2.7
Was just learning that a more socially active website helps keeps users engaged. How can I make the default moodle more social? I saw something about social wall, but I'd rather not download a plug in now.
Use forums and make things interesting so that people want to participate.
Thanks. Is there a certain place you put it or way that you use it?
Not really, I'm more of a developer now, but my answer is how I'd solve the problem. You can put forums on any course including the front-page.
I use the Forum activity quite a bit in my courses, and it seems to add a little of a social aspect to my courses. Each week I provide between 5-8 topics, and I allow the students to decide which topics they want to pick for participation. I expect them, in general, to make two original posts to the topics that I provide, and to make two replies to other students' posts. This seems to work well. They can always post more if they wish.
thanks. So it's required vs. voluntary? I was thinking that maybe if I set up a forum no one would use it. There are not a lot of users at the same time. Maybe making it a requirement would make it look busier for starters. But I am really concerned with making the course more sticky and I guess just to get students to interact with it and stick around.
Ian, yes, weekly discussions are required. I use "Ratings" in the forum's configuration to set up the points, and these points that I award after reading a student's post goes right into their grade book. Not much work grading at all.
The beauty of weekly discussions is that you don't need students on at the same time. In my courses, the "rabbits" are always posting early. The "turtles" wait until the last evening. But it doesn't matter. I read and grade the posts regularly.
By telling students that they need to make two replies to other students' posts, this keep the discussions fairly social. I should mention that Moodle doesn't track replies versus responses to my original topic, so I have to somewhat just watch this. At the beginning of the semester, I have to remind a few students about this rule.
Remember that Moodle, by default, will email forum posts to every student. This let's students know that "things are happening" in my course. As they get overwhelmed with emails, I show them how to adjust their preferences so that they only get one email per day (digest.)
I find that this is a very good technique to keep students engaged, and to have to think a little more about what they have read in the textbook, or watched in my lecture videos, and to say something intelligent. Online discussions (with Moodle) are much better than classroom discussions. Everyone is "forced" to participate.
I will warn you that for this to be effective, you should read each post. Yes, I read every post, but I only respond to those student posts that make me want to contribute something. I do not reply to every post.
Throughout the week, as students make posts and I read and "rate" them, they see their grade (in the grade book) constantly improving.
I explain how this all works to students at the beginning of the course. I have a series of videos that I have made to help them. You can watch some of my videos yourself, especially those about "discussions."
My students learn very quickly that if the don't meet the due date, they don't get credit.