“Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important” — Bill Gates

One of the many quotes that exemplify the teacher significance not only for education as a whole, but for any small or big intervention, technological or not, in the learning process. Teachers are the “fuel” for any Moodle Installation that hopes to succeed, to impact learners. But why Moodle in general? What are the features that make teachers all over the world, utilise Moodle as part of their teaching process? Let us provide some arguments…

Accessibility

Teachers highlight the ability to tend to their students’ needs at multiple times during the day, and also the removal of the “morning” constraints, acknowledging that not all students are at their best moment during a normal school day schedule. The capacity to work asynchronously is exciting, while removing place and time constraints.

Course Design

Time, time, time! Limited and valuable! The preparation required for online modules to be effective is significant. Teachers need to spend a larger amount of time designing a course that would work according to their practice characteristics. Moodle makes this process easier, time-effective and easy to scale!

Task Automation

One of the main benefits of using a learning management system like Moodle is delegating sequential work to the system. Tasks such as grading closed question exams, attendance, generating student reports can easily be done with the platform’s tools. The teachers don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to everyday tasks.

Digital Proficiency

An important reason for some teachers to resist the implementation of ICT in the education process is their digital literacy and proficiency. Usually, the most seasoned teachers have a harder time using learning management systems because their self-efficacy is low when it comes to digital platforms. Moodle is easy to work with and therefore does not require a big learning curve.

Focus on 1:1 Interactions

Content delivery is, and will always be a significant part of teachers’ tasks. Moodle helps with content delivery, allowing the teachers to spend more time on the problem-solving nature of their courses. This is part of the effort to adopt the role of the teacher in the digital era, moving from content delivery towards a more critical and interactive occupation at an individual level.

Discussion Forums

Depending on the course subject, some classes call for more constant interaction between students. Courses in the social science department facilitate interaction between peers since they are able to express their opinions and value diversity, while courses like mathematics are met with more restraint when it comes to expressing doubts in a public manner. Platforms like Moodle diminish the social pressure that comes with raising their hand in a public setting, allowing students to be more assertive and coherent when they have doubts or expressing agreement/disagreement.

At Eummena, we believe that the difference between good and excellent solutions lies in the context and particular characteristics. We do not believe in a one-size-fits all measure when it comes to our clients. Acknowledging the strengths and limitations of a platform helps inform the implementation process, and getting to know the audience is a key element when aiming for excellence.

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