| Moodle: An Online Teacher's Dream | | | | (set them up by filling in a pre-designed |
| | | | form), writing assignments, forum posts, |
| We have run into some challenges as more and | | | | wikis (i.e. wikipedia.com) etc. I have yet |
| more universities and high schools move to | | | | to find something you cannot do with Moodle. |
| e-learning and more parents start home | | | | There is even a plug-in so you can build |
| schooling. First, cost. The traditional | | | | virtual chemical elements and one that you |
| e-learning platforms are expensive. | | | | can use to create podcasts, rss feeds and |
| Secondly, usability. Other platforms I have | | | | more!!! Get the feeling I am excited… |
| used have been cumbersome, awkward, and quite | | | | |
| frankly confusing for many of my students | | | | You can even have it customized for a |
| (and I teach graduate school). Additionally, | | | | reasonable price (including free if you do it |
| many people who are currently teaching either | | | | yourself---it is not that hard) see Theme |
| are resistant to embracing online learning, | | | | Gurus). I liked Moodle so much I even had |
| or have used the other platforms and gotten | | | | Theme Gurus design my business |
| frustrated. Moodle is a "What You See Is | | | | website---logo, paypal integration and all. |
| What You Get-WYSIWYG) sort of | | | | Himmat Singh and his associates from |
| program…It is intuitive, point and | | | | ThemeGurus provided unparalleled customer |
| click. | | | | service and personal attention (and a really |
| | | | reasonable price) while customizing my site |
| Last year, I started developing an online | | | | -see (like My Site) |
| master's program for the University of | | | | |
| Florida's Department of Counselor Education. | | | | If your school district is thinking about |
| After wrangling with other popular online | | | | going to e-learning and you want to really |
| teaching programs, we came across Moodle. It | | | | make it easy for your faculty and students, |
| was a dream come true (especially for my | | | | Moodle is the way to go. It has the three |
| Department Chair because it was free). For | | | | things I look for in a program---free, easy |
| those of you old enough to remember, going | | | | and customizable-oh, and it really is stable. |
| from WebCT/Blackboard to Moodle was like | | | | |
| going from using DOS (remember the black | | | | As a side note for home school parents: About |
| screen where you had to type cd/ all the | | | | a year ago we decided to start home schooling |
| time) to Windows. I was thrilled! | | | | our children. My son is quite gifted in math |
| | | | and science and our particular district had |
| Moodle is GPL (General Public License). That | | | | no advanced programs for first graders. He |
| means you can download it for free-forever. | | | | was bored, miserable and his love for |
| Within each lesson you can link to specific | | | | learning was getting squashed like a bug. If |
| websites (like Online, Full Text Children's | | | | you are home schooling and want to really |
| Textbooks), .pdfs or Word documents. This | | | | keep your kids on-track, Moodle is the way to |
| lets your students/children go exactly where | | | | go. It has the three things I look for in a |
| you want them to go. You have a built-in | | | | program---free, easy and customizable. |
| grade-book and can add auto-scored quizzes | | | | |