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

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

Where is the library in the VLE?

How do we support students at LSE via Moodle?

Explore the challenges and opportunities that this presents

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)

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)

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

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

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/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Moodle demonstration

Use of Moodle by the Library at LSE 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

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

Use of Moodle by the Library 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

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

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

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

Old style HTML lists in Moodle

New reading lists in Moodle Coming soon!

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

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

Use of Moodle by the Library 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

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

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

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

LSE External Programme

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

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

Questions? Dr Jane Secker Learning Technology Librarian Centre for Learning Technology http:// clt.lse.ac.uk / E-mail: [email_address]

Dr Jane Secker

Learning Technology Librarian

Centre for Learning Technology

http:// clt.lse.ac.uk /

E-mail: [email_address]