Abstract

"Using Your Moodle:
Empowering eLearning with Social Constructionism "

Conference: Tech Ed 2005
Date: April 2005
Location: Pasadena, CA
Audience: national conference for community college faculty, staff, and administration.

Description: Three models of online courses created with Moodle will be presented, revealing how the epistemology of social constructionism empowers e-learning. Examples of how various modules such as user profiles, wikis, journals, workshops, glossaries, chat rooms, assignments and exercises all serve to encourage active learning and social interaction in the online class. The audience will be encouraged to participate in the discussion throughout the presentation.

1. Background info about the use of course management systems and the traditional restraints they impose on student centered learning.
2. Brief background on open source software; introduction to Moodle and the social constructionist pedagogy it is designed to support.
3. Case study: Academy of Digital Media Arts
4. Case study: community college advanced web programming class
5. Case study: community college introductory computer class
6. Case study: Alternate uses - collaboration and research among faculty and students
7. Conclusions about effect the use of Moodle has had on student learning.
8. Engage audience discussion about experiences using CMS and Moodle, creative applications, benefits of the tool, and problems that might arise.
9. Conclusion: how audience members can utilize Moodle in their own learning environments, and reference to available resources.

Conference Program [PDF]