Technology Why Create Then Many Moodle Courses Suck?

Moodle is a magnificent complimentary production too has the potential to enable schools too teachers to build wonderfully unique interactive online learning courses inwards which learner interaction tin survive tracked, measured too responded to. Despite this the vast bulk of Moodle courses I consider are a long listing of Word too PDF documents alongside at best a few forums that enable a minimum of human social interaction.

Given the patch of many of these courses, it’s no wonder that drib out rates for online learning are therefore high. And of class Moodle isn’t the alone culprit. Many of the other commercially available LMS (learning management systems) too VLE (virtual learning environment) platforms aren’t doing whatever better.

Moodle has been simply about instantly since 2002 too inquiry carried out inwards 2013 showed that to a greater extent than than 7.3 1000000 students had studied inwards to a greater extent than than 83 yard registered sites.

Image from ELTPics: https://flic.kr/p/jBXAwK

So why is it that therefore piddling progress has been made inwards developing innovative courses that actually generate interaction alongside media rich content?

The occupation sure enough isn’t Moodle, because the platform is capable of delivering all of the above.

The reality is that at that topographic point are a discover of causes:

• I recall it’s fair to nation that Moodle isn’t the most intuitive of platforms to operate with. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of progress too improvements conduct maintain been made, but it’s inevitable that a production alongside multiple modules constructed yesteryear unlike people is probable to outcome inwards some inconsistencies of expect too feel.
• The fact that Moodle is seen every bit a ‘free’ platform too therefore a ‘cheap’ way to acquire learning online is some other factor. Schools get-go using the platform alongside the impression that it won’t require much fiscal backing too that ane time they conduct maintain provided the platform teachers volition simply survive able to acquire their classes online.
• This brings me to the adjacent indicate too that is lack of training. Most teachers I conduct maintain met who utilisation Moodle practise therefore alongside alone the most minimal too basic grooming too ane time again this comes dorsum to the perception that Moodle is a inexpensive solution. Many schoolhouse managers seem to recall that a few hours of grooming is plenty to acquire their teachers designing nifty online courses. It’s not! Training to utilisation Moodle effectively takes considerable fourth dimension too needs to survive constantly reinforced too renewed.
• A 2d chemical component of grooming which is ofttimes overlooked is instructional design. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 instructor may good survive marvellous at developing too delivering their ain materials inwards the classroom, but when it comes to converting those materials into effective online learning units at that topographic point is a novel score of science too agreement that they need. Understanding the instructional blueprint potential of an online platform too how to construction materials therefore that students progress through an online environs requires grooming too experience.
• Another factor inwards this mix is that the Moodle platform is ofttimes seen every bit the ‘property’ too responsibleness of the information technology division too every bit such they brand the platform every bit secure every bit possible. Often this way that teachers’ access to many of the unlike features too potential that Moodle tin deliver are hidden from the instructor too they don’t conduct maintain the chance to experiment alongside the platform too acquire for themselves.

So given all of these problems is it worth using Moodle or whatever other platform to develop online too blended learning for your students? 

The respond is of class a resounding yes. To ignore the potential that online learning too novel applied scientific discipline has to offering is to survive similar King Canute trying to social club dorsum the sea.

But to utilisation applied scientific discipline effectively didactics establishments conduct maintain to approach online learning alongside their eyes open.

• It isn’t a inexpensive solution.
• It volition require a meaning investment inwards grooming for teachers
• Teachers won’t simply build wonderful online courses inwards their complimentary time. Developing expert online materials takes time. More fourth dimension than it takes to develop paper-based human face upwards to human face upwards materials, therefore they volition demand to survive paid for this time.
• Teachers demand to survive trained at all levels of the platform including the admin level, non simply at instructor level.

How almost fix made courses?

Knowing all of this schools may survive tempted to yesteryear an ‘off the shelf’ solution alongside all the content fix made, but I would survive wary of this type of ‘one size fits all’ content. In many cases the content has simply been adapted from a class mass alongside a copious amounts of drag too drib too gap-filling activity mixed alongside a piddling multimedia too real piddling educatee - instructor or peer to peer interaction built inwards too no sign of whatever authentic materials or personalisation. These courses are ofttimes tardily beyond belief too neglect to engage the students.

The best online courses, simply similar the best face-to-face courses, are ordinarily designed yesteryear teachers who conduct maintain developed an agreement of the needs too interests of their students too tin select content which they volition bask too honour engaging.

So, if platforms similar Moodle are actually to survive used to develop effective too engaging learning which realises the potential of online too blended learning modes of delivery, too therefore nosotros must conduct maintain managers who are willing to invest inwards developing the skills of their teachers too teachers who are willing to run into the challenges of novel applied scientific discipline caput on  too conduct their changing too to a greater extent than various roles every bit teachers, mentors too instructional designers.

For teachers who would similar to travail to develop their ain Moodle skills.
You tin register for a complimentary Moodle platform at: http://www.mdl2.com/ It takes a few moments to register too and therefore you lot conduct maintain your ain Moodle platform to utilisation every bit a sandpit.

Here are a few quick video tutorials that tin assist acquire you lot started.

• How to add together an ikon to Moodle too size it correctly
  This video shows how to edit the html code to command the infinite the ikon takes on the screen.
• Formatting a Moodle page
  This video shows how to brand the Moodle page expect to a greater extent than attractive too professional
• Adding an ikon to a Moodle webpage
  This video shows how to add together an ikon to a Moodle page
• Adding a YouTube video to Moodle
  This video shows you lot how to embed a video from YouTube into a Moodle page
• Embedding a webpage into a Moodle page
  This video shows you lot how to embed a webpage from a unlike site into a Moodle page therefore that it appears every bit utilisation of the Moodle class
• Creating a questionnaire
  This video shows you lot how to practise the questionnaire framework. 
• Adding questions to a questionnaire
  This video shows how to add together questions to the questionnaire ane time the framework has been created. 
• How to practise a quiz
  This shows how to practise the quiz framework earlier adding questions 
• How to add together questions to a quiz
  This shows how to add together questions to your quiz ane time you lot conduct maintain created it.

I promise you lot honour these videos useful too bask making a get-go at using Moodle to practise to a greater extent than engaging materials.

Best

Nik Peachey