Presented at the 2013 ALT conference. This PLE Combined data from the College MIS/SIS system, Moodle, the ILP plugin for Moodle and customising code.

1. Conference theme: Making innovation work
Session: Pedagogic design
Abstract: http://altc2013.alt.ac.uk
Jago Brown
Creating a Personalised Learning
Environment (PLE) to support progress
This presentation uses animation,
so you will need to click the
‘Present’ button that looks like
the one below:

2. What is this PLE made from?
PLP = Personal Learning Plan
Renamed PLE as different systems more closely
integrated
VLE:
Moodle
Assessment/grades:
VLE & MIS Sys...
PLP: ULCC’s
ILP 2 (Moodle block)
Portal: Moodle
Portfolio:
Stanmore
Applications

3. Why create this PLE? - Improve communication, enhance
personalisation & to free up lecturer time for teaching
What users wanted:
● New system of personal tutors & study coaches , who needed to see all the
grades of their tutees by many lecturers in one place
● Students & staff wanted more information, but more simply presented
● Improved navigation: after migrating to Moodle 2, users found it difficult to
navigate & we saw a drop in overall use:
Migrated to
Moodle two
2012 (drop
in use)
Moodle
one
introduced
2007
Personali
sation
came in to
use
https://moodle.org/stats
Registers versions:

4. Focus of presentation
1. Visual appeal/branding - big iconic buttons make it feel
much simpler
2. Customising Moodle to create PLE home page with a
grades overview
3. Establishing a careers page in PLE with resources
4. Linking initial assessment to practice resources - EPACE
• The PLE pages which the student & parent can view
(i.e. not the staff only views)
• 14-18 year olds (although this PLE is used by HE)
• How data from different systems is juxtaposed on a few pages
in away that enables staff & students to spot patterns &
develop a conversation [supporting progress]
Areas of Innovation

5. 2011-12
PLE home page in 2011/12 (before)
My Mock-up of optimum
design (2011) with 6+ main
pages/tabs and grades
Well used but too many pages & no grades
2011-12

6. PLE home
page –
Enhancing
Moodle’s
course profile
page &
replacing the
previous PLP
home page
Data stored in
Moodle ILP
Block
Stanmore
applications & data
from back-end MIS
systems

7. Stats: Blue columns show log increase from
september 2013 due to PLE home development
Note: this column chart was added retrospectively to this presentation in February 2014

8. [ Note: Click this slide to see slide animation, of how you can drill down to Moodle’s ‘user’ & ‘grader’ report ]
Enhanced with Current overall
grade for each VLE course
(grades
overview report)
Bringing the VLE course grades in to Moodle’s
course profile page (PLE home)
[ Note: Click this slide to see slide animation, of how you can drill down to Moodle’s ‘user’ & ‘grader’ report ]

9. Central MIS reporting sys.
for each course displayed
In PLE
Map of Stanmore’s PLE
=Timetable
=Attendance
=Update
contact details
=Bursary
Courses:
=Grades
=Assignments
=Last access
( Future
developments:
display :
E-portfolios &
OpenBadges)Analytics page
Online activities to
understand & improve
your learning
Staff Acad. plans,
or for students
who are at risk
Students’ own
reflections &
plans based on
staff advice
Staff notes &
reminders for
students + e-
Points
Staff & students
record info
related to future
Last site login…
+custom profile
fields : These can
include links to e-
portfolios, CVs
Deadlines &
dates to all VLE
assignments

10. Conversations: Plans (serious/at risk)
Analytics page
Online activities to
understand & improve
your learning
Staff Acad. plans,
or for students
who are at risk
Students’ own
reflections &
plans based on
staff advice
Staff notes &
reminders for
students + e-
Points
Staff & students
record info
related to future
These pages use a customised version of ULCC’s ILP 2 block

11. Conversations: Career plans / my future page
Bringing the
progression advice
services
on to the same page
as the discussion
between staff about
plans for the future
Finding where students talents
lie to help them be successful!

12. EPACE: 40 min. student initial assessment
Teacher view:
Opportunity to understand their own learning, allowing them
to become partners in their (lifelong) learning, rather than have
‘Learning done to them’
To help
teachers, tutors
& study
advisors
support student

13. Conversations: Identifying learning strengths &
weaknesses

14. Example of
Teacher/
tutor
reports
overview
page

15. Stats: shows views of each report type
(eg: /blocks/ilp/actions/view_main.php?user_id=xxx&course_id=xxx&tabitem=7:5&selectedtab=7)
Note: this stacked column chart was added retrospectively to this presentation in
February 2014

16. Future developments? of PLE
Including library/electronic resources
PLE
Integrating library & other electronic resource data
Loan activity against reading lists
Course level Learning analytics
(*eased by using same RDBMS for all systems)

17. 2013 – what's the optimum PLE setup?
Should there be standard PLE parts in all VLE’s ?
Balancing quantity of information with limited user time
Are 4 container pages about right?
Importance of
establishing
common
terminology/
language around
PLEs
2011

18. Future improvements & evidence of use
• Improving smart/mobile access
• Voice recordings alternative to
text entry for quick & personal
staff feedback
• Developing analytics/suggestion
engines for schools/col for day-
to-day feedback *
• e-portfolio integration for more
tangible evidence (essays,
picture of work...)
• Establishing PLE standards &
supporting implementations
• Giving access to previous years
data in the PLE (Develop an
archiving system)
Yesterday!
Wednesday 11th September

19. Stats: indicates this PLE has increased use of
Moodle 2 when comparing 2 academic years
Note: this column chart was added retrospectively to this presentation in February 2014

20. Thoughts
Policy (government, ofsted…) needs to organise funding (GLHs/following
student) & the inspection framework, so more teachers have better
access, to better learning technology, which they can more easily share
& modify, to design their lessons/courses.
More research into online personalisation environments needed!
(All maint. sch. With online att + timetable + 1x feedback rpt per year…)
Balancing online personalisation (PLE) standardisation across schools
and colleges, against institutions/users making the PLE their own - is
important and needs external support. (It can be easier to make your
own if using open source software)
More info at: http://Blog.thelearner.net
brown.jago@gmail.com
@JagoBrown - Screencast on YouTube

21. # # # Archived/ unused slides follow:

22. Comparing usage from Sept. across 2011,12,13
Reasons for drop in use after Moodle 1?
Slower; Staff find Moodle 2.2 more difficult? Teachers using
other systems…
The advantages of Moodle 2 not being used:
Portfolios, Repositories, mobile…
2011 -> ILP used for Rep
2013 -> New SC Intrane

23. Very early student feedback