Dreaming of a learner-centered course? Like the idea of interactive, collaborative, engaging activities? Would you love to have students spending more time in your course than you expect? Have a hard time imagining what that course looks like? When I began using Moodle, the social constructionist philosophy behind its design really resonated with me. So, when I had the opportunity to teach a graduate level instructional design and technology course in (and about) Moodle, I immediately began thinking about how I could build a course around those same social constructionist ideas. Five years later, the course has evolved and improved with my students acting as faithful test subjects for new ideas and Moodle features. The feedback from students has been great and the results have been amazing!

1. My Moodle Course:
An Experiment in Social Constructionism
Michelle Moore
Chief Evangelist

2. A Little Background First . . .

3. My Collaborators
• Amy Kotwitz
• Summer Fisk
• Elisabeth Gabriel Stucklen
• Our students

4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/f-oxymoron/5005673112/

5. “Martin’s Five Laws”
1. All of us are potential
teachers as well as
learners - in a true
collaborative
environment we are
both.
Martin Dougiamas
Moodle Creator & Lead Developer
http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

6. “Martin’s Five Laws”
2. We learn particularly
well from the act of
creating or expressing
something for others to
see.
http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

7. “Martin’s Five Laws”
3. We learn a lot by just
observing the activity of
our peers.
http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

8. “Martin’s Five Laws”
4. By understanding the
contexts of others, we
can teach in a more
transformational way
(constructivism).
http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

9. “Martin’s Five Laws”
5. A learning
environment needs to be
flexible and adaptable,
so that it can quickly
respond to the needs of
the participants within it.
http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Pedagogy

11. Any teacher that can be
replaced by a machine
should be!
- Arthur C. Clarke

12. Let the students
do the work!

13. My Moodle Course
• Who
• What
• When
• Where

14. My Objectives for the Course
• Train our next trainer
• Teach students to learn how to
learn to use Moodle
• Authentic experience
• Reinforce ADDIE model
• Test the limits of Moodle
• Let students do the work

15. Course Outline
• Unit 1: Building Moodle Expertise
• Unit 2: Course Development
Project 1
• Unit 3: Moodle Project 2

16. Building Moodle Expertise
• Help students learn to help
themselves
• Build collective Moodle expertise
• Develop familiarity with Moodle and
peers

17. Project 1
• Develop a Moodle course
– Pick the right tool
– Click the right buttons
– Process not content
• Review the ADDIE instructional
design process

18. Project 2
• Repeat and reinforce
– Expand Moodle experience
– Reinforce Moodle skills
– Reinforce ADDIE model
• Put the student in the driver’s seat

19. The Impact
What an experience this has been. I felt I
have grown as a professional, educator
and most of all a Moodler! I feel so much better prepared to
help our education staff and our
clinical educators utilize Moodle well.
Though this course is an elective, it is not for the
faint of heart. It is a serious course that casual
learners should not attempt. . . That said, I am
very thankful that [it was] offered and that
Michelle and Elisabeth taught it. I am MUCH
better for having taken it. But I was surprised by
the challenge.

20. What Next?

21. Contact Information
• Michelle Moore
– michelle@remote-learner.co.uk
– Twitter: @michelledmoore
– http://slideshare.net/michelledmoore
• Remote-Learner
– http://remote-learner.co.uk