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Virtual Learning - Moodle

What is Moodle?

The University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) known as 'Moodle' is an integrated and invaluable part of the University’s teaching and learning experience.

As it’s entirely web-based, Moodle is ‘open’ all day, every day is accessible from anywhere in the world.

How will Moodle change things?

Moodle supports a huge number of activities; all aimed at improving access to and distribution of course information. Rather than replacing traditional face-to-face teaching methods, Moodle actually improves and professionalises communication. It makes it easy for academic staff to provide flexible access to resources for students wherever they may be, 24 hours a day. The emphasis with Moodle is on ease of use.

What can you use Moodle for?

Every module has a news forum where lecturers can post messages to keep students informed about what is happening. Lecture notes and background information can be made available, enabling much more interactive teaching to take place in class. Votes on a lecture’s content might be conducted to gauge opinion on a new topic covered in class, for example. And Moodle also supports video lecturing that can be linked with presentations, both of which are controlled by the user so they can stop and review as required.

Other activities include free instant messaging between users, discussion forums (particularly useful for students on placements), private learning journals, video lectures and even quizzes with instant automated feedback.

How do you use it?

Once enrolled, students are issued with a unique ID number, which is used for access to the network as well as Moodle. The site is password-protected, so can only be accessed by staff and students at the University. Users can enter additional details and build up an online profile to convey their personality to other site users. They can even personalise their view of the site to individual tastes and requirements.

Why Moodle?

The University is one of only a small number of Universities in the UK and Ireland to be using the Moodle VLE, although many Further Education institutions in the UK have already recognised its benefits.

Early feedback from our students suggests that Moodle is not only proving extremely effective in enhancing the learning experience, it is also great fun to use.

Go to the Moodle site