Recordings are on the TAFE Connects website.

To continue the conversation on the eCommunities site:

You can also browse information on eCommunities – follow the links under Finding resources.

This week’s topic is: Moodle and Equella Together Forever
What’s a repository and why would I need one? This session will have some short demos of how to use Equella resources from Moodle. Our guest speaker, James Humffray of TAFE E-Learning Systems (TELS), will review some of the new features of Equella 5.1, which we will be using soon.

How do I attend?
On Thursday at 12 Noon, point your web browser at this online meeting room address:

http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/tafeconnects

Log in with your DEC username and password – or just enter as a Guest.

Start the discussion now
What’s your attitude to sharing resources within TAFE NSW? Post your thoughts on the eCommunities forum any time before or after the session. You can also browse information on eCommunities – follow the links under Finding resources

To catch up on previous sessions
Recordings are on the TAFE Connects website.

Just under 4000 items produced by the Centre for Learning Innovation and the Australian Flexible Learning Framework have been added to the TAFE-wide Learning Materials collection.

Each item includes comprehensive metadata and access to the resource content is via the View and Download links.

The View link can be used by teachers to link to the resource from a Learning Management System. Download links to a zipped version.

To access all the TAFE learning resources available in Equella:

Log in to Equella: https://share.tafensw.edu.au/share/

Click on the TAFE-wide Learning Materials collection

Flickr image by myLearning

Grant Harbor is a Moodle administrator at a high school on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Importantly, he is also a degree graduate of digital design.

He loves getting down and dirty with images and the look and feel of anything. He hates ‘The Scroll of Death’. Any user of Moodle has experienced it. It’s that looooong list of resources, links and text that looms towards the end of a semester/ course. Navigation is akin to piloting an A380 into a London airport on a foggy day.

Images and icons are the key to his solution – that and the use of the ‘webpages’ instead of a long list of individual files. The webpages collate relvant content together. They my be files, weblinks, movies, audio etc: Interactive material such as quizzes and forums may also be linked. He then hyperlinks the webpages to images.These images are then prominently and logically featured on the ‘face’ of Moodle.

Behind the scenes are all the usual resources in their familiar places. It’s just that users don’t see them. In ‘settings’ all that is not hiden is the very first topic. Linking is done back to the library of already uploaded resources. Otherwise, it could be to urls which introduces an outside web page or (and this is the most useful revelation) to a page within moodle. Since Moodle is web based, every piece of content has a url address. This includes quizzes, forums, assignments etc> Ah ha!!!! Now activities don’t need to be stand-alone or in lists. The teacher can start to collate them into web pages in Moodle.

Flickr image by mylearning

Michael Coghlan gave an interesting piece on content and the misconceptions that go along with it.

Some people argue that Moodle is all about content. His starting point was asking the question; Can you teach a course without content? The consensus was that it is possible, indeed preferable, in theory. However ,the debate rages. Most students still need to be facilitated and supported (does this translate into spoon feeding @ TAFE?). Of course, teachers still need to deconstruct the curriculum.

Is it a question of journey v destination? In other words should the content be there at the start as a restrictive band of knowledge OR should content development be a process. That process could be the journey in which teachers and the cohort participate. One of the reasons TAFE feachers restrict themselves to existing content is their imperative to adhere to training packages. Michael implores teachers not to be controlled by the packages but rather stick to their values and creative instincts.

Quizzes in the context of content raise the hackles. Michael asks teachers not to get students to answer questions. They will only regurgitate what they learnt 10 mins ago – and then remember it for just as long. Rather, he proposes, students should ask the questions. For example, they could pick up the phone in a quiz session and interview an expert. They could then post it on a Moodle forum or quiz. Similarly, they could phone a supplier about an OHS issue, take a photo and discuss issues around it, solve a problem collaboratively (with other quiz candidates) etc:

Michael and industry based surveys argue that employability comes from the following skills:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Problem solving
• Initiative
• Planning
• Slef-management and discipline
• Self Learning
• Technologically savvy

If content can be formulated around the above principles then TAFE has done its VET related job. So it should be about understading, personal instruction, collaboration, competition and creativity. Gone aree the days where content can be designed around a ‘one size fits all’ box.

Flickr image by mylearning

Interestingly, the engaged 21stC citizen is learning more form PLNs (personal/proffesionlal learning networks) than traditional forms of instruction. According to Francis Kneebone, this is due to a quest for life long learning and demonstrable and relevant employability skills. Eportfolios and platforms such as Linkedin are high profile tools for PLNs.

Intro Moodle. Francis maintains that it is necessary to build social media into Moodle so that learners become natives of it They are able to go out into the big wide world (read industry) as in-touch and capable.

Chad Outten continues the theme. He advocates the use of forums (asynchronous) and chats (synchronous) as well as discussions boards and calendars. He says they are popular and engaging. More so he says students find them empowering. It gives them the freedom to be creative and have control over their own learning. They are able to be ‘constructive’ by sharing and asking for help. In addition, they can develop and build learning through others.

Why Moodle though? it’s a one stop shop. All the above features and tools are available under one login. It”s safe, secure and able to be moderated. That said, Moodle is a LMS – anything posted or contributed is able to be used for grading etc:

Flickr image by mylearning

Annabelle Palfreeman from the elearning hub talks about 6 Cs around the main elements of what works in Moodling. These elements are:
Tasks – clear learning pathways and interaction
Resources – see Equella
Support – How to retain students and engage them.

The 6 Cs are:
Contact – establish rapport.
Communicating – The big one. Forums, chats, calendars and messaging. Staying in touch.
Contribute – teachers and students
Collaborate – teachers and students
Compete – quizzes, grades,uploading creatively.
Collect (evidence)

Flickr image by mylearning

Inspiring Moodle guru, Mary Cooch talked about the LMS as a time saver. The hours put into the design should be repaid in spades by the students who are excited and engaged by their interaction with Moodle.

How to do this?
Try the 4 Cs of a Cool Course:
1. Captivate – design, appearance
2. Create – hands on activities
3. Collaborate – not just a repository
4. Chocolate – bribes: competition, grades, quizzes, creativity

You are invited to join us online for this week’s CLI Connects session – Thursday 21 Oct. 2010 at 12 noon.

Its free and it is for any TAFE staff or teachers interested in e-learning and technology. See the attached Term 4 Program for details. This week’s session is:

MOODLE TIPS AND TRICKS

The Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) is used widely across TAFE to provide flexible online learning delivery options.

Join us as we look at some of the key features of Moodle and show some tips and tricks for making Moodle do what you want it to.
We will talk about strategies for working with resources, we will show some useful resource sites for learning more and we will talk a little about the upcoming release of Moodle version 2.0.

How do I take part?
On Thursday at 12 Noon, point your web browser at this online meeting room address:

http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/cliconnects

Can I catch up on previous sessions?
Recordings and handouts from earlier CLI Connects are available to view and download at the CLI Moodle site. Watch the “First time here” movie (50 seconds) – then follow the links through to CLI Connects:

http://climoodle.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/

Where can I find out more?
Full details of the CLI Connects program as well as regular updates are available from the  CLI Connects blog:

http://cliconnects.wordpress.com

One Day Moodle Symposium – Monday, 7 September 2009 at University of Canberra

This will be jointly hosted by the University of Canberra, the Australian National University and the Canberra Institute of Technology.

Aim: 

Addressing issues of how to use Moodle effectively from a learning perspective.  Also a forum to discuss the change management and leadership issues around moving to Moodle.

Keynote Speakers: 

Professor Denise Kirkpatrick from Open University in the UK (sponsored by Netspot), Martin Dougiamas, Moodle Founder and Lead Developer

Useful for:

Tertiary teachers, Support staff and those wanting to find out about Moodle from a tertiary education perspective.

Please click here for more information

Synopsis

This session  iwasaimed at current Janison users to provide them detailed information of Janison Migration Project.

Date: 24 Jun2 2009

Presenters: Paulis Cheung, Glenyce White & Jerry Koid, Workforce Development Unit

Links

myLearning session page

image by drewbuddie

Synopsis

This session is a podcast of part #3 of series of SunRise@SI Adobe Connect sessions designed to develop and implement a learning environment in the Sydney Institute Moodle platform.

Facilitator : Paulis Cheung

Date: 21 May 2009

myLearning session wiki page

image by drewbuddie

Synopsis

This session is a podcast of part #2 of series of SunRise@SI Adobe Connect sessions designed to develop and implement a learning environment in the Sydney Institute Moodle platform.

Facilitator : Paulis Cheung

Date: 14 May 2009

myLearning session resource page

image from http://moodle.org/

Moodle User Group Meeting – Monday 25 May at 1.00pm

Presentation by Adrian Norman from Androgogic Pty Ltd

The short presentation involves Moodle’s best practice examples. This is for users who are interested in taking their Moodle knowledge to “next level” regarding design and potential.

The presentation will be conducted through Adobe Connect at: http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/mug/ .

image by drewbuddie

Synopsis

This session is a podcast of part #1 of series of SunRise@SI Adobe Connect sessions designed to develop and implement a learning environment in the Sydney Institute Moodle platform.

Facilitator : Paulis Cheung

myLearning session resource page

image by jes_p

Synopsis

DET NSW plans a cessation of it’s site wide licence of Janison Toolbox at the end of 2009. This information session is aimed at current users of the platform to provide them with an overview of the decision and canvas the options they have for transitioning.
Topics include:

• Janison status update
  • NO new course is being created in Janison
  • NO course is being customised in Janison
  • Existing courses are being conducted till 2009
• Janison migration
  • Centre for Learning Innovation (CLI) tool for converting Janison materials as an IMS packages
  • What are platforms to support converted Janison IMS package
    • Moodle, Wiki and/or Blog etc.
• Benefits of using Moodle

Presenters: Paula Williams, Paulis Cheung, Stephan Ridgway & Rory Obrien, Centre for Learning Innovation

Links

myLearning Session page

image by drewbuddie

Synopsis

Topics include:

• What is Learning Management System (LMS)?
• Introduction to new version of Sydney Institute Moodle
• Demonstration on how to transfer learning materials from old to new Moodle

Links

myLearning session page

image by sridgway

Synopsis

This session provided an overview of the Wiki, Blog and Learning Management Systems LMSs) available for using networked technology to support our business.

myLearning session page