{"id":842,"date":"2021-05-21T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.wordpress.kpu.ca\/tlcommons\/?p=842"},"modified":"2021-05-20T08:46:59","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T16:46:59","slug":"maximizing-the-lms-with-moodle-templates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.wordpress.kpu.ca\/tlcommons\/maximizing-the-lms-with-moodle-templates\/","title":{"rendered":"Maximizing the LMS with Moodle Templates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this blog post, we would like to showcase a resource framework developed to assist KPU faculty in building their Moodle course sites using evidence-based instructional design principles. This comprehensive resource is housed in a WordPress site<\/a> that includes three primary, tabbed sections.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Use Templates in Moodle for Course Design <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moodle is KPU\u2019s adopted Learning Management System (LMS) and is used to deliver online, blended, and tech-enhanced face-to-face courses. As KPU pivoted to teaching online during the pandemic, Moodle was vital in supporting faculty to design lessons, activities, and assessments in synchronous and asynchronous formats.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Moodle provided a lifeline for current users, the learning curve to use this platform effectively can be steep, and during the chaos of the pivot, the luxury of time to learn was not available. Recognizing this resulted in the design of four custom Moodle templates that could be easily imported into KPU Moodle course sites.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These custom-designed Moodle templates support the ease of course development that ideally provided a structure that would enhance student learning experiences across the institution.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brief Overview of the Resources <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

See below for a quick overview of the layout of the RESOURCE SITE<\/a> tabs and their associated links. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MOODLE COURSE TEMPLATES<\/strong> (Tab<\/strong> 1<\/strong>)<\/strong> <\/td>MOODLE BEST PRACTICES<\/strong> (Tab<\/strong> 2<\/strong>)<\/strong> <\/td><\/tr>
I. <\/strong>Instructions to Access and Restore Moodle Templates<\/strong> <\/td> <\/td><\/tr>
II. <\/strong>Instructions to Build Blocks in Moodle Templates<\/strong> <\/td><\/tr>
Landing Page <\/strong>              
\u2026\u2026.
\u2026\u2026.  <\/td><\/tr>
Getting Started <\/strong>
Welcome Video        
Building Your Learning Community               <\/td>		1. Developing a Welcome Video  
2. Build Community  <\/td><\/tr>
Course Administration <\/strong> 
Course Presentation\/Syllabus         <\/td>		 3. Course Presentation<\/td><\/tr>
Course Resources<\/strong>               
\u2026\u2026.
        \u2026\u2026.  <\/td>		 <\/td><\/tr>
Weekly Block<\/strong> 
Weekly TO-DO LIST           
Module Learning Outcomes 
Learning Content & Activities  
Assignments  
Module Feedback     <\/td>		4. Utilizing Checklists  
5. Module Overviews 
6. Learning Content & Activities  
7. Assessments  <\/td><\/tr>
Final Exam Block  <\/strong><\/td> <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Moodle Templates<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tab one provided four downloadable Moodle templates (Topic, Weekly, Collapsed Topic and One Topic format) that faculty could use to develop the shell of their Moodle course site.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first portion of this tab highlighted the functionality, how each template might look like in a course, with instructions to restore the template. Details in both written and video form provide faculty with additional information, such as adding extra pages, moving tabs, and changing colours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second portion of this tab provided placeholders within the block with template style. For example, these placeholders were used as prompts to guide what type of content to include in block zero (course banners, announcements, conferencing tools), introductory blocks with course orientation, course administration, course resources and then separate weekly blocks.  The weekly block included multiple placeholders with a full description, for example: to build checklists to help students identify tasks to be completed, introduction to the module learning outcomes, developing learning content, assignments, and module feedback. A final block provided placeholders to build the final exam. Each of the four Moodle course templates has a different layout, resulting in a unique look and feel.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These multiple template layouts allowed faculty members to customize their courses according to their unique teaching style and pedagogical approach. However, using the same placeholders across these multiple layouts affords students to experience some element of consistency.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moodle Best Practice<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tab two provided best practice advice to build content for each of the above placeholders.  Instructions for building each block were included so that faculty could organize their course sites to support best pedagogical practices. For example, how to develop a welcome video, build community online, utilize a checklist, use a module overview, best practice advice to build learning content\/activities and assessments.  We included supporting information for the fundamental placeholders, such as creating a welcome video that can humanize online courses.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This section of the site mainly emphasized considerations for these best practices, tips and strategies, and examples and resources to support creating these vital block components. Here are some of the highlights we provided to support good online course site design: <\/p>\n\n\n\n