Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Mark McNulty -
Number of replies: 10

Hi...

Apologies for the element of self-promotion here, but I work at a UK secondary school where we've tried a range of experiments with Moodle that are covered in some detail at:

http://moodlestories.wordpress.com/

(Apologies also for not hosting that on a Moodle - but I wanted to experiment with a different type of blogsite.)

Frankly, our stories are not as innovative as so much of the inspiring stuff on this forum. But if anyone's interested, then I'd be delighted to swap experiences/ideas etc on this forum.

Mark

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In reply to Mark McNulty

Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Ulrike Montgomery -
Hi Mark,

Thanks for posting your blog. I find it most useful - especially the 'what worked and other issues' section - a very practical guide. Just wish it was in German - unfortunately I don't have time to translate it at the moment but I'll forward it to my colleagues anyway. Some of them understand English quite well.

Please continue to post your teachers' stories.

Ulrike
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In reply to Ulrike Montgomery

Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Mark McNulty -

Hi, Ulrike...

Really pleased you liked the practical angle and even more pleased that you think your colleagues might also find it useful.

I have been really struck by how my own colleagues initially struggle because they (understandably) get bogged down in all the clicks & technology. But once they "get" the social learning angle then they love it!

But sorry can't do bilingual version!

Mark

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Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Rick Barnes -
Thanks for posting the link. Some very interesting ideas and stories.

I link the idea of forum rules and would love to be able to automatically add them to every forum in our moodle but I don't know php and after a brief look at the forum view.php page I gave up.

I'd like all of our forums to look something like this...
Attachment forum_rules2.JPG
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In reply to Rick Barnes

Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Mark McNulty -

Hi, Rick...

Thanks for fleshing out the points you made in the blog comment.

I'm sure there are lots of secondary Moodlers out there who are wrestling with this same issue: how to transfer the energy and spontenaity of a message board (so beloved by our teenagers on social networking sites) across into discussion forums that also foster more discursive/detailed/reflective contributions?

But I also know that veteran Moodlers would say that 'rules' as such aren't the answer - it's about establishing the right culture and attitudes among students.

I certainly agree with the 'culture' principle. Yet I'm sure we can all agree that establishing this culture takes time, especially when a range of colleagues adopt different standards because they themselves are getting to grips with using forums (and wikis etc).

So our shared desire to find an easy way to display "rules" on forums doesn't undermine the culture principle.

It just reflects our practical need to establish expectations upfront on forums - perhaps in the way your mock-up suggests - and without having to add the 'rules' manually each time.

It's really about how best to foster good habits, rather than trying to stop bad behaviour.

Mark

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Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Art Lader -
> Frankly, our stories are not as innovative as
> so much of the inspiring stuff on this forum.

I disagree! This is the kind of real-world, useful information that I loooove to read. Hope you keep posting to you super-cool blog, Mark. Please do!

Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to share.

(Hope you do not mind, but I have posted a link to your blog at http://docs.moodle.org/en/Case_studies.)

Regards,
Art
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Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Janice Smith -

I too would like to link to your blog from our school's vle front page, if I may.     We are about to introduce moodling to our school and this is perfect to show our teachers how they can moodle.   (It all helps with the selling process!)

regards

Janice

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Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Mark McNulty -

Hi, Janice...

Please do use the link - I certainly sympathise with your "selling" challenge!

Frankly, one of the big mistakes I made at the beginning at our school was not focusing enough on the great potential outcomes of Moodling. And instead, some colleagues got lost in all the clicks!

That's how I got into the "stories" format, which I first used in a printed newsletter-type thing with colleagues to support my twilight training sessions. (I could send you a PDF if you're interested.) Stories can make for a simpler "sell".

Another big mistake was to allow colleagues to think of Moodle as a place for them to upload content, rather than to use for communication and 'social learning'. Trouble is, this can seem a vague concept initially for colleagues - and sometimes they have to "see" it to "get" it. Hence the stories, again.

Anyway, best of luck - and thanks again for wanting to link!

Mark

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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Mark McNulty -

Hi, Art...

Glad you took the time to visit the blog - and I'm dead flattered that you've added it to the case studies.

Actually, I did the blog because I've benefitted from all the stuff you experienced Moodlers have posted on this site - though I did feel a tad "unfaithful" going off and doing it on WordPress!

Will certainly keep adding to the blog. We have stacks of stories, really.

What drives them all is what you called the "real-world" challenges of Moodling - exactly the kind of stuff, for example, that you contributed to in this thread about grading forums.

It's a kind-of "keep it real" thing!

Mark

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Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Art Lader -
Hi, Mark,

Glad you do not mind the link. Thanks for that.

I really do not see anything wrong with Wordpress. It's the right tool for the job, so that's what you use. And Wordpress really is pretty amazing software, isn't it?

I do believe that you are right about the contributions of long-time Moodlers, but I also have been very impressed by the new Moodlers who have begun to contribute more and more.

New guys like you. smile

Regards,
Art


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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Moodle Stories from a UK secondary

by Mark McNulty -

Hi, Art...

Have been seriously "offline" over the school holidays in the UK so apologies for running late in posting this quick reply to say thanks - and that I'll try to keep contributing (once I get all this horrendous coursework marking, done!).

Mark

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