LessonUp is an online learning platform for teachers
to create lessons. It is becoming increasingly popular. Does anyone know why this is and what the difference is with Moodle?
I expect it is quite a basic platform (and of course it requires payment, unlike Moodle.) I've moved your post into the Lounge area where we can discuss general issues like this.
Did you get the assignment from your school "compare and contrast Moodle and LessonUp" or are you in search of a LMS for you? If the former you won't have much luck, your post is the first time LessonUp es ever mentioned in the moodle.org english language forums. If the latter, please explain in detail what you expect from a LMS, go though similar discussions in the Advocacy forum and ask the moderator to move your discussion there.
I know, you are not. Still to be explicit: If you have any relationship with LessonUp, better to disclose it right from the beginning.
I know, you are not. Still to be explicit: If you have any relationship with LessonUp, better to disclose it right from the beginning.
I will try to be more specific. I am an ICT coördinator of a Dutch secondary school (and also teacher). We have installed Moodle (https://moodle.edictum.nl) and organized a Moodle course for teachers. But now teachers have discovered Lessonup. One of the drawbacks is certainly that it is a paid platform. I don't know it very well but want to know why it is popular and is it maybe better or more user-friendly than Moodle?
I've used Moodle for many years, but personally only the test options. For lessons I've programmed my own lesson website. In Moodle I have recently installed the Wiris plugin and some teachers are using H5p. Other teachers are using the test option as well.
So: no relationship with LessopUp
I've used Moodle for many years, but personally only the test options. For lessons I've programmed my own lesson website. In Moodle I have recently installed the Wiris plugin and some teachers are using H5p. Other teachers are using the test option as well.
So: no relationship with LessopUp
Hi
I should have checked your profile before answering! As a 11 year veteran you know Moodle. May be your problem is, you don't know LessonUp. Neither do I. And worse, yours is a more management question, managing the human resources, managing the pedagogy, which is not my area. Other than non-helpful answers like, ask the teachers or ask the principal, I have little to add. Hope others will help. (Wink, wink.)
From a layman's angle, I can only say, the tool needs to fit the people. And to compare and contrast two things, they need to have something significant in common. If I may bring an analogy, you maintain a van for a company whereas the employees would love to have a subscription with a local taxi service! I don't know how the management should tackle this situation. A consultative manager would build an action group amoung the LessonUp enthusiasts and let them run a pilot project, say one a full semester. Then bring in an external specialist for an evaluation?
I should have checked your profile before answering! As a 11 year veteran you know Moodle. May be your problem is, you don't know LessonUp. Neither do I. And worse, yours is a more management question, managing the human resources, managing the pedagogy, which is not my area. Other than non-helpful answers like, ask the teachers or ask the principal, I have little to add. Hope others will help. (Wink, wink.)
From a layman's angle, I can only say, the tool needs to fit the people. And to compare and contrast two things, they need to have something significant in common. If I may bring an analogy, you maintain a van for a company whereas the employees would love to have a subscription with a local taxi service! I don't know how the management should tackle this situation. A consultative manager would build an action group amoung the LessonUp enthusiasts and let them run a pilot project, say one a full semester. Then bring in an external specialist for an evaluation?
I am assuming that you don't have something to sell. I know that you don't sell LessonUp. But do you "sell" Moodle - it doesn't always have to be monitory, may be emotional? If you are passionate about something and your environment is not, well, how you handle that situation?
Yes, thanks Visvanath for reminding me about the Comparisons and Advocacy forum - I should have moved it there. Hold onto your hats (again!) gentlemen as I move the discussion. Phillip - I took a brief look at LessonUp and it reminded me a bit of Edmodo, in its simplicity and focus on teachers (although the last time I looked, Edmodo was free.)
Hi Philip,
An interesting discussion I should have noticed, given the fact I work in the Dutch education context. AFAIK, LessonUp is more of a Learning Content Management Platform than a true LMS such as Moodle. It offers readymade content for teachers to use in a traditional classroom setting and has a few engagement tools that make it useful for teachers and students alike. However: LessonUp is mainly based on the Slideshow + pop quiz approach to teaching (and learning), and can not really be used in other situations than to explain and instruct, maybe some 'test and activate prior knowledge of subject'.
If you do want to compare the two, please keep in mind that proper implementation of Moodle takes away a lot of the steepness of the learning / onboarding curve for new teachers. And... not every teacher is an instructional designer versed in the good practices of creating an engaging online classroom or course.
| Moodle | LessonUp |
|---|---|
|
|
One thing LessonUp has going for them, is the clean and UX optimised interface. With a standard Moodle (Boost theme), it's kind of hard to compete. But such a clean and user friendly interface normally goes hand in hand with less functionality and control over what you can and can't do.
- I can use a Wiki to foster brainstorming and collaborative thinking
- I can use a Glossary to collect input from my students
- I can use drag-and-drop question types in the Quiz module and with H5P
- I can use Essay questions in both the Quiz module and with H5P
- I can add, link and embed videos from a number of sources, or just upload the file
- I can use H5P to create attractive Interactive videos
- ...
Your teaching staff would benefit from discovering the true value of Moodle...
Hi Joost,
Many thanks for your contribution. This kind of answer was what I am looking for. I will pass your arguments to my colleagues in the weekly newsletter (I will translate it in Dutch). I will not literally copy it but make a readable story. However, the reality is that quite a few people are interested in LessonUp (30-40% of the teachers!).
Do you have suggestions to install another theme? I did the installation myself (I think it's ok). Why is taking away a lot of the steepness of the learning / onboarding curve for new teachers?
Many thanks for your contribution. This kind of answer was what I am looking for. I will pass your arguments to my colleagues in the weekly newsletter (I will translate it in Dutch). I will not literally copy it but make a readable story. However, the reality is that quite a few people are interested in LessonUp (30-40% of the teachers!).
Do you have suggestions to install another theme? I did the installation myself (I think it's ok). Why is taking away a lot of the steepness of the learning / onboarding curve for new teachers?
Hi Phillip,
First of all, I work as a Moodle consultant for a Moodle Partner in Eindhoven (but I'm not here for acquisition), and we do help schools to make the most of their Moodle instances. One key thing of that has been, time and time again, to have a welcoming (bespoke) theme design that feels less neutral and more recognizable than Boost or Classic themes. While you as an expert Moodler at your school can see through the clean interface and appreciate the power of the LMS, it's not as appealing as these commercial content platforms.
Also: installation ≠ implementation. Installation is probably the easiest bit of getting started with a new learning platform... it's the change management (people side) that requires a lot of time and energy, especially in schools where all users are subject-matter experts (university degree) who want 'big magic button' solutions to their instructional design challenges.
Disabling and enabling the right tools and making your users appreciate the ease of workflows in Moodle is a big part of a proper onboarding. Just consider how easy it is to just drag-drop your lesson's presentation (in PDF) to the course page, or how easy it is to use assignment + annotate PDF for providing your students with proper and meaningful feedback.
An implementation of Moodle has to take into account the key users (teaching staff and students), and their needs.
BTW, if you would like to exchange ideas, my contact details are in my profile.
First of all, I work as a Moodle consultant for a Moodle Partner in Eindhoven (but I'm not here for acquisition), and we do help schools to make the most of their Moodle instances. One key thing of that has been, time and time again, to have a welcoming (bespoke) theme design that feels less neutral and more recognizable than Boost or Classic themes. While you as an expert Moodler at your school can see through the clean interface and appreciate the power of the LMS, it's not as appealing as these commercial content platforms.
Also: installation ≠ implementation. Installation is probably the easiest bit of getting started with a new learning platform... it's the change management (people side) that requires a lot of time and energy, especially in schools where all users are subject-matter experts (university degree) who want 'big magic button' solutions to their instructional design challenges.
Disabling and enabling the right tools and making your users appreciate the ease of workflows in Moodle is a big part of a proper onboarding. Just consider how easy it is to just drag-drop your lesson's presentation (in PDF) to the course page, or how easy it is to use assignment + annotate PDF for providing your students with proper and meaningful feedback.
An implementation of Moodle has to take into account the key users (teaching staff and students), and their needs.
BTW, if you would like to exchange ideas, my contact details are in my profile.