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Moodle engages Pullman students at home and in classroom: Virtual program allows district to offer live, online hybrid courses
Nov 11, 2009 (Moscow-Pullman Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Several teachers in the Pullman School District are using a tool called Moodle to offer hybrid courses.
Hybrid courses are those that require face-to-face instruction along with computer-based learning.
"There's about 50 teachers engaged in some form," the district's Director of Information Systems Garren Shannon said.
Shannon, who introduced Moodle to the district, said he and his staff spent the last two to three years researching systems that would allow teachers in the district to offer portions of their classes online, and Moodle was the best fit.
The district spent nearly $45,000 to implement a virtual server system, which supports Moodle and other networks in the district, Shannon said.
The equipment was purchased with tax levy money.
Moodle allows teachers to put weekly assignments, readings, videos, links, journals, surveys, forums and quizzes, among other things, on a Web site students are able to access in school and at home. The Pullman Education Portal is where students and teachers are able to access the courses, which is on the district's main Web site.
Lincoln Middle School Library Media Coordinator Linda Jovanovich said she participated in a professional development training during the summer, where she learned everything about Moodle.
She said the neat thing about the tool is that students can access their courses from home.
"We want a way to engage our kids when they are at home sitting in front of their computers," she said.
Jovanovich said the downside of Moodle is teachers need to take time to download their assignments onto the Moodle format. She said teachers who might not be technology savvy "might see it as something that might take an incredible amount of time."
Shannon said it's just one more tool teachers can use to engage their students and get them to learn. He said school officials will make improvements as teachers continue to use the tool.
Moodle is part of a long process for the district to keep up with technological changes. Shannon said the next step will be for school officials to figure out how to offer a course that is completely online and still provides quality teaching.
"We are just now learning what it all means ...," he said. "It's actually the first step in a very long journey for this district."
Yesenia Amaro can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 237, or by e-mail at yamaro@dnews.com.
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