Moodle is a free and open source e-learning platform similar to Blackboard. It allows educators to create online courses with opportunities for rich interaction and tailor courses to their needs. The speaker has used Moodle for 3 years to teach middle school and university courses. It allows activities like assignments, forums, quizzes, embedded videos and wikis to promote collaboration within and between classes. Moodle also offers safety and backup features to protect user content and data.

1. MSP2 Tech Talk: Moodle for Middle School Tom Jenkins

2. Quick Poll Rate your Moodle experience level A. I haven’t worked with Moodle at all as an instructor B. I have set up a page and have experimented a little bit with Moodle C. I have my own Moodle course that I use on a regular basis D. I am a “Moodle Master”

3. What is Moodle? Moodle is a free and open source e-learning software platform Somewhat similar to Blackboard or WebCT Over 28,000,000 users registered in over 2,500,000 courses

4. Why is it called Moodle ? M odular O bject O riented D ynamic L earning E nvironment

5. What is the purpose of Moodle? Moodle is designed to help educators create online courses with opportunities for rich interaction. Educators have the ability to tailor each course to his/her style and needs. Its open source license and modular design mean that people can develop additional functionality.

6. What do you need for Moodle? An in house server or paid hosting site Can work on different OS. Even free Linux.

7. What can you do with Moodle? Use Multiple Graphical Themes and Dynamic Nature to Create a Useful Tool Create Different Activities Post Several Types of Resources Multiple Forms of Assessment Gather, Store, and Share Data

8. Course Theme and Structure Blocks with columns (individual modules) Downloadable Apps

9. Blocks

10. Activities

11. Resources

12. Forms of Assessment Both informal and formal Upload Assignments Blogs/Journals Choice Flashcards Questionnaires Surveys

13. Quiz

14. Data

15. How Have I Used Moodle? I have used Moodle over the past 3 years to teach classes at Indian Valley Middle School and Wittenberg University I have used it to teach graduate level Technology for Teachers, 8 th Grade Science, 5 th -8 th Grade Technology, and will be using it this year for 5 th & 6 th Grade STEM Also Student Council and Washington DC Trip

16. What Types of Moodle Activities Have I Done? Download and Upload Single Assignments Download Freeware Surveys Forums (to communicate with each other or while I’m out) Links to Websites Reminders/Checklists/Rubrics Post Pictures Archive PowerPoints for later viewing Posting Podcasts Quizzes Embed Videos Wikis

17. Download/Upload Assignments

18. Links to Websites/Freeware

19. Forums

20. Reminders/Checklists/Rubrics

21. Posting Pictures

22. Archive PowerPoints

23. Podcasts

24. Quizzes

25. Embedded Videos

26. Wikis Allows collaboration not only in one class but between classes and grade levels

27. Safety Features Built-in Backup Authentication methods (Enrolment Key, Guests or no guests) Enrollment methods Content Filters

28. Additional Resources http://moodle.org/ http://playpen.moodle.com.au/moodle/index.php http://www.buddyproject.org/resources/moodle/default.asp http://moodle.buddylearning.org/moodle/

29. Additional Questions? Please feel free to ask

30. Contact Information Email: [email_address] Post to Wall: http://msteacher2.org/