Learning standards: A new standard - the Moodlet - constructivist learning object

Learning standards: A new standard - the Moodlet - constructivist learning object

by Andy Diament -
Number of replies: 21

This idea is based on a number of current disucssions and other experiences:

  • The new pre-eminence of moodle in the open source (and I predict all) course management solutions
  • The relative importance of being able to import SCORM/IMS objects for content and the way that moodlers will wrap them with useful learning/reflective/collaborative activities when the time comes
  • The ability to exchange courses within moodle setups with backup/restore, but the potential difficulty in exporting, should the need ever arise [there are rival systems, eg KEWL which also know something of social constructivism].
  • A course that I did last week, which was topic based, one topic and had a set of activities leading to a specific set of learning outcomes (in this case, an assignment, a web link, a hot potatoes crossword, a chat, a forum and a choice for some evaluation) - just enough to introduce moodle to an 'interesting' group of 14/15 year olds.

So I propose the establishment  of a new object - smaller than a course, but made up from the items that together cover a specific set of learning outcomes over a fairly short time scale (e.g. a lesson, week etc)

Moodlet seemed like an obvious name; can anyone suggest anything else?

  • It would contain 1 or more items: content (e.g. resources, lessons, eventually scorm objects); assessment items (assignments, quizzes, hot potatoes) and carefully chosen reflective/communication items (journal, forum etc) plus teachers notes in the teachers forum; however, a resource with only content would not really support the moodle philosophy
  • It would be easier to assimilate than a whole course - when there is a free exchange of moodle courses - it will take a lot of work to study and customise extensive courses.
  • It would be A building block for courses, and could be posted and exchanged, e.g. on the moodle exchange course; indeed, there may be reasons why moodlers might only want to distribute exemplar material, or feel constraints on what they can distribute. However, I accept that you might not achieve coherence by only building a course from other people's objects.
  • It can be more easily customised for your specific course, and improved/augmented versions uploaded to the community; this is probably much easier than trying to edit scorm material.
  • It might make translating teaching material more managable (?) but I've had no experience in this area
  • It would be ideal to help in training moodle users in what constitutes good learning practices, rather than just moodle functionality. You could perceive a one day training course where the outcome is a moodlet, more achievable than a whole course. Then, the focus is on learning.

Does it take a lot of work? Do we actually need to do anything new?

Well, using moodle as it stands now, if had such a collection of items (e.g. in a week or a single topic) you could back up and restore a copy of the course to delete other items; back up to a zip. This could be distributed easily; and other usersc could add items to a new or existing course, then investigate and edit as necessary - the items would fit seamlessly into a new course. Someone more talented than me could come up with a simpler solution, as this is quite complex for many users!

Any thoughts? Am I just stating the obvious or is there any merit in thinking in terms of chunks of moodle learning that are smaller than a course? I fully expect some debate on the value of student development over an extended course. I just think this could be a way to extend the discussion of how to use moodle for learning, because for me, the greatest challenge is always how to do so much more than just lazily and hurriedly post loads of old links/documents/web pages as resources in a course!

Well done if you got this far!

Andy D

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Andy Diament

Courselets?

by Martin Dougiamas -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Moodle HQ Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
Backup/restore will support subsets of courses this year, judging by comments from Eloy.

Not sure about Moodlet though, it's not a small Moodle ... maybe a consistent name would be "Activity sets" or "Extended activities" ... or OK, how about this one:  courselet?
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Martin Dougiamas

Proposal für a Courselet Definition (IMS LD compliant :-)

by Bernhard Zech -

Great, this is a very interesting idea. In the area of our IMS Learning Design (IMS LD)development currently we think about similar reusable entities. Would be very usefull to have between learning objects | ressources | SCOs and whole courses / "Units of Learning"  at least one intermediate layer of "granularity" of interoperable and reusable "objects". The challenge is clearly to define what such a "courselet" is, otherwise the spectrum of things we label with the same name would be to large and the interoperability would be lost. The definition could contain mandatory and optional elements or properties of such a "courselet".

From an IMS LD point of view the concept of an ACT is an interesting candidate for this. An ACT is a single phase in a course. It describes what roles (teachers, learners, tutors or whatever) do what activities with what ressources using what kinds of "services" like chat rooms, forums etc. to the same time. When an ACT is finished, a next ACT can start. This way the concept is also used to synchronize the starting and ending points of activities.

A courselet could be defined as an ACT according to IMS LD or as a coherent sequence of ACTs. The difference to a course would be, that it doesn't describe a complete course / learning experience, put only a reusable part of it. With other words, it's always an "incomplete" learning sequence from a didactical point of view.  Could you agree this proposal?

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Martin Dougiamas

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courlets based on Eloy's backups

by David Delgado -

I have been talking about that for a long time, and from time to time. We could construct very good "courselets" (which could even become eventually Learning Objects) around course "sections" (topics or weeks). The most important part is already done: course backups based on XML structures. We could just allow backups of individual sections and we got that. smile

If we allow the sharing of this "courselets" all over the Moodle server (as quiz categories are yet), we would have an excelent Learning Content Management System (LCMS), as Atutor is supposed to be, not loosing any Moodle funcionality and keeping original phylosophy.

I think it would be great to have that, and I am sure it would not be very difficult to get it. What do you all think? Eloy, Martin, do you agree?

Average of ratings: -
In reply to David Delgado

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courlets based on Eloy's backups

by Ger Tielemans -

I agree, the starting point is the XML backup.

Using the metaphor of the course structure with sections teachers are arranging there the logical context: resources and scales around activities. (OR resources, scales and activities around a theme/topic. I prefer the last approach and call it for myself the learning molecule, built from the atoms: theme + activities + resources + scales.)

  • If you calll the section the theme/topic container, you could call the section the reusable learning object
  • In that case you need a field on section level for metadata (Dublin Core, etc..)
  • OK, now the granularity problem:
    • You need in the backup procedure a possibilty to save section by section
    • You need a possibility to save only the sections (= IMS/CP) In that case there must be a metadata field on top level: I propose a field in section zero
    • It is also possible that you construct inside a section a subtheme: we could agree that we would use subsections in that case. Students would also see more structure in that case and the backup should be aware of this: then you wish also to save the subsection alone (metadata on subsection level.)

To make things practical: In a normal course these metadata fields are optional, during export with the backup, the metadata field on the highest level must be filled..

Sidestep:

  • Scales should be integrated in each activity that can be marked as an assignment type. (Competency Description..)
  • In that case each scale (or set of scales: Rubrics) should end up in a mark for the gradebook
Attachment stscc067.png
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Ger Tielemans

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courlets based on Eloy's backups

by Tom Murdock -
I can't contribute much to this discussion, except what is maybe obvious. WebCT and Blackboard will not be hustling to export to additional formats for another big reason -- they won't want to make it easier for more of their clients to jump ship to something like Moodle. Walking into a school with a free Moodle and a hardy converter script (translating from BB & WebCT archives) under your arm will scare the socks off the competition.

I say push ahead with courselets (for the ease of Moodlers), and create clear ways for schools to get out of contracts with the old guard.

-Tom
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Tom Murdock

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courlets based on Eloy's backups

by Andy Diament -

Thanks all for positive comments. I'm glad someone thought of it first, David, becasue I think it is self evident

Courselet sounds fine.

My main aim was to raise this as a way to focus on small packages of learning. It is something that could rival scorm / ims - if we try to shoehorn courselets into scorm/ims, do we not risk producing activities which seem complete from a moodle point of view, but which rival systems may not be able to use (e.g. the stem for a forum, or a complex lesson).

Marks for each courselet? Didn't think of that: I envisaged that once the contents of a courselet were loaded into a course, they would just appear as a normal collection of items, with appropriate marking - in my original model, the activities could culminate in, say an assignment and you would see the marks in the normal ways.

I think where the work is in selectively restoring items from a backup, or selectively adding items to a backup, however this has got practical spinoffs e.g in copying parts of courses to other courses within an institution (e.g. different groups with similar courses) or simply from one week in a weekly course to another

I'm an absolute beginner at development - is there anything I can do to help take this forward?

Andy D

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Andy Diament

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courselets based on Eloy's backups

by Eloy Lafuente (stronk7) -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Moodle HQ Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
Hi Moodlers,

about courselets (or individual selection of activities) it's a great (needed) feature, sure.

Some days ago I started examining the code to implement that feature. But, after analysing the modifications to do, I asked his majesty smile about the possibility of delaying such development after 1.3. The main reason was the huge number of changes to do, their potential risks, the 1.3 release at an early date and the duplicity of work to do again to prepare all the backup/restore stuff to 2.0.

So, currently, the road-map is:

  • Until 1.3, polish the actual backup/restore procedure to support calendar, solve some minor issues...help in other 1.3 incoming areas...
  • After 1.3, determine 2.0 prerequisites and courselets specifications.
  • Recode all the necessary stuff to support them.
  • Test, bug, solve, test, bug, solve, test, bug, solve....
  • Release 2.0


Anyway, we can continue talking about courselets here and now, of course, specially about some aspects like:

  • Should the courselets XML format different from current course XML format?
  • Should the restore process be exact the same for both?
  • Should "non activity info" (users, logs, groups...) be exported always/never/selected by the user?
  • ...


And this is all for now, ciao smile
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Eloy Lafuente (stronk7)

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courselets based on Eloy's backups

by Andy Diament -
From a learning point of view, should it be standard that every courselet begins with a document that lays out:
  • aims and objectives/learnign outcomes
  • a roadmap of the activities
  • Suggested deadlines
And if so:
  • I think it should just be in an html document or uploaded file, to provide maximum flexibility, but we can discuss what makes an appropriate introduction for different learninf situations
  • However, would people prefer a template or a resource to enforce content here?
Andy D
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Andy Diament

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courselets based on Eloy's backups

by Hans de Zwart -
I would prefer these things to be automatically generated from the info in the courselet itself. That shouldn't be so hard. This 'document' at the beginning of the courselet could have auto-content consisting of different parts that could be hidden or not (kind of a adaptle automatic template).
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Hans de Zwart

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courselets based on Eloy's backups

by Andy Diament -

So, it would require a form to describe the aims, objectives etc. of the courselet, rather than simply packaging up a collection of existing moodle items.

My concern is that a document needs to be accessible to the wide range of moodle users - to what extent do you think that discussion, training, exemplars should be used to encourage teachers to develop good layouts with clear aims etc (e.g. the WebQuest style), rather than imposing a structure?

Andy D

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Eloy Lafuente (stronk7)

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courselets based on Eloy's backups

by Richard Treves -

Most of the discussion here has been about technical issues and implementation which is very necessary. However, I think we also have to ask ourselves about user issues.  Unlike Open Source Code projects Open Source Courseware projects (i.e. sharing course materials freely) appear to be getting nowhere, there are loads of projects around that aim to get people to swap their teaching materials and they just haven't taken off* - see Weller et al.

I think if any community is capable of generating the critical mass of users necessary to sucessfully run such a project its this one.  On the other, I think its sensible to think carefully about how to suceed in an area where a lot of people have failed before resources are devoted to such a project.  Maybe a pilot is a good idea? 

Sorry to not be more positive, its a great idea and I'd love to see it working, I just think the real challenges are human rather than technical.

Richard

*I'm talking about the University sector here, not sure if this is true in schools or training sectors.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Richard Treves

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courselets based on Eloy's backups

by Hans de Zwart -

In my opinion sharing courselets is not necessarily for being used by other e-learning systems. It is meant for all those sensible people that use Moodle (a growing bunch, any predictions to how many exactly?) and want a smaller scale for sharing than a course.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Richard Treves

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courselets based on Eloy's backups

by Andy Diament -
I suppose that I'd really envisaged a brave souls sharing a few well-conceived courselets as exemplars to encourage good practise.

I agree, it will take a lot to see a lot of material this way - this rivals the scorm situation - apart from the UK NLN materials, I don't know where to go to get scorm type material without paying for it/commissioning it or writing it myself! [I'd rather write moodle materials anyway]

Cheers Andy D
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Eloy Lafuente (stronk7)

Re: Courselets? - Martin's courselets based on Eloy's backups

by Don Quixote -
Suggestion for a unique courselet ID:

<domain>_<ID>_<version>

e.g.

org.institution_394851_20040825

Each courselet could be stored in a subdirectory of the course files named with this courselet ID. As already mentioned by others, with an associated xml file which describes content, prerequisites, learning goals, etc. one could easily request more "human readable" and descriptive information.

I think it would be helpful if the xml file also contains a "tech requirements" entry, which lists for a courselet client requirements like flash plugin, java enabled, acrobat reader, etc.


Average of ratings: -
In reply to David Delgado

Re: Courselets? - or Learning Objects

by Paul Nijbakker -

Hi,

I am not sure about courselet, since it sounds like corselet a type of underwear for hefty females smileblush. The Finnish Virtual Polytechnic uses the term Learning Objects (A (set of) task(s) which are unified by one learning goal or subject, complete with a comprehensive description of the parts and instructions for the teacher).

The other day I posted my old whisky files on the exchange. I will rework them into a moodle LO if I have time this weekend and post it again.

Rgrds, Paul.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Paul Nijbakker

Re: Courselets? - or Learning Objects

by Bernhard Zech -

Hi Paul,

would be really fatal, if users think about a moodle course as a sequence of reusable corselets big grin. From my Point of view Learning Object is also problematic, because there are dozens of different definitions and meanings in the public, what a Learning Object is, beginning with the ingenious IEEE definition, according to this everything in the wourld can be a LO, including persons ...

Regards 

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Bernhard Zech

Re: Courselets? - or Learning Objects

by Andy Diament -

Would it really be so fatal in all cases? Yes, in many courses, the overall structure, skill development over time etc is crucial, and it would be very inappropriate to think in such small blocks.

There must be also be times where a course is naturally split into sections e.g. leading up to a specific assessment or covering part of a syllabus, or is so short that the material can be contained in a single section.

I use moodle a lot in face to face teaching in computer rooms, for students aged 14 -18; Often, I'm working on a timescale of 1 1/2 -2 hours and I often use a range of moodle activities in that time, to the point of unhiding resources part the way through, once a task ahas been attempted. Thinking in small blocks helps me to structure teaching on that scale, and to ensure a range of activities and learning styles from one week to the next.

I'm not envisaging highly crafted SCORM learning objects, which are used in their entirety;  but collections of moodle activities/reosurces etc which can be more easily customised to meet specific needs. It's all about moodle allowing a wide range of flexible approaches.

Andy D

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Andy Diament

Re: Courselets? - or Learning Objects

by Bernhard Zech -

Hi Andy,

I suppose you misunderstood Paul's posting and my following choke. Read carefully Pauls text and I'm absolutely shure you can agree wink.  

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Bernhard Zech

Re: Courselets? - or Learning Objects

by Andy Diament -

Yes - having re-read it - the definition of learning object is what I had in mind, but reserving courselet for a moodle object, specifically to distinguish it from other standards.

Thanks Bernhard - apologies to you and Paul for not reading carefully blush [supposed to be embarrased]

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Andy Diament

Re: Courselets? - or Learning Objects

by Bernhard Zech -

No need for apologies, you started this interesting thread and I like your concepts and ideas. I'm shure the moodle community will find a good term for 'courselets'.

Best regards 

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Bernhard Zech

Re: Courselets? - or Learning Objects

by Andy Diament -

see earlier in thread - courselet WAS the imporved term!

Andy D (just off home...)

Average of ratings: -