Monday, February 11, 2013

The ESL Teacher’s Hands-On Guide to E-Learning through Moodle


These links are used in the The ESL Teacher’s Hands-On Guide to E-Learning through Moodle workshop, given at the Hawaii TESOL 2013 Conference, held at the University of Hawaii, Hilo Campus, on February 16, 2013.

Summary: 

The workshop guides teachers in hands-on steps involved in setting up, adding basic content, and managing an online course using Moodle. The presenter shows how to build e-learning activities and integrate assignments that make an online classroom either a small part or an integral component of anyone’s teaching.



Full Abstract:
This workshop takes teachers through the basic steps for setting up, constructing activities, and managing an online course using Moodle. The free Moodle hosting service, Educadium, can be simple startup for organizing online learning. The presenter explains what a learning management system (LMS) like Moodle offers. He provides guidelines for integrating an online component to your teaching, and leads you through hands-on steps to accomplish the enrollment of students, organizing the course content, and collecting and grading assignments.
Moodle has become an increasingly popular learning management system for schools and colleges, which exceeds its expensive rivals, Blackboard and WebCT. Not only is it free Open Source software, but it is based on social constructivist theory. There is a simple-to-use test-making module within it for creating powerful online tests that include use of media files, multiple question formats, and both simple and sophisticated grading functions. Further, it has several useful activity modules for enhancing communication and student-teacher feedback, such as the forums, workshops, and surveys.
The presenter uses Moodle to guide freshmen college students in Japan learn international communication in an EFL course. The workshop is appropriate for teachers of any experience level wanting to add online components to a course or for those who want a fully online classroom. Since it is free to start and develop the course, you can begin small and build up your repertoire of skills and the level of student involvement. Resources and guidance for integrating your instructional activities into an online classroom are introduced. 

Workshop links'  
 A sample course for discovery and practice
 http://edvantix.ninehub.com
Educadium Sample Courses
http://campus.educadium.com/leilaniakia/

Create your own Moodle Courses (free for up to 25 participants(
http://www.educadium.com/

 

List of Quick Start Links:

Following and learning from these existing (semi-permanent) resources will put participants through the basic steps needed and equip them with the knowledge involved in setting up, adding basic content, and managing an online course using Moodle. A course can be created quickly and easily for free on Ninehub. (see link below). The live workshop presentation offers guidance for building learning activities and assignments to make an online classroom that can be an integral component of anyone’s teaching.




Print Resources and Video:
Hands-on Moodle Learning:
Try it out for yourself. These answer the question: Where can I actually try Moodle?
  • Moodle.org Demonstration Site
  • Educadium (sample course )    http://campus.educadium.com/leilaniakia/      You can create your own instant Moodle site and add courses at Educadium.com  It's free (but may become limited soon). You'll have full admin rights which is great to find out what features and capabilities exist, but it can be a bit daunting - at first. Use the basic tutorials (text and video) first to understand the basics of using and setting up a course and activities with it.
  • D.Brooks' Edvantix.ninehub.com -- The Moodle Training Course for ESL Teachers is a course that already exists - so set-up isn't needed. You'll be a TEACHER once you sign up and have the rights to add content and create activities. Ninehub.com is no longer offering free hosting for small classes (25 students). However, you can still do so at  Educadium http://www.educadium.com/educadium/app/wizard.php?mode=wizard
  • Try setting up some Moodle activities. Remember in some cases, you may need to upload some necessary files( Office documents, audio or video media, etc) in the Files areas.

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