Supporting the DER with Moodle
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This document summarizes Simon Borgert's experience introducing and expanding the use of Moodle at Coffs Harbour High School in Australia from 2009 to 2010. It describes how Simon initially used Moodle to support an online gifted student program called eGATS, which was very successful. This proved Moodle's value and helped Simon gain support to promote broader adoption of Moodle among teachers. Over this period, Simon provided training, support and resources to encourage more teachers to use Moodle, starting with a few early adopters and expanding to about 20 teachers by the end of 2010. Challenges included technical issues and lack of ongoing teacher engagement after initial training.
Supporting the DER with Moodle
- 1. Supporting the with Coffs Harbour at High School Simon Borgert Head Teacher Mathematics Coffs Harbour High School
- 2. what I am not • An IT professional • experienced Moodle Administrator • Moodle Guru
- 3. what I am •A passionate teacher • early adopter of technology • Geek • Moodler!
- 4. A (very) brief history of Simon and Moodle Teaching Career and LMS’s 2000 - 2005 Trinity Grammar School Kew - in house LMS but 1 -1 laptop program 2007 - 2008 Beaconhills College - Moodle! 2009 - Coffs Harbour High School - Moodle!
- 5. Outline of this session • DER - what the..... • DER NSW - Huh? • The evolution of Moodle at Coffs Harbour High School • emphasis on the how more staff were encouraged to embrace using technology through making Moodle • Issues • The Future
- 6. The Digital Education Revolution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzgWRrr_Ni8
- 7. The Digital Education Revolution •$2.3 billion project - National Secondary Schools Computer Fund •Election Promise in 2008 •part of a broader program •aim is to have 1-1 computers for all Australia students in Years 9 - 12 by 31st December 2011
- 8. The Digital Education Revolution in NSW http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALpqN0MjeHg
- 9. The Digital Education Revolution in NSW •$442 million project •Rollout of laptop computers to Year 9 Cohorts (starting 2009) for 4 years •Installation of a wireless network in all learning spaces in NSW Secondary and Central Schools •Professional Learning and Curriculum Support •School based - technical support officers
- 10. The Digital Education Revolution in NSW •excellent software deals with Microsoft and Adobe •including at home usage rights for teaching staff •no laptops from this funding for teachers - they had to be supplied by the State Government (over a 3 year period - in 2011 all teachers have access to a laptop)
- 11. The Digital Education Revolution in NSW - what it really meant for schools •Year 9 students get a laptop every year for 4 years •A wireless network installed across the school •We got a TSO! •Education was going to change because students got a laptop.... •Teachers would not all have a laptop until 2011.
- 12. DERNSW - Initial Focus • Getting infrastructure up to speed (fibre in schools) • Appeasing the fear (and Teachers Federation) by saying • it was okay not to use the laptops all the time • nothing would really change • all teachers would be trained • Getting the laptops out - Windows 7 made it possible
- 13. Coffs Harbour High School Coffs Harbour Sydney
- 14. Coffs Harbour High School Coffs Harbour High School
- 15. Coffs Harbour High School The view from one of the Maths Classrooms
- 16. Coffs Harbour High School
- 17. Coffs Harbour High School • Co-educational State School on the Mid North Coast of NSW • Approximately 900 students and 65 teaching staff • Broad mix of students - both geographically and SES • Quite a transient community (~20% changeover every year) •A desirable school (really desirable location!) • Large number of teaching staff due to retire in next few years
- 18. Coffs Harbour High School - Technology 2009 • Self run, self installed network •3 computer labs • No full-time network administrator - just part time Admin who is self taught • Teaching staff traditionally have very low technological literacy. • Integration of technology has not been a priority • Have jumped on the purchasing IWB band wagon.
- 19. Evolution of Coffs Moodle Episode 1 - eGATS • Week 1 2009 - Principal told me that I was the ‘liaison’ for a Regional trial of an online Gifted and Talented program - egats • Also made Executive staff member in charge of DER • It was to be hosted on the schools “Moodle” server • Linux box - didn’t work • Established http://coffsharbourhighschool.com running a Moodle install using Siteground as a Web Host - basic plan $7 per month
- 20. eGats - continued.... • eGATswas a refinement of a program that had been delivered in Western NSW - using Moodle • Use was limited previously - merely a repository for documents and images • After setting up Moodle for eGATS I immediately established courses for my Year 8 Maths (Enrichment) and Year 10 Maths class • Moodle had email based self enrolment (restricted) • Maths courses used forums, assignments, quiz, wiki and glossary
- 21. eGATs - meetings • The eGATs co-ordinator (a baby boomer with limited ICT skills) and I meet for a total of about 10 hours (over several sessions) for me to ‘train’ her in the use of Moodle • Sequenceof training was very important and based on my past experience trying to drive a “Moodle” school
- 22. eGATs - training sequencing 1.Logging On and uploading stuff (documents / images) to a course 2.Using webpages on Moodle instead of documents 3.Forum as a communication tool - couldn’t convince her to use the instant messaging :) - but a couple of Chat’s 4.Assignments for the students to submit their work
- 23. eGATs - training Part 2 • Participating students (50) were manually enrolled (I also created groups as there were 6 mentors involved as well) • The 6 mentors (mostly Primary Principals and Assistant Principals) also needed to be trained •2 after school sessions • How to navigate Moodle • Howto respond to forum posts and how to grade / comment on assignments • Plus considerable “phone support”
- 24. • Ready to GO! • started freaking out about the entry level hosting • Trained the kids in how to use Moodle - 10 minutes • Program was an outstanding success!
- 25. meanwhile back at Coffs High • supporting eGATs was very labour intensive for me (I had never been a Moodle Administrator before so was learning on the fly) •Iused Executive meetings to “showcase” eGATs and also the work I was doing with my classes • We were waiting for the initial DER rollout (eventually it occurred in Nov 2009) - this was causing a huge amount of angst for staff
- 26. Need for a Strategic Plan.... • The technology focus in 2009 for Coffs Harbour High School was Interactive White Boards (IWB’s) • Many faculties went for the quantity rather than quality option • They are very expensive projectors • Support a “sage on stage” teaching pedagogy • Verylittle thought was being given to supporting a 1-1 laptop program
- 27. Change
- 28. Need Entry Point Proven Success Change
- 29. Solution = DER Laptop Program Peer Coaching Need Immersion Entry Point eGATS Proven Success my own classes Change
- 30. Moodlising Coffs High - 2009 • Staff Development Day Term 2 2009 •I presented a session on the pace of technological change and the potential impacts for teachers of Gen Y (Did you know video etc) • All resources from that session put on Moodle - demonstrated how to find - emailed link Teachers caught = 4 including a fellow HT
- 31. Moodlising Coffs High - 2009 • Term 2 & Term 3 2009 • PeerCoaching on an as needs basis with those staff caught previously - they start using Moodle with their classes • Students from my class (and others from captured staff!) start asking their other teachers “Why don’t you use Moodle?” • More using - first login / account issues • Upheaval at school - Principal and Deputy retire Teachers caught = 6 (2 more)
- 32. Moodlising Coffs High - 2009 • Term 4 2009 • DER Laptops Arrive in November • Now increased need as teachers want to share files with students and laptops can not connect to our internal network = anger for teachers! • Moodle offered as an alternative for file distribution • New Principal arrives • Option on Staff Development Day for introduction Moodle as well as after school sessions Teachers caught = 10 (4 more)
- 33. Moodlising Coffs High 2010 • Focus for 2010 was immersion - using every possible opportunity to model the use of Moodle to fulfil a need e.g. • Distributing resources • Having a forum for discussing potential curriculum changes • DER Laptops arrived earlier - March thus more students involved • DER Professional Learning Funding - more teachers started to use technology - need for Moodle ! :)
- 34. Moodlising Coffs High 2010 • Changed to semi-dedicated hosting with Siteground • During 2010 started to have more issues with email based self- enrolment including enrolling students into courses - this seemed to be a blocker for several staff • One other Executive - Course Creator - distribute the load • Eagerly awaiting the arrival of Moodle 2 - concern that if too many staff jumped on board managing the transition would be impossible! • Alternative note taking activities - PD for Executive staff
- 35. End of 2010 • Still running after school workshops - beginner when requested • Staff Development Days at the end of 2010 - more advanced Moodle Workshops - Assignment and Quiz • Didn’t really work as none of the staff used the knowledge over the holidays - and forgot it! • DER Laptops for 2011 arriving in February •I was seconded to Sydney for 6 weeks at the end of the year.. Teachers caught = about 20....
- 36. The move to Moodle 2 •Ibit the bullet on the night of the staff XMAS party (didn’t go due to parenting responsibilities) • Upgrade was very stressful - but totally successful • Total restructure occurred over the holidays • Allmanual enrolments - set up Cohorts to make easier in future • All Executive are now Course Creators and Managers for their own KLA
- 37. Coffs High Moodlified? 2011 • Almost total immersion in important things e.g. • Room Booking - via Moodle as an entry • Reporting Technology Faults - Google Form embedded in a Moodle Course • Major Curriculum review evaluation - Google Form embedded in a Moodle Course • Year 9 Laptop Orientation Day - course in Moodle - staff encouraged to attend Day and interact in Course
- 38. Coffs High Moodlified? 2011 • Year 9 now insisting things are in Moodle (I may have actively encouraged this....) • Moodle Training - KLA based after school - then school pays for a meal • Maths, Science (2), Executive, English & CAPA (next week) • Individual peer coaching whenever it is needed - more confident users also assisting within their faculties
- 39. Coffs Moodle 2011 • Over 100 courses • this includes courses created by students • KLA’s now incorporating more ‘constructivist’ activities e.g. glossary and wiki • Over 1000 users • 90% of teachers have logged in in the past 2 weeks (including the Principal!) • Ironic - Faculty using it the least - Maths.... :(
- 40. Coffs Moodle - Future • Need to upgrade the hosting from semi-dedicated..... • looking at Amazon Cloud Hosting •I need to personally stop paying for the hosting!!!! • Staff Intranet • Dropbox integration using repositories for the traditional “staff files” (or maybe Amazon storage) • Make it the “go-to” place for all staff needs • Podcasts of key lessons.....
- 41. Coffs Moodle - Future • DER program uncertain after 2012 - new state government • more use of mobile devices - need to make Moodle more ‘ipad’ friendly! • Needto change the teaching pedagogy
- 42. Issues • DER Laptops • We have almost missed the boat for Year 11 and Year 10 • Games - flash based • Teachers are very reluctant “independent” technology learners • Curriculum is too “content heavy” in many KLA’s for constructivist non-traditional approaches - new National Curriculum is worse! • Time - for administration!
- 43. Biggest Issue of all.... • Studentsare reluctant independent learners - they would prefer to be spoon fed can be solved with Moodle!
- 44. Why it has worked.... • Hard work! • Wan’t really planned explicitly - more meeting the needs and seizing opportunities as they arrived • Occurred at a time of massive change - Entire Executive has changed in past 3 years! • Changingdemographic of school staff (2009 - 70% Baby Boomers: 2011 50% Baby Boomers) • The blockers are retiring :)
- 45. Thanks Simon Borgert @simonborgert 61 422 291 670 http://simonborgert.com
Editor's Notes
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- #5: Talk about LMS at Trinity - and first wireless network\nBeaconhills - Wireless network but no 1 - 1 program\nReal sales pitch (apart from the surf) for Coffs was DER program\n
- #6: My goal is to share the experience I have had in using Moodle to support a techno-phobic school staff - and capturing most of them! The excuse was the DER Program.\nI learnt from my previous experiences - particularlyy at Beaconhills - detail the program there\n
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- #16: The view from my Maths Classroom\n
- #17: The view from my Maths Classroom - a different day\nSorry can’t find the picture with the Whales breeching!\n
- #18: Desirable school - lots of teachers earn transfer points - transfer in and stay until retirement\n
- #19: Try not to be to critical\n
- #20: Give reasons why Linux Box didn’t work - our network person had no idea how to get it to talk to the network \nAfter much stuffing around (time) I got desperate and 2 days from my first meeting with the Regional person I just set up my own hosted Moodle install\n
- #21: I was being selfish at this stage - new school - new faculty to manage - had eGATs dumped on me - didn’t mention Moodle to any other staff - also had to battle with the great DET firewall!\n
- #22: The coordinator would have spent about 60 hours in total creating the course prior to its use with students\nSequencing was vital - I had seen a lot that had worked and a lot that had not worked at Beaconhills\n\n
- #23: The web page came from the fact the coordinator had heard about potential issues with different verisons of Office - it was a leg in!\nTHe sequencing was important because it ensured that there was not to much infomaiton at once and scafolded her previous understanding\n\n
- #24: The grading / commenting on assignments utilised predefined rubrics which were then uploaded as response files - so a bit more complex\n\n
- #25: in 2010 the program was run on a “regional” moodle - but was did not have as much success as the support regarding the use of moodle was very limited\n
- #26: Was often “teased” about Moodle in Exec - the long-time executive saw no need for any supporting LMS\nThe angst was not because they wanted the laptops - but more due to fear of the potential changes - \n
- #27: I like to refer to IWB’s as an Immense Waste of a Budget - particularly with regards supporting a future 1- 1 laptop program\nQuantitiy = Panaboards with stylus and long through projector\nQuality = multi-touch boards with ultra-short throw\n\n
- #28: How change - particularly technology changes often works out in schools - when no planning has occured\n
- #29: With some strategic planning - this is just Simon’s experience - I don’t really have the time (or desire!) to read books on change management \n
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- #32: Account Login Issues - mostly due to my inexperience with being a Moodle Admin - e.g. forcing alpha-numeric characters in passwords\nAll accounts still - email based registration\n
- #33: Moodle still running on a basic Siteground plan\nAll accounts still - email based registration\n
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- #35: Talk about alternatives to typing notes from board - and reluctance of some Exec to try - still burying heads\n
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- #37: enrolements is a real headache for me - we have 3 different systems at school - none of which is the same - plus Moodle makes 4 - very transient school population - plus kids can not remember their passwords\n
- #38: Year 9 Student - Are you moodleing tonight (particularly when parents have banned facebook access!)\n
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- #40: Relate story from Patti - signing her on\n
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- #42: Is this really any different to writing in a book\n- teachers still writing notes on board - kids type into laptops\n- using technology?\n
- #43: Particularly Year 10 - getting them to see the need is hard - don’t bring - teachers don’t use - vicious cycle\nSolutions?\nI don’t currently get any time allowance for managing Moodle - but this may change!\n
- #44: The reason this is the biggest issue is that it provides a very good reason for teachers not to change - it takes away the need!\nBut that is okay - just needs more hard work.\nGive example of Year 11 student not wanting to contribute to a Physics glossary\n
- #45: Relate story from DP conference - \n
- #46: One of my goals is to blog more!\n