Moodle in the Classroom: An “in the trenches” perspective - Mark Bailye

Moodle in the Classroom: An “in the

trenches” perspective Mark Bailye, Senior Consultant, NetSpot

Overview

Background

The current practice

The key question

Key findings

What was achieved

Background

Education degree at Flinders University

Final year placement undertaken at

Heathfield High School – Great emphasis on the use ICT

– A 1:1 wireless laptop program

– An e-learning program, use Moodle

So what did I teach?

Robotics Adv. Tech

Digital Photography

What did I find?

E-learning coaches

Issues with using Moodle − No defined support structure

Local network drive used as a repository

Work submitted as hardcopy, email or USB

Excel spreadsheet used to track grades

Key question

How well can Moodle be used to support,

enhance and extend student learning? − Six weeks to find out!

First impressions – make them count

Look & feel must be visually appealing − Vanilla Moodle

− “Wasn’t user friendly … must be simplified”

Tailored to the user – must be relevant − “See old courses and courses I can’t access”

− Old dates

Easy to locate content − “Confusing at times like a giant maze”

Course design – it is important

Better experience & increases enjoyment − “Things that made me enjoy Moodle was the

user friendly interface”

− Course layout changed to avoid confusion

Perceived usefulness – a big motivator (Arteaga Sanchez & Duarte Hueros 2010)

Don’t use the same course design all the time “Students may get bored”

Pedagogy – tailor accordingly

Keep asking yourself, why & how

Adapt learning resources & activities to

different learning styles to improve results (Despotović-Zrakić et al. 2012)

Closely monitor progress and be prepared to

change & tailor approach − Confusion over release of activities & resources

Engagement – a must have

Must be more than just “dump & pump”

Interactivity & autonomous learning can

influence learning (Drennan, Kennedy & Pisarski 2005)

− “I have never seen Moodle used in that way”

Most tools were well received

Reward engagement

What was achieved?

3x courses = ↑ student-centred learning,

↑ engagement & ↑ time spent with students

Site reconfigured & restructure in progress

Top-down support from Principal − Moodle working group created (1 day workshop)

− Moodle administrator (part time) employed

− Staff development sessions undertaken

Questions

References

Arteaga Sánchez, R. & Duarte Hueros, A. (2010), Motivational factors

that influence the acceptance of Moodle using TAM. Computers in

Human Behavior, vol. 26, iss. 6, pp. 1632-1640.

Despotović-Zrakić, M., Marković, A., Bogdanović, Z., Barać, D., & Krčo,

S. (2012). Providing Adaptivity in Moodle LMS Courses. Educational

Technology & Society, vol. 15, iss. 1, pp. 326–338.

Drennan, J., & Kennedy, J., Pisarski, A. (2005), Factors affecting

student attitudes toward flexible online learning in management

education. The Journal of Educational Research, vol. 98, iss. 6, pp.

331-338.