NetSpot's submission to the 2011 Moodley awards - a brief overview of the NetSpot Moodle Certificate.

1. NetSpot Moodle Certificate Moodley Award Submission - 2011

2. The problem stated:How do we increase Moodle expertise within NetSpot – in particular for new staff?

3. Constraint 1:Nigh-on impossible to get everyone into a room for ‘traditional’ training sessions.

4. Constraint 2:People starting from different levels of competency – needs to be flexible.

5. Constraint 3:No one set level of competency required – varies according to the role of the person.

6. The solution:The NetSpot Moodle Certificate

7. The principles:We are all teachers as well as learners.

8. The principles:We learn well by creating something for others to see.

9. The principles:A learning environment needs to be flexible and adaptable.

10. Enough death by Powerpoint – show us what this thing looks like!

11. The Course Simple structure – really just a ‘launching pad’ for the real work.

12. Setting expectations Book module used to give an overview of the goals of the course and other relevant information for participants

13. Taking registrations Feedback activity used as the place where potential participants can sign up to do the certificate

14. Flexible structure Certificate split into an-ever growing and changing set of smaller components which focus on specific areas of Moodle – all participants encouraged to suggest new components as part of their study.

15. Note that students can attempt as many or few components as they like – the certification structure isn’t rigid, the focus is on flexibility.

16. This ‘launching pad’ course connects to other courses which focus on the components of the certificate, for example, navigation in Moodle:

17. A typical course Start off by viewing some existing resources – not hugely important where they are from. Next step, demonstrate knowledge by creating (or building on) a course to show you know your stuff.

18. A typical course Next, prove your knowledge by demonstrating your knowledge to other students (or an assessor) in a workshop or screencast. Finally – critically – contribute knowledge back to the community, either by adding to MoodleDocs or creating some internal documentation.

19. Sharing knowledge Use a Database activity to share any links to created content (regardless of where it has been created) back to the NetSpot Moodle Certificate group.

20. So what’s different?

21. Contribution to the community is more important than absorbing existing content.

22. The Moodle courses are quite boring. Moodle is not the star of the show – the learning is.

23. Thank you!