My Moodle Course: An Experiment in Social Constructionism

Michelle Moore Chief Evangelist

A Little Background First . . .

My Collaborators

• Amy Kotwitz • Summer Fisk • Elisabeth Gabriel Stucklen • Our students

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“Martin’s Five Laws”

http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

Martin Dougiamas Moodle Creator & Lead Developer

1. All of us are potential teachers as well as learners - in a true collaborative environment we are both.

http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

2. We learn particularly well from the act of creating or expressing something for others to see.

“Martin’s Five Laws”

http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

3. We learn a lot by just observing the activity of our peers.

“Martin’s Five Laws”

http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

4. By understanding the contexts of others, we can teach in a more transformational way (constructivism).

“Martin’s Five Laws”

http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

5. A learning environment needs to be flexible and adaptable, so that it can quickly respond to the needs of the participants within it.

“Martin’s Five Laws”

Any teacher that can be replaced by a machine should be! - Arthur C. Clarke

Let the students do the work!

My Moodle Course

• Who • What • When • Where

My Objectives for the Course

• Train our next trainer • Teach students to learn how to

learn to use Moodle • Authentic experience • Reinforce ADDIE model • Test the limits of Moodle • Let students do the work

Course Outline

• Unit 1: Building Moodle Expertise • Unit 2: Course Development

Project 1 • Unit 3: Moodle Project 2

Building Moodle Expertise

• Help students learn to help themselves

• Build collective Moodle expertise • Develop familiarity with Moodle and

peers

Project 1

• Develop a Moodle course – Pick the right tool – Click the right buttons – Process not content

• Review the ADDIE instructional design process

Project 2

• Repeat and reinforce – Expand Moodle experience – Reinforce Moodle skills – Reinforce ADDIE model

• Put the student in the driver’s seat

What an experience this has been. I felt I have grown as a professional, educator and most of all a Moodler! I feel so much better prepared to

help our education staff and our clinical educators utilize Moodle well.

Though this course is an elective, it is not for the faint of heart. It is a serious course that casual learners should not attempt. . . That said, I am very thankful that [it was] offered and that Michelle and Elisabeth taught it. I am MUCH better for having taken it. But I was surprised by the challenge.

The Impact

What Next?

Contact Information

• Michelle Moore – michelle@remote-learner.co.uk – Twitter: @michelledmoore – http://slideshare.net/michelledmoore

• Remote-Learner – http://remote-learner.co.uk