Languagesv5

7/29/2019 Languagesv5

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T.MacKinnon

Language Centre, University of Warwick

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Languages@Warwick

Tutor guide to our online learning environment


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Table of ContentsWhat is special about our online learning environment?................................................................... 3

Accessing our moodle. ........................................................................................................................ 4

Setting your password ........................................................................................................................ 4

Editing your profile ............................................................................................................................. 5

Adding a description ....................................................................................................................... 5

Uploading a Picture ......................................................................................................................... 5

Course layout ...................................................................................................................................... 6

Switch role student view .............................................................................................................. 6

Changing your course. ........................................................................................................................ 7

Adding a block. .................................................................................................................................... 7

Docking blocks ................................................................................................................................ 7

Adding content to your course. .......................................................................................................... 8

Using voice in your course. ................................................................................................................. 9

Setting homework activities in moodle. ........................................................................................... 10

Marking: ........................................................................................................................................ 11

None of us knows everything! .......................................................................................................... 11

Sharing slides using slideshare. ......................................................................................................... 12

Widgets a useful word! .............................................................................................................. 12

Adding video to Languages@Warwick. ............................................................................................ 13

How to embed a video from youtube: .......................................................................................... 13

Have you thought of making a scorm package? ............................................................................... 14


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What is special about our online learning environment?

The Languages@Warwick environment is unique because it includes

integrated tools to provide opportunities for listening, speaking and

collaboration beyond the classroom. It also has an e-portfolio integration

(Mahara) which allows students to showcase their work to their chosen

audience, such as a prospective employer. Tutors can also use this software to

showcase their professional expertise. Facilitating interaction is also an

important aspect of our online learning environment so you will find it easy to

get creative by adding spoken language to your courses using our BlackboardCollaborate tools.

Moodle (Modular, object-orientated dynamic learning environment) is an open source

virtual learning environment with a huge education user base. Join the community at

www.moodle.orgwhere you will find international communities of users at all levels, fora,

frequently asked questions and support documentation. The system is based on blocks of

content which can be moved and edited to achieve your desired purpose. It is a very flexible

system but it will take a little time to find your way around.

The Language Centre also produces support documentation specific to our site at

www.youtube.comunder the WarwickLanguage channel. All tutors are automatically added

to ourmoodle 101 course, where you can see lots of relevant information and join other

staff moodle users on the fora to exchange ideas and support. Our partner Kaltura provides

video management for our site preventing large files from slowing the system and helping

us to ensure that we are compliant with the terms of our ERA+ licence.
http://www.moodle.org/http://www.moodle.org/http://www.youtube.com/http://www.youtube.com/http://m2.warwicklanguage.org.uk/course/view.php?id=2http://m2.warwicklanguage.org.uk/course/view.php?id=2http://m2.warwicklanguage.org.uk/course/view.php?id=2http://m2.warwicklanguage.org.uk/course/view.php?id=2http://www.youtube.com/http://www.moodle.org/


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Accessing our moodle.

As a member of academic teaching staff at the Language Centre you have access to the

moodle site using your IT services details. Your password for first access will have been

emailed to you. If you forget it dont worry, there is an automatic password recovery

system, click on Forgotten your username or password link.

Setting your password

When you have logged in you will be asked to reset your password to something more

memorable. It has to be a secure password that includes upper and lower case characters,

punctuation and numbers. To reset your password, you must enter the current password,

followed by your new password twice. The password must have at least 8 characters, at

least 1 digit(s), at least 1 lower case letter(s), at least 1 upper case letter(s), at least 1 non-

alphanumeric character(s).

To do this, look in the Settings block on the left hand side of the screen. Click the My Profile

Settings option to expand it, and then the Change passwordoption.

Once entered, click the Save Changes button.


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Editing your profile

Once in Moodle, create your user profile, parts of which are viewable by other Moodle

users, notably the students in your courses.

Adding a description

You can add to your profile a description including some text about yourself, information

about your area of expertise, hobbies, qualifications or anything else that you think

necessary.

To edit your profile look in the Settings block on the left hand side of the screen. Click the

My Profile Settings option to expand it, and then the Edit Profile option.

Scroll down the edit profile page until you see the Description section. Enter yourdescription using the html editor. You can make use of the usual html features such as

adding links and images if required. Remember, this is an important part of helping build

relationships within the environment. TOP TIP: You should encourage your students to

complete and update their profile when you begin your course. Check the participants list

against your register and inform the office if the two do not match.

Once you have entered your description, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the

Update Profile button.

Uploading a Picture

You can upload a photo of yourself or an avatar image that other users will see as part of

your profile. To do this, first go to the edit profile screen as shown above. Scroll down to the

User Picture section and click the Choose a file button, shown below:

Thefile pickerdialog box will open (shown on the following page). Click the Upload a file

option. You can then browse for a file on your computer and upload using the Upload this

file button.

When you have uploaded the file, youll be returned to the edit profile screen. Scroll to the

bottom and click the Update profile button.


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Course layout

A Moodle course is divided into three columns by default,watch this short video to see

more. A wide central column and two narrower columns on each side. Moodle courses

consist ofblocks. The blocks in the side columns contain tools or information such as thecalendar and news feeds. The blocks in the central column are where you will add course

content such as documents, links to web resources and activities such as assessments and

assignments.

The left hand column contains blocks that you will use for navigation and to edit course

settings.

The layout of the course can be customised. Blocks can be added or removed and

moved to a different position. Remember, to make any changes you must first turn editing

on (see the section Changing your course). By default, the blocks in the central column are

set in a weekly format. This can be changed to topic format, and more topics / weeks can be

added using the links in the settings block.

Switch role student view

In Moodle, you are able to view the course as a student by using the switch role

feature. When you switch role to student, you are viewing the course exactly as it would

appear as a student enrolled on that course. To change back to your normal role, click

Return to my normal role either in the settings block, or by using the link in the top right

corner of the screen.

main

course

content
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XPZl6LLvikhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XPZl6LLvikhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XPZl6LLvikhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XPZl6LLvikhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XPZl6LLvikhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XPZl6LLvik


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Changing your course.

In the top right hand corner of your screen once you are in course, you will notice a turn

editing on button. This is very important.

Editing on icons

Editing needs to be switched on for any layout change, as well as for adding content and

activities to your course. When you switch editing on, you will notice a number of icons

appear in each of the blocks. These allow you to move the block, configure it (to change the

content), delete it and assign roles to it (to give groups of users additional permissions to itif required).

Adding a block.

When you turn editing on, a block will appear in the right hand column that is used

for adding block tools to your course, as shown below:

There are many different types of blocks which you can add. Try them and see which you

prefer. Your course should have an activities block. Add one if it hasnt. This is a us eful shortcut into

the content.

Remember: Moodle has lots of additional documentation and the relevant pages are linked

through the icon.

Docking blocks

This is a new feature in Moodle 2. In the top right corner of each block, there is a

switch used for docking. When you dock a block, the block is moved to a side panel on the

left and can be accessed by moving the mouse over the block.

When you have docked a block, you will see it in the side panel on the left. When you move

your mouse over a docked block, the menu for that block will appear and you can click on

any of the menu items to expand and access them. To undock a block, click the dock switch

again and the block will return to its previous position.


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Adding content to your course.

You can add many types of digital resource to your course.

First turn editing on. Go to the part of your course where you wish the activity to take place. (this can

easily be moved later if you need to)

Click the + add a resource or activity link and select the appropriate resourcetype. There are additional notes displayed with most of these.

Always give your resource a clear name and description, this helps students to find it later

and is displayed in the activities block. TOP TIP: keep the name short and put more detail in

the description. If you have several tutors with the same rights in the course you will need

to agree on naming files to avoid confusion.

Important: Check the box below to ensure that you select the best option for display for

accessibility of your resources. Most of the other settings will be fine left as they are. If


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you are uploading a file or folder you will be given a choice of locations to look in. You will

navigate to your file and upload it. The new file picker will make it easier to find files that

you have used in other courses or that are shared on the server. We are gradually adding

new sources including youtube and Google docs so this will change with time. At the

bottom of the page remember to click save.

Resource type Preferred setting in display options

Word doc, .pdf Force download

Hyperlink (URL) in pop-up

Audio file In pop-up

Using voice in your course.

There are many different options for voice activities in Languages@Warwick. You will find them

under the + Add link . Engaging students in spoken activities onlinerequires considerable thought

and planning but can be very engaging. It is proven to help develop your online presence and

therefore can increase engagement online.

The Language Centre is involved in research into voice usage so please connect with othervoice tools users to get tips and ideas. Here are some of the activities that have been used in

the past:

Activity Tool

role plays (booking a table, asking for

information)

voice board

oral exam practice voiceboard and voice email

sharing audio files for the course voice podcaster

website reviews voice presenter

pronunciation practice voice boards, voice emailspoken greeting in course voice authoring

spoken responses in forum/assignment voice mash up (loudspeaker in Moodles text

editor)


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Setting homework activities in moodle.

In order to allow students to upload their homework for marking and returning online you

have a choice of two activities:

Activate edit mode and select the assignment option from the +add link.You will then give the assignment a name and descriptive text. Choose the settings (date of

availability, submission deadlines, size of files allowed, groups allocated if you have set up

groups (for different occurrences in the course)

Students on the course will then see the links to the work that is relevant to them. If you

have added a calendar to your course, they will also see the assignments deadlines on the

calendar. You can use voice as part of the assignment creation.

There is now a video assignment available using Kaltura if you want students to record

themselves using their webcam or upload a video file that they have created.


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Marking:

Log into your course and select Assignments in the activities block. This is only visible if you

have set homework using the assignment activity. Any submitted work will appear against

the student name. You can save all submitted work to your desktop as a zipped file or mark

work by looking at the student name. You can print off and return hard copies or upload themarked work. You must enter a mark in order for the student to be able to access your

feedback. This does not have to be the mark awarded for the work which could be given on

the returned work anyway. The student will be informed that their work is ready and they

will have your comments and mark. Filters on the assignment grading page allow you to

make this a quicker process. In the optional settings, select show require grading and allow

quick grading. A quick guide to marking isavailable here.

All files uploaded to the system are scanned for viruses so they should be safe. If the file

type is not recognised (file extension .xyz or whatever) please check with David or Arthur

before opening.

None of us knows everything!

Establishing a PLN.

We all suffer from innovation fatigue from time to time so it is important to focus on the

digital possibilities that work best for you. Dont try to do everything at once. It can also be

helpful to be part of a community of digital learners. This is often referred to as your

Personal Learning Network or PLN. If you join a network (such as twitter, slideshare) or

search for language teaching blogs using Google you will soon find contacts who are willing

to share their expertise and resources. In time you will build an online identity and others

will find you. You do not have to reveal personal details about yourself, take time to

consider how to create your own professional online identity. You could create your own e-

portfolio using our mahara, showcasing the interesting teaching you provide.
http://warwick.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/assignment+marking/1_918h759nhttp://warwick.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/assignment+marking/1_918h759nhttp://warwick.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/assignment+marking/1_918h759nhttp://onceateacher.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/pln-your-personal-learning-network-made-easy/http://onceateacher.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/pln-your-personal-learning-network-made-easy/http://onceateacher.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/pln-your-personal-learning-network-made-easy/http://onceateacher.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/pln-your-personal-learning-network-made-easy/http://warwick.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/assignment+marking/1_918h759n


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Sharing slides using slideshare.

Go towww.slideshare.netand create a free account.

You can now upload powerpoint files or .pdf files to your account and tag them so that they

are easy to locate and share. You should think about whether you want the slides to be

public or viewable only to you. You can change this setting later for some or all of your

uploads.

Why am I doing this?

Your slides can be emailed or shared using facebook or twitter. You can embed a presentation by copying the embed code and pasting into the html

on your blog, website or moodle html editor.

You can connect with others creating similar interesting content and follow them,expanding your personal learning network

You can create a widget (see below) or a badge showing your content online.Widgets a useful word!

You will find the get a widget link on the bottom left of your public profile in slideshare.

If you tag your uploads using your group/module name, you can then get a widget which

will automatically make only your class slides available in your moodle class area.
http://www.slideshare.net/http://www.slideshare.net/http://www.slideshare.net/http://www.slideshare.net/


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Adding video to Languages@Warwick.

If you have a video clip from a commercial source that you would like to use in moodle, you

can now upload it to our Kaltura repository.

You can use the Kaltura video resource option in the +add link and then Kaltura will take

care of the display details. If you want to include documents with your clip then choose the

Kaltura video presentation option. Kaltura manages the control and delivery of your file so

that it can be viewed on any device as long as the viewer is in the UK, ensuring compliance

with our ERA+ licence.

Every user can access the video potential of Kaltura by using the my media area:

The interface is simple:

If you want to embed rather than link the file we can provide the necessary code.

How to embed a video from youtube:

Open the text editor in the course content section. Click on the button moodlemedia. A dialogue box gives you a link to choose or upload a video, click on this and

the file picker will open. You can then search the youtube site to find your video.


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Select it and set the copyright to all rights reserved before you save. The video will

be embedded in your course.

Have you thought of making a scorm package?

If you have a video clip that would be best placed within some text and activities, then you

need to make a scorm package. This is a self-contained resource which can be assigned as

set work, will report on student performance and is made in word using the create plug in

available on our intranet. How to videos are available on theWarwickLanguage youtube

channel. Creating content this way prepares the finished files as .xml and this is a very

portable and future proof format.
http://www.youtube.com/user/warwicklanguage?feature=mhumhttp://www.youtube.com/user/warwicklanguage?feature=mhumhttp://www.youtube.com/user/warwicklanguage?feature=mhumhttp://www.youtube.com/user/warwicklanguage?feature=mhumhttp://www.youtube.com/user/warwicklanguage?feature=mhumhttp://www.youtube.com/user/warwicklanguage?feature=mhum

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Languagesv5