [portlets] and layout [user profile]
Common portlet navigation and icons [consistent look & feel]

31. Students now expect... Customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Complete information from a single source
Information by Web, , telephone, facsimile, and wireless devices
response time of 15 seconds for telephone, 10 seconds for Web, and 2 hours for and facsimile
access to a complete customer history

32. Types of e-Learning
Seizing the Opportunity: The Quality and Extent of Online Education
in the United States, 2002 and 2003, Sloan Consortium, Sep 2003

33. Students learn at different rates
Sillinger and Suppes, 1999

34. Students work differently

35. Expected changes

36. Learning support

37. Content development