MoodleBites

Even when creating a Moodle course the designer must often have the understanding of how the course will be actively managed. How do we make life easier when administering and teaching courses?

• Groups and Groupings
• Roles, Permissions, and Capabilities
• Reports, Logs and some extras...
• Understanding and using meta-courses effectively
• Import, Reset, Backup, Restore

The SCORM standard (Shareable Content Object Reference Model) is a collection of standards and specifications for web based e-learning. Essentially a SCORM package, or 'learning object' can be used in any SCORM compliant course management system, such as Moodle. But what exactly is a SCORM object?

The IMS LTI standard is a method by which e-learning tools can interoperate. It allows Moodle to embed learning objects from external web sites into courses in such a way that Moodle can pass user data to the tool, and the tool can send grades back to Moodle's gradebook.

• Standards
• SCORM creation applications
• Working examples
• Best-practice of using SCORM in Moodle
• Fundamentals of IMS LTI
  

The Apple iPod can be seen as being the device that created an explosion in podcasting. Whilst the technologies behind podcasting are a combination of RSS, popular compressed audio formats. There are a number of different ways to create podcast and podcast like activities in Moodle, and this course explores these. This week also explores the wider use of audio within Moodle courses.

• Audio formats
• Open Source audio applications
• Podcasting courses and activities
• Audio in Moodle resources
• Audio in Moodle activities

Few of us are trained graphic designers. However there is little doubt that effectively locating, creating, editing, and using graphics can lift an ordinary course into a visually stimulating and engaging course. This week will help you do just that.

• Open Source graphics applications
• Graphics processing and management
• Creatively using images in Moodle
• Understanding Themes in Moodle

The Database and Lesson activities are two of the most powerful activities in Moodle, but they are often avoided by teachers who find them too difficult or time-consuming to learn. This course explores the possibilities offered by these two modules, and how the HTML Block can be used creatively.

• Database - Advanced
• Lesson - Advanced
• HTML Block techniques

This course explores how Moodle courses can be designed with regard to best-practices and accessibility considered. Areas such as fonts, colours, speed, closed captioning, and browsers are discussed, with reference to research and techniques that can be applied to your own course design.

• Defining accessibility and usability
• Moodle specifics
• Course design best practice

Who hasn't heard of social-networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, photo sharing like Flickr, bookmarking and tagging in Del.icio.us, blogging and Twitter 'micro-blogging'. Learn some practical skills to make your Moodle course more like Web 2.0 social and collaborative networking spaces.

• Why do it?
• Integrating Flickr, Del.icio.us and Twitter
• Other Web 2.0 and collaborative techniques
• E-portfolios e.g. Mahara
• Video-conferencing with Moodle: Tokbox,WiZiQ, Dim-Dim, VYEW
• Google Docs and Google Code
• Integrations

This is an interesting overlap between an area relevant to both Teachers and Administrators. Although Teachers cannot add modules, surely it is the educators that should often decide which options to make available?

• How add-ins and non-standard modules work
• Using add-in Blocks, Activity Modules, Reports and Filters, Questions
• Other addiins
• Considering MoodleBites for Administrators
• Becoming an active member of the international Moodle community
• Using the Moodle Tracker

This course is just used to enable MoodleBites for Course Designers participants to print a Certificate of Completion.