Identifying types of VLE content

I now had a usable Moodle installation to play with, so I created my first course. Our first planned use for a Virtual Learning System was as a resource to accompany the first block of classroom and workshop teaching received by the next incoming first year students, so my first Moodle course page was one to accompany the course I teach the first year during this time.

I identified 3 types of content for this type of Moodle course page that I felt were worthwhile resources for the students: Materials and resources used in the classroom; revision aids; and guidance of further learning.

The first type of content is reasonably self explanatory. If I used images and diagrams presented with powerpoint in a lecture, I felt it would be worthwhile including them in the course page so students could have a second look, spend more time studying them and print them off and annotate them.

The second type of content, revision aids, I felt would be useful as a further resource for practical workshops. By adding photographs, diagrams or descriptions of the equipment and processes taught in the classes to the course page, students can refresh their memory of the equipment/processes and have the resources to make the kind on revision notes that they would take in a lecture, but do not have time to take in a workshop session. I found that the Moodle quizzes provided a good platform for presenting this kind of content.

Finally I found that the Moodle course page was an ideal platform to give students guidance on how to further their study of a subject taught in class. Even at this first year, first term stage in the degree, there are always students who already have a keen interest and good level of experience in a subject, and show a clear interest in specializing in it. By providing more advanced materials on class topics, providing links to websites that contain materials on these topics and identifying other means to further investigate a topic, these students can expand on their classroom learning, and perhaps gain a headstart in their specialism.