Continuing my series on 5 things to Do with…, this article focuses on 5 Things to do with your Moodle module.
These tips have been devised with the help of Neal Sumner, Senior Lecturer in Academic Development, LEaD and in consultation with the Midwifery department in the School of Health Sciences (written by former Senior Educational Technologist, Annora Eyt-Dessus), however these principles can equally apply to any subject area, or any virtual learning environment (VLE) platform.
Hide or delete unnecessary sections or areas of your Moodle module.
Unused tools (discussion boards are a common one), blank sections, [placeholders] or out of date materials, all add to the clutter of a Moodle module, so delete them. This makes it easier for your students to navigate to what they want and for you too.
Consistent structure for each section
Each section should have the following:
- Order and Naming – Chronologically organised, and section named with subject matter.
- Summary or Learning Outcomes
- Essential reading/information; Further reading/resources with guidance. (Suggested using Label – Enhanced.)
Clearly labelled Assessment Criteria
- At top of module for clarity and ease of access
- Include Coversheet, Assessment criteria, and ‘What if thing go wrong’ information (including ECs and Extensions) in Enhanced label.
- Consistently labelled and referred to as Assessment Submission [date & time] consistent naming of dropbox/assignment/submissions point etc…
Add a Module image
Adding a Module image, building module identity and used in MyMoodle Activity stream to aid student navigation (see guidance here)
Check Copyright for new and existing images (see here for more guidance)
Explicit signposting of Guided Independent Study
Reading or activities that should be done outside class time. ‘Before the next session you should..’ With guidance and expected timing to make these tasks extra clear, especially in earlier years of study.
Please see the further reading section below for more information. If you’d like help with any of this, please contact your local Senior Educational Technologist via our School Liaison page of our website.
Further Reading
Effective Moodle module design (2015) Available at: https://sleguidance.atlassian.net/wiki/display/BL/Effective+Moodle+module+design [accessed 16th May 2016]
Moodle for UCL Arena One
Critique and enhancement report for the Teaching Associate Programme Available at: http://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/digital-education/files/2015/07/arena_moodle_enhancement_report_mv_oct2015.pdf [accessed 16th May 2016]
