Some technological solutions to improve the efficiency and management of learning using Moodle platform

Abstract

One line of research that CICEI (Innovation Center for Information Society) of ULPGC (University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) has been developing since 1997 is the design and implementation of online formative actions. From the outset, special attention has been paid to center such actions on improving both efficiency and learning management. In this sense, we have identified diverse needs that have guided the development of several plugins and modifications to MOODLE (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment). This paper describes some of the technological solutions developed to cover the identified needs, as well as information to download, install, configure and use these developments in latest versions of MOODLE. Also some use experiences are indicated.The first attended need is the one to create personalized learning paths for each student, taking into consideration learning styles, prior knowledge, learning pace and student's actions. To achieve this, we have developed a MOODLE patch and a MOODLE module. The first one allows that the different course elements are opened automatically to each student according to his learning pace, prior knowledge and/or actions in the course; this is achieved by allowing the setting of conditional activities. This patch also allows to automatically highlight those course elements to which the student has not yet accessed. And the developed module allows to evaluate the learning styles of students, to classify the course activities as suitable for one or more learning styles and to show to students only suitable to their learning styles activities. By default, the module comes with CHAEA (Honey-Alonso Questionnaire on Learning Styles) defined but it allows to define new tests.Another attended need is that of being able to investigate the correlation between the duration time assigned to a course and the actual time that students spend on it. To achieve this, we have developed a MOODLE block that allows to consult the estimated dedication time of participants in a course during any period. The estimated dedication time is calculated studying, in MOODLE's log, every click of the student during the established period. An interesting use would be as help to estimate ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits related to online formative actions.Also the need of a communication with students more effective than that provided by email is attended, for example, to remember certain milestones of a course to students or when the student has not accessed the course during a certain number of days. With this idea we have developed a MOODLE block that allows to send SMS (Short Message Service) to users from a MOODLE platform.Finally, among the use experiences, it is necessary to emphasize the CAM (Support Course in Mathematics) created and designed by the I2FM (Research and Innovation in Mathematical Training) work team which has been offered at several degrees at UJI (Jaume I University of Castellon) and UNIZAR (University of Zaragoza). Other use experiences are ULPGC Virtual Campus, courses offered by ACS (Canarian Academy of Security) and courses offered by VentusConsulting.