Here is an attempt to collate experience, knowledge and information collected from various sources to help institutes understand Moodle better.
It is time institutes adopt Moodle and start making the most of it.
Introduction to Moodle, myths and truths, perspectives for institues
1. Introduction & industry perspective
Presented by:
Mangesh Wagh
Cofounder, Director
Signy IT Solutions Pvt Ltd, Pune
2. A brief about Signy IT Solutions
• Web apps & mobile apps development
• Opensource platforms
• Elearning
• Education domain
• Tech: PHP, MySQL
• Platforms: Moodle, Prestashop, SugarCRM, WordPress and
more
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3. Objectives
• Introduction to Moodle’s abilities…. not just Moodle
• Industry perspective
• Underlining myths and respective truths about Moodle
• Sharing experience and ideas
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4. A quick introduction to Moodle
• Virtual learning environment
• Learning management system
• Online course management system
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5. In a ‘definition’ way
• A learning platform designed to provide educators,
administrators and learners with a single robust, secure and
integrated system to create personalized learning
environments.
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10. Deployment options
It is built as a browser based application and hence can be
deployed as any of below:
• Internet application
• Intranet application
• Single PC application
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11. • Deployment architecture & hosting
• Deriving and implementing the optimum configuration
• Training
• Support
• Customization
• Consulting on how to make the most of Moodle
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Why industry looks at Moodle as business – part I
13. Moodle stats
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Country Registrations
United States 11,652
Spain 5,739
Brazil 4,661
United Kingdom 3,785
Mexico 2,839
Germany 2,445
Colombia 1,918
Italy 1,771
Portugal 1,628
Australia 1,615
16. 1st lets open our mind!
When we used for the 1st time:
• Computer wasn’t easy
• Word, excel, powerpoint weren’t easy
• Email wasn’t easy
• Internet banking wasn’t easy
• Booking tickets and buying online wasn’t easy
Nothing was easy when we did that for the first time!
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17. Moodle features - I
• Site management
• User management, user policy management and
authentication
• Role management and permissions
• Course management – course definition, course design,
enrolment and more. This is the key part of your Learning
Management System.
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18. Moodle features - II
• Grades management and assessment engine
• Appearance management – UI, themes, design elements,
branding
• Other utilities like blog, calendar and more
• Reporting module
• Security management
• Server management and backup management
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53. Benefits of using Moodle - I
Comprehensive & cost-effective
• Moodle engine is built with a comprehensive set of elearning
features. One doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel by incurring
high costs on custom development.
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54. Benefits of using Moodle - II
Quick turn-around time
• Your elearning portal can be ready in a few days. Considering
long custom development cycles, this can be looked at as the
biggest benefit.
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55. Benefits of using Moodle - III
Truly opensource
• Moodle is a truly opensource platform – source code is
available, no licensing costs, no commercial product versions
(commercial product versions generally translates into sub-
optimal free versions).
• Always up-to-date
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56. Benefits of using Moodle - IV
Non-technical persons can administer
• No need of skilled technical resources for managing Moodle
site.
• One time implementation, configuration and training enables
non-technical users manage a Moodle site without hassle.
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57. Benefits of using Moodle - V
Comprehensive by default, strengthened by plug-ins
• Default features and functionality of Moodle are capable
enough to stand as a quality elearning portal.
• Apart from those default features there are a number of plug-
ins available which can be integrated with Moodle to make
the portal even more comprehensive – plug-ins can be of
small utility nature or serious functionality.
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58. Benefits of using Moodle - VI
Customizable
• Moodle code can be customized to match the business
processes.
• New features can be developed and integrated either as plug-
ins or by customizing the core code.
• Small blocks can be developed to enhance user engagement
and add useful functionality or enhance visual appeal.
• Look and feel can also be customized.
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60. How Moodle compares with other LMS products - I
• It is an open source learning platform, which is utilized by
millions of people worldwide.
• This open source nature allows anybody to tinker with its
code or add new things.
• Users can share changes with the Moodle community for
others to use for free.
• All this leads to the extension and reformation of the
software.
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61. How Moodle compares with other LMS products - II
• It makes use of simple technologies, as a result of which its
developers are easy to find.
• It is built on some of the most reliable technologies, such as
PHP, MySQL, Apache.
– Like Facebook, Google, ebay
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62. How Moodle compares with other LMS products - III
• It has a fully cooperative development model which offers
constant scope for improvement by allowing many high
quality contributions to acquire new modules, features and
enhancements.
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63. How Moodle compares with other LMS products - IV
• It makes use of the more advanced programming approach,
the object-oriented programming which makes its
functionality all the more efficient and allows users to
proceed at their own pace, as well as customize it according
to their needs.
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64. How Moodle compares with other LMS products - V
• It focuses on making the learning and teaching
experience constructivist.
• This process encourages the involvement of learners in the
learning process, rather than letting them receive knowledge
passively.
• The learning environment becomes more democratic with
interactive and student-centered activities.
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65. How Moodle compares with other LMS products - VI
• It is convenient for educational institutions and organizations
for learning and course management.
• It can be quickly deployed in your organization, without the
requirement of any extra efforts.
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66. How Moodle compares with other LMS products - VII
• It is highly cost-effective, since it has a low risk startup and a
low initial investment.
• It provides you with fast and reliable updates of information.
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67. How Moodle compares with other LMS products - IX
• It provides you with regular support, all the time you use it.
Its support feature is active twenty four hours a day, seven
days a week and addresses to its developers, members and
users.
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68. Quick recap of key points about Moodle
• Proven and trusted worldwide
• Designed to support both
teaching and learning
• Easy to use
• Free with no licensing fees
• Always up-to-date
• Moodle in your language
• All-in-one learning platform
• Highly flexible and fully
customizable
• Scalable to any size
• Robust, secure and private
• Use anytime, anywhere, on
any device
• Extensive resources available
• Backed by a strong community
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69. Why industry looks at Moodle as business – part II
• Customization
– To fit in organizational processes
– Visual preferences
• Integrating with other tools, applications
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70. What colleges can do with Moodle
• Distance learning courses
• Complimentary or supplementary learning aid
• Online exam portal
• Run co-curricular courses or even extra-curricular
• Campus placement preparation tool
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71. Interesting examples
• Study material as homework before classroom session
• Official place for important circulars, notices
• Internal communication; no emails
• Internship projects submissions and assessments
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72. How industry uses Moodle
• Recruitment tests
• Induction programs
• Knowledge forums
• Internal LMS – skill building and assessments
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73. Usage patterns
Obvious ones
• Study material & notes
• Preparation tests, mock tests
• Assignments
• Forums
Non obvious ones
• Projects
• Workshops
• Quizzing through games
• Glossary
• Database
• Feedback (survey)
• Poll
• SCORM
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75. Myth
• Once Moodle is stable, it will be put under license. If it were
any good, they’d already be charging for it.
• Moodle is free and therefore can't really be as good as
something produced by a large company which earns millions
in license fees every year.
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76. Myth
• You need to be an expert and tech savvy to use Moodle
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77. Myth
• Moodle needs a full time, php developer on your staff- or at
least a lot of technical support to run it in house.
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87. Myth
• Students will love Moodle because it is online and in 'their
world‘. And also,
• Students will not enjoy the interaction that a class
environment provides.
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99. What is expected from teachers, colleges
• Willingness to administer and explore
• Dropping process adamancy
• Dropping insecurity about content & methodology
• Keep Moodle away from internal politics
• Readiness to give a long stint to Moodle
• Readiness to understand that Moodle is just a tool; people
need to make things happen
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100. What is expected from consultants & technology
companies
• Proper guidance and recommendations on hosting
architecture
• Clear work out on enabling & disabling features
• Focus on how creatively colleges can use Moodle
• Most important: help colleges understand full potential of
Moodle and then help them utilize it phase wise
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101. How to make Moodle interesting - I
• Using it regularly and to its potential; this itself is really
interesting
• Make use of forums, glossary, database, wiki
– Glossary as final revision tool
– Database as formulae storage
– Wiki as concept explanation place
• Make use of badges
• Games
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102. How to make Moodle interesting - II
• See if you can buy multimedia content; if not get it made for
you
– Check whether you can get interns from media or design field
• Make students participate
– Let them run some courses of their interest
• Experimentation and continuous evaluation of what works
what doesn’t
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