Moodle is an e-learning platform that has transformed the way in which many teachers deliver their subject to students. Teachers who create courses for students can now build online versions with choices and possibilities that might not previously have existed. It has made this transition to online courses a straightforward and exciting process. The basic building blocks or modules such as forums, lessons, and workshops simply reflect good practice in the classroom. Moodle makes such tasks easier and more accessible. Other modules such as wikis, polls, chats, and databases encourage student collaboration and thus enhance the learning experience for students. Courses created with this technology provide reassurance to uncertain students and challenges to more able students.
Chapter 1, Course Structure looks at different course formats, effective use of labels, and the creation of a simple forum.
Chapter 2, Create Attractive Courses demonstrates how images and word clouds should be used to enhance course pages.
Chapter 3, Adding Interactive Content focuses on important procedures including uploading of files and creating links for students to submit work. A glossary is also created.
Chapter 4, Quizzes looks at different types of learning objects that can be created and also demonstrates good practice in organizing questions using categories and the question bank.
Chapter 5, The Gradebook looks at ways in which the Gradebook module enables teachers to replicate their markbook electronically and use it for the collation of reports, target setting, and more.
Chapter 6, Student Collaboration examines ways in which students can be encouraged to work and learn together. The chapter looks at wikis, polls, and databases.
Chapter 7, Lessons and Blogs covers modules that reinforce learning. The first module enables teachers to create exciting content that captures their expertise and the second enables students to pursue independent learning.
Chapter 8, Using Xerte and Audacity looks closely at two examples of open source software that enable teachers to add rich content to their Moodle courses.
Chapter 9, Moodle Workshops demonstrates how this important module empowers teachers and students to conduct meaningful and rewarding peer-to-peer assessments of work.
You need access to:
A local or online installation of Moodle 2.0
A web browser such as Mozilla Firefox 3.6 or later, Internet Explorer v7 or later
Gimp (image manipulation program) v2.6 or later
Xerte v2.15 or later
Audacity v1.2 or later
Adobe Reader v9 or later
This book is for History teachers who wish to make use of Moodle within their lesson plans and schemes of work. It is also suitable for aspiring and newly qualified teachers who are looking to extend their repertoire of skills at the chalkface! Teachers of any discipline would be able to extract ideas or improvise with the activities discussed in this book in order to add the constructive use of ICT to their teaching.
In this book, you will find a number of styles of text that distinguish between different kinds of information. Here are some examples of these styles, and an explanation of their meaning.
Code words in text are shown as follows: "Enter the following formula: =average([[5]],[[6]], [[7]])."
New terms and important words are shown in bold. Words that you see on the screen, in menus or dialog boxes for example, appear in the text like this: "We are going to use the Topics format in preference to the Weeks format or the Social format".
Note
Tips and tricks appear like this.
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