Introduction to Learning

Management Systems
(MOODLE)

GPDR113 – Introduction to Information and Communication Technology

Department of ICT Education
Faculty of Science Education
University of Education, Winneba
What are LMS’s?
• A learning management system (LMS) is global term for
software that is designed specifically to create, distribute,
manage the delivery of educational content and allow for
collaboration between students and lecturers.
• An LMS will allow for the management of every aspect of a
course, from the registration of students, to the taking of tests
and storing of test results, as well as allowing assignment
submission digitally and keeping in touch with your peers and
teachers.
• Think of a learning management system as technology that can
improve learning, make it faster, productive, cost-effective, and
more importantly – trackable.
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Types of LMS’s
• LMS’s can be categorized using different methods.
• Deployment model
• Target industry
• Features available
• Our focus will be on Deployment model which is made up of 4
types
• Cloud-based LMS (Hosted LMS)
• Installed LMS
• Open Source LMS
• Custom-built LMS

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Deployment Model
• Cloud-based LMS (Hosted LMS)
• LMS vendor hosts all data, programs and applications on their server.
• No installation is required, and updates are automatic.
• Installed LMS
• The customer purchases a license and installs and maintains the LMS on
their own server.
• Open Source LMS
• Source code is open and free for anyone to use and adapt to their
specifications
• Custom-built LMS
• Tailor-made system, built and maintained by a team of software
developers employed or contracted by an organization.
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Are LMS’s useful?
• LMS’s will make a face-to-face class interaction more effective
and efficient.
In-class lecture and Learning
Management
activities uploaded System
on LMS

Students access lecture

material online before
class. They use class time
Lecturer uses lecture for discussion and
time to discuss what clarification. Also
students didn’t learning activities can be
understand. completed online

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Are LMS’s useful?
• The general benefits of learning management systems include:
• Access learning on the go
• Easy accessibility via any mobile device to capture opportunities for learning
• Flexibility in learning pathways
• Ability to set up specific learning pathways for students
• Use a variety of learning materials
• Bringing together learning materials from a wide range of sources, from
MOOCs to user-shared materials
• Analyze learning patterns
• Analytics that provide a progress report of every user and proof of knowledge
• Learning Automation
• Automation of many learning processes, including scheduling, invitations, and
follow-up support
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Advantages of LMS’s
• An LMS increases the flexibility and creativity of the learning
materials, which enhances the student experience and encourages
shared collaboration

• Student progression through lessons and assessments becomes

more self-driven -- tapping into the natural way humans learn

• Artificial intelligence and automation make administration of

learning materials easier for instructors, freeing up their time for
other teaching opportunities

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Advantages of LMS’s
• lecturers can use established pedagogical models to deliver more
personalized lessons and increase the engagement level of
students
• Students respond well to micro-learning and the LMS is a perfect
platform for facilitating this format of learning
• Students can learn on their own via computers, laptops, and mobile
devices to keep learning alive 24/7

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What is MOODLE?
• MOODLE is an acronym for Modular Object Oriented
Developmental Learning Environment
• It is world leading open source learning management used
extensively in institutions of higher education and organizations.
• MOODLE was created by Martin Dougiamas, a computer
scientist and educator at Curtin University of Technology in
Australia in 2002.
• Martin now works on MOODLE full time with a community of
open-source developers.

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Why did UEW choose MOODLE?
• Because it is Free and Open Source
• Proprietary LMS’s are expensive and require hefty maintenance
contracts

• Because other LMS’s are built around tools but Moodle is built
around tools and pedagogy; is learner-centered; subscribes to
social constructivism pedagogy.

• MOODLE has a very large community of users that offer help in

developing new features and enhancements.

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 Some Features of MOODLE

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Forum
• The forum activity module enables participants to have
asynchronous discussions i.e. discussions that take place over an
extended period of time.
• Participants can subscribe to a forum to receive notifications of
new forum posts.
• Forum posts can be graded by lecturers or students (peer
evaluation). Grading can be accumulated to form a final grade
which is recorded in the gradebook.

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Chats
• The chat activity module enables participants to have text-
based, real-time synchronous discussions.

• The chat may be a one-time activity or it may be repeated at the

same time each day or each week.

• Chat sessions are saved and can be made available for everyone
to view or restricted to users.

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Glossary
• The glossary activity module enables participants to create and
maintain a list of definitions, like a dictionary, or to collect and
organize resources or information.
• A lecturer can allow files to be attached to glossary entries.
Attached images are displayed in the entry. Entries can be
searched or browsed alphabetically or by category, date or author.
Entries can be approved by default or require approval by a
lecturer before they are viewable by everyone.
• A lecturer can allow comments on entries. Entries can also be
graded by lecturers or students (peer evaluation). Grades can be
accumulated to form a final grade which is recorded in the
gradebook.
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Quiz
• The quiz activity enables a lecturer to create quizzes comprising
questions of various types, including multiple choice, matching,
short-answer and numerical.
• The lecturer can allow the quiz to be attempted multiple times,
with the questions shuffled or randomly selected from the
question bank. A time limit may be set.
• Each attempt is marked automatically, with the exception of
essay questions, and the grade is recorded in the gradebook.
• The teacher can choose when and if hints, feedback and correct
answers are shown to students.

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Assignment
• The assignment activity module enables a lecturer to
communicate tasks, collect work and provide grades and
feedback.
• Students can submit any digital content (files), such as word-
processed documents, spreadsheets, images, or audio and video
clips.
• Alternatively, or in addition, the assignment may require
students to type text directly into the text editor. Students can
submit work individually or as a member of a group.
• When reviewing assignments, lecturers can leave feedback
comments and upload files.
• Assignments can be graded recorded in the gradebook.
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BigBlueButtonBN
• BigBlueButtonBN allows lecturers to create a web conference
session with students.
• Lecturers can schedule live web sessions to simulate a face-to-
face interaction online.
• Live sessions can be recorded and played by students who were
absent.
• Lecturers and students can share their web camera feed, files,
desktop view, or an application with other participants
• There is a section that allows participants to chat among
themselves while the live session is on-going.

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Choice
• The choice activity module enables a lecturer to ask a single
question and offer a selection of possible responses.
• Choice results may be published after students have
answered, after a certain date, or not at all. Results may be
published with student names or anonymously.
• A choice activity may be used :
• as a quick poll to stimulate thinking about a topic
• to quickly test students' understanding
• to facilitate student decision-making, for example allowing students
to vote on a direction for the course

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Wiki
• The wiki activity module enables participants to add and edit a
collection of web pages. A wiki can be collaborative, with everyone
being able to edit it, or individual, where everyone has their own wiki
which only they can edit.
• A history of previous versions of each page in the wiki is kept, listing
the edits made by each participant.
• Wikis have many uses, such as
• For group lecture notes or study guides
• For members of a faculty to plan a scheme of work or meeting agenda
together
• For students to collaboratively author an online book, creating content on a
topic set by their tutor
• As a personal journal for examination notes or revision (using an individual
wiki)
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Other LMS
• Apart from MOODLE there are about 800 other LMS’s
• Some of the popular ones are
• Blackboard
• Schoology
• Brightspace
• Canvas
• Sakai
• Adobe Captivate Prime
• SAP Litmos LMS
• TalantLMS
• Some of these are cloud-based and others are open source.
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Conclusion
MOODLE has good design features that:
• provide learning experiences that are adapted to individual
learners
• make it easy for instructors to make notes and changes
• give instructors and students the opportunity for online
collaboration
• integrate common tools such as calendars, word processors,
and more
• include insights into user progress through built-in analytics

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