Web+2.0

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I started using Moodle at the beginning of the semester in January 2010. Initially I used Moodle as a resource for posting students homework assignments and any important class events. I have expanded my use of this technology to have the students post in weekly journals, complete online Hot Potato Quizzes, discuss homework online, and provide online resources such as podcasts.

In any classroom Moodle can be used as an opportunity to get additional contact time with your students as well as be a place that can provide them online resources that are available when they need them. Moodle is not a site, but a technology that can be installed onto a web server to create a robust classroom website. Moodle is culmination of a wiki, a blog, a website, a file drop box, a message board, and much more.

Moodle's default features include capabilities for:
 * Assignments
 * Chatting
 * Forums
 * Quizzes
 * Journals
 * Lessons
 * Surveys
 * Wikis
 * Posting Assignments, Worksheets, Podcasts
 * MUCH MORE!

To get started with Moodle for your classroom your school districts IT administrator must install and deploy the technology on your school districts web server. From there the IT administrator can create your Moodle classroom. After that you will take over! You may add activities to the page for your students, post information on the calendar, post hand-outs, upload completed class lessons, assign journals, and whatever you could possibly ask for from a classroom website.

In the few weeks I have been using Moodle I have found it to be very useful for all my classes. Moodle's web based communication tools have made it very easy for any of my students to ask questions and much more. Plus students who missed class or didn't quite catch part of the discussion can access resources from that days topic and discussion. Even though I have been using Moodle at this time for less than one month I have found it has already changed some of the dynamics of my course, and it has made my Job a little easier.

With some of the networking features such as blogs and journals that are available on Moodle I have felt I have gotten to know my students better. And a huge benefit to using Moodle is that students who are less likely to participate in class have an outlet to contact me while remaining inside of their own comfort zone. Less outgoing students have told me some very important things about themselves and things that are going on in their life that are having an effect on their education that I could never image them coming right out and communicating with me at any other time.

Also Moodle makes it very easy for someone to post assignments. For example, I post PDFs of the worksheets or handouts from class on my Moodle page. The due dates are posted on the calendar, and answer keys are made available as well. I have also started integrating my interactive whiteboard with Moodle by posting the daily notes and by creating podcasts.

Overall Moodle is a very powerful tool that can change the dynamics of your classroom. It provides many features right from the start and is a one stop shop for any online classroom environment.

Skype is a free VOiP (Voice over IP) program that allows users to freely chat via computer to computer video conferencing. Skype also has additional pay features such as international calling, calling phones, and even sending text messages.

Whiteboard Confrencing / IDroo Real time vector based drawing over skype for confrencing, asking questions, and teaching concepts.

Mr. Artell teaches basic illustration with Skype and iDroo [|LINK] (Scroll down a bit to see the video)

IDroo is tabbed based so you can have multiple tabs open and change between them, plus you can save your drawings and export them to be uploaded or used on your interactive whiteboard. And if you pair this software with camtasia, jing, or smart notebook recorder then you could be making podcasts of your entire conversation and demonstration!