European Day of Languages

Today we are celebrating the European Day of Languages!

Learn Moodle

These days we are doing an online course where we are learning how to use the Moodle platform. The course name is Learn Moodle and it is developed in English language, but there are forums in Spanish language and also the possibility of reading subtitles in Spanish in the explanatory videos on YouTube. This is a very interesting activity that allows us to create our own online course on any matter . Once chosen the subject , we can arrange multiple ways to organize the material because the platform offers the ability to use lots of activities . Of course , you can upload text in PDF , establish links to other pages , use videos ... all types of resources. You can create your own activities on the same platform , some of them very similar to what can be done with HotPotatoes but are easier to use ( they are also more simples) .

Students can participate in forums, create wikis, glossaries and resolve common issues in groups. They can submit their own work from Moodle, can upload files or write messages to deliver to the teacher. The work of correction may be easier because it has a section in which are recorded all people accessing the course, the moment that pupils enter in it, the activities in which they participate, and so on.

The configuration of the course is quite simple and intuitive, but if we want to offer a course that is interesting and productive for students, we have to develop quality activities. As in most of these platforms, the main thing is to have enough material and interesting things to upload to network. Moodle provides the means but the activities we have to carry us. The truth is that if we have a good bank of resources already developed and we are able to meet all the virtues of Moodle, a course can be truly comprehensive and useful . Otherwise, we will have to devote some time to elaborate but we believe it is worth because there are spectacular results .

We opted to start creating a Basic Galician Course. It has very little activity and we are doing only the essential that we ask the teachers because we do not have much time these days. Every Sunday , we are invited to a meeting at the computer to see the tutorial where they  explain what we  will do throughout the week. This Sunday, we have a very great surprise to see that our course appeared in the live tutorial and the teachers spoke of him in front of other colleagues. We assume that between a lot of courses in English,  our Galician Course  has called their attention. We left here the video tutorial which shows the comments of teachers. About minute 31:57 you can hear your views.