I think you can find some people to share courses. Perhaps this search will help you?
http://moodle.org/mod/forum/search.php?search=exemplary+courses&id=5
With respect to why people don't share, there are some substantive reasons. Student privacy for one (or else the significant amount of work it takes to completely anonymize a working course), and copyright for another (I would think few teachers create working courses based on completely public domain resources). Regardless, I think you will find some people who make open courses that you can visit.
In this thread there is quite a bit of discussion:
http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=94854
atw
Hi
Thanks for your reply and apologies if my question sounded like a rant.
I understand that some teachers will be reluctant to share or even make visible all or parts of courses, yet I am still not convinced on the wider reasons. On the student privacy issue, why is this a problem when access to a course unit does not give you viewing rights to look at other students work? As for copyright, I think in most cases that is just another red herring spun even in the days before computers. Looked at another way, how many people have actually been pursued in the courts for making public information on a Moodle site? An author who was aggrieved at some Moodle content would in the first instance complain to the site administrator and the school would remove or amend the data to suit both parties. If copyright was really an issue, most school departments would in truth grind to a halt. On copyright we need to apply commonsense and not hide behind it as an excuse[like many do in the UK regarding Health and Safety].
As for the answer[s], who knows. I do think it is the one main barrier to Moodle making any sort of real progress in the short term to teaching and learning. Too many people, are working independently on in many cases the same exam content and investing an enormous amount of time, instead of collectively working together.
Maybe we could start by giving some real form of credit/recognition to sites that are 'open' and on the Moodle.org sites listing start by only including 'cool sites' that have some example open courses. For me a 'cool site' is NOT one that has an attractive front end and no visible content.
Hi Jim
I totally agree and could spend all day giving you reasons or should that be excuses! Instead, please find below a link to one of the sites I have developed for Lancashire County Council.
http://vle.vspreston.lancsngfl.ac.uk/
Most of the courses are open to view and a few have zip files so you can transfer courses across to your own Moodle site. I would welcome any comments, suggestions etc you may have.
Regards and good luck.
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk
cheers, Chad
ps. i agree with ATW - information privacy & copyright are obvious reasons moodlers cant, wont share. msg me if you're interested to check out my moodle - im quite proud of it!
Hi Chad
Many thanks for your reply. I have a link to the OU [Openlearn] material on one of the Moodle sites and some teachers have picked out some useful bits. Its interesting that a commercial company such as the OU can have open access courses, yet schools cannot!
Can you email your website link on artmanx@live.co.uk
Regards and once again thanks for your reply.
Jim