Presented at the Moodle Research Conference in Sousse, Tunsia - 4-5 October 2013. The full paper can be viewed at http://research.moodle.net/mod/data/view.php?d=7&rid=130.

1. Moodle in the Classroom: An “in the
trenches” perspective
Mark Bailye, Senior Consultant, NetSpot

2. Overview
 Background
 The current practice
 The key question
 Key findings
 What was achieved

3. Background
 Education degree at Flinders University
 Final year placement undertaken at
Heathfield High School
– Great emphasis on the use ICT
– A 1:1 wireless laptop program
– An e-learning program, use Moodle

5. 20kms

8. So what did I teach?
Robotics Adv. Tech
Digital
Photography

11. What did I find?
 E-learning coaches
 Issues with using Moodle
− No defined support structure
 Local network drive used as a repository
 Work submitted as hardcopy, email or USB
 Excel spreadsheet used to track grades

13. Key question
 How well can Moodle be used to
support, enhance and extend student
learning?
− Six weeks to find out!

14. First impressions – make them count
 Look & feel must be visually appealing
− Vanilla Moodle
− “Wasn’t user friendly … must be simplified”
 Tailored to the user – must be relevant
− “See old courses and courses I can’t access”
− Old dates
 Easy to locate content
− “Confusing at times like a giant maze”

16. Course design – it is important
 Better experience & increases enjoyment
− “Things that made me enjoy Moodle was the
user friendly interface”
− Course layout changed to avoid confusion
 Perceived usefulness – a big motivator
(Arteaga Sanchez & Duarte Hueros 2010)
 Don’t use the same course design all the time
 “Students may get bored”

20. Pedagogy – tailor accordingly
 Keep asking yourself, why & how
 Adapt learning resources & activities to
different learning styles to improve results
(Despotović-Zrakić et al. 2012)
 Closely monitor progress and be prepared to
change & tailor approach
− Confusion over release of activities & resources

22. Engagement – a must have
 Must be more than just “dump & pump”
 Interactivity & autonomous learning can
influence learning (Drennan, Kennedy & Pisarski 2005)
− “I have never seen Moodle used in that way”
 Most tools were well received
 Reward engagement

25. What was achieved?
 3x courses = ↑ student-centred learning,
↑ engagement & ↑ time spent with students
 Site reconfigured & restructure in progress
 Fantastic support from Principal
− Moodle working group created (1 day workshop)
− Moodle administrator (part time) employed
− Staff development

26. Questions

27. References
Arteaga Sánchez, R. & Duarte Hueros, A. (2010), Motivational factors
that influence the acceptance of Moodle using TAM. Computers in
Human Behavior, vol. 26, iss. 6, pp. 1632-1640.
Despotović-Zrakić, M., Marković, A., Bogdanović, Z., Barać, D., &
Krčo, S. (2012). Providing Adaptivity in Moodle LMS Courses.
Educational Technology & Society, vol. 15, iss. 1, pp. 326–338.
Drennan, J., & Kennedy, J., Pisarski, A. (2005), Factors affecting
student attitudes toward flexible online learning in management
education. The Journal of Educational Research, vol. 98, iss. 6, pp.
331-338.