Moodle buzz

With the help of browser-based software, students in BYOD districts can be on the same page even if they have different devices.

Doug Johnson, the director of libraries and technology for the Mankato (MN) Public Schools, says his district has been experimenting with BYOD this year. To ease collaboration issues, Mankato has teachers using device-neutral platforms, including Google Apps and Moodle. Teachers and students use the Moodle LMS to share their class assignments and syllabi. Students use Google Apps for e-mail, document storage, and collaborative writing projects, and Poll Everywhere for a student response system. These browser-based apps are compatible with a wide range of devices and operating systems, Johnson says, adding that teachers are still struggling with the more basic issue of how to adjust when students fail to bring their devices to class.