creating engaging learning experiences in moodle

Taking Moodle and Totara Course

Development to the Next Level to

Create Engaging Learning

Experiences

Grant Beevers

180 minutes of eLearning

October 7, 2014

Sydney

Welcome

What’s ya name?

Where ya from?

Why are ya here?

Premise

That more effective learning

takes place when you move the

learning experience from one of

passive to one which is active, in

doing so, lifting the level of

engagement of students in the

learning experience.

Active versus Passive Learning

Dale’s Cone of Learning

Active versus Passive Learning

Source: Adapted from http://www.edutechie.ws/2007/10/09/cone-of-experience-media/

Active Learning

Bonwell and Eison describe active learning

strategies as those that involve “students in doing

things and (have the students) think about the

things they are doing” (Bonwell and Eison, 1991, p.

iii).

Active learning requires “intellectual effort,

encouraging higher-order thinking

(analysis,csynthesis, evaluation)” and provides a

means for the learner to assimilate, apply, and

retain learning (Bonwell and Eison, 1991; Harasim,

et al, 1997).STRATEGIES TO INCORPORATE ACTIVE LEARNING INTO ONLINE

TEACHING

Engagement

1. Engagement through design

2. Engagement through technology

SAMR Process

SAMR Process

“While the first intuitive step for using any new

classroom tool is to substitute it for what you

already do, the goal for a teacher in a 1:1

classroom is to move beyond the

substitution and augmentation levels

(Enhancement) and toward the modification

and redefinition levels (Transformation).”

http://www.maggiehosmcgrane.com/2010/03/samr-model.html

TPACK Frameworkwww.tpack.org

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

(TPACK) is a framework to understand and

describe the kinds of knowledge needed by a

teacher for effective pedagogical practice in a

technology enhanced learning environment.

The TPACK framework argues that effective

technology integration for teaching specific

content or subject matter requires understanding

and negotiating the relationships between these

three components.

TPACK Activity Types – Social Studies

TPACK Activity Types – Social Studies

TPACK Activity Types – Social Studies

Design Worksheet

Moodle and Totara

• Open source LMS

• Over 55,000 registered sites worldwide

• Used by over 229 countries, translated into

dozens of languages

• Focuses on student/teacher, student/student

• Totara – “Moodle for corporates”

• Based on Moodle core code

• Focuses on manager/employee relationship

Philosophy and Pedagogy

In Moodle, pedagogy and

software design are closely

intertwined to support a

“social constructivist”

experience.

Social Constructionism as a Referent

1. All of us are potential teachers as well as learners -

in a true collaborative environment we are both.

2. We learn particularly well from the act of creating or

expressing something for others to see.

3. We learn a lot by just observing the activity of our

peers.

4. By understanding the contexts of others, we can

teach in a more transformational way.

5. A learning environment needs to be flexible and

adaptable, so that it can quickly respond to the

needs of the participants within it.

Activities

+

Hundreds of

Others

Contributed

By the

Community

Resources

Blocks

So what does this all mean?

You have a sound

pedagogical environment and

the tools at your disposal to

build far more engaging,

effective and innovative online

learning experiences.

No more “dump and pump!!”

Moodle Tool guide – see handout

Engagement through Technology

Technology is Learning Google site

https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/home

Griffith Uni – Blended Learning

Lecture Capture/Flipped tools

Green screen technology

Swivl (view video)

Animations and Simulations

• Concord Consortium

• Publisher websites

• Virtual body

• VET Toolboxes

• Phet

• Captivate and Storyline

Audio and Video Embedding

Youtube

Podcasts

Your own audio

Poodll

Audacity

Lifting Engagement in Discussion Forums(see handout)

• Reflect on discussion

• Small group reports to whole class

• Role play discussion

• Lead or moderate a discussion

• Case studies and scenarios

• Retrospective commentary on learning

• Infographic on creating engaging discussion forums

Lifting Engagement in Quizzes and Assignments

Poodll

Lifting Engagement in Quizzes

Quizventure

Some new quiz question types (OU)http://jamiep.org/

• Drag and drop into text "A drag and drop question type where missing words have

to be dragged into gaps in a paragraph of text or other html."

• Drag and drop markers "The student can drag markers to indicate key features on

an image."

• Drag and drop onto image "You can use text and / or images as drag items onto

defined drop zones on a background image."

• Pattern match "Allows a short response of one or a few sentences that is graded by

comparing against various model answers, which are described using the OU's

pattern match syntax."

• Pattern match with JME editor "A question type where the user enters their

response using the Java Molecular Editor, and the response is then graded using the

OU's pattern-match algorithm."

• Select missing words "This question type allows students to complete a paragraph

of text by selecting the missing words using drop-down menus."

• Variable numeric "A calculated numeric question type with variable and expression

evaluation. Random values are generated for each student attempting the quiz."

• Variable numeric set "A calculated numeric question type with variable and

expression evaluation. All values are precalculated although a question can have

several variants with different variable values for each variant."

Advanced Assessment Marking

Rubrics

Audio feedback

Virtual Classroom

Skype

Non-integrated

Skype

Integrated

Google Hangouts and apps

Values Exchange

Free content to lift engagement -

OER, MOOCs and iTunesU

• Open Educational Resources

• OER Commons

• OER Quality Project – directory

• 10 OER resources every educator should know

about

• MOOCs – massive open online courses

• Combine OER and MOOCS

• iTunesU – loads of free content

Bringing it altogether

Questions

Grant Beevers

Online and Blended Learning Specialist

Paoga Consulting

gbeevers@gmail.com

0400053832