Moodle: open source e-learning

Moodle is the open source course management system used by Oxford Institute of Legal Practice (OXILP). In her session at the UKCLE event, Creating an impact: enhancing teaching to large groups, in 2007 Liz Polding introduced us to the Moodle world, looking at the pros and cons of using Moodle for blended learning on the Legal Practice Course.

For further information on Moodle at OXILP see Liz’s papers E-learning and traditional methods: special blends (2006) and Delivering blended legal learning by open source methods (2007), plus her list of Moodle links.

The use of open source software to deliver e-learning is becoming increasingly popular, and Moodle (or Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is one of the most widely used packages. Developed by Martin Dougiamas in Australia in the 1990s as part of his PhD in education, Moodle has gone from strength to strength ever since, with over 330,000 registered users in 196 countries, including the Open University.

Moodle can be downloaded free, and there is also a certain amount of free support, including documentation and FAQs. The system develops organically, as any user who develops a new application has to share it with the rest of the Moodle community.

The main principle which attracted the OXILP IT team to adopt Moodle was that it is very much designed from a pedagogic rather than an IT perspective. Its flexiblity means it can be used for a range of activities suiting different learning styles. And Web-based access for all users means that students can access the system wherever and whenever they wish – some OXILP students have accessed Moodle from Internet cafes while travelling!

Moodle has a wide variety of facilities which are being expanded all the time, as new ones are added and existing modules are given new features. OXILP’s use of Moodle as an integrated part of the Legal Practice Course (LPC) has expanded year on year as various types of exercise are piloted and the results presented to tutors as part of the annual review of the course.

Using quizzes

One of the features we use most are quizzes, generally multiple choice with automatic feedback. These are well received by students, and are also an effective way of reducing the didactic elements of small group teaching, freeing up time for more student-centred activities such as role plays.Quizzes are also used to follow up large group sessions, particularly those which are fact heavy, as this allows the students to consolidate their learning and put it into context after receiving new information.

The author has conducted a study of the effect of multiple choice quizzes on student assessment results. The results showed that of those who completed quizzes on transactional and corporate tax as part of an elective course in private acquisitions, there were significantly more distinctions than among those who did not complete them. The rate for students who did not pass at first attempt was only 1% lower for those completing, but the distinction rate was 15% higher for quiz completers. The overall results in the LPC for quiz completers as against non quiz-completers showed more marked differences, with 8% fewer students resitting and 19% more distinctions in the group who completed the quizzes.

Although the most commonly used form of quiz is multiple choice, other formats are available, including short answer, true/false, numerical and matching questions. It is also possible to set essay questions, although these need to be tutor marked. Combinations of questions can be used within the same quiz, although the author has found that this can be done most effectively in the lesson module.

An example question is given below:

Blended learning elements

Online submissions

The author also uses Moodle for the online submission of student assignments for marking, usually via Word uploads. The Moodle module allows the tutor to comment on and give a grade to the submitted work, as well as a suggested answer with comments – again usually uploaded as a Word document. In this case the author also provides space for students to reflect on their work and the feedback they have received, to ensure that the learning cycle is completed.

The screenshot below shows that students are also asked for their feedback on how useful they found the reflective element of the assignment. Generally, feedback was positive, with many feeling this was not something that they would routinely do, but that they could see it was beneficial and would like to do it again in future.

It was originally thought that students would favour online submission due to its convenience, however perhaps surprisingly take-up was very low, and students preferred to submit in hard copy when offered a choice.

The author is trialling online submission and marking with part time students during 2007-08. It is anticipated that part time students will wish to make use of this facility, as it will avoid the need for them to wait until the next point of class contact in order to receive feedback on their work.

Discussion boards and chatrooms

The author has also trialled the use of synchronous and asynchronous contact by way of discussion boards and chatrooms. Part time students found discussion boards valuable, as they replaced the casual contact that full time students would naturally have on a frequent basis during any given week. When discussion boards were trialled for full time students, the use of the facility was negligible. Students who see each other most days unsurprisingly prefer to discuss any topics of interest face to face, particularly as they have access to a common room in which they can meet for informal discussions in groups.

Chatrooms have proved universally popular. Full time students use them mainly for revision purposes – the screenshot below shows a typical interchange between the tutor and a number of students in a solicitors accounts revision chatroom.

The author is currently trialling ‘virtual office hours’ for part time students, covering periods when part time students typically have only telephone or e-mail contact. The virtual office hours are from 9pm on a weekday, as many of the students are not able to access during ‘normal’ office hours – usually due to work commitments.

Other features which have been trialled are weblinks, mainly to law related sites and professional sources of information rather than academic sites, and e-books. The e-books duplicated resources students receive in hard copy, allowing them to access electronic copies remotely when do not have their paper copy or do not wish to carry excessive amounts of paper. In the future some resources may only be issued as e-books, but this does not appear to be a popular option at present. Students regularly report that they prefer hard copy, with electronic copies as backup. Some texts, such as IT guides, are only available electronically, however this type of resource is referred to rather than read in depth.

Moodle pros and cons

New features for Moodle are being developed all the time, both by its users and by Moodle’s own team of developers. Information about proposed new features is available on the Moodle website, and includes:

• e-mails to tutors and/or students when a quiz attempt is finished
• gradebook outcomes listed centrally for easier statistics
• improvements to question banks and group functions
• dedicated Moodle e-portfolio
• conditional activities (forced paths through a course)
• wikis
• Moodle voice (hopefully!)

Are there any disadvantages? There are one or two. The lack of flexibility when obtaining data about groups of students – for example if the tutor wants to check who has completed the preparation exercise from the small group that they are about to teach – is an unwelcome restriction, but this is under development. The answers in the quizzes in the ‘lesson’ feature shuffle automatically and this can’t currently be switched off as it can in the quiz module. However, these are minor points which should be resolved by forthcoming developments. In general Moodle has provided effective tools with which to build sound e-learning components for blended courses.

Moodle has provided the author with the opportunity to move towards a course in which e-learning plays a strong role and supports learning. The package has proved intuitive and easy to use for academic staff as well as technical staff, meaning that the author has been able to try new features without having to have recourse to additional resources.

Useful Moodle sites

• Moodle – the main site, including some very useful – and very detailed – user documentation; also includes FAQs and myth busting information
• Moodlebug – blog from one of the mainstays of the Moodle community
• Pteppic.net – authorised UK Moodle Partner; offers services including consultancy, hosting and support
• How to Moodle – training for those who wish to design and write courses using Moodle, aimed at those who want to use Moodle to teach rather than technicians

Last Modified: 4 June 2010