Moodle is an open-source learning management system used by over 150 countries that was designed to foster online learning communities. It follows social constructivist pedagogy and has over 150,000 registered users on its website. Schools like the Open University in the UK, UCLA, and Smith College now use Moodle to deliver courses online to their students. Moodle is provided freely as open-source software under the GNU Public License and includes many features to support online learning like forums, quizzes, assignments and more.

1. An Open Source Learning Management System It’s Free! (Like Free Kittens) Ken Ronkowitz

2. Moodle was designed to help foster online learning communities. It has an active development and support group (very important for open-source projects) and has users in over 150 countries. Moodle was built following social constructionist pedagogy as a virtual learning environment. 150,000 registered users on moodle.org moodle.org /stats/ Humboldt State Moodle has 12,288 courses and 42,121 users. The Open University (OU) in the UK has converted their courses to MOODLE for their 250,000 students. UCLA, UC-San Diego & Smith College are now using Moodle, and many are piloting it (Lafayette, Bennington...) SEE MY BLOG

3. http://moodle.org/sites/

4. Moodle? verb - the process of lazily meandering through something; doing things as it occurs to you to do them; an enjoyable tinkering that often leads to insight and creativity. If you’re writing a proposal, say it means: Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment Either applies to both to the way Moodle was developed, and to the constructivist pedagogy that guided the original users group. Anyone who uses Moodle is a Moodler.

5. What is Social Constructivism? Briefly... People actively construct new knowledge as they interact with their environment. Everything you read, see, hear, feel, and touch is tested against your prior knowledge Knowledge is strengthened if you can use it successfully in your wider environment. You are not just a memory bank passively absorbing information, nor can knowledge be "transmitted" to you just by reading something or listening to someone. Learning is particularly effective when constructing something for others to experience Social Constructivism extends the above ideas into a social group constructing things for one another, collaboratively creating a small culture of shared artifacts with shared meanings. More at http:// docs.moodle.org /en/Philosophy

6. Moodle is provided freely as Open Source software (under the GNU Public License). Basically this means Moodle is copyrighted, but that you are allowed to copy, use and modify Moodle provided that you agree to: provide the source to others; not modify or remove the original license and copyrights, and apply this same license to any derivative work.

7. ?

8. Welcome to Moodle Support Planning 2 full semesters prior to launch Transfer of current CMS courses Moodle accepts IMS course packages with some caveats System Admin minimum 2X current admin User Training (3 semesters) creation of training materials (including courses) simultaneous with initial course transfer faculty training during two semesters prior to launch and ongoing during subsequent semesters.

9. http:// tracker.moodle.org /browse/MDL Moodle Project developers

10. Commercial Support moodlerooms.com support hosting customization instruction training for a single class, school or university.

11. Is there some system administrator in you? Moodle runs without modification on Unix, Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, Netware and any other system that supports PHP 4.3.0+ Designed in a modular way - allows flexibility to add/remove functionality at many levels. Upgrades easily - has an internal system to upgrade its own databases and repair itself over time. Requires only one database, generally SQL, and can share it with other applications if necessary. (MySQL 4.1.16+). Includes comprehensive database abstraction that supports many major brands of database. Emphasis on security - forms are all checked, data validated, cookies encrypted etc.

12. Log In authentication using LDAP

13. The Moodle interface can be displayed in either Weekly , Topic or Social format.

14. Quick Tour of Selected Features and Tools

15. The Calendar allows you to enter events in various categories (User, Course and Site). You have the option to also show upcoming events, assignments etc., and recent activity in the course. Calendar

16. The Chat feature in Moodle will facilitate real time conversations between users. It can be logged. Chat

17. SETTINGS - teacher

18. Editing and Student View The EDIT view allows the teacher to add content, edit content, add activities and resources, rearrange content, and “hide” content from students.

19. A Forum is a posting area where students can create or contribute to a topic with their own comments (AKA bulletin board or discussion) OPTIONS include: Grade posts, set open/close date, no reply, one reply only etc.

20. Lessons, similar to learning objects, represent a means of delivering structured learning through Q & A sessions that are drawn from embedded content. Lessons

21. QUIZ tool

22. Quiz Information and Grades

23. A Workshop allows peer assessment of documents and self-assessment activities, while providing the teacher with opportunities to both manage and grade material. Workshops

24. The Journal feature will allow every student to have a personal journal that only they and their teacher will be able to access. Journal

25. The Glossary feature in Moodle acts as a definition resource - entries can be set to create highlighted hyperlinks within the course itself. Glossary

26. Assignments (online, offline) can be delivered to students, and they can upload files which you can grade online and give feedback. Assignments

27. Reports User activity on Moodle can be monitored using the Logs option. This features levels of detail from module, to student details, grouped by date and time

28. Activities (tools) Blogs Wikis Quizzes with different kinds of questions Database activities Surveys (not fully featured now) Chat Glossaries Activities Data field types (for the database activity) Peer assessment Multi-language support (over 60 languages are supported for the interface [2] ) Moodle is modular, can be extended by creating plugins for specific new functionality. Graphical themes Authentication methods Enrollment methods Content Filters

29. Customizable Themes (branding)

32. Moodle Community Discussion http://moodle.org/course/ Using Moodle by Jason Cole Moodle: Learning Course Development by William Rice IV

33. Ken Ronkowitz [email_address] Manager of Media & Instructional Technology University Web Services, NJIT Check my March 22 Serendipity35 blog entry for this session to find the links mentioned today and more information. http://devel2.njit.edu/serendipity/ NJIT Moodle Pilot http://www.njit.edu/tlt/cms/