The cheap solution to develop e-learning system
I knew and used online learning facility since I study Master of Information Management in Monash University in 2006. he online learning facility not only in text based, but also audio where we can hear the lecture at home. This is very helpful especially for international students who speak English as second language. Student can hears the lecture, repeated, until they understand. The one thing that make me feel happy with online learning system is the delivery of lecture material, all of the lecturers always upload the material a few days before the class commence, so we have time to read the lecture notes. The lecturer often provides important links to give additional reading for student.Â
The assignment also delivered online where student can download and submit the assignment. For student, is is cheaper because they don’t need to print out the assignment and go the campus to submits. The feedback and grading system also conducted through online, it is faster and student can easily look at their feedback online, do not need to go to school. The online learning also provides discussion forum, where student can interact and discuss the lecture material with teacher and other student.Â
As a lecturer in one of state university in Surabaya, I’m interesting to implement online learning at my class. Since then, I’m start to browse the suitable technology–consider in low budget and easy to use technology. Firstly, I choose free discussion forum such as makeforum, freeforum, etc. However, those forum have some drawbacks, such as there is no limitation on user, in this case everyone (non member) still can read the threads. So, I withdraw the discussion forum idea, regardless that the discussion forum is so powerful tool on e-learning.
It was on April 2008, when my lecturer introduces moodle to deliver online learning in class. And I become more interesting to know that the software is free and easy to install. I’m starting develop moodle in my webpage and it is good e-learning tool, I can found the integrated online lecture features, we can upload file in html, pdf, doc, text, or multimedia format, assignment boxes also available both for individual and group assignment, also discussion forum that very interesting one, online chat facility, and email. This system is cheap regarding to it price and easy to use. The only need is buying a web hosting that cost you at least Rp.300.000 per year, with 250 mb database, I think this should be enough for small classes (not for the whole university of course). While you got the domain, just download the moodle software from moodle.org, and installed. In a few minutes you already have online learning media, and start to navigate around to set up the moodle that suits you.
I plan to use moodle online learning by next semester, hopefully this will bring significance different in delivering the lecture and the most importantly will encourages student to become more active and gain more understanding on particular topic.
Â
Comments
Leave a Reply