'Mooting Moodle' A panacea for blended learning, or a problematic proposal?
1. Presentation Name December 05 “Mooting MoodleA panacea for blended learning, or a problematic proposal?” Clare Denholm Debbie Reynolds
2. Drivers for change Issues and challenges Lack of student engagement observed (large cohort & inherent problems / continuity etc.) Lectures and seminars not linking well Students failing / Academics failing students ? Institutional drive towards embracing technology Presentation Name December 05
3. Drivers for changeDeveloping the use of Moodle Envisaged Opportunities Enhance student engagement & use Moodle tools to closely monitor student understanding and progress Provide opportunity to “respond” quickly where students require further support Exploit the dynamic and responsive nature of the Moodle environment and its functions Opportunity to meet perceptions that students enter HE “techno savvy mode” and ready to “learn on line” Develop understanding and inform best practice in teaching Presentation Name December 05
4. Moodle Tool Box Audio Wiki Forums Assessment Feedback Scheduler Quizzes Resources Blog
10. What we have learned Student Perspectives They did engage – 54,000 hits from 500 students The feedback and experience was varied but overall positive They like the flexibility of online learning and generally it helps them feel engaged Particularly like the powerpoints & quizzes *Good contact with tutors*
11. Student Quotes What do you like about the unit? “the combination of online study and seminar is excellent. I can have a basic knowledge through online study first because i attend the workshop. The advantage is that I can do my online study whenever I want, rather than doing it together in the class. This measure gives me more flexibility in time management. I support this arrangement.” What are you finding challenging? “Keeping up with what to do prior to each lecture, can at times feel slightly overwhelming, although the work is not hard nor is it lengthy, it just feels like there are lots of tiny deadlines for work,(rather than one large piece of work) although I do see the bigger picture.” How do you think this unit could be improved? “lessons should be about the powerpoint on mycourse. our lessons are often nothing to do with what is on mycourse.” “more quizs and assessments in the virtual learning tasks for the students to prove and apply what they learn in the virtual learning tasks.” Presentation Name December 05
12. Presentation Name December 05 What we have learned Lecturer Perceptions and ChallengesDeveloping academic engagement “why do we have to keep changing everything every year, we are doing ok aren’t we?” “they [students] won’t do the on line stuff before coming to my workshop so what can I do!!?” “only half of them [students] have ever watched the on line lectures, or done the quizzes so I do it in the lesson with them”
14. Presentation Name December 05 Developing and supporting academics on the journey Traditional preferences (tricky) Developing competency Building technical confidence Implementing policies and management structures to support development of staff competency
15. Building on the Blend Scaffolding students in online learning Developing the relationship between course developers, tutors and learning technologists Incremental change Develop use of Moodle functionality
Moodle being customisable and open source offers many tools Challenge to choose the best tools for the jobNot get overwhelmed or try to throw the whole box at itAppropriate use
Illustration showing conceptual gap between technological advances with Moodle and speed of advances in relation to the ability of academics to keep “pace” with the advances. Outline the linear progression of the implementation of the BL model into the skills unit.LTs seeing steep progress lineAcademics slower and in ‘steps’ as implement in each teaching cohort. - the ethics of not experimenting on students so need to take development incrementally – responsible and considered Also time constraints and training needs, management attitudes.
The JourneyIncremental progress
Mixed responseStats and quotes
Support students in learning online“I feel this unit is taught in a way whicj makes me want to learn and listen, there is plently of interaction and communication in class, therefore I have no suggestions as to how this unit could be improved.”“Gavin is a superb tutor! Very helpful, well organised and very approachable. Also like how the seminars are open to discussion, rather than just hearing the tutor talk the whole time. This makes me remember the sessions more and have a better knowledge of researching on a whole”