This document discusses how the learning management system Moodle can support an institutional pedagogy called the "Living Curriculum". The Living Curriculum focuses on elements like conversations, enquiry, autonomy, and disciplines. It is described how features of Moodle relate to these elements. However, it is noted that teacher perceptions strongly influence how the tools are used in practice. Supporting teachers to develop new dispositions through training and reflection is important for successful adoption. Understanding affordances is key, but does not guarantee recognition or certain behaviors without addressing teacher mindsets.

1. Moodle and the Living Curriculum

2. Unitec

3. Past
History
>> UNITEC INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

4. Distance & Flexible Education Capability
Assessment
>> UNITEC INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

5. Distance & Flexible Education Capability
Assessment
>> UNITEC INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

6. Living Curriculum and eLearning Strategy
Key Characteristics
• complex conversations, curiosity or inquiry led and
stimulating, focus on practice, social constructivism,
blended learning experiences, research-informed, discipline
based and interdisciplinary, literacies for lifelong learning
and embedded assessment

7. Living Curriculum
Principles of Teaching and Learning
conversation, curiosity/ enquiry, collaboration, self-
efficacy, problem-solving, creativity and
reflection
Phormium IMG_2942 by Brett Oliver

8. Key Themes
Conversations
Enquiry
Autonomy
Discipline

9. How does Moodle fit with the Living Curriculum?

11. How does Moodle fit with the Living Curriculum?
Trojan Horse (2) By GoGap

12. Affordances in Realising a Living Curriculum
Affordances describe the properties or qualities which can
potentially enable an action
Affordances may encourage certain actions/ behaviours
BUT
User perceptions (influenced by culture, context and
dispositions) are most influential in determining how the
tool is used
Chrysalis (Before) by Steven2005

13. Conversations and Ako as Puawaitanga
Conversations Ako as Conversations about enquiry, knowledge, practice,
how learners puawaitanga learning and teaching are significant for
engage with Ako engagement between and among learners, teachers,
self and others acknowledges practitioners, communities, scholars, and with self
to develop that curriculum and texts. Conversation develops beyond chat or
understandings development discussion and becomes true dialogue that involves
derives from analysis, synthesis, critical thinking and reflection.
diverse forms Effective conversations help to build inclusive
of intercultural relationships, involve questions as well as answer,
communicatio and facilitate the expression of different points of
n. view. Conversations are contextually situated, and
both technology and relationships mediate and
facilitate conversations.
Excerpt from: Unitec, (n.d.) Ako:
learning together [Brochure]. Unitec,
Auckland, New Zealand.

14. Enquiry and Ako as Wānanga
Enquiry Ako as wānanga. The process of enquiry is at the heart of the
how Wānanga informs the tertiary learning experience. It necessitates
learners curriculum through critical reflecting on the world within the
go about enquiry. The relationship perspective of a domain, formulating a
asking of the learner and the question, locating information in response to
and teacher is interdependent, the question, interpreting and testing ideas
answering and reciprocal for personal and information, generating and synthesising
questions and communal good. In ideas, and presenting and reflecting on the
this context, the teacher is process. Synthesis, reflection and evaluation
prepared to learn from the will in turn generate questions for further
learner. exploration.
Excerpt from: Unitec, (n.d.) Ako:
learning together [Brochure]. Unitec,
Auckland, New Zealand.

15. Autonomy and Ako as Mana
Autonomy Ako as mana. Mana binds the Individuals taking increasing charge of
how learners authority of learner and their own learning, which may be best
increasingly teacher with matauranga achieved through a scaffolded and
develop their (knowledge). Integrity is staged process of learning how to
capability developed through a process learn, planning, managing and
and of poutama (scaffolded reflecting on the process and products
confidence learning). of learning.
Excerpt from: Unitec, (n.d.) Ako:
learning together [Brochure]. Unitec,
Auckland, New Zealand.

16. Discipline and Ako as Kaupapa
Discipline Ako as kaupapa. Defined as a community of practice which has a
how learners Kaupapa is a (contested and evolving) body of knowledge and
engage with process by which theory, based on particular ways of knowing and
the knowledge intellect practising, which is taught and applied and
that underpins internalises, researched. A discipline has its own literacies
the discipline distinguishes and and language. Members of the discipline
creates new (faculty, learners, practitioners, scholars, etc)
knowledge. identify with this community of practice and
help to induct new members.
Excerpt from: Unitec, (n.d.) Ako:
learning together [Brochure]. Unitec,
Auckland, New Zealand.

17. Affordances in Realising a Living Curriculum
Affordances describe the properties or qualities which can potentially
enable an action
AND
Affordances may encourage certain actions/ behaviours
BUT
User perceptions (influenced by culture, context
and dispositions) are most influential in
determining how the tool is used
Chrysalis (Before) by Steven2005

18. Considering Teacher Dispositions
“…habits of mind ... that filter one's knowledge,
skills, and beliefs and impact the action one takes
in a classroom...” (Thornton, 2006)
“[Dispositions] are the source of the recognition
(or misrecognition) of learning opportunities and
provide strategy and motivation for the inevitable
improvisation that is learning” (Carr et al., 2010)

19. Considering Teacher Dispositions
Teachers who engage with new innovations that
significantly differ from their usual practices, and
the cultural norms of their teaching environments
are generally ill-equipped for success.
As learners successfully develop competencies
they become more inclined to apply them and
recognise the opportunities and reasons for doing
so.

20. Considering Teacher Dispositions
Claxton and Carr (2004) suggest “the
environment may need to invite learners to
participate, actively engage them and include
their prior knowledge in conversations and
interactions of joint attention, or provoke them to
recognise opportunities that are unfamiliar and
new” (cited in Carr et al., 2010)

21. Supporting Teachers to Develop and
Transfer Dispositions
“…teachers need to know the affordances and
constraints of various technologies and how
specific technologies might support their own
teaching practices and curricular goals” (Zhao et
al, 2002)

22. Supporting Teachers to Develop and
Transfer Dispositions
Tishman, Jay and Perkins (1993) suggest thinking
dispositions are learned through a process of
enculturation, and use four elements in teaching thinking
dispositions: modelling, explanations, peer interactions
and both formal and informal feedback.
Zhao et al. (2002) found three significant factors for
success: technology proficiency, pedagogical compatibility,
and social awareness

23. Summary
The affordances of an LMS can align closely with
an institutional pedagogy, and can help encourage
specific design-intended behaviours in teachers and
learners.
However teacher perceptions influence how or
whether the affordances are recognised.
The dispositions required can be learned and
transferred.

24. Summary
Intentional strategies need to be employed to address
teachers perceptions if they are to successfully transfer
their teaching dispositions to the new context,
knowledge and perceptions.
Literature suggests an iterative teacher training and
support process which involves practical technology
use, an interactive group context which encourages
reflection and communication on the technologies and
their pedagogical potential/ application.

25. Future Directions

26. DSP 147: Thank You! 2007-10-11By vernhart

27. Image Credits
Chrysalis (Before) by Steven2005
(http://farm1.staticflickr.com/100/295999531_ce0b1a6f06.jpg )
Phormium IMG_2942 by Brett Oliver
(http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1266/1246712235_85b2a26571.jpg)
Building #1 by By cogdogblog (Alan Levine)
(http://farm1.staticflickr.com/2/2472100_1f14617e42.jpg)
Trojan Horse (2) By GoGap
(http://farm1.staticflickr.com/104/253649673_4eed26ea98.jpg)
DSP 147: Thank You! 2007-10-11By vernhart
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/vernhart/1574355240/sizes/m/in/photostream/)

28. Presentation References
Full References can be found in Roder, T. & Rata-Skudder, N. (2012) Moodle and the
Living Curriculum
Carr, M., Smith, A. B., Duncan, J., Jones, C., Lee, W., & Marshall, K. (2010). Learning in the
Making: Disposition and Design in Early Education. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers
John, P., & Sutherland, R. (2005). Affordance, opportunity and the pedagogical implications
of ICT. Educational Review, 57(4), 405-413.
McLoughlin, C., & Lee, M. J. W. (2007). Social software and participatory learning: Pedagogical
choices with technology affordances in the Web 2.0 era. Paper presented at Ascilite: Singapore.
Roder, T., & Rata-Skudder, N. (2012, 14-15 September 2012). A community approach to staff
development in eLearning. Paper presented at the 1st Moodle Research Conference, Heraklion,
Crete-Greece.
Thornton, H. (2006). Dispositions in action: do dispositions make a difference in practice?
Teacher Education Quarterly, 33(2).
Tishman, S., Jay, E., & Perkins, D. N. (1992). Teaching Thinking Dispositions: From Transmission
to Enculturation. Harvard University, Cambridge. Retrieved from
http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/docs/article2.html
Unitec, (n.d.). Ako: learning together [Brochure]. Unitec, Auckland, New Zealand.
Unitec, (2010). Mapping the Living Curriculum [Internal document]. Unitec, Auckland, New
Zealand.
Zhao, Y., Pugh, K., Sheldon, S., & Byers, J. L. (2002). Conditions for Classroom Technology
Innovations. Teachers College Record, 104(3), 482-515.