Introduction to Moodle - On Demand!

Catch the aforementioned RETA Webinar at your convenience here.

Catch the Moodle Fever

You are invited...
Introduction to Moodle - RETA Webinar
Presented by Holly Rae Bemis-Schurtz

Moodle is an open source course management system used by educators around the world. Created by Martin Dougiamas to support social constructivism, Moodle provides flexibility and autonomy for districts and teachers while supporting a wide variety of interactive social learning tools. In this introductory session you will learn more about what Moodle can do and find out how it can be implemented. You will even be able to hear from some teachers who have used it in both distance and blended education and see examples from their courses.

When: TODAY
Tuesday 29 April 2008, 04:30 PM - 05:30 PM MST


TO JOIN THE WEBINAR
Our webinars are one hour and will begin promptly at 4:30pm MT (5:30 CST;
6:30 EST; 3:30 PST).

If you have not registered for this event, please go to the following link
to register at least 24 hours prior to the event:
http://nmsu.acrobat.com/intromoodle1/event/registration.html

If you have previously registered for this event, attend by going to the
following link and enter the email address and password you used to
register: http://nmsu.acrobat.com/intromoodle1/event/login.html

Join the webinar 20-30 minutes prior to the start time to configure your
computer. To participate speakers are required; a simple computer microphone and/or headset is ideal for complete interaction. A webcam is
optional. If you have never used Acrobat Connect Professional, please test
your connection at:

http://admin.adobe.acrobat.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

TECH ASSISTANCE
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact webinars@nmsu.edu or call us at 575.646.6143.


FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please visit us at http://webinars.nmsu.edu

Have a cup of coffee, invite a colleague and raise your eQ (eLearning
Quotient) with us.


Thank you,
The RETA Webinar Team

LunchOMatic

Pack another cool tool in your lunch tomorrow with the RETA Webinar on ScreencastOMatic Tuesday at 12 noon MST.

Worth the risk

The last time I posted a Slideshare to this blog, it broke my template and all of my loverly little widgets went to the bottom of the page.

In my search on learning ecosystems, I came across this presentation. I felt I could give the template issue another shot, because I think the content has lots of implications for myself and the fine folks I work with.

| View | Upload your own

The secret life of wikis in the classroom...

may just be revealed on Tuesday.

Getting to know the basic Moodle Activities: Choices and Journals

Show me the Moodle - Choice and Journal Activities
Sunday, April 6 - 11 am-12 pm MST

Presented by Holly Rae Bemis-Schurtz

Register at: http://moodlebots.pbwiki.com/register+here
Attend at: http://nmsu.acrobat.com/retashowmethemoodle/

Moodle Choice and Journal Activities are some of the easiest Moodle activities to implement. In this hour long webclass we will demonstrate how to implement these activities and discuss how we can use them in our online and blended classrooms.

This session is for Moodlers who have already had an introduction to Moodle Course Design. This session will be recorded for on demand viewing. Details will be shared after the session.

Attending these sessions

A simple computer microphone and/or chat headset is ideal for participation. A web cam is also nice, but not required.

Please plan to join the session at least 20 minutes prior to the start time to configure your computer.

Tech Assistance

Support will be available 30 minutes prior to the start of session for tech assistance.

Photoshop Express Opens Up

'Free' Photoshop...

https://www.photoshop.com/express/landing.html

Thanks to ASCD Smart Brief for this valuable information.

Wikis in the K12 Classroom - Just how do you do this?

Wikis are all the rage - with very good reason. Exactly how, however, do you do this, especially in the K12 classroom? What about guidelines, permissions, safety...?

Check out this post I made to Moodlebots Blog to find out how you can learn about wikis in the classroom today, tomorrow, and beyond.

http://moodlebots.blogspot.com/2008/03/using-wikis-with-your-students.html

Bon (Wiki) appetit!

PBWiki 2.0 yummies up New Mexico Moodles

I have tried a beta test of PBWiki 2.0 while putting together the New Mexico Moodle Administrator's Wiki at http://minimoot.pbwiki.com/

The more developed permissions system allows me to invite users to create their own account rather than having to use a community password. There were five levels of user access, I believe.

Simple and delicious.

Blocks are the new Black

Shopped around for the basics of Moodle course design? Ready for something new?

Accessorize your basic course with Moodle Blocks ~ http://moodlebots.blogspot.com/2008/03/show-me-moodle-blocks-5-pm-mst-today.html

Spring is a great time to spice up your (course) look! Join us today.

I think, therefore I Moodle...

For the Moodlebots, OTLO, EDUC8, and Dexter E2T2 groups I work with...

This week’s RETA Webinar!

Blogs in the Classroom I by Cissy Lujan-Pincomb and Miley Grandjean
Tuesday, March 4, 2008 – 4:30 pm-5:30 pm
Register at: http://webinars.nmsu.edu/

You hear about blogs everyday from students or co-workers, but have you thought about using them in your classroom? In this webinar session you will be introduced to the refreshing world of blogging where you will begin generating ideas on how you might use blogs within your own classroom. In this first session we will introduce you to: what a blog is, what a blog can be used for, help you set up your own blogging account, and then send you on your way with resources, so that you will make an informed and enjoyable push into the “blogging world.”

This week’s Show me the Moodle Webclass!

Show me the Moodle Blocks by Holly Rae Bemis-Schurtz
Thursday, March 6, 2008 - 5 – 6 pm
Register at: http://moodlebots.pbwiki.com/register+here

How do you add RSS feeds to the sidebar of your course? What if you want an interactive calendar for students? These are only a couple of the Blocks available in Moodle. In this one hour session, we will demonstrate implementation of these popular blocks and show you how you can add Widgets to incorporate other dynamic content into your course.

This session is for Moodlers who have already had an introduction to Moodle Course Design.

This session will be recorded for on demand viewing. Details will be shared after the session.

Attending these sessions

A simple computer microphone and/or chat headset is ideal for participation. A web cam is also nice, but not required. Please plan to join the session at least 20 minutes prior to the start time to configure your computer.


Tech Assistance

Support will be available 30 minutes prior to the start of session for tech assistance.

More great eLearning webinars and webclass sessions coming up every week! For more information, see
http://moodlebots.pbwiki.com/Synchronous+Learning+Events

For more information on Moodle

Our ancillary resource for this session is the Moodle 1.8 Handbook at our site at http://reta.nmsu.edu/moodle. After attending, you should be able to practice the ‘hands on’ component in your own Moodle classroom (contact me if you would like a course environment for your use at RETAMoodle - http://reta.nmsu.edu/moodle).

Can’t make it?

Sessions will be recorded. A link for a session recording will be available. Contact me for more information.

My Mobile Home...Page

So I read about Mofuse on Mashable and had to try it out. A bit of a bug in the Mowser plugin but the support crew fixed it almost immediately after receiving the email I sent. My goal was to make a marvelous Mobile Home Page for Moi. Tre cutiemust!

http://hollyrae.mofuse.mobi

Upcoming Show me the Moodle Sessions

Hi Everyone ~ Happy Leap Year to all from RETA Moodle!

I have some information I'd like for you to know. Feel free to share this with friends. In addition to the wonderful RETA Webinars coming up in the next couple of months, I have scheduled some 'Show me the Moodle' webclass sessions on specific topics. These topics are designed to help you with specific parts of Moodle course design. You will find more information at the Moodlebot Wiki - http://moodlebots.pbwiki.com/Synchronous+Learning+Events

Show me the Moodle - Blocks - March 6 - 5 pm MST [register here]

How do you add RSS feeds to the sidebar of your course? What if you want an interactive calendar for students? These are only a couple of the Blocks available in Moodle. In this one hour session, we will demonstrate implementation of these popular blocks and show you how you can add Widgets to incorporate other dynamic content into your course.

Show me the Moodle - Adding Resources - March 13 - 5 pm MST[register here]

Adding content to your course is a breeze with Moodle. Find out how to add websites, HTML, PowerPoints and other types of files in this one hour on Moodle Resources.

Show me the Moodle - Assignments - March 16 - 11 am MST[register here]

There are four main ways to use the Assignment activity in Moodle. In this one hour session we will demonstrate each of these and give examples of how they can be used in online teaching and blended instruction.

Show me the Moodle - Choice and Journal Activities - April 6 - 11 am MST [register here]

Moodle Choice and Journal Activities are some of the easiest Moodle activities to implement. In this hour long webclass we will demonstrate how to implement these activities and discuss how we can use them in our online and blended classrooms.

Moodle Administration Professional Learning Community [register here]

March 11 - 4:30 pm MST and April 8 - 4:30 pm MST

This is an open learning community of educators who are currently or planning to administer a Moodle site. Topics of discussion may include security, course management, user management, troubleshooting, etc. Participants in this group are invited to return on a monthy basis to share ideas and discuss how they can support Moodle in their schools and districts.

Moodle@Picacho: Transforming Teaching with Interactive Online Course Management Tools

I dig action research. I was very lucky in my graduate experience to be invited to the Center for Teaching Excellence Action Research conference in Taos in 2006 to present my study on a strategy I used in my classroom.

During the 2006-2007 school year, I lead an action research study using CTE grant funding with a wonderful team of teachers at my site. We studied Moodle in our own professional learning and we used it with our students - collecting data and reflecting on our work along the way.

The result is the lengthy Action Research Report that I will post today. It's been in Google Docs for a long time now and it's time to put it on record. This report will be included in the CTE Action Research report which will come out in June at this year's conference.

The report is located here: http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dg2jjhbv_45dndxn5

As Moodle has changed, so has the relevance of the technical discussion of Moodle within the report. The highlights, however, reveal that customized professional development and access to a professional learning community supports teachers in their adoption and implementation of Moodle. By working together, educators mediate the challenges of implementing new tools with students. There is also some interesting data on the attitudes of the students who participated.

Almost a year out from the busy time when I wrote this final report, I view it more as a comprehensive snapshot of what we worked on and what we learned, rather than something which informs other educators from a research standpoint. Don't get me wrong~ It could very much be useful, but I am learning every day how the little things about technology change rapidly and the conversation is more about reflective practice than analysis of the tool.

I look forward to future writings on my work with educators and Moodle, now that I can see the study from different angles. I would enjoy engaging in a discussion about the report and the question of how it could inform what teachers are doing today with online tools.

Theme of the Day: Help people learn more in better ways!

I received some excellent news updates today on the topic of differentiation and assistive technology. What it all boils down to is that the edtech leaders and evangelists among us have much to do with special education and assistive technnology, or rather all of us, in all of those fields, have work to do, together.

Then TechCrunch served up this story about Howcast. What a perfect opportunity to break down a task analysis in the spirit of Dr. Poel at NMSU.

Here's an example of the helpfulness and straight up 'how to ness' of Howcast. How do we get these clever ex-Googlers to work for the Force? Of course, by force I mean, the good side....aren't all of us ed-vangelists on that side?

Free books on Digital Media and Learning for download

Here's the description from the website at http://www.mitpressjournals.org/loi/dmal?cookieSet=1

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning examines the effect of digital media tools on how people learn, network, communicate, and play, and how growing up with these tools may affect a person's sense of self, how they express themselves, and their ability to learn, exercise judgment, and think systematically. The full text of each volume in the Series is provided for free and open access thanks to the generous support of the MacArthur Foundation. The full text of these chapters is openly available below. We ask that you complete a brief site registration process, or log in if you are already registered at MIT Press Journals. Registration is entirely optional, but we hope you will register because the information that we gather helps us learn more about open access publishing. If you're experiencing access problems or have questions about e-access registration, please email journals-access@mit.edu.

Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth

Digital Media, Youth, and Credibility

The Ecology of Games: Connecting Youth, Games, and Learning

Digital Young, Innovation, and the Unexpected

Learning Race and Ethnicity: Youth and Digital Media

Youth, Identity, and Digital Media

Collaborative writing with Twitter

I just learned about Twittories from @willrich45 of http://weblogg-ed.com/ and I'm really excited because this is the first time I've learned about a collaborative writing structure facilitated by Twitter. Please take some time and check it out in this example of a twittorie, The Darkness Inside...Too cool.

I must tell you, they say you learn something new everyday. With Twitter (especially on the @edtechtalk's friend list) it's more like you learn something new every second.

Dear Santa, can I please sync my Google Calendar with my Palm?

Apparently, yes. Based on the demo version and the default settings, I now have some seriously air synced gCal. Thinking of upgrading....Claims to work with many phones and mobile devices...Ahhh, I love the holiday season. You should also know I really also love my Centro after retiring my nearly two year old Treo 650. I absolutely love the mobile content and speed I'm getting now, plus the Sprint Mobile Email, Streaming Radio, Mobile You Tube, SprintTV...all are working very well.

Give it a goo, I mean, go @ http://www.goosync.com

P.S. Already tried Companion Sync. No luck...kept wanting .Net passport and my machine resisted...

Just in Time Learning

Put something out there and be amazed. I had my own snackbyte moment today. A couple of weeks ago I posted the previously mentioned slideshow to Slideshare. Within a couple of days I received messages back from the site that the slideshow was added to a supercool effective practices of Web 2.0 teaching group. I also got word from a teacher who claimed to have had a moment with fellow teachers when they were talking about Moodle and the slideshow popped up in the group at the same moment.

I realize it's my own trade in attention economy, but I have to blog about this!

So did this teacher, who is called maggiev on Slideshare. Please read her post here.

The best part is the chat log included. You can read the whole thing at Maggie's blog post and the conversation begins about different tools, including Moodle...

Scroll to the bottom of the transcript for the 'just in time' moment.

The force is out there....and it's pretty strong.

Free, like Free Kittens!

In my experiences with sharing the good news of Moodle, I find I am often trying to explain the concept of something being free of licensing fees, but still requiring a certain infrastructure and level of support to be successful. Today on WizIQ, I received a message from a fellow Moodler which let me to this slideshow by Sandeep. Promoting Moodle as 'Free (like Free Kittens)' really captured this idea. I share that slideshow with you now. What I like the most is the slide which shoes the different types of support you need. For my own slideshow attempt at the same topic, please see this on Slideshare.