Category Archives: vle

100 ways, vle

100 ways to use a VLE – #89 Embedding a Comic Strip

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Often many VLE courses look very “boring”, a list of resources and activities. Often many VLE courses look very “boring”, a list of resources and activities. This is partly down to the fact that a VLE is often seen by practitioners as a repository of content, with links to resources and activities. One way to break up the list is to use embedded graphics to enhance the visual appeal of the course on the VLE.

One use of graphic that can enhance the look of a VLE course or as a mechanism to engage learners is to embed a comic strip into the VLE course.

Comic strips can be serious as well as humourous. They can be used as the starting point for a discussion, to emphasise the key topics in an assignment, to engage learners in a particular subject or just to break up a list of other resources.

You can either use an existing comic strip or using a tool create your own.

Continue reading 100 ways to use a VLE – #89 Embedding a Comic Strip →

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The Image on the Right

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In the most recent posting in 100 ways, a couple of people asked how I got this effect.

How did I get the image to be on the right and all the text or links on the left.

The answer is…

Well there are two answers.

Firstly the image itself is from an excellent collection I bought quite a few years ago. These photo objects allow me to match the background of the image to the background of the page. Most image editors allow you to do this with images, advantage of the collection is I don’t need to do the editing so saves time. Alas the image is no longer available, which is a pity.

Secondly how to get the image on the right? Well you do need to know a bit about HTML.

When you add an image to Moodle (and in this example I am using Moodle 2) to a label or another text field, the default is to have the image embedded into the page.

Find the image.

This then inserts it into the label or other text box.

The end result is the image is to the left and any text added with just an inserted image, the text is at the bottom.

If you are using Moodle 2 you can click the image and click the align right button. However this won’t work in Moodle 1.9 or earlier.

Hit the Edit HTML button.

The code for the image will be something like this.

<p><img src="https://yourmoodle/draftfile.php/13/user/draft/197347461/oldbooks.jpg" width="200" height="169" alt="Old Books" /></p>

What you need to add to the tag is align=”right” or style="float: right;"

<p><img src="https://yourmoodle/draftfile.php/13/user/draft/197347461/oldbooks.jpg" width="200" height="169" alt="Old Books" align=”right” /></p>

Or

<p><img src="https://yourmoodle/draftfile.php/13/user/draft/197347461/oldbooks.jpg" width="200" height="169" alt="Old Books" style="float: right;" /></p>

Of course use “left” if you want your image aligned to the left.

The text with the image aligned to the right now wraps around the image and importantly starts from the top aligned to the top of the image.

Allowing you to have text on one side or content and the image on the right. If you align to the left then the image will be on the left, and the text wraps around the image and importantly starts from the top aligned to the top of the image.

If after the label you have activities or links to resources these will also be wrapped around the image.

You do need to consider the design of the page. By having images on the right you do need to have enough content on the left, otherwise you may have too much white space. Then again some white space can add to the design of the course.

100 ways, vle

100 ways to use a VLE – #55 Embedding Titles

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Often many VLE courses look very “boring”, a list of resources and activities. This is partly down to the fact that a VLE is often seen by practitioners as a repository of content, with links to resources and activities. One way to break up the list is to use embedded graphics to enhance the visual appeal of the course on the VLE. Graphical titles are an easy way to add visual appeal and signpost activities or content within a course on the VLE.

Of course using graphics instead of words is generally an accessibility no no and even an ALT tag isn’t usually enough. However my view is for titles (and accompanying graphics in general) that though not 100% accessible if not essential to the actual content in the course won’t be too much of a loss or a distraction. For most learners though the graphical titles would (if done right) enhance their experience on the course and engage them.

One of the issues with titles is creating them and there are various tools available. I am sure a lot of people have used WordArt in Microsoft Word. I have used Fireworks, Comic Life and other applications to create titles.

Another issue is design and “taste”, here are some examples of good and bad practice, I will leave you to choose which is which.

Enhancing Lessons

Topic 5

Using the VLE

Module 13

Module 4

The way to add these is by adding an image, ensure though that you add an ALT tag. In Moodle 2 you can change the topic names from “Topic 1” to a more suitable title making the use of graphical titles slightly less inaccessible.

The main reason to use embedded titles is that though the standard CSS (stylesheet) may allow for nice headings it may not be something that every practitioners wants to use. In some cases embedded titles may be used in addition to standard headings to emphasise an activity or an event.

A criticism often laid against the VLE is that it is “boring” to look at. There is very little to stop making the VLE engaging and attractive, with a little thought and the right graphical application, you can enhance any course on the VLE. There is the danger though that with excessive use of fonts, colours (and even animated gifs) that the VLE course could turn into a ghastly MySpace page! So be careful out there.

100 ways, vle

100 ways to use a VLE – #88 Embedding Images

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Gloucestershire College

Often many VLE courses look very “boring”, a list of resources and activities. This is partly down to the fact that a VLE is often seen by practitioners as a repository of content, with links to resources and activities. One way to break up the list is to use images to enhance the visual appeal of the course on the VLE.

Within Moodle this is done through the use of labels, though the process of embedding an image is not that simple. If you are on Moodle 1.9 many staff find it complex and difficult to follow. One issue that does arise is the necessity of resizing images, especially those taken with a digital camera. Though Moodle allows you to resize the images from a resolution perspective, this doesn’t reduce the file size of the images, so the page on Moodle containing the image will take a long time to download.

The process in Moodle 2.0 is much much easier and if your Moodle is configured to use external repositories such as Flickr and Wikimedia it is even easier to embed high quality and relevant images into a course on the VLE. However if uploading your own images, the size problem will still be there.

One solution to this is to use an online service such as Flickr which will then allow you to embed a resized image into the page on the VLE. You do need to understand a little about how images are embedded into a webpage, but the process once done can be easily replicated into other pages or activities on the VLE.

Firstly find the image on Flickr. Using Advanced Search will enable you to find images that are available for reuse (through Creative Commons).

So make sure you have checked the check box for Creative Commons.

Having found a suitable image, on the image page there are options available from downloading or sharing via other services.

From the Share button.

Grab the HTML/BBCode

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesclay/3607561914/" title="Gloucestershire College by James F Clay, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3607561914_63110b0549.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Gloucestershire College"></a>

I have used this embed code at the top of the blog post. Flickr allows you to use different sizes of images, so you can go for smaller images.

On the Moodle page or label the key is to click the relevant button to switch to HTML.

On Moodle 1.9 it is called Toggle HTML Source.

On Moodle 2.0 it is called Edit HTML Source.

Paste in the embed code into the window.

Images in themselves offer lots of learning opportunities and can be used in a variety of ways to extend and enhance the learning process. The VLE as a tool to support learning shouldn’t exclude the use of images, so practitioners need to learn how to embed images withint the VLE.

The end result is an image embedded into the course on the VLE. Images can add a visual appeal to a course, emphasise a topic, or enrich an activity.

100 ways, vle

100 ways to use a VLE – #22 e-Library

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So what do I mean by an e-Library?

Well maybe by starting off describing what it isn’t might give you a better idea.

Some people’s idea of an e-library is a website (or a section on the VLE) with information about the library, the services it offers with links to online resources. Some people take this a little further and have a link to enable users to search the online catalogue.

For me though an e-library should be an online environment that learners go and visit for the same reasons that they visit a physical library. I don’t think I have ever had a visitors to our libraries from any learners to find out what services we offer and how much the photocopying costs. Okay we might have had one person coming in to find out vacation opening times…

Most of the learners who come into the physical library are going there as they need some support, help to support their learning to achieve their qualificational goal. This support at a basic level might be a quiet environment or access to a computer. However a library is much more than just a place to study, there are resources: books, journals and online resources. There is access to collections and catalogues. Also a key part of the library are the library staff, the information professionals who are there to support and help the learners.

An e-Library should have those within it and should be seen as a support tool that is used by learners to support them on their learning journey.

The VLE is a an ideal location for such an e-Library.

Of course all that information on photocopying costs and opening times can be placed there and as the VLE can be searched (usually) then this allows learners to find that information if they need to.

Another obvious thing is to put in a link or search box to allow learners to search the library catalogue. Key question once the learner has searched and found a book, can they reserve it? Can they access their record on the library system and renew stuff?
So as well as the things that are obvious what about other stuff for an e-library?

Well the VLE can act as a portal to any e-books the library holds. With the addition of guides on how to use the e-book platform, this will enable learners to access e-books through the VLE. You can do something similar with e-journals.

The VLE is also the obvious portal to signpost ay digital and online collections that the library subscribes to. As well as providing the link, it could include additional information and details about any of the collections.

Tools within the VLE also allow for discussions and FAQs, using the forum functionality, learners would be able to post questions and importantly get answers about learning resources needs. You do need to manage expectations, so learners posting at two in the morning realise they may not actually get an answer from the library until it opens at 8.30am! You may want to post any questions you get from learners on a regular basis actually in the library to the FAQ (with the answers) so that learners can find it themselves, or useful for signposting when answering e-mail queries.

You may want to use forums (or other tools) as a method of eliciting feedback from learners. Listening to the learner voice and getting feedback is an important part of our self-assessment and review of how we work.

Immediate support on a learning resources issue is generally quite easy within the physical confines of a library, on an e-library, might be more challenging. You could for example use the live online chat facility to enable learners immediate access to an information professional who could provide support and help as well as links and advice, just as they do in the physical library.

One thing I expect my team to do, is to support learners through a reader development programme. A series of events and offers of training that helps learners build up their study skills. The VLE in conjunction with a virtual delivery system (such as Elluminate or Adobe Connect) would allow for both the delivery of live and recorded study skill sessions. This would help learners improve and enhance their information skills.

An e-library should be a place that supports and develops learners in their learning journey in the same way that the physical library does. The VLE is an ideal location for an e-library as it sits alongside the virtual courses they are already using. A familiar environment that they already know how to use.

100 ways, audio, vle

100 ways to use a VLE – #75 Streaming live audio

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In the past if you wanted to “broadcast” live audio to learners you basically had to be the BBC or use a CB radio. The challenge was that the learner who was listening needed a receiver at their end.

The internet now makes it much easier to broadcast live audio using tools such as Nicecast.

Nicecast is the easiest way to broadcast music from your Mac. Broadcast to listeners around the world.

The thing about Nicecast is that the stream is a simple URL. For learners this is not always that simple, for example they may lose, delete or be unable to find the e-mail that contains the URL. If printed on a handout may contain an error, or the learner may type it into their browser wrong.

Putting the URL, or even better embedding the live audio feed into the VLE will ensure that learners can not only find the feed, but also listen to it whenever the practitioner broadcasts. To be honest you probably want to e-mail the URL anyhow and any other communication channels that the learners use, Twitter for example.

The VLE is only really one medium and reliance on any one medium is not good practice. However though if the VLE is used regularly for posting these kinds of feeds and links, then the learners will become familiar with going to the VLE to access them.

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Using the VLE better – RSC SW Turbo TEL

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Yesterday I attended the JISC RSC SW Turbo TEL event in Bristol. In a change to previous conferences that I have attended and delivered at, this one comprised short six minute presentations and an opportunity for delegates to talk about things they wanted to.

I did a few presentations, one though was on using the VLE better, based on my series here on the blog of 100 ways to use a VLE.

I delivered over fifty slides with over fifty ways in which the VLE can be used to support, enhance and enrich learning in just six minutes.

The idea behind the presentation was not about substance, can you really do substance in six minutes; it was about inspiring others to think about how they could work with practitioners (and learners) to use the VLE more effectively to support the learning process. The fifty odd ideas (and the 100 ways articles) are based on how practitioners at my college (and others) are using the VLE now with learners everyday.

100 ways, vle

100 ways to use a VLE – #32 Calendar of Events

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On many courses there are often many events taking place, from exams, deadlines, guest speakers, field trips. So how do you let learners when all these events are? How do you provide them with updates when things change? How will they access the list or calendar of events?

There are various ways of providing a calendar of events to learners, from paper to an Outlook calendar. Many VLEs such as Moodle do have a calendar function and this can be used to provide learners with a calendar.

The reason for using the VLE is that if this is the place where learners are going to get course information, download resources, converse in forums, etc… then it’s the ideal location to keep learners updated with what’s happening and when. It can be easily updated when those inevitable changes happen.

it’s useful if the calendar on the VLE can be exported, for example Moodle can export its calendar as an ics file. This ics file can then be imported into other calendars such as on a mobile phone, or a calendar app on their computer. This way learners can take the event calendar with them or access it with their other calendars.