On November 6, 2008, Tim Marchand gave a teacher development presentation and workshop on ways to use the recording technology in the tutorial rooms (G411-G420), including video clips and activities from FE speaking and listening, reading, and writing classes, troubleshooting tips, and pros and cons of various media for saving student video clips. Tim’s handouts and PowerPoint slides from the session can be downloaded below. During the workshop, participants referred to Forrest Nelson’s student handout with instructions on how to record in the tutorial rooms. This handout can be found in the “How To Documents” Folder in Shared Files.

Presentation handouts

PowerPoint slides

Moodle Forums are very useful, and sometimes getting email by subscription is a great way to maintain communication. I frequently use the News Forum on each course to send students updates or announcements. I tend to send them homework assignments, but the students are really waiting to get cancellations and other important notices through Obirin Mail. Many users have email forwarded to their cellphones hoping they can sleep in or get an extra week to study for a quiz if the teacher is out.

Unfortunately, Moodle has spammed some users by repeatedly subscribing them to Forums without users realizing it. Here is one way to stop email from all regular Forums, but still allowing email from the important News Forum.

Download the one minute video Stopping Email From Moodle Part 1. The steps in this video are the same for students and for teachers. Please use the video in class, or embed it in your own Moodle course to help students learn how to stop unwanted email.

As teachers, follow the steps in this second video to prevent any user from subscribing to a specific Forum. It is very important to do this when you create the Forum. Download Stopping Email From Moodle Part-2.

This next video introduces a content management function: Hiding content from students, and then unhiding it. This is quite useful when developing a one year course. You can keep everything in one place, sharing content like glossaries or media, but showing only the current topics to students. Hiding sections is also a great way to keep works in progress hidden until they are ready to go.

Download the Quicktime video Moodle Tip 003–Hide and seek. Running time: Two minutes.

This video introduces one function in the Moodle Course settings–Changing the name of your course.

Download the Quicktime video of Moodle Tip 002–Change the name of your course. Playing time less than one minute.

The Obirin eLearning site has a lot of documentation on the front page. So much in fact that it tends to push the courses off the bottom of the screen. Watch this short video to see how to eliminate the clutter. Or, take a chance and just try it yourself. Next time you login to Moodle, add the word “my” to the end of the URL.

Download the Quicktime video of Moodle Tip 001–My Moodle. Playing time less than one minute.

This is a simple notetaking task sheet to be used with the Level 3 Discussion – Education video. This video is currently (May, 2005) available as a DVD on the Level 3 shelf, as well as from the ELP Web at:

http://elpweb.com/resources/slevel3listspeaking.php?id=discedu

The web version might be preferable for students with weaker listening skills because they can easily rewind and listen again for small points. If done in the FLSC, students can be sent there with this worksheet, and then come back to class to compare notes.

I am using this activity mainly to introduce how the Group Discussion test will work, and to clarify that there are many possible discussion points, such as things to change at Obirin, ways of learning, extracurricular activities, purpose of education, personal educational goals and dreams, etc. which could fit under the “Education” theme.

Education Discussion Tasksheet – to be used in conjuction with the Education discussion video.

There is a video of a ‘student’ (me!) delivering a demo mini presentation. It may be useful when you are setting-up speaking task 2.

It can be viewed by students at any time on the elpweb resources web site:
http://elpweb.com/resources/slevel1listspeaking.php?id=task2

(There is the option to switch on subtitles when viewing the video online.)

The video will also be available on DVD (without subtitles) for viewing in the classroom.

A text file of the transcript can be downloaded here: transcript

You are most welcome to devise listening, and other activities, to supplement this video – and if you do so, please upload them here!