RESEARCH involving MOODLE

RESEARCH involving MOODLE

by iolasus raj -
Number of replies: 8

greetings... i'm currently working on a research project involving moodle.. i'm required to come up with two sets of content approach (both using the moodle platform).. students from the experimental group are required to engage in a forum at least once a week (synchrounous-not sure of the spelling!). This is to ensure that they use moodle.. as for the control group, they are not required to get involved in forums at all.. but basically, students from the experimental group are required to engaged in asynchorounous learning using moodle forums..

so, what do i answer the control group if they ask me why forums are not required for them while students from the experimental group do? students from both the experimental and control group comes from the same program and are probably roommates...

any thoughts? tia

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In reply to iolasus raj

Re: RESEARCH involving MOODLE

by Tony Hursh -
Any chance you can set up the course with two different instructors and/or teaching assistants?

Students expect different instructors to have slightly different requirements, as long as the overall thrust of the course is the same.


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In reply to Tony Hursh

Re: RESEARCH involving MOODLE

by Tony Hursh -
P.S. I'd add an extra activity for the group that isn't required to use Moodle, to avoid complaints that this group is "getting off easy".

I think this might actually make for a better experiment, if done properly. Otherwise, you might falsely attribute results to Moodle that are due to the Moodle group simply spending more time engaging with the course material.
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In reply to Tony Hursh

the chief approach would be PBL

by iolasus raj -

got ur point loud and clear.. actually.. i'll be using moodle only as a platform.. the chief approach would be to use problem-based learning (pbl)... initially, i opted to construct the software using flash but my supervisor recommended moodle... and i kinda got interested in moodle.. so, not to worry on false attributes to moodle... purpose of research is to determine the effectiveness of the pbl approach in an IT-rich environment on self-regulated earning (srl)

also, the pbl approach would be for the experimental group.. the control group will be using content-based learning (cbl).. i can't think of any additional activity that will not contaminate the findings of the research..

i thought of giving them (crtl group) loosely structured forums but then again it might (and most probable will contribute) to their level of srl.. also, there can be only one instructor.. so as to sustain the internal validity of the findings..

any suggestions?

any thoughts is welcomed.. tia

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In reply to iolasus raj

Re: the chief approach would be PBL

by Tony Hursh -
Okay, if what you're really interested in is CBL v. PBL, why introduce the potential confound of required Moodle forum v. optional Moodle forum?

I'd suggest requiring forum posts from both groups, but use CBL and PBL-oriented forum prompts for the two different groups.

From a purely pragmatic standpoint, anything that makes one group think that they're doing "more work" than the other is going to produce student complaints. smile
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In reply to Tony Hursh

Re: the chief approach would be PBL

by iolasus raj -

hi! i don't understand what u mean by "required moodle forum v. optional forum"? are u implying that the control group are not required but given the option to participate in forums?

cbl-oriented forums is a good suggestion but how do i implement it? cbl is basically a segmented presentation of information.. how to implement cbl (close-ended questions) in a forum when the forum posts will tend to be open-ended, which ultimately contribute to srl?

i thought of doing chats for the control group.. coz then.. it will still be loosely structured (almost close-ended).. i'm expecting that the students will talk about everything under the sun not necessarily in account of the course subject

i posed this to the supervisory committee.. still waiting comment smile

thanks!

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In reply to iolasus raj

Re: the chief approach would be PBL

by A. T. Wyatt -
Generally, when I start working on a research methodology, I try to find out what some other people have done.  When you did your literature review, did you find a study that was set up similarly to what you want to accomplish?  It is probably much better if you do not try to re-invent the wheel!  Experimental research design is always problematic with real people!  Bacteria don't complain when one group gets a different treatment, but it is much harder to do that with students! 

I would think that your supervisory committee would be the most important group to work with here.  If they are not supportive of your design, they will have many questions about your results. 

Good luck to you.  Setting up a study is hard work!

atw
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In reply to A. T. Wyatt

interesting and intriguing!

by iolasus raj -

thanx prof...

actually, i've not come across any lit rev that advances pbl and moodle! pbl in a general it-rich context yes, but not specifically through the use of interactive features that moodle offers... my supervisory committee is interested and intrigued on the outcome as much as i am... however, i'm still working on setting up moodle.. i've prepared the draft for pbl in context of moodle.. only waiting to execute it... wish me luck smile

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In reply to iolasus raj

Re: RESEARCH involving MOODLE

by Daniel Denev -

    Здравейте iolasus raj,
    Hello  iolasus raj,
    Радвам се много да срещна в този форум човек като теб. Разбира се, че сътрудничество е необходимо и възможно. Тук поставям няколко статии публикувани вече в международни сборници трудове или участвали на международни научни форуми.

Статиите разглеждат не само интересуващата те тематика Петър. Вероятно ще са интересни за теб и всички останали. Авторите на сези статии са:

  • Rositsa Doneva – Plovdiv University, 24 Tzar Assen St., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria, rosi@pu.acad.bg.
  • Daniel Denev – Intelekti Ltd., 1 Arch. G. Kozarov St., 5000 Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria, daniel_i_denev@abv.bg.
  • George Totkov – Plovdiv University, 24 Tzar Assen St., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria, totkov@pu.acad.bg.

Първата от тях (The first paper is): ON THE DIDACTIC PRINCIPLES, MODELS AND E-LEARNING
разглежда проектът BEST като проект за разработка на среда за виртуално
обучение с фокус върху дидактическите принципи на електронното обучение
, и по-конкретно на следните принципи:
обучеинето е целеви процес, обучаемите могат да дефинират собствени образователни цели, те могат да проследяват и контролират собствения си процес на обучение, обучението е процес със събития облечен в социален контекст, електронното обучение в рамките на виртуално общество е много по-продуктивно...

       This posting presents in Bulgarian Section of Moodle a project BEST for development of a virtual learning environment, focuses on didactic principles of the e-learning and the following principles: learning is an goal-directed process; learners may define their own learning objectives, monitor and regulate their own learning process; learning is embedded in a social context; collaborative e-learning is more effective, etc. The BEST is realized on the basis of famous systems MOODLE and LAMS, and prototypes of PeU (Plovdiv electronic University) – PeU 1.0 and PeU 2.0.

С уважение: Даниел Денев
България, Велико Търново
daniel_i_denev@abv.bg
cell: +359 (0) 889365651

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