Moodle – Starting the YearAugust 2011Drew Mortensen

Moodle Upgrades

Version: 2.1+

Course Formats:

Tabs (onetopic)

Collapsed Weeks

Collapsed Topics

Activity: Questionnaire

Resource: Book

School Year {TechDirector} Pre-Flight Checklist

Appoint Coach/Teacher Site-Administratorsusers > permissions > site administrators

Student/Staff Account Creation LDAP CSV Other

SMTP Information InsertedPlugins > Message Outputs > Email

Approve Course Creation RequestsEncourage Coach/Teacher Admin to Approve

Remove “Request a Course” Block Before School Starts

Settings CheckRun through every page of settings to verify proper setup (approx 1 hr)

School Year {Teacher} Pre-Flight Checklist

Course(s) Created

Students Enrolled

Syllabus Posted(Resource: File)

“Getting to Know You” Activity Created (Activity: Questionnaire or Forum)

Textbook Link Published (Resource: URL)

1st Graded Assignment Created (Activity: Assignment)

Calendar Created

Layout Determined

Tabs, Topics, Weeks, Social Units, Themes, Etc..

Clear Organization

Unit 1 Activity Mapped Out

Future Moodle Trainings

Path to Assistance

CreatingEvaluating

Analyzing

ApplyingUnderstandi

ngRemembering

Creating

Evaluating

Analyzing

Applying

Understanding

Remembering

Scale the Pyramid! Don’tstay on the first three steps (get it, steps, because it is apyramid.)

Course Creation Request1. Link on Main Page (To Be Removed Before School

Starts) 2. http://yoursite/course/request.php

Enrolling Users in a Course• It is preferable to have your students enrolled prior

to the first day. • Teachers must manually enroll students. • Mid-year-new-student: District dependent process.

Uploading Your Syllabus

Pros/Cons to: Word, PDF, Moodle Page, Google Doc

Student Work: What is the Point?

How will the information provided by the students be used?

Who will be using the information provided?

What is the value of the information provided?

How will the information guide my teaching?

Choose the Activity/Resource based on the goal!

Getting to Know You(Questionnaire)

Anonymous or Identifiable? Public or Private Results?What is the point of the activity?

All About You… (Forum)

Do you need to make it an assignment? How does this compare to a questionnaire? How will the posts be used? Where does this fall on Bloom’s taxonomy?

Make a Graded Assignment

In the first week, have your students complete an assignment. Perhaps you use it as a diagnostic tool, or maybe you do it just to get them exposed to the process.

Set the Due Date

At the beginning of the yearyou may need to make the point that the due date is firm.

CalendarAdd a Block > Upcoming Events

Add a Block > Calendar

(use one or the other)

• Keep the Calendar Current• Refer Students to the Calendar• Embed Pictures / Videos in Events• Create Reminders for Important

Events or Assignments.

Course FormatsTabs, Topics, Social, Weeks, Collapsed

-- To Each Their OwnAvoid the Scroll of Death: A long Moodle course page with a lot of items.

Organize• Use Labels • Indent• Use Uniquely Descriptive Activity Names

Plan Ahead

• Professional Development

• Higher Level Skill Activities

• Community Connections and Assistance