MMVC17 Presentation Reviews

In August, I joined the MoodleMoot Virtual Conference 2017, aka MMVC17. This is the sixth year for this three-day conference. Presenters are accomplished, well respected educators with connections to Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) or use technology in effective ways in online and blended learning opportunities.

I’ll review those MMVC17 presentations that most closely relate to topics that I find interesting and important for my professional development. Currently, these presentations describe research based, effective learning trends from around the world. All align with my state's professional learning goals.

Badges are awarded for a variety of activities. Badges that lead to the presentation of certificates are awarded for specific learning criteria. That criteria includes: watching at least 12 of the presentations, taking notes, comparing the information with what I already know, and discussing how I can implement the latest information into my professional development program.

I'll complete the reviews, answering eleven critical questions for each presentation and presenter. In addition, I,ll share my impressions and ideas for future use in my teaching, learning, or research. 

After that, using PowerPoint with notes, I'll download the slides to Knovio or PresentMe and record myself reading the notes in ScreenCastOMatic, In the final project phase I'll pull all those parts into a video that I'll share through YouTube or Vimeo.

I've selected presentation from these topics in the categories of:

·        Teaching and Learning with Technology

MMVC17: Technology Facilitates and Frustrates

MMVC17: Understanding programming fundamentals

MMVC17: Dealing With Digital Distraction in the Classroom

·        Teaching and Learning Online
I think of this topic as it relates to trends:

MMVC17: Techno-Clil in the 21st Century School

MMVC17: A Quantum Leap for future direction of education

MMVC17: Creating Powerful Learning Possibilities with VR Tools

MMVC17: What to expect in online education in coming years

MMVC17: What about Non - Native Online English Teachers?

MMVC17: Spice up your lessons with interactive tools

·        Blended Online Learning

MMVC17: Using Moodle in collaborative interdisciplinary group projects

MMVC17: Innovation for quality leadership

MMVC17: How to be a Fair Tester?

MMVC17: Motivating Teens & Youngsters to Learn & Study

MMVC17: They’ll never forget!

MMVC17: Bringing Pendantic Learning of Vocabulary to Life!

·        Badges for Learning

MMVC17: Opening Ceremony

·        Online Learning Environments

MMVC17: Improve Classroom Culture with Mindfulness

MMVC17: The New School Experience Part Two by Roy Andersen

MMVC17: Rethinking Stress Triggers with Sue Annan 

FOR MY READERS: Watch any of the MMVC17 presentations. Comments are helpful for a community learning process. After I receive feedback on this article or these presentations, look for my online reviews.

Moodle MOOC 8 Week 1 - What is Moodle?

What I know about the intricacies of Moodle may be limited, but I do know the idea behind it came about at a time when programming languages were evolving to allow for programs that were less logic driven and more data driven. We wouldn’t have the richness of games, programs, and dynamic websites without object oriented programming.

MOODLE is an acronym for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment. There is some talk that the M originally stood for Martin (for the original creator, Martin Dougiamas) While it’s a romantic tale, I think Martin began and named the process of  Modules, since they are a logical outcome of Object Oriented programming.

Moodle is the amazing open-source free software learning management system. It’s a learning management system like none I’ve ever used before. It’s intuitive, not clunky and complicated as Blackboard was when I first learned to use it. 

Moodle can be managed by the people who are actually doing the teaching, so you don’t have to wait days to get a response to an email about adding a simple application to the LMS you’re using. It seems that, for once, if I can think about adding something to my Learning Management System then I can.... with Moodle.

Moodle can stand alone as an e-learning management system, or it can be used as a suite of online educational tools to enhance the process of e-learning, including: blending, flipping, collaborating, and tailoring your environment to meet the needs of your students through your work as the teacher and manager.

During an earlier Moodle MOOC webinar, the idea came out during the class that Moodle is also a Teacher Management System. That’s true. I believe it is a logical consequence of being a dynamic, data driven system. The fulfillment of this idea may explain its successful use by teachers everywhere.

There is a depth of modules, blocks, and activities that seems overwhelming to me now.  That’s why I’m here in Moodle MOOC 8  to learn more about Moodle. Specifically, I want to learn so many topics like SCORM, flipping between online webinars to Moodle, and how to coordinate the whole process for your students and colleagues.

I found some interesting resources online, and I chose those that seemed most relevant. I selected those from universities, foundations, or schools.

You might enjoy reading the third source. It’s an interesting conversation in the Moodle Developer’s forum between Martin Dougiamas and a programmer working to add more value to the Moodle LMS at his school community. It’s very clear that these people really understand that open source is a wonderful way to access the minds of others who may have a cool idea that could improve Moodle even more.

Powell, T. (2011, 05). What is Moodle?. Getting to Know Moodle1. Retrieved 05, 2016, from http://www.kennesaw.edu/elearning/HowToMoodle/GettingtoKnowMoodle1.pdf

(2016, 05). Moodle. Wikipedia. Retrieved 05, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moodle

Martin, D. (2002, 12). Making Moodle More Object Oriented. Moodle Developer Forum. Retrieved 05, 2016, from https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=356

(2016, 01). How To Moodle. About Moodle. Retrieved 05, 2016, from http://www.howtomoodle.com/about-us/about-moodle/

Goyal, E., & Tambe, S. (2015). Effectiveness of Moodle-enabled blended learning in private Indian business school teaching niche programs. The Online Journal of New Horizons in Education–April, 5(2). Retrieved from http://www.tojned.net/journals/tojned/articles/v05i02/v05i02-03.pdf

Xiaojun, S., Yuan, J., & Xing, R. (2015). System design based on Moodle. 2015 International Conference on Intelligent Systems Research and Mechatronics Engineering. Atlantis Press, 2015. Retrieved from System Design based on Moodle