‘Opinion’ Archives
#Moodlewish: Improved nav via arrows (#Chrome -style)
If you're a Chrome user like me, then you've noticed their cool window navigation when you open a new tab. Click in the left margin of the tab to see your most frequented sites, click in the right margin to see your list of Chrome apps. It's all very simple and totally intuitive. What I'd like, is a course format that borrowed a little [...]
Blackboard’s newest release to showcase major usability enhancements
In my day job we utilize Blackboard Learn 9.1 (we're on the latest service packs as soon as they become generally available). Upgrades for hosted services are upgraded as part of their cost, at our convenience as long as we schedule 1-2 weeks out. Recently Blackboard announced its newest Service Pack which was introduced by Ray Henderson and [...]
Opinion: The Social Learning Environment and Moodle
With the introduction of several new learning platforms in 2011 (Instructure, Sophia, CourseKit, OpenClass and others) there's a new buzz word in the realm of LMSs: "Social". Which is ironic since Moodle was built to introduce the "use of Open Source software to support a social constructionist epistemology of teaching and learning" . [...]
Is Your Moodle “Cheatable”?
Here's a cool resource I picked up around the twittersphere last week which helps to "score" your Moodle classroom based on how easily it is to cheat or game the system as a student. It asks simple questions like how much of your course is assessment based, how the assessments are setup, if you use the same test pools every year, if students can [...]
Study: Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use for Moodle LMS
I had a chance to read this research paper recently submitted at Moodle.org and it was pretty interesting (the authors are Şule Taslis Pektas and Halime Demirka of Bilkent University in Turkey). The study gauged student thoughts on their Moodle (in several areas) experience for a course specifically using Moodle to help facilitate and manage [...]
New Theme for Moodle 2.1+: FadeBlack
Here's a new theme from John Stabinger of New School Learning (Moodle Partner) called FadeBlack. Haven't had a chance to try it out (still waiting on 2.1 to be added to Bluehost's Simple Scripts) but from the plugin database entry it has a nice simple look and feel with raised/drop shadowed edges for blocks and content areas. Very slick [...]
Help drive development in 2012 by filling out this survey
Posted by Martin Dougiamas, Head Moodler in the Moodle.org forums today. This is your chance to help steer development towards your priorities. Speak up now by takeing this quick 4 question survey or forever hold your peace! Moodle AAARRGH! survey for 2012 My wish for 2012? Better usability through fewer clicks and fields.
2011 Edublog Awards voting is open, Vote here for Moodle and your fave bloggers
Voting for the 2011 Edublog Awards is now open. You can vote for your favorite Moodle blogger (Moodlenews nominated Gavin Henrick, Some Random Thoughts). You can also vote for Moodle as the best "free web tool". Tons of other nominees are available in an array of categories. If you're looking for some new blogs and sites to follow for [...]
#Moodlewish: Autosave
Here's a goodie from the forums recently: Autosave in Moodle. Ever been building a great webpage or label and then (by accident) closed the window or lost your work? Ever had students complain that they had been typing their online text assignment and then inadvertently lost it the same way? Soon it might be possible to ward off the [...]
Nominations open for the 2011 Edublogs Awards #eddies11: I nominate @ghenrick
Nominations are open for the 2011 Edublogs and I'd like to nominate Gavin Henrick's "Some Random Thoughts" blog as best "Best ed tech / resource sharing blog" (formerly the "resource sharing" category). Gavin's posted some wonderfully instructive and informative posts about Moodle lately and his blog is a great resource for finding a 1st level [...]
