For those using Moodle with children...

For those using Moodle with children...

by Tina Smith -
Number of replies: 7

I'm looking for creative and visually stimulating ideas for using Moodle. 

I've had some ideas I've already put into use but I feel like there's probably tons of great ideas that I've just not thought of that I could be missing out on.

Could we share screenshots in this thread of things we are doing with our students? I am working with elementary through high school in my courses, so any in that age range would be wonderful. 

It seems like so much of the examples I see for Moodle online are for adults and are quite dry and dull looking in the way they are used...and with children, I just cannot see that being successful. I am determined to use lots of images and appealing activities to keep my courses fun! So far, according to the parents, I seem to have been successful. But I want MORE IDEAS!

I would really like to get some new ideas! Can y'all share with me please!! What do YOU do with your students??

I'm looking for use of images as well as flow of activities and assignments and even just the structuring of the courses. Anything and everything!

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In reply to Tina Smith

Re: For those using Moodle with children...

by Mary Cooch -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Moodle HQ Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers Picture of Translators

You have probably already seen them but there are a couple of courses on our Mount Orange School demonstration site designed for 8-9 year olds, based on stuff my school used to do. You would need to log in as manager to see the whole courses (username manager, password moodle) as one of them at least uses Restrict access  - me and my control freak tendencies with younger childrensmile They are guest access but you can't see everything as a guest.

Geography of Place

and Mathematics (Fibonacci sequence)


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In reply to Tina Smith

Re: For those using Moodle with children...

by Betsy Springer -

We are attempting this this year and I'm learning as we go. Visual navigation is the best help (we use BCU theme). Also, the gapfill question type is something we are going to try soon. 

Gamify also encourages them. Earning badges is something they enjoy. Our students use the moodle at home, so I assume the parents are close at hand. 

I uploaded a screenshot from my daughter's account (3rd grade).

Videos are good. Using something like tubechop.com eliminates the ads at the end. 

Also, for a quiz, I like to post a picture and ask them to guess what it is or how it will be used in class. Maybe a zoomed in picture, etc. 

Following to see what else people are doing. It is a challenge. 

Attachment mood2.png
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In reply to Betsy Springer

Re: For those using Moodle with children...

by Betsy Springer -

I JUST found a new repository plugin: Record Audio. You can use it in a label to add audio, such as reading the aloud that you put above it! I have placed it in a few spots. We will see how it works for the students.

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In reply to Betsy Springer

Re: For those using Moodle with children...

by AL Rachels -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers

If you like the Record Audio repository, then you might want to also try out the PoodLL repository. It not only will let you add audio but will also allow you to add videos, whiteboards, stopwatches, calculators, countdown timers, pictures, and flashcards. The PoodLL repo does also require that you install the PoodLL Filter.

In fact, there are many other parts of PoodLL that allow you to do all I've mentioned, plus many other things, just about anywhere in Moodle. For instance, one of the things I do with the Generico filter, is to personalize directions and pages with user names so that students feel more engaged in their Moodle activities.

All the various parts of PoodLL are undergoing active development to improve their performance and capability. Just recently both the Generico and Video Easy filters were given the capability of importing and exporting filter settings so that users can easily exchange templates for things such as user names like I mentioned, plus many others.

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In reply to AL Rachels

Re: For those using Moodle with children...

by Betsy Springer -
I like the options with poodll, however, it's too large for me to install from the admin side. Any ideas how to get around this? 
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Re: For those using Moodle with children...

by AL Rachels -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers

Hi Betsy,

You might be able to let Moodle do the installs for you if your site is registered with Moodle.org. (Under Administration click Site administration > Registration, if you need to.

You can try it at least. Log in at both your site and at Moodle. Then under Administration click Site administration > Plugins > Install plugins. Towards the top of the page, click on the big button, Install plugins from the Moodle plugins directory. Don't worry about leaving your site, you will come back in a minute. If you weren't logged in at Moodle already, it will ask you to log in. you can click as necessary to find the plugin you want, or just type it in the search box and hit Enter. For PoodLL, you are going to need the PoodLL filter first. Once you find it, there will be a green, Install now, button at the upper right. Click it, then you should see a list of your registered sites, if you have more than one, like I do. Click Install now by your site. You will then automatically return to your site and need to click on Continue.

This is the tricky point as I'm not sure if doing it this way will trigger your size limit or not. Hopefully, you will get a Validation successful, installation can continue message along with a Continue button for you to click. After a moment or two you should be given an Upgrade Moodle database now button to click, followed by Continue.

If you are successful with the PoodLL filter this way, then all the other PoodLL parts can be installed the same way. You might not know of it, but you will want the Generico filter and maybe the Video Easy filters, too.

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In reply to Tina Smith

Re: For those using Moodle with children...

by Justin Hunt -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

The PoodLL filter is a bit large. If you can raise your upload limit ... do that. If not then you should download it and give it to your web server admin person and get them to ;

i) create a file system repository and upload it there:
https://docs.moodle.org/30/en/File_system_repository

ii) do the install from zip file  and select it from the file system repository


for kids activties I used to :

i) use drawing activities on the PoodLL whiteboard. These ranged from a less violent version of hangman, to "listen to the audio and draw what you are told"

ii) Used a cloze question and listen to the music and fill in the blanks. 

iii) linked to the akinator online game : http://en.akinator.com/

iv) collect a whole range of funny tv commercials that weren't too sexy, and base activities on what they saw. eg they have to explain it to their partner who didn't see it. OR stop it halfway and ask how it ends OR play just the sound and ask them to pick out words, or guess whats happening OR whatever. YouTube videos vanish so many of them are gone now, but a few still remain here: YouTube Playlist


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