Post on 03-Jan-2016
description
Teaching with Moodle in a Multipoint E-learning Environment
Kazunori NozawaRitsumeikan University, Japan
nozawa@is.ritsumei.ac.jp
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 2
At-a-Glance A multipoint environment solution for distance int
ra-communication Brief review of Social Constructionist Pedagogy Moodle as a good e-learning environment Two graduate classes at an independent Ritsume
ikan University Graduate School– SLEIS (Studies in Language Education and Information
Science) IV– ICC (Intercultural Communication) II
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 3
A part of the multipoint Environment
Originating Site RU Biwako Kusatsu Campus (Shiga) ↓ ↑
↓ ↑ RU Kinugawa Campus → Osaka Satellite (Kyoto) ← Office (Osak
a)
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 4
Specifications
Maximum of 42 Windows PCs at CALL Labs for each campus
Hitachi Multi-point Video-Conferencing System with own direct network connections + the Internet
Moodle on my own Windows 2000 server
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 5
E-learning Platform( CMS, LMS, VLE, OTF)
WebCT BlackBoard ↓ No budget! Can not persuade your bosses
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 6
Open-Source CMS
GNU-based free software– Claroline– The Manhattan Virtual Classroom– A-Tutor– Xoops– WebOCM– Moodle
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 7
Software Reviews Edutools
– http://edutools.info/course/index.jsp TESL-EJ vol. 7. No. 2
– http://www.kyoto-su.ac.jp/information/tesl-ej/ej26/m2.html
XPLANA– http://www.xplana.com
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 8
What’s Moodle? Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Lear
ning Environment Developed by Martin Dougiamas in Au
gust, 2002 167 countries 18652 registered sites ( As of Nov.
28, 2006 )
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 9
Moodle: Features Martin Dougiamas developed Moodle for e
ducators from the beginning under a philosophy so-called social constructionist pedagogy
CALL Researchers and practioners in the world have been participating in the further development and improvement of Moodle in a collaborative style.
Teachers/practioners are NOT required to have advanced knowledge and skills while Moodle is easy to use and stable.
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 10
Social Constructionist Pedagogy
Constructivism– Knowledge is created through the interaction wit
h the environment. Constructionism
– Learning effectiveness can be observed when something is usefully created for people.
Social Constructivism– Movement toward a whole community forms cult
ure and meaningfulness. Connected Behavior
– Thoughtful actions stimulate learning.
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 11
Moodle: Features Moodle is multilingual and many languages
can be used. Problems for displaying two-byte languages such as Japanese have been solved in March 2004 with English ( en_jp ) language package.
Although the log-in check is done by e-mail account and course key (password), you can use it as a guest under the limitation.
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 12
Moodle: Features Posted information in forums is automatically
sent to registered people by email. The participants’ activities can be
understood by reading “recent activities” Posted information in forums are displayed
in layers so that you can read it without clicking each title and understand the relations among articles.
Posted information and mails are basically provided with the sender’s photo so that more realistic communication is done.
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 13
Moodle: Features
With the tracking function, all of each student’s learning processes can be traced.
Quizzes and questionnaires can be easily made, answered on line, and automatically calculated. Hot Potatoes exercises can also be provided. In addition, modules for attendance, calendar, resources, chat, Wiki, etc. are preset and usable while new modules are being developed.
Search function can be used to collect necessary contents, articles, mails, and individual student’s information.
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 14
Moodle is a solution To provide a common e-learning or
communication platform in a multipoint environment
To allow only students who enroll for a particular course
To motivate students in a different style of learning or presenting their ideas to share without any hesitation
To provide downloadable e-documents to students without having printing and shipping them out in advance
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 15
SLEIS IV To lecture CALL theories and practical
approaches with updated ICT in English To provide a reviewing chance on software or
courseware and an academic journal article To experience a peer-to-peer online
evaluation To discuss the related topics in a forum
format for mutual understanding To provide an experience as a multimedia
project for teaching a foreign language and culture
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 16
SLEIS IV
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 17
SLEIS IV
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 18
SLEIS IV
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 19
SLEIS IV
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 20
SLEIS IV
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 21
SLEIS IV
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 22
SLEIS IV To participate in either online or offline tasks of
the course, the upper intermediate level of computer literacy is required. Some students sometimes have struggled to complete their specific IT tasks, but they managed to complete them in their own way.
The number of the enrollment was unfortunately small (7 in 2003; 5 in 2004; 6 in 2005; 2 in 2006) because technical topics are covered in English. There is a possibility to change the instructional language into Japanese in the future.
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 23
ICC 2
To provide the basics of NVC as a part of intercultural communication study
To enhance cultural awareness of the students
To review Japanese behavioral problems in communication and seek for more efficient ways to communicate with non-Japanese
To apply NVC features for language teaching and learning
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 24
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 25
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 26
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 27
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 28
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 29
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 30
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 31
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 32
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 33
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 34
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 35
ICC 2
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 36
Conclusion There are many advantages to use Moodle as a c
ommon platform in a tertiary education setting, in particular in a multipoint e-learning environment.
There are still some unknown functions or unused modules of Moodle, it is quite ideal for the author to use Moodle for teaching and sharing information purposes.
The author will continue to teach both SLEIS and IC2 or conduct collaborative research projects with a more stable and updated version of Moodle and try for an efficient, communicative way to interact with students.
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 37
Selected References Brandl, Klaus. (2005). Are you ready to “Moodle”? Language learning and techn
ology, 9(2), 16-23. Retrieved Nov. 18, 2006 from http://llt.msu.edu/vol9num2/ review1/
Gonzalez, Dafne. (2005). Blended learning offers the best of both worlds, Essential teacher, TESOL, December, 42-45.
Hinkelman, Don. (2005). Blended learning : Issues driving an end to laboratory-based CALL, JALT Hokkaido journal, 9, 17-31.
Robb, Thomas N. (2004). Moodle: A virtual learning environment for the rest of us. TESL-EJ, 8(2) Retrieved Nov. 3, 2006 from http://www.kyoto-su.ac.jp/ information/ tesl-ej/ej30/m2.html.
Harashima, Hideto. (2004a). "A blended learning environment using Moodle" Collected Papers, 2004 National Conference of The Japan Association for Language Education & Technology. July 28-30, 2004. 181-184.
Harashima, Hideto. (2004b). "Creating a blended learning environment using Moodle" The Proceedings of the 20th Annual Conference of Japan Society of Educational Technology, September 23-25, 2004. 241-242.
Melton, Jay. (2004). The CMS moodle: A heuristic evaluation. Retrieved on Nov. 7, 2006 from http://jklmelton.net/2004/jaltcall/
2006/6/29 AsiaCALL 2006 at UPM in Malaysia 38
Snail Mail: Prof. Kazunori Nozawa, College of Information Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577 Japan
E-mail: nozawa@is.ritsumei.ac.jpHP: http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/is/~nozawa/index.htm
l
Contact Info.