Using Digital Media in Moodle

Last updated: 10 December 2009
Published in: Managing your digital resources
Tags: e-learning | teaching | vle

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Summary

This advice document is intended to provide an understanding of how digital media can be used in the Moodle VLE to support teaching and learning. We will be referring to the term digital media as: still images, moving image and audio. Each may be used in conjunction with written learning material.

Moodle is a free to use open-source Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It has been created to help educators create effective online learning communities. Moodle enables a forum for discussion, learning and integration both inside and outside of the classroom for curriculum delivery.

Detailed information about VLE’s in general can be found in our Use of VLEs with Digital Media advice document.

Digital media learning objects can be used to enhance and facilitate learning by building upon ideas, concepts and tasks, using a variety of approaches that best suit the situation.

Using digital media in carefully designed teaching activities can make the learning experience engaging and deeper. This is ‘e-learning’.

The JISC define e-learning as ‘learning facilitated and supported [learning] through the use of information and communications technology (ICT)’.

Using digital media in Moodle

Until recently most VLE content was predominately text-based. However, this is now changing due to a number of factors:

• Increase of affordable hardware to capture still image, moving image and audio
• Increase in the use of a blended learning approach
• Digital media is now widely recognised as having benefits to learning
• User-generated content is rapidly growing and available for re-use
• Learner engagement can be increased by appealing to different learning styles within the student cohort
• It is now easier than ever to embed content (Media players for audio/video, APIs and RSS to push/pull content etc)
• Web-based software/services are constantly emerging which provide powerful features/tools that are often free, that support the use and re-use of digital media
• Increase in availability of access (increase of broadband internet / mobile devices)
• Experimentation with digital media is more common
• Demand from the learner community has shifted how teaching can/should be carried out using digital media resources.

This increase has helped shift course design towards a more learner-centred approach. Many course designers are facilitating different techniques, technology and media to enable learning in new ways. The learner is able to use different media to support their learning at a time that suits them with tailored learning material best suited to the situation.

As well as consumers of digital media, learners are now more frequently creators of digital media. This has led to some teaching staff experimenting with the potential benefits of using digital media more extensively with Moodle to support formal/informal learning and teaching.

For example the use of audio by teaching staff to supplement face to face sessions has grown in popularity. This is often referred to as a podcast. There are opportunities for assessment that are beginning to show signs of taking off such as oral feedback.

Just to note, individual components are termed ‘learning objects’ and where possible should be re-usable.

How digital media can be used

Still images

Still images have been used for many years and their continued popularity can be explained by:

• Ease of creation – Either conversion to digital or self-produced
• availability - If you do not have existing images many outlets produce free/cheap to use images
• ease of use – simple to embed, position and alter.

Still images are a great way to visually represent key concepts explained in text-based material.

Here are some ways you can choose to use images in an online environment:

• A well sized image that supports text-based content around it (visual explanation)
• Add a link to a larger/higher quality version if necessary (file may be stored elsewhere on page or externally)
• Create small thumbnails of images to link to a larger version (file may be stored elsewhere on page or externally)
• Add a descriptive title or description so that it is immediately contextualised for learners
• Add ALT tag (alternative information) for an image to support accessibility
• Create an image with clickable parts (an image map) to access different information (requires HTML knowledge)

Video

Video can be used in a number of ways for a diverse set of reasons in order to create motivating, memorable and inclusive learning experiences. However, watching a video can also be a passive experience and so teaching methods must be used which instead turn it into a springboard for learner action and interaction. Using embedded video, so that the video is within the page, reduces barriers to accessing the content.

See our advice document on Using Video in Teaching and Learning.

Audio

Audio is now commonly used to supplement face to face sessions largely in part to the fact that simple to use software, affordable hardware and online support material are now available. There are opportunities for assessment that are beginning to show signs of taking off such as oral feedback.  Common uses of audio include:

• Capturing the teaching session in its entirety
• Providing edited highlights of a teaching session
• Making a guest speaker’s (speeches/lecture/presentation) available

Less commonly used but with potential is recording for:

• Peer review: both teaching staff and learners may benefit from sharing recorded submissions
• Accessibility: recording audio will improve accessibility for some learners
• Assessment submission: some teaching staff are now allowing submission via recorded files and are also returning feedback in the same way.

See our advice document on Audio via Blackboard. Our sister service JISC TechDIS has an accessibility and inclusion focus and have written their own advice on Using sound effectively.

Tip

It is good practice to be organised with all of your media so that you know what and where they are! This means not only how you name them, but by being logical in your methods of storing digital media resources on your local computer, as well as when uploading into Moodle.

IPR issues

Copyright is an intellectual property right and arises automatically whenever a work is created. It gives the owner of the copyright the right to exploit their work or control its use.

If using other people’s digital media it is important to be aware of copyright issues and respect the creator’s view. Therefore when a piece of digital media is made available online or published through a VLE, you may need to clear copyright.

Here are a few pointers to consider when selecting digital media for use in a VLE:

• Copyright is something to take seriously but it need not be an obstacle
• When finding digital media online you will need permission to reproduce them in your materials, you should always carefully read the terms and conditions (if made explicit)
• If you make your own digital media your employer will almost certainly hold the copyright
• Some FE and HE institutions may be able to use a CLA (Copyright Licensing Agency) scanning license to produce images.
• Asking permission seems like a chore but it may bring unexpected reward such as a higher quality version
• You must obtain clearance from the rights holder(s) of third party material that you use within your material. For example if you have a recorded video lecture which includes the use of third party video, you must seek permission.

If you have been granted permission to use a digital media resource it is advisable to put clear copyright information next it. It is also important that you keep a copy of the permission given.

Further info on copyright can be found on our advice document Copyright and Digital Images.

Conclusion

One of the principles and strengths of Moodle is its ability to support pedagogy. Moodle is able to act as “A dimension relating to flexibility and a dimension relating to an educational model about learning activities.”

Flexible learning in a digital world, collis and Moonen, p86

Moodle has the tools and ability to support a range of tools and media as mentioned throughout this document. Carefully planned learning material and digital media in conjunction with Moodle will support learners and the teaching process.

The use of digital media will be appealing to learners and can enhance understanding of complex concepts.

Finally, there are many ways in which to use digital media, if you get stuck for ideas try searching on the web for some examples that many institutions are sharing.

JISC Digital Media would like to thank the ULCC (University of London Computer Centre) and JISC RSC (Regional Support Centre) for London for their expert Moodle support and guidance in developing this document.

Last updated: 10 December 2009
Published in: Managing your digital resources
Tags: e-learning | teaching | vle

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