Moodle

Moodle ( / mu ː dl / ) is an object-oriented course management system, a learning platform based on open-source basis. The software offers the possibilities to support collaborative teaching and learning methods.

Prerequisite for the installation are PHP and a database such as MySQL or PostgreSQL, but also Oracle, MS SQL or other databases that support DBXML. The name Moodle was originally an acronym for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment. Moodle has a high penetration rate, what is the exceeding 84,500 registered installations with 71.6 million users in 7.6 million courses in 236 countries shows that were recorded on the project page (July 2013). This is both to businesses, public institutions such as schools and universities as well as to private institutions. A network of over 50 authorized Moodle Partner companies worldwide provides professional service for Moodle. They fund the ongoing maintenance and development of the program.

Construction

Moodle is online " classrooms " are available. In these study materials and learning activities are provided. Each course can be configured so that only registered participants can attend this, guests are allowed to participate or require a password. Different course formats allow a " Weekly Overview ", a thematic structure, a central forum or a SCORM learning unit at the center.

Users have on their assigned roles in the classroom or for individual activities different rights as a trainer / lecturer / teacher or participant / student / pupil. Operated by the Mozilla Foundation project of the Open Badges opens up the possibility of publishing digital credits, the so-called awards since version 2.5. Holders of such awards can present them on the Internet, for example in e-portfolio system Mahara.

Modules

Among the learning activities contained by default in Moodle is one example, the " vote ", which corresponds to a small survey. With a "task", the teachers pretend an exercise that must be handled by students and then deliver on time or as a text file to be uploaded. This can be, for example elaborations, presentations or reports.

Moodle systems can be networked together to share course content and cross-currency access. Since Moodle 2.1 of the IMS Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI ) standard is supported. This external content and activities can be integrated seamlessly.

About the standard modules, there are a large number of optional add-on modules. The high flexibility in the design of the course space finds its complement in a freely configurable roles and rights model and the visual adaptability based on Cascading Style Sheets ( CSS).

Add-on modules

Extension modules that do not belong to the standard scope of installation of Moodle are eg "Certificate " ( for creating subscriber certificates as a PDF file ), "Individual Learning Plan" ( ILP, used for creating individual learning plans). Interfaces to Live Classroom systems can be added. Hundreds of available add-on modules can be downloaded via the Moodle site or be set - Moodle encourages expressly programmers to contribute to the project their own developments. In the implementation of additional modules, you should always make sure that they will be supported by the Moodle version you are using.

History

Moodle has been developed since 1999 by Martin Dougiamas (Australia). The starting point was the criticism of classical learning platforms that served exclusively as Materialverteilstationen. Dougiamas had studied computer science education and later. He dealt extensively with social constructivist approaches to learning. As part of a (not completed ) PhD he developed a new learning platform Moodle. The first version was released in August 2002.

Moodle 2.0 was released on November 24, 2010. Existing functionality has been thoroughly revised (eg hedging, Editor, designs, internal file management ) and a number of new functionalities implemented (including external repositories, " community hubs" ).

Security

Moodle users who have their system to register, receive security-related information automatically and in advance. This gives them the opportunity to update their system. Information found in any Security Announcements. The notification of security issues takes place in the tracker. If entries are marked as ' Serious security issue ', they are not published before the security team has tested this.

Criticism

As users log in the Moodle system personalized, it is possible to create behavioral profiles of them. The option of the course organizers to gain an insight into the login details or download time points of materials, students might feel monitored.

In current versions of Moodle, this representation of log data is faded out.

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