Brian Møller, e-learning consultant ELSA, Aalborg University Moodle supporting problem-based, project-organised learning at Aalborg University

1. IRELAND & UK
MOODLEMOOT
2012
Brian Møller
e-learning consultant
ELSA, Aalborg University
Moodle supporting problem-based,
project-organised learning
at Aalborg University
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

2. AGENDA
 We offer no solution or cheat sheet
 Share some of the difficulties, challenges and
considerations we have had and encountered when trying
to implement Moodle across Aalborg University within the
framework of the pedagogical model of problem-based,
project-organized work
 Shout-out – learn from the rest of you!
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

3. Aalborg University: Located in the northern part of Jutland, Denmark
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

4. Campuses: Main campus at Aalborg. Satellites at Esbjerg and Copenhagen
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

5. ABOUT AALBORG UNIVERSITY 1/2
Young and modern: Aalborg University was inaugurated in 1974
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

6. ABOUT AALBORG UNIVERSITY 2/2
•Four faculties:
•The Faculty of Humanities
•The Faculty of Social Sciences
•The Faculty of Engineering and Science
•The Faculty of Medicine
•15.000 students
•10% international students
•2000 faculty and 800 administrative and technical staff
•11 schools
•A 'school' is an organisational unit under the faculties. A
School has relations to multiple 'Study Boards', which are
connected together in a peer-community within the School.
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

7. THE E-LEARNING UNIT AT
AALBORG UNIVERSITY (ELSA) 1/2
• Organisationally situated under the ICT-department at
the Faculty of Humanities
• Collaborate with all the it-departments across the university
• Staff
• 6 persons (equivalent to 4 full-time positions) - e-learning
consultants
• Project management, user contact and support
• 6 student-helpers
• 1 full time equivalent (technical staff)
• Hosting Moodles and technical support for ELSA
• Collaboration with the it-department at the Faculty of Social
Sciences
• Hosting Moodles and support
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

8. THE E-LEARNING UNIT AT
AALBORG UNIVERSITY (ELSA) 2/2
Mission: "Responsible for providing technical,
organisational and pedagogical support in use and
maintenance of e-learning systems for educational
activities at the University of Aalborg"
•Focus of implementation (three legged stool):
Leg  Leg  Leg 
Technical Organisational Pedagogical
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

9. PROBLEM BASED LEARNING AT
AAU 1/3
The Aalborg-model is comprised of the following main terms:
•Problem
•can be theoretical, practical, social, technical, symbolic-cultural and/or scientific
•the starting point directing the students’ learning process and situates the learning in a context
•grows out of students’ wondering within different disciplines and professional environments
•has to be exemplary
•Project
•complex work effort
•a problem is formulated, analysed and processed
•during the project work the students acquire knowledge and skills – the project is a learning process
•Groups / team
•Teamwork, problem analytic, result based, mutual criticism, knowledge sharing [more]
•Supervisor
•Each student group has one or more supervisors for a project
•Courses
•Project courses: Courses offered as part of a study program that relate directly to the term theme and the students’
project work
•Study courses:
•required as part of a study program that introduce students to fundamental concepts, theories or skills of a particular
discipline
•These courses are assessed (examined) separately from the project courses and project work
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

10. PROBLEM BASED LEARNING AT
AAU 2/3
Problem
Work process
Teacher Participant
controlled Solution controlled
Traditional Active learning PBL -
classroom The AAU model
setting Mix of lectures
and exercises
Transfer of
information
Source: Thomas Ryberg, e-Learning Lab, AAU (adapted)
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

11. PROBLEM BASED LEARNING AT
AAU 3/3
Problem
Work process
Teacher Participant
controlled Solution controlled
Traditional Active learning PBL -
classroom The AAU model
setting Mix of lectures
and exercises
Transfer of
information
Source: Thomas Ryberg, e-Learning Lab, AAU (adapted)
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

12. SEMESTER OVERVIEW 1/2
Semester
5 ECTS
Courses 50% 5 ECTS
5 ECTS
15 ECTS
Project 50%
Semester: A semester is comprised of courses and a project, each weighing 50%
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

13. SEMESTER OVERVIEW 2/2
Semester
5 ECTS 
Courses 50% 5 ECTS - Active

learning
5 ECTS 
15 ECTS
Project 50%
 - PBL
Semester: A semester is comprised of courses and a project, each weighing 50%
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

14. STUDENT PROJECTS/GROUPS
•Problem based project work takes place within student
groups, which are characterised by:
•Collaboration, sharing and working closely together in;
•design
•negotiation and decision making
•analysis
•reflection
•The binding collaboration of members on successful
completion of the project is an essential component of the
overall approach to learning
•Often in collaboration with external partners/the business
community or as an interdisciplinary construction
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

15. MOODLE AND THE AAU MODEL 1/3
MOODLE at AAU
Traditional Active learning -
classroom setting dynamic learning
process
Transfer of (social
information constructivism?)
•Course materials •Open forums for
•References/literature interaction
•Links •Quizzes
•Notifications from •Assignments
teachers and •Peer review (groups)
secretariat
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

16. MOODLE AND THE AAU MODEL 2/3
MOODLE at AAU
Traditional Active learning - Student projects
classroom setting dynamic learning
process PBL -
Transfer of (social The AAU model
information constructivism?)
•Course materials •Open forums for
•References/literature interaction
•Links •Quizzes
•Notifications from •Assignments
teachers and •Peer review (groups)
secretariat
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

17. MOODLE AND THE AAU MODEL 3/3
MOODLE at AAU
Traditional Active learning - Student projects
classroom setting dynamic learning
process PBL
Transfer of (social The AAU model
information constructivism?)
?
•Course materials •Open forums for
•References/literature interaction
•Links •Quizzes
•Notifications from •Assignments
teachers and •Peer review (groups)
secretariat
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

18. WHAT HAVE WE DONE
•External tools (Leg )
•Mahara
•Internal organisation inside Moodle (Leg )
•Project rooms, supervision rooms
•Both on school-/course level but also for a single group of
students
•Massive administrative burden to organise and setup (100s-
1000s of student groups)
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

19. NEXT STEPS/CONSIDERATIONS
•Moodle activities (Leg )
•Strengthen teachers in regard to active learning
•Students in regard to their project groups
•Moodle 1.9 > 2.2
•Rethink entire process (with the pedagogical model more in mind)
•One Moodle as opposed to one Moodle pr school
•Ease administrative burden altogether
•Better support for interdisciplinary work
•Goal: Action is done where the local competences and knowledge
reside
•Self enroll in courses (both students and teachers)
•Creation of courses
•Preparing courses for archiving
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

20. PLEASE DROP BY…
Aalborg University delegation
•Lars Anderson
•Tina Funck
•Lillian Buus
•Lars Peter Enevoldsen
•Jakob Cloos Bojesen
•Brian Møller
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012

21. FURTHER INFORMATION
•Aalborg University
http://www.en.aau.dk
•About the Aalborg model for problem based learning
http://www.en.aau.dk/About+Aalborg+University/The+Aalborg+model+for+proble
m+based+learning+%28PBL%29/
•Download folder about PBL-The Aalborg Model
http://files.portal.aau.dk/filesharing/download?filename=aau/aau/2010/~/pub/PBL
_aalborg_modellen.pdf
•ELSA’s website
http://www.elsa.aau.dk
IRELAND & UK MOODLEMOOT 2012