Workshop & Short Course Proposal - Moodle in the Science Classroom

Classroom Automation with Free Open Source: Moodle Course Management

--> 2008 California Science Education Conference (November San Jose)

Step 3a of 4: Workshop Proposal

Presenter Information

First Name:	Mark
Last Name:	Bell
Title:	Science Teacher
School/Organization:	New Heights Prep School
City, State, Zip:	Northridge, CA 91325
County:	Los Angeles
Email:	markb"at"newheightsprep.org

Event Information

Type of Event:	Workshop
Title of Session:	Classroom Automation with Free Open Source: Moodle Course Management
Session Description for Selection Committee:	I have deployed this free program with great success in my computerized school. Assignments are accessible over the Internet, handouts are always on line and student submissions are never lost. Moodle embodies constructivist pedagogy. The labor savings free up time to prep labs, plan lessons and generally get caught up. You can grade papers from any Internet location and never worry about misplacing anything. Spreadsheets, lab outlines and reference documents are always at hand. The session consists of a demonstration of a live Moodle system and pros/cons of its use. Attendees with wireless laptops will be able to try the program during the session. Each attendee will receive an Ubuntu Linux CD with Moodle loaded. (My site is http://nhps.us, available Jan 6/07.)
Summary of Session to be printed in Conference Program:	Moodle is a free course management system. If your students use computers, Moodle will run, document and maintain multiple science classes. Your laptop evaluates Moodle during the demo. Free CD.
California science standard(s) and specific concept(s):	Investigation and Experimentation 1. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other four strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will: A. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (such as computer-linked probes, spreadsheets, and graphing calculators) to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships, and display data.
Scheduling Requests, Comments, or Notes:	I'm pretty easy going. I've attended CSTA for the last two years and enjoyed the presentations. I hope to be a presenter!
Format:	Hands-On
Audience:	6-8 9-12
Emphasis:	Pedagogy/I&E
Strand:	Multi-Disciplinary Science
How many years have you been teaching? 3
Is this session appropriate for new teachers? Yes
Is the program designed for immediate use? Yes
Safety: Are there any potential safety hazards associated with your presentation, such as the use of fire, explosives, gases, etc.? Yes
	Please identify any safety hazards: No chemicals or flames.
Are there any precautions that must be taken during the presentation to deal with hazards, and must the audience be informed? No
List safety equipment you will provide:
	None required.
Would you be willing to post your workshop hand-outs on the CSTA website? Yes
Is this a commercial workshop? No
	(A commercial workshop is a workshop that demonstrates or promotes any product or service that is available for sale, regardless of the for- or non-profit status of the presenting organization or individual.)