... we should spend most of our time talking about how we will apply [insert any moodle module here]
Last year, I mistakenly proposed to my district that I could train my colleagues in a 6 hour session during the summer. I spent every last bit of my time in this session telling teachers how to do things instead of why. It was a mistake for two reasons:
- Moodle is too vast to explain every last setting. Not to mention, settings are boring - that's what documentation is for.
- Most teachers don't see the benefit of assigning a wiki, forum, workshop, or blog. They could use the opportunity to share ideas and brainstorm possibilities.
Attendence at my training session was voluntary. Of 76 staff members, 32 showed up (not bad). Of the 32 that attended, 6 are now using Moodle. I can't help but think that a more 'theoretical' approach to training would have been more useful.
Most teachers at my school just aren't getting the big picture - that Moodle can actually make their course better! Had I spent the time to make teachers want to use Moodle (by showing them practical reasons to use it), they would now be finding their own way through the technical aspects of the software. I assumed that all teachers had my foresight, when, in fact, they didn't.
I think small sessions that include a very short how-to followed by a discussion of use is the way to go.
