Moodle: Transforming Learning

Transforming Institutions
JISC RSC for London, Moodle Regional User Group
Conference, 17th March 2006

Niall Sclater
Director, Virtual Learning Environment Programme
The Open University

Why Moodle at the OU?

Description
Rank
1

Category
Functionality

Weight
How well the software provides a list of basic VLE functions, such as quizzes, content management,
user management, and forums.

25%
2

Usability

How easily users can become proficient in using the software.

20%

Documentation

The availability of user maintained documentation for users and administrators.

15%

Community

The size and activity level of the community as measured by email list activity and numbers of people
contributing to the code base.

12%
5

Security

The number and severity of security alerts, as well as a measure of how quickly they are addressed.

10%
6

Support

Indication of the level of commercial and volunteer support available for the product.
10%

Adoption

A measure of how widespread the system is, based on no. of installations & documented size.
8%

Category

Moodle

Sakai

ATutor

Boddington

1.25

.75

.25

.25

.8

.8

.6

.65

.645

.465

.54

.54

.6

.384

.24

.288

Security

.42

.34

.28

.42

Support

.4

.15

.35

.15

.352

.336

.208

.336

4.467

3.225

2.468

2.439

Functionality

Usability

Documentation

Community

Adoption

Total Score (out of 5)

Wouldnt it
be great
if..

I bet a lot of
people would
like

Developer

Scratching a
personal itch

Im fed up
with

Developer
Developer
Software

User

User

Developer

Community

satisfaction of
helping others
status

personal
marketability

Developer

better
Software
software

User

User

business
benefits

recognition

Developer

Community

Can use a wide range

of development tools

Are natural leaders

Create code rapidly

Understand the
entire application

Expert

Insist on optimising
performance

Spot new requirements

& fulfil them

Roles and Capabilities

Existing roles
Student
Teacher
Course creator
Administrator
Non-editing teacher

course

Module based capabilities

Course
Post

Student

Blogs

Post
Read

Forums

Capability overrides
Course
Post

Naughty
boy

Blogs

Post
Read

Forums

Possible new roles

Course
Read

Prisoner

Blogs
Read

Forums

Possible new roles

Course
Read

Parent

ePortfolio Blogs
Read

Forums

eAssessment

Accessibility

Who might be affected

9,359 students active in Feb 2006 notified the OU that they were
affected by one or more disability. The numbers for different groups
are:
Sight

1087

Fatigue/Pain

4494

Dyslexia

1793

Mental Health

2498

Hearing

782

Mobility/Physical

3241

Speech

362

Manual Skills

2067

2202

Personal care

891

Other

Principles for Accessibility on

Web or in software
1.

Allow for user customisation

text size and style, background and foreground colours

2.

Provide equivalent visual and auditory content and interface

elements
text descriptions for images and video, transcription of auditory
content, text labelling of interface elements, etc.

3.

Provide compatibility with assistive technologies

screenreaders, screen magnifiers and voice recognition software

4.

Follow relevant established standards/conventions

use operating system conventions, standard HTML, etc.

5.

Allow access to all functionality from keyboard alone

i.e. do not require the use of a mouse

6.

Support efficient navigation by providing context and

orientation information
make this information available to assistive technologies

ePortfolios

Based on Jeremy Hiebert 2006)

What Ive done:

experiences

What I can do:

skills, ability etc

What Im doing:
projects

What I want to do:

learning goals

projects
jobs
training

areas expertise
knowledge

thinking
courses
career

career plans
skills development
pursuits

Life

Work

Programme
/course

Life

Work

Programme
/course

Life

Work

Programme
/course

Life

Work

Programme
/course

Reflecting: thinking, reviewing, remembering, joining together, identifying progression

ePortfolio system aids

ePortfolio
Tools for collecting
publishing and connecting
learning activity (and reflection)

Collating individual
items (events, examples
etc):
storing
organising
filtering
aggregating

Publishing for different

purposes and audiences:
selecting
assembling
different media type

Connecting for:
assessment
feedback/guidance
jobs
sharing
group/community

ePortfolio lifecycle
Create and
organise

My
ePortfolio
Asdfasdfasdfasdf a asds
aasdf; ;lkjsdf bfdik;jdsf
;lfds d fds;ljfds; dsaf sad

Asdfasdfasdfas
d adsf asd f
asdf asd fa sdf asd
Ads
asdfasdfasdffasdf

Alsdkjfha.,sdnfa.,sdjhfs.kjdanf

ePortfolio lifecycle
Modify and edit
Create and
organise

My
ePortfolio
Asdfasdfasdfasdf a asds
aasdf; ;lkjsdf bfdik;jdsf
;lfds d fds;ljfds; dsaf sad

Asdfasdfasdfas
d adsf asd f
asdf asd fa sdf asd
Ads
asdfasdfasdffasdf

Alsdkjfha.,sdnfa.,sdjhfs.kjdanf

ePortfolio lifecycle
Modify and edit
Create and
organise

My
ePortfolio
Asdfasdfasdfasdf a asds
aasdf; ;lkjsdf bfdik;jdsf
;lfds d fds;ljfds; dsaf sad

Asdfasdfasdfas
d adsf asd f
asdf asd fa sdf asd
Ads
asdfasdfasdffasdf

Alsdkjfha.,sdnfa.,sdjhfs.kjdanf

ePortfolio lifecycle
Modify and edit
Create and
organise

My
ePortfolio
Asdfasdfasdfasdf a asds
aasdf; ;lkjsdf bfdik;jdsf
;lfds d fds;ljfds; dsaf sad

Asdfasdfasdfas
d adsf asd f
asdf asd fa sdf asd
Ads
asdfasdfasdffasdf

Alsdkjfha.,sdnfa.,sdjhfs.kjdanf

Apply visual
presentation

ePortfolio lifecycle
Modify and edit
Create and
organise

My
ePortfolio

Apply visual
presentation

Asdfasdfasdfasdf a asds
aasdf; ;lkjsdf bfdik;jdsf
;lfds d fds;ljfds; dsaf sad

Asdfasdfasdfas
d adsf asd f
asdf asd fa sdf asd
Ads
asdfasdfasdffasdf

Alsdkjfha.,sdnfa.,sdjhfs.kjdanf

Share

ePortfolio lifecycle
Modify and edit
Create and
organise

My
ePortfolio

Apply visual
presentation

Asdfasdfasdfasdf a asds
aasdf; ;lkjsdf bfdik;jdsf
;lfds d fds;ljfds; dsaf sad

Asdfasdfasdfas
d adsf asd f
asdf asd fa sdf asd
Ads
asdfasdfasdffasdf

Alsdkjfha.,sdnfa.,sdjhfs.kjdanf

Share
Archive

ePortfolio lifecycle
Modify and edit
Create and
organise

My
ePortfolio

Apply visual
presentation

Asdfasdfasdfasdf a asds
aasdf; ;lkjsdf bfdik;jdsf
;lfds d fds;ljfds; dsaf sad

Asdfasdfasdfas
d adsf asd f
asdf asd fa sdf asd
Ads
asdfasdfasdffasdf

Delete

Alsdkjfha.,sdnfa.,sdjhfs.kjdanf

Share
Archive

Goodies

Open Content Initiative

Social Presence and Identity

P2P Collaboration

Knowledge Mapping

Conclusions
Aim to further establish Moodle as the leading
open source VLE
Develop the best open source tools for
eAssessment
ePortfolios
Forums
Synchronous collaboration

Implement
Learning design
Portal and content management integration

Thanks from contributions from:

Marc Eisenstadt, Simon Buckingham Shum,
Peter Scott, Knowledge Media Institute
Martyn Cooper, Chetz Colwell, Mary Taylor,
Institute for Educational Technology
Thanh Le, Learning and Teaching Solutions
Rachel Hawkins, Student Services
all at The Open University

sclater.com