1. The use of Moodle at LSE:
library support issues
Dr Jane Secker
Learning Technology Librarian
LSE Centre for Learning Technology
CPD25 E-learning: how E-asy is it?
27th April 2009
2. Overview
• Where is the library in the VLE?
• How do we support students at LSE via
Moodle?
• Explore the challenges and
opportunities that this presents
3. My role
• Learning Technology Librarian based in
Centre for Learning Technology
• Work closely with learning technologists and
liaison librarians
• Provide support for library resources in
context of e-learning
• Provide copyright advice and support for staff
• Provide information skills support for staff
(and students)
4. Background to the VLE at
LSE
• Used WebCT at LSE since 1999
• Evaluation carried out in 2005-6
• Pilot use of two systems undertaken 2006-7
• Moodle overwhelming the preferred choice of
staff / students / CLT
• Migrated UG courses Summer 07
• Migrated PG courses Summer 08
• Currently around 1000 courses on Moodle
5. Moodle
• Open Source VLE (i.e. free)
• Largest user in UK: Open University
• Over 50,000 Moodle installations and more
than 24 million users worldwide
• Excellent community support and online
documentation
• Customisations / extensions
• Moodle road map – influencing developments
http://moodle.org/
6. Moodle overview
• A teaching tool - features include:
– Ability to upload presentations
– Share and integrate resources into the
course
– Set online (and off-line) activities
– Organise discussions and group activities
– Undertake assessment – formative and
summative
7. Other Moodle features
• A course management system – admin
features include:
– Monitoring student participation
– Grading and feedback to students
– Replaces e-mail lists as can use for
announcements (sent as e-mail)
– Assignment collection for uploading to JISC
Plagiarism service
– Integration with other systems – single sign on
possible
8. Other features
• Social / community building
– Profiles
– Who’s online
– Chat / discussions
– Calendar
• Group features
– Can selectively release resources /activities to
groups of students
– Students can work on projects together
• Metacourses for sharing resources across
courses
10. Use of Moodle by the Library
at LSE
1. Promotion of Library services in all
courses through ‘sticky block’
– Block appears in all courses and cannot
be removed by tutor
– Contains links to key library resources
– Includes quick search of the catalogue
11.
12. Use of Moodle by the Library
2. Availability of online readings
• Includes scanned readings (under CLA
Licence) and links to e-journals
• Managed through reading lists
• Currently using HTML lists
• Pilot use of in-house reading list system with
Moodle integration
13. The Reading List
Management System
• Developed in-house by the Library IT team
with support from CLT
• Reading lists to be presented to students via
Moodle
• Staff edit lists in Reading List Manager – lists
can be updated by Library staff, academics
and admin staff
• Developed a tool to add list to Moodle -
integration
16. Copyright and e-learning
• Important area as misunderstandings
amongst academic staff
• Need help and support in terms of using
electronic resources in VLE (licenses)
• Advice about CLA Licence
• Advice and using web-based resources
• Advice about multimedia resources
• Provide guidance, training and answer
queries from staff
17. Use of Moodle by the Library
3. Development of library support in Moodle to
complement information skills training
programme
• Library Companion for Students
• Library Companion for Researchers support for
PhD students
• Data Library Companion
• MI512 course for PhD students supported by
Moodle
18.
19. Other uses of Moodle
• Library staff use it as a repository for staff
information in the following areas:
– Information desk training
– Admissions procedures
– Inter-library loans procedures
• Staff Development in the Library (and more
widely) are also exploring using Moodle
• CLT already use Moodle for staff
development - online courses for staff
21. In summary
• Varied and complex role not traditionally
covered by learning technologists
• Potential to collaborate in exciting new areas
• VLEs have fast become the point of access
for many library resources
• Need to ensure students can still go beyond
links in the VLE and develop information skills
support
22. Questions?
Dr Jane Secker
Learning Technology Librarian
Centre for Learning Technology
http://clt.lse.ac.uk/
• E-mail: j.secker@lse.ac.uk
Hinweis der Redaktion
Technically Moodle out performed WebCT
Modular object orientated distributed learning environment – To Moodle is an Australian term meaning to mess about.
Table 3.4a: VLEs currently used from UCISA 2008 Survey of Technology Enhanced Learning for higher education in the UK
No.Totalpre-92post-92CollEngWalSco
Moodle4155%56%50%67%56%57%57%
Blackboard3750%41%62%56%51%71%29%
WebCT2331%33%35%11%29%0%71%
Other VLEdeveloped in house1723%26%23%11%19%14%71%
Other intranet based developed in house912%13%12%11%10%29%14%
Three years on and the 2008 Survey results reveal a different picture. Moodle emerges as the most commonly used platform within institutions, with 55% of respondents identifying its deployment, representing a marked increase from 2005 (8%). Moodle is particularly prominent amongst HEcolleges (67%) and pre-92 institutions (56%), although less so amongst post-92 institutions. In contrast, in house VLEand intranet based developments appear much reduced across the sector, with a greater consolidation in the range of platforms in use. SharePoint was identified as the leading institutionally
Student involvement - constructivist
Give an overview of Sections, Blocks – features such as RSS
Use exemplars list of courses for different features
But also mention roles and permissions
Demo a reading list in HY432
Demo of an old style reading list in Moodle with links to scanned readings
Demo reading list in HY117 – week 2
Demo adding a reading list to Moodle Training Central – select HY117 - week 10
