What Can You Do with Moodle?

There is no right or wrong way to use Moodle tools. Each tool has a primary function but can be used to achieve a variety of learning and teaching strategies. An individual learning or teaching strategy can be achieved using a variety of tools.

Your choice of tool depends on your curriculum goals, your content and what works best for you and your students.

Tools, functions and strategies - table

The following table outlines your options.

Moodle tool

Function

Learning and teaching strategies

File, Folder

Store, Organise

Information transfer

Book, Page, URL, IMS Content Package, EchoLink

Present

Information transfer

News Forum

Notify

Information transfer

Wiki

Collaborate, Present

Information transfer; Co-create content

Blog

Present, Reflect, Comment

Information transfer; Communicate and interact

Lightbox Gallery

Present, Review, Comment

Information transfer; Communicate and interact

Media Collection
 
Collect, Build, Share, Review, Comment, Evaluate
 
Communicate and interact; co-create content; Assess learning

Glossary

Define, Build, Share, Search,
Review, Rate

Information transfer; Co-create content; Communicate and interact; Assess learning

Database

Collect, Build, Share, Search,
Review, Rate

Information transfer; Co-create content; Communicate and interact; Assess learning

Lesson

Guide, Present, Test,
Adaptive scenario, Role play

Information transfer; Assess learning

Voice Tools

Audio messaging, Audio discussions, Audio presentations

Information transfer; Co-create content; Communicate and interact

SCORM Package
 
Present, test
Information transfer; Assess learning

Feedback

Self-assess, Gather data, Survey
(Compare the Choice, Feedback and Questionnaire activities.)

Assess learning

Quiz

Test, Evaluate, Feedback

Assess learning

Assignment

Complete, Submit, Marking guide, Rubric, Assess, Feedback

Assess learning

Turnitin Assignment

Submit, Plagiarism detection, Rubric, Assess, Feedback

Assess learning

Workshop

Peer review, Assess

Assess learning

Blackboard Collaborate

Virtual meeting space, Interactive Whiteboard, Application Sharing, Breakout rooms

Information transfer; Co-create content; Communicate and interact

Forum

Discuss, Group work, Collaborate

Information transfer; Co-create content; Communicate and interact; Assess learning

Chat

Real time chat, Discuss, Collaborate

Communicate and interact

Dialogue

Private communication

Communicate and interact

Messaging

Notify, Personal messaging

Communicate and interact

Choice

Select, Poll, Vote, Decide
(Compare the Choice, Feedback and Questionnaire activities.)

Manage learning, communicate and interact

Scheduler
 
Select individual or group appointment times
 
Manage learning, Assess learning

Questionnaire

Gather data, Survey, Evaluate
(Compare the Choice, Feedback and Questionnaire activities.)

Manage learning

Group Selection

Self-select group membership

Manage learning

Team Builder

Criterion based group creation

Manage learning

Gradebook

Evaluate

Manage learning

Calendar

Organise

Manage learning

Attendance

Record attendance

Manage learning

Course Completion

Track course participation

Manage learning

Conditional Activities

Adaptive learning paths

Manage learning

Table adapted from Tomaz Lasic, Gavin Henrick www.somerandomthoughts.com, and Joyce Seitzinger www.cats-pyjamas.net

Download Excel version of this table.

How does Moodle support active learning?

Moodle shifts the focus from what the teacher does, and from the transmission of content, to what the student does (learning activities).

Steps in the learning process

Learning activities

Moodle and other tools

Introduce the topic or concept
Is it interesting? Do I want to learn it? What might be involved? How does this relate to what I already know and can do? How might it be of use to me? How will it change me?

Overviews; Readings; Presentations; Websites; Discussion; Experience; Digital media

File; Folder; Page; Book; Narrated lectures; Video; URL; Forum; Chat

Get to know more about it
What exactly is involved? What are the concepts? How do the new concepts change the ones I already have? What is the scope and range? How is it applied? How do I understand it?

Lectures; Readings; Group discussion; Demonstrations; Asking questions; Being challenged to relate to earlier learning and experience; Interactive websites; Research projects; Digital media

File; Folder; Page; Book; Video; URL; Forum; Chat; Dialogue; Groups; Wiki; Glossary; Database; SCORM; Lesson; Narrated PowerPoint; Lectopia recording; External Tool

Try it out
Can I do it? Who is watching? Do I understand it? What am I doing/ understanding correctly? How can I improve my performance/ understanding?

Discussions among peers and with facilitators; Tasks; Projects; Constructing knowledge representations; Practical activities; Skills laboratories; Structured experiences; Role plays

Forum; Chat; Dialogue Groups; Team Builder; Group Selection; Assignment; Wiki; OU Blog; Glossary; Database; Lesson; External Tool; SCORM; Choice

Get feedback
What do my peers think? What does my teacher think? Did my performance meet expectations? Would my performance be acceptable in the real world? What do I think?

Obtain feedback from self, peers, facilitators and teachers, clients, friends...
Constructive feedback linked to criteria for a good performance

Forum; Chat; Dialogue; Groups; Team Builder; Group Selection; Workshop (peer review); Assignment; GradeMark; Turnitin; Rubric; Choice; Feedback; Questionnaire; Quiz

Reflect and adjust
Do I trust the feedback I got? Does the feedback match my own evaluation? Do I need to learn more? Do I need to try again? What do I need to focus on? Do I want to continue with this learning?

Reflect and adjust through writing, discussion, contemplation

OU Blog; Forum; Dialogue; Feedback

Use it
I have to use it in a real-life situation or gradually lose it. Using it is like going back to the "try it out" stage. Lifelong learning. Apply it in projects and review it in exams. Consolidation. Confirms learning has been relevant and useful.

Use it in: later activities; later courses; at work; small group sessions; capstone projects; simulations; role plays; labs; exams

Project based assignments; Groups; Team Builder; Group Selection; Forums; Wikis; Database; Quiz

Table adapted from Chris Hughes’ Learning Model as outlined in Hughes, C., Toohey, S. and Hatherley, S. (1992). Developing learning-centred trainers and tutors. Studies in Continuing Education 14(1), 14–27.

Moodle features and functions

See the following links for descriptions and documentation on the core Moodle features and functions: