Do you save your instruction time via Moodle? (Experiment)

Do you save your instruction time via Moodle? (Experiment)

by Laura Lin -
Number of replies: 13

Dear instructors:

 

We are working on a project called: Saving Instructor Time Investment by Using Web-based Learner Support Tools. We found Moodle is a promising tool for us to experiment with and we would like to participants who are interested in testing its efficiency of their instruction.

 

Following is the general description of our experiment setting, you are more than welcome show us your interest in participating in this experiment as well as discuss/suggest your ideas about the experimental setting.

 

Goal: The goal of this project is to find out whether web-based learner support tools can save instructors time and make learning more efficient. Here we want to focus on the tools that provide peer-feedback (Moodle: peer graded assignment). 

 

Experiment: What we would like you to do with our experiment is to assign two groups of your students - one is an experimental group using Moodle, another one is a control group with instruction in your original way. We will need you to record your time for each instructional activity with an easy to fill-in form, and share your feelings of using this tool with us. We prefer a subject that is objective, easy to perform a test so that the result will be comparable. For example topics in science will do fine. As for installation, we will run the server as administrator and give you full access to Moodle to deliver your course and help you to tackle technical problems if you need that.

 

Time frames: The experiment will take about 1 month. We estimate to take you a few hours of your extra time in this month. This includes: 1 hour for filling in time investment forms, and 2 hours to setup a peer-feedback assignment.

 

Result: Our experiment will be an authentic case study of your instruction. The result of this experiment will help you to evaluate your efficiency of using Moodle.

 

For Instructors who never use Moodle: You are very welcome to participate in our experiment, too. We will help you to use Moodle and tackle the technical problem. The result of this experiment will help you to evaluate whether you would like to use it or not.

 

We hope to give you a brand-new web-based instructional experience and benefit from our experiment for your further instruction. 

 

Best regards,

Dr. Koos Winnips

Msc. Student Laura Lin

University of Twente

Faculty of Behavioural Sciences

The Netherlands.

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In reply to Laura Lin

Re: Do you save your instruction time via Moodle? (Experiment)

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
This looks like a very interesting and useful study to be a part of - I encourage anyone thinking about trying the peer-graded assignment module to give this a go!
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In reply to Laura Lin

Re: Do you save your instruction time via Moodle? (Experiment)

by Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala -

Hi Laura.

I´m plannig two of my next semester courses using Moodle, I apply a strategy called "backward desing" during my summer workshop in Georgetown Univ. , on line to design courses for online environment.  If you´d like, I can colaborate in your research.

Regards,

jc

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In reply to Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala

Re: Do you save your instruction time via Moodle? (Experiment)

by Laura Lin -

Hi, JC:

Thanks for your reply with enthusiasm in my research. It seems you will have several courses and you plan to use Moodle in two of them. For me that is great to have data from the real learning environments. It also seems that you will start the courses in summer time which means, if we are going to cope for the experiment, we have to contact each other in a very quick and efficient way. But I'd like to try because an university is a promising learning environment where the peer feedback can be done and an entthusiastic instructor with equivelent student groups as the participants in an experiment is great mercy for the researcher.

Actually I contacted a high school near by my university and we will start the experiment in September. The overall plan for the experiment is almost done, including the instruments for data collection: time investment forms(when instructor teaching in the lectures, and when instructor preparing or giving feedback out of the lectures), the observation plan, the principles of the test, the questionnaires(COLLES)...etc. But the only problem now is the use of Workshop module in Moodle. As I posted in previous topics, I was asking the procedure of a peer feedback function in Workshop module.This is very important for this experiment because part of the time measurement will be how much instructor's time is saved if peers replace part of the instructor's work by giving feedback to each other with a well-organized web-based learner support tool. Well, this is also the reason why we choose Moodle in our experiment. I would like to know if you will try peer feedback in the two courses and if you know how to work with the Workshop module.

I would like to know more the the context of the subjects you teach, the students, your original teaching style, and how would you like to do with Moodle (also the idea of backward design, sound very interesting!) and everything about yourself that you think might be relevant to this experiment, including your expectation from this experiment.

I don't know if you mind to discuss details for the experiment via the forum and I am not sure if it is OK to discuss related issues here. I don't mind we do it via email or here or other way, as long as it can be efficient for the experimental settings. Maybe the discussion is not interesting for us only.smiley.gif and we can get some advice through discussion here.

Please feel free to send me email or post here about the details and ask me whatever you want to know in this experiment. As long as I am clear with your situation, I will make a proposal for the experiment so that we can discuss.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Cheers and greetings.

Laura

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In reply to Laura Lin

Re: Do you save your instruction time via Moodle? (Experiment)

by Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala -

Hi again Laura:

Yes, I´m planning to use Moodle in at least two of my courses next semester, both courses will be open in two more universities -different than mine- where I am invited lecturer. I will spent lots of time plannig the courses this month, part because I am studying a course -as I told you- in desing for online support of students, and part because the classes will begin by the Augutst 8th and I need to have all the materials, activites and assessment instruments ready for them.

The course I study in Geogetown Univ. is completely online, and within it I´m making an e-porfolio with my desings, learning activities, syllabous, and so. I will send you an updated copy today, in order you can have a wider view of one of my courses. Both of them are going to be teached in Spanish, but the documentaion for the first one is also available in English, so I expect we´ll encouter little problems.wink.gif

I have never used the Workshop module, but if you send me more information about it I could investigate about i. It can be a fruitfull experience if I could find a way to share  peer feedback of my work, suggestions and improvements in the courses, because here in the UIA (Universidad Iberoamericana) we are thinking seriously in using Moodle as our platform for learning activities. Unfortunately, my course in Georgetown will be finished by the end of July, so it will be difficult to get feedback from my classmates, but I will ask them for that.

Tell me more about the Woskshop module: is it included in the standard installation of Moodle or I have to download it as an extra package?

I think we can continue -al least for the moment- using the forum, so many other could be interested in participate in this experiment. See you later, whe I send you my e-portfolio with all the information -until next year- regarding the scope of my course, students, objectives, etc.

Regards, 

jc

PS.- Forgive my mistakes in writing . As you can see, English is not my language but I will do my best because this research can be very interesting and useful for both of us.

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In reply to Laura Lin

Re: Do you save your instruction time via Moodle? (Experiment)

by Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala -

Laura:

This is my e-portfolio until the part I have finished. I could not complete the outline today, but I will send it tomorrow, so you will be able to look my design. Let me know what do you think of the document.

Regards,

jc

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In reply to Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala

Document about scaffolding

by Laura Lin -

Hi, JC:

I just took a quick glance on your document,especially focusing on the assessment phase. I think you might be interested in the following document:

http://scaffolding.edte.utwente.nl/
In this website you will get many documents about the idea of scaffolding for www-based learner support.

http://www.ub.utwente.nl/webdocs/to/1/t000000e.pdf
This dissertation introduces a scaffolding-by-design Model and my experiment main bases on this research, and mainly focuses on measuring the efficiency of giving peer feedback.
In Chapter2, you might find the theory study that is related to your e-profolio p15  and in Chapter 6 you might find a series of guidelines for instructor to implement the idea of scaffolding model.

More information will be added later....

Laura

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In reply to Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala

About the idea of Peer feedback the Workshop module in Moodle

by Laura Lin -

Hi, JC:

In your e-profolio, you mentioned that:

The students will be part of a work team, which will be responsible of the evaluation of a network design for a company or organization, according to certain design parameters, constraints and special requirements such as prize, time to deploy, suitability to task, etc. They will elaborate a team discussion and analysis, and an essay of pros and cons of their case.

After that they will make a presentation to the rest of the group and answer questions or observations regarding their analysis.

I would think of it a nice topic for giving peer feedback because each team will design a product and will evaluate each other's design, especially about the pros and cons, which require critical-thinking, will inspire creativities during interaction and have no absolute answers. They will give peer support through the feedback so that they will not only reply on instructor support. You scaffold them via arrange team work and peer feedback and gradually they become self-reliance and the support can gradually fade away.

The workshop module in Moodle is for the instructors to arrange peer feedback assignment. Unfortunately, I still can not figure out how it works. I made a post in the following link, but I couldn't get reply. Maybe you can go there and take a glance:

http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=1696

But you still can check how to add it to your moodle site through the following link and try to use it:

http://moodle.org/download/modules/

Or you can go to the following link to try an example made by Martin:

http://moodle.org/mod/workshop/view.php?id=366

I hope the above information can help you a little bit to consider how peer feedback can be done in your courses. Please do not hesitate to make further discussion with me.

 

Laura

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In reply to Laura Lin

Re: About the idea of Peer feedback the Workshop module in Moodle

by Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala -

I am beginnig the lecture of the links you sended me. I will mail you a message tomorrow morning about that and my findings.

Now I send you my outline for the course, where session= 1 week. I have also activated all the links I refe in the document, and made a concept map at the begining of the file where you can see the complete desing and links between topics.

I´m contantig a colleague that coul help me in peer feedback.

See you tomorrow,

 

jc

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In reply to Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala

Instruments for this experiment

by Laura Lin -

Hi, JC:

Thanks for your attachment, it looks very nice (but sorry I am not specialized in Computer Network, otherwise I would understand more.)

I have been very busy in recent days because I will be away for holidays and not able to use Internet frequently from today till mid August. I will have chance to use Internet and read emails in the end of July. 

I would like to send you my experimental design proposal for the group I am going to experiment with in September. Please refer to Section 2.4 Instruments Development.  What you mainly have to do to record the data is to:

1. make another concept map like what I made after discussing with the school teacher in Figure 2: Concept map for activities of instructors time investment (Page 11). It is meant to conclude all the activities that will cost your(instructor's ) time in the instructional process. In the form I made for the high school, using Blackboard is their traditional instruction (without peer feedback) while using Moodle is their new instruction (with peer feedback). In your case, you might have to list the activities in your original instruction and activities when you use Moodle to teach your students.

2 Go to Appendix B & C(Page 20, 21). Change the events in the forms to be suitable for your instructional activities. What you have to record isAs long as the recorded time can be clearly distinguished for different types of instructional activities it makes sense. For recording time investment for activities in your lectures, you might need an assistant to observe your instruction and record the time for different types of activities. (Well, if I can do this research in your university myself, I will definitely the observer!)

3. send me the recorded forms weekly and I will process the data once the experiment is finished so that we can discuss the efficiency of using Moodle in your instruction.

Please do not hesitate to let me know your update or send me your questions and I will reply you once I read your message as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Laura

 

 

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In reply to Laura Lin

Re: Instruments for this experiment

by Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala -

Hi Laura:

 

I´ve read your research design and I enthusiastic about my collaboration in it. I would like to tell you that your theoretical foundations and its structure are focused from a very mature perspective that really saying- it´s a new area of development I would like to achieve at the best level possible. As I told you, I have been working in the technical aspects of communications and computer networks, and since more than three years and a half I collaborate in the Special Projects Dept. at my university as a system integrator for our distance learning programs.

 

I´ve assisted to Congresses, Workshops and read some books regarding pedagogy, distance learning, online support and web development. I would like to focus my job in systems integration for online and distance education, assessment and evaluation strategies. That´s why your research it´s very important for us.

 

The instruments for gathering data are interesting too. I need to know more about how to use them (or in which moment of the experiment).  Also, I would need if we have to make some changes to adjust the methodology of my courses in order to apply that instruments. During next week from Monday to Wednesday I will be working in the develop of materials, support web pages, reviewing exercises and projects for my students. It could be a good time to begin taking measurements of time invested in the course.

 

Let me talk with a researcher from the Centro de Desarrollo Educativo (Centre for Educational Development) to clarify with her certain doubts in the order of methodological procedures, and data analysis results that could be useful for us also. 

 

Regarding the phase called Operationalization of the experiment, how can we interact and collaborate? Which is your time frame, in order to adjust my calendar to the research?

 

Let me tell you more details of my groups.

 

Group A:

 

  • Private University (http://www.leon.uia.mx)
  • Bilingual almost-.
  • Face to face class with online support.
  • Course: Systems for Transfer Information and Networks I
  • Previous experience with online support for courses: some.
  • Access to Computer at home: almost 90% of the students.
  • Access to Internet at home: almost 90% of the students.
  • Access to Computer at school: yes.
  • Access to Internet from school: yes.
  • Public access to computers or Internet (Cybercafe, Community Centre, etc.): yes.

 

 

Group B:

  • Public University (http://www.itleon.edu.mx)
  • Spanish language only.
  • Distance Learning methodology using Moodle.
  • Course: Computer Networks I
  • Previous experience with online support for courses: none.
  • Access to Computer at home: almost 40% of the students.
  • Access to Internet at home: 30% of the students.
  • Access to Computer at school: yes.
  • Access to Internet from school: yes.
  • Public access to computers or Internet (Cybercafe, Community Centre, etc.): yes.
  • Notes: perhaps we have to translate the instruments to Spanish, or give more time for its completion.

 

I´ve talked with a colleague that has agreed to collaborate with us in the peer feedback support, and in this moment I´m beginning to analyze the discussion thread you sended.

 

I will begin my concept map to send it to you as soon as possible.

 

Regards,

 

JC.
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In reply to Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala

About discussin Workshop module

by Laura Lin -

Hi, JC:

I would like to tell you that you can discuss the peer feedback function in Workshop Module with the founder: Ray. In the following link you can see his personal profile and contact him via email. I think he will be very interested in any questions about workshop module

http://moodle.org/user/view.php?id=1352&course=5

 

Best regards,

Laura

 

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In reply to Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala

Re: Do you save your instruction time via Moodle? (Experiment)

by James Miller -
Juan,

I see we're both in the DC area. If you're around the Mall sometime I'd love to get together and meet offline to discuss your work. I had been using moodle as well and have found it a fantastic project. I'm interested in applications of moodle to legal pedagogy.
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In reply to James Miller

Re: Do you save your instruction time via Moodle? (Experiment)

by Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Ayala -

Hi James.

Thanks for your invitation ... but as you can see in the other mails, I forgot to say that I am studying the course in Georgetown using the online media. sad.gif

I live in Leon, Mexico, and work for the Universidad Iberoamericana (a university of the same jesuit education style as Georgetown, Gonzaga U. and others in  the US). Please see the document I attached to Laura´s reply where I present some of the design for my online work, as a part of the course I am stduying there... we could began a fruitful discussion by sharing our plans and thoughts regarding the use of Moodle in distance learning. I´m plannig to open my new courses by August, using this platform.

Regards,

jc

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