Dear CAC Staff,
Happy New Year! I hope you had an enjoyable, restful break and your transition back to school is going smoothly. Below is a special Moodle update. Mona and I attended the annual NESA Virtual School Meeting prior to the winter break. This update reports some of the topics discussed at the meeting and CAC’s current and planned use of Moodle. This Moodle Update consist of information on the following topics:
What is Moodle?
How is Moodle use at CAC?: Our Vision
CAC Moodle Implementation: Update and Next Steps
Moodle Management: Teacher’s Task
Moodle Survey:What is your current use
Moodle Matrix: Plan your use of Moodle
Moodle Training: “Just in time” option
Moodle Tips: My Moodle, Moodle Idenity, Email settings
Week Without Walls: Moodle Courses
Moodle Modules: Not all are created equal
Nesa Virtual School Update: Regional Pilot Projects
Moodle 2.0: Coming next summer
Moodle Tip: Use Firefox as your Browser
Blue Dot Quote
For more information on these topics browse the descriptors below or visit our Tech Update Blog’s special Moodle entry at http://cactechupdates.blogspot.com/ Please let me know if there is a topic you would like me to address in a future Tech Update.
What is Moodle? Moodle stands for Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment. It is an Open Source Course Management System. Some may call it a Learning Management System or a Virtual Learning Environment. It is a virtual classroom space for teachers to store their digital materials. A container for online digital tools, resources and media. It can be deployed in a variety of ways ranging from a dynamic website to augment face-to-face with a class of students to an online school for thousands of students. It contains a set of collaborative tools, easily delivers content to students and can assess learning using assignment and quizzes.
How is Moodle used at CAC?: Our Vision is to use Moodle as our virtual classroom space. Teachers have begun using it to augment their face to face work with students. We call this a Blended Learning environment. The open source nature of Moodle allows us to customize its use, grow and change its application as our use of technology becomes more seamless. While there are many similar application out there not many are open source and provide the flexibility to evolve with us. With more than 1700 users and almost 500 course, Moodle is a reliable solution that supports CAC learning and administrative needs. This year our goals are to make a successful transition from Blackboard to Moodle and establish some minimum Blended learning using Moodle Practices K-12.
CAC Moodle Implementation: So far the following implementation steps have been taken at CAC:
- Sandbox course setup for each teacher
- Site configuration and layout
- Organizational structure
- Basic site policies established
- User accounts created
- Academic courses created
- Administrative use explored
- Basic Teacher Training conducted
- Training support site created
- Just in time Teacher training available
- Week Without Walls courses created
Next Steps
- NESA Science Fair Use
- On-going training, support and development
- Explore parent access
- Template creation and access
- Regional Project Use
Moodle Management: Below is a list of Teacher’s Task that all grade 6-12 course teachers should have these in place as a minimum Moodle practice by the end of this year. We applaud those of you who have already meet these minimum uses and are well into a blended classroom environment. Upper ES classroom should begin to model some of these practices. All es classrooms should refer to your divisional discussions for the task to complete in moodle. Course grade 6-12 at CAC should have:
- Course documents posted in Moodle or created in Google Docs and linked in Moodle.
- Class handouts distributed digitally in Moodle. End user printing used
- Homework and supporting materials posted in Moodle.
- Online digital tools and resources used by a course are embedded or link in Moodle for easy access by students.
- Email communication with student through the Moodle News Fourm when appropriate.
- Explore student online Feedback in Moodle forums where appropriate.
For assistant with implementing any of these contact your divisional integrator or technology teacher assistant.
Moodle Survey: I will ask Technology staff to survey your current use of Moodle in a blended learning environment as it compares to the above task. This will give us an indicator of where we are as a school. It will also give them opportunity to assess training needs and offer assistance.
Moodle Matrix: Following is a link to a Moodle Tool Guide for teachers. This matrix can assist you in choosing a Moodle tool for use with your learning activities. It compares some of the functionality and pedagogical of some of the standard Moodle tools. It also gives brief explanations on what the tools can and cannot do. This is a handy chart to have nearby when working with Moodle Tools. You can read more about this chart and download it at http://www.cats-pyjamas.net/2010/05/moodle-tool-guide-for-teachers/ It may also be viewed below as an attachment.
Moodle Training: “Just in time” Moodle Training is available through a quick search of You Tube, Atomic learning and a few other moodle support sites that provide you with short ”Just in Time” How to videos on the many features of Moodle. Here are two links to get you started.
Moodle Tips: My Moodle, Moodle Idenity, Email settings
- “My Moodle” page: is a personal dashboard for each user that they can customize and easily get to their courses similar to iGoogle or a My Yahoo page.
- Moodle stores which course or orgainzations you are in. Members of those courses or organizations have access to your profile. To the degree of which you are comfortable, you can share information about yourself to those members. Profiles include your picture, interests, location and other information included as your online identity with the communities within our Moodle. Various settings are also maintained in your profile.
- Are you receiving too many emails from Moodle? You can change your email settings so that Moodle only sends you one email every afternoon, containing all of the email notifications from that day. To do this:
• Log in to Moodle
• Click on your name in the top, right-hand corner of the page.
• Click the 'Edit profile' tab.
• Where it says 'Email digest type' choose: 'Complete (daily email with full posts)'
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click 'Update profile'.
Week Without Walls: A Moodle course has been set up for all WWW courses. Teacher can use these courses as they like. The are currently available through your CAC Moodle Log in. They will become available to your course participants once you enroll them. If you need any assistance with course set-up feel free to contact a Mona or Steve.
Moodle Modules: There are many modules that can be added to Moodle to extend it functionality and use with other online tools. However not all are supported by Moodle Partners and our server administrator. Some modules are added for free some cost a $150 fee. Before adding a module to our Moodle instance we would like to first test it on a sandbox server and make sure it is compatible with our configuration and your planned use before committing to it as a set part of our Moodle site. We also work in collaboration with other NESA Schools to determine the value of Modules as a group and note issue other schools may have had with a module before committing to it on our Moodle instance.
Nesa Virtual School Update: The three main goals of our meeting in Katmandu were to:
- Optimize the successful transition from Blackboard to Moodle for all NVS schools
- Formulate appropriate and sustainable ASP service for the future
- Continue to learn about and develop Moodle as an optimal platform for blended learning, collaboration, and emergency continuity.
These apply directly to us and our use at CAC. We are right in the mix when it comes to use of Moodle by NESA schools. Some Regional Pilot Projects mentioned at the meeting are:
- NVSF – NESA Virtual Science Fair
- Film Festival
- Art Teachers Collaborative Project
- Virtual Speech Contest
If you are interested in being involved in any of these projects let us know and we will send you contact information.
Moodle 2.0: Coming next summer The NESA Virtual School Project will update to Moodle 2.0. This upgrade is currently available but the group has decided to wait until summer to avoid any needed down time or unexpected issues. If you are interested in reading about some of the new and improved features click on this link.
http://docs.moodle.org/en/Moodle_2.0_release_notes#Portfolio_support
Moodle Tip: When working with Moodle on a Mac use Firefox as your browser. Other browsers may not support the complete tool bar in many of the Moodle tools.
Blue Dot Quote: With the growing use of technology tools like Moodle in education it is important that we stay a tune to the humanistic side of education. Face to face relationships, listening and the resilience to live healthy lives with our student and colleagues is a must. Here is what I call a Blue Dot Quote related to this idea.
“The Speed of Life is the Moment — the Present is just that, a Gift” by Joseph Bailey
As always the tech department is ready to provide you with any technology assistance needed. If you have any questions or topics you would like addressed in future tech update about Moodle feel free to email Mona mabdelhady@cacegypt.org or myself sroberts@cacegypt.org.
Keep Computing!
Your Friendly IT Guy,
Steve
Steven Roberts, Director of Information Services, Cairo American College
"The man who can make hard things easy is the educator." by ~Ralph Waldo
Emerson~
Dear CAC Staff,
I hope this week’s break has been a restful one for all of you. Below is an update on happenings with CAC Tech. Please browse the topics of interest to you and refer back to this as the need arises. This Tech Update consist of information on the following topics:
End User Printing: Technology Green Initiative.
Entourage Glitch: Missing Mail.
Teacher’s g-cacegypt Mail Redirect: Students may send to your g-cacegypt account.
Student g-cacegypt Email Accounts: Use in Moodle and remind students to check or redirect.
Blended Classroom Update: Do your courses meet recommended use.
1 to 1 learning update: Pilot Program and MS, ES preparedness Teacher Surveys.
Student Laptop Checkout Reminder: Teacher Supervision Needed.
Missing Technology Equipment: Label clearly and inform security.
Moodle Update: Special update coming soon.
Emerging Technology: iPads available for exploration.
Content Filtering: Open DNS being Explored.
Network Slowdown test. Is it us or the site?
Bandwidth Use: The effects of streaming and downloading during the school day.
My Perspective: Technology and 21st Century Education.
On the Personal Side: Thanks for the support.
More information on these topics browse the descriptors below or visit our Tech Update Blog’s Nov entry at http://cactechupdates.blogspot.com/ You may want to save this one as a lot of information is given here. Please let me know if there is a topic you would like me to address in a future Tech Update.
End User Printing: You may have noticed that many conference including NESA has moved to end user printing where the majority of there information resources for sessions are being distributed digitally on line to participants. It is up to the participant (end user) to determine if they need to print a paper copy or view the digital version. Schools who are are moving towards a greener campus are taking a similar action by distributing coarse information to students digitally (when appropriate) through learning platforms like Moodle. Students who need the paper copy can print them if they like. Many students prefer the digital version because it is easier to keep up with. Teachers are also accepting assignments digitally through platforms like Moodle and Google Apps. Those teachers who prefer to work with hard copies of student work, then prints them once for themselves. Many teachers have learned to do grading and provide feedback digitally. This reduces the waste we often find from students printing multiple copies of there work for a variety of reason. Its a Technology Green Initiative for teachers consciences about paper waste and a green practice for our students. The technology department encourages you to initiate “End User” Printing whenever appropriate with your students.
Entourage Glitch: We have been trouble shooting a few users who have reported mail not showing up in their Entourage account but being in there web Outlook account. While not perfect these two usually sync with each other. We have discovered this is a glitch being addressed by the developer and according to one list serve they hope to have a solution in their next update. In the meantime if you are expecting mail that is not showing up in your Entourage account check your web outlook mail account including spam and junk mail folders. A link to web mail is in quick links on the school Web site. A similar issue from time to time is mail not reaching you account at all. Usually this is because of an misspelled email address but from time to time filters along its path may stop it. Domains get blacklisted for many different reasons. If you have reason to suspect this, send them an email with my address (cc me) and request them to email both of us as a test. We can then follow up on the email address, check some variables and white-list it if needed.
Teacher’s g-cacegypt Mail Redirect: From time to time students using their g-cacegypt account may be emailing you at an account that is included with your google apps account. Please consider this possibility if student say they emailed you and you didn’t receive it. While having an extra account is a recommended practice you can simply forward all the mail from your g-cacegypt account to you cacegypt account and seamlessly receive all mail there. For help doing this any technology department staff member can assist you.
Student g-cacegypt Email Accounts: All students grade 3-12 have a google apps account including g-cacegypt email. This email account is used for academic and school related communication with 6-12th grade students. It is the default account for students enrolled in your Moodle courses. Please have students check this account regularly or set it to forward to another account they check regularly. They may be missing some important information.
Blended Classroom Update: Your technology integrators and myself recommend the following basic uses for your Moodle Course/ Google Apps in a blended classroom environment. We believe all grade 6-12 course should have these in place as a minimum practice by the end of this year. We applaud those of you who are already meet these minimum uses and are well into a blended classroom environment. Upper ES classroom should begin to model some of these practices. Courses grade 6-12 at CAC should have:
- Course documents posted in Moodle or created in Google Docs and linked in Moodle.
- Class handouts distributed digitally in Moodle. End user printing used
- Homework and supporting materials posted in Moodle.
- Online digital tools and resources used by a course are embedded or link in Moodle for easy access by students.
- Email communication with student when appropriate.
- Explore student online Feedback in Moodle forums where appropriate.
- For assistant contact your divisional integrator or technology teacher assistant.
1 to 1 Learning Update: MS is currently conducting a pilot 1 to 1 learning project with a group of 40, 7th graders. Eaxh of these students have a laptop that they take from class to class each day. This is progressing well as teachers of this group further their development of a blended learning environment. Efforts will be made to expand 1 to1 learning based upon this groups work. I will soon send HS and ES teachers a 1 to 1 pre-implementation survey. This will help gage our preparedness to implement 1 to 1 learning in HS and a 10 to a class program in ES. This will also be an opportunity for teachers to provide their feedback into our planning process. 1 To 1 learning started with the use of our 1st class set of laptops on a carts. Our progression with digital tools and 21st century learning, demand for more student access, and strategic plan for Seamless Integration, makes 1 to 1 learning a key CAC Technology strategy.
Student Laptop Checkout Reminder: Teachers please remember when requesting a laptop form a cart for a student or assigning them one in your class it is your responsibility to supervised their use as an academic tool. Our demand for access to laptops is increasing and we need to make sure students are using them for classroom academic purpose. Computer labs and the library provide student access for non teacher supervised work.
Technology Equipment Inventory: Its a good inventory practice that all school laptops and other portable technology equipment should be well label to easily identified the owner. If you have some school owned portable technology equipment that at a minimum does not have a library barcode Label on it please let us know so we can label it. Please check that all equipment checked out to you is accounted for on a regular basis. If you or your students find technology equipment missing notify myself and your divisional principal immediately with details so we can follow up on its whereabouts. (It’s probably a good practice to label your personal equipment so that you are easily identified as the owner also.)
Moodle Update: Mona and I attended te NESA virtual School meeting last month. I’m happy to report that our planned use of Moodle is very much aligned with the NVS objectives and activities going on at many of our NESA schools. We will give more details about the meetings and Moodle in a special Moodle Tech Update. Keep Moodling!
Emerging Technology: I believe any good technology department explores new technology when it can. With that in mind we have two school owned iPads available for check out from the library. Feel free to explore these digital tools. While I consider them in-between technology, I don’t feel they have the functionality yet to meet the diverse needs of our students for technology access as a laptop does. Laptops do everything an iPad can do and more. No need to introduce many of these with their limited functionality only to out grown their use and move to a laptop anyway. However I do think one or two of them can be useful in special situation for specific purposes. Also I think a device similar to the iPad will one day be available with increase functionality to meet all of a student’s needs. So dream a bit and Keep Exploring!
Content Filtering: As we work to improve our connectivity and meet concerns of the content available to students on the internet we are exploring a tool called Open DNS. This web based content filtering tool will allow us to filter websites that may be causing network slowdowns. It can also be used to block sites containing inappropriate content for a school. You may get a blocked website message from CAC Technology while we are exploring this tool. Simply send me an email with the URL you are trying to reach and we can white list it. Use of Open DNS or similar tool will be balanced with our digital citizenship philosophy of teaching responsible use to our users.
Network Slowdown Test. Is it us or the site? Anytime you suspect their might be a network slowdown you can check if it is due to CAC network traffic or the traffic on the website you are trying to load. Simply try to load another site that you commonly use and see if you experience the same slow down. If not then the slow down has to do with the site you are trying to reach which is out of our control. I usually do a Google search on a random term to test. An additional network test to determine non connectivity is to access a file on our server when ever you cannot open a website. If you can access a file on the server then the connectivity problem is with our provider or the website your trying to reach. Please wait 10-15 minutes before contacting us. Often problems in our control are temporary and connection is restored or we would have contacted our provider for more information to share with you.
Bandwidth Use: Recently I sent a message regarding the use of our internet connection to stream and/or download movies, music, radio or large files during the school day. This eats up bandwidth and may interrupt a teacher’s academic real time use. Teachers and Students should download these files before, after school and weekends. Save them to a local drive to view and share with classes at a later time. Streaming and downloading during the school day may provide one or two users with a good speed but denies other users of the bandwidth needed for instructional activities as they will have to share the remaining bandwidth with the rest of the school.
My Perspective: I believe an underlying theme in many recent educational conferences has been information and communication technology’s use in education. Technology is a change agent in 21st Century Education. The immediate access to current research, ability to collaborate instantaneously anywhere in the world and access to a wide range of tools and resources is providing teachers with new skills and knowledge. The knowledge and ability to differentiate instruction and assess learning in ways that addresses the uniqueness of students in the 21st century. This impacts what is taught, how it is taught and why it is taught. As an educator it is important that we stay up to date with the ideas and practice being shared at these conference and in current publications. I recommend we stay mindful of these as we meet vertically about our curriculum.
On the Personal Side: The past two months have been bitter sweet time for me. I’d like to share my appreciation to all of you who sent me words of condolence at the news of my Mom’s passing and best wishes on my birthday. Thank you for your support during this time.
As always the tech department is ready to provide you with any technology assistance needed. If you have any questions or topics you would like addressed in future tech updates feel free to email me sroberts@cacegypt.org.
Keep Computing!
Your Friendly IT Guy,
Steve
Steven Roberts, Director of Information Services, Cairo American College
"The man who can make hard things easy is the educator." by ~Ralph Waldo
Emerson~
