[Advisory] Re: [Primary] Infant Moodle again

[Miles Berry]

Hi Chris,

There's much to be said for pupils getting a sense of their
online/digital identity from an early age, but the practical side of
things here is problematic. Logging in becomes a lot easier with
lowercase keyboards, and I'd expect some enterprising firm to have
developed a solution using RFID tags or biometrics already.

Back in school we went with a shared log-in but individual folders up
to Y2, the contents of which moved into their individual accounts when
they joined Y3, however we weren't using Moodle in KS1 ourselves. If
the school's interest is just as a way of presenting online resources,
then you can go a long way with guest access and enrolment keys, but
Moodle (and the best of the rest, I'm sure) is more about building a
learning community than delivering learning objects, and for this
you'd need individual accounts.

Musing on Fiona's call for us to refocus on pedagogy rather than
technology here, I was reminded of a post I wrote in April 06
(http://milesberry.net/2006/04/primary-vles/) about what one would
look for in a primary learning platform that would support the best
aspects of primary pedagogy:
A rich and stimulating environment in which a variety of resources and
activities are available
Tools for teachers to produce resources themselves (Whilst Roger may
be right that secondary schools have the expertise to adapt a learning
platform, I think the culture in primary schools is often one in which
a DIY or scissors and glue approach still flourishes; Ian Usher
explored a similar theme:
http://moodlea.blogspot.com/2006/03/content-with-content.html)
Opportunities for creativity and collaboration
A recognition that learning is a social process (qv circle time)
The valuing of informal learning (qv show and tell)
Classrooms as communities of enquiry
Play and fun.

I'd be interested to know the extent to which we're seeing platforms
like this in practice. I'm also curious about whether learning
platforms are, to any significant extent, changing pedagogy, which
they potentially could, and as IWBs arguably have (although not
necessarily for the better).

Best wishes,
Miles.


On 23 February 2010 20:18, Chris Sutcliffe <chris@westcomtraining.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi again
>
>
>
> Thanks everyone for your ideas, links, tweets etc. They have been most
> helpful! One further question though – what about individual logins? Have
> you found that little ones are able to work with usernames and passwords, or
> is a class login best, or open access? I realise there are pros and cons to
> each, so thoughts from those who have tried the different approaches would
> be appreciated.
>
>
>
> Many thanks,
>
>
>
> Chris
>
>
>
> Chris Sutcliffe
>
> Education Consultant
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-- 
Miles Berry
Senior Lecturer, ICT | Roehampton University | roehampton.ac.uk | 0208 392 3241
Community Manager | Open Source Schools | opensourceschools.org.uk
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