Instructional Design
The Teaching and Learning Center provides faculty support for our online Learning Management System (Moodle) and provides professional development on educational technology, online and hybrid course design, and accessibility.
For information or to enroll in the educational technology training opportunities listed below, please contact Instructional Designer Melissa Daniels.
Helpful Moodle Links and Sites
New to Moodle? The Moodle Basics course provides basic information about course structure and settings.
Ready to learn about more advanced settings in Moodle? Check out the Advanced Usage of Moodle course.
Want a link to Moodle resources and support as well as step-by-step instructions (with video!) for how to use most of the components of Moodle? Explore the Moodle Resources for Faculty page.
Updates for Moodle 4.0
Moodle 4.0 Training Materials and Resources – this link will take you to a course that has a PowerPoint detailing the changes in Moodle 4.0, as well as training videos that go over the changes in more detail, and a glossary with photos and explanations of where certain Moodle functions have moved.
Technology Presentation links
Portfolium Set-up
Portfolium is an easy way to compile and score artifacts that you have collected from students that demonstrate evidence of the student learning outcomes in your major. This PowerPoint reviews how to set up student learning outcomes, set up rubrics for scoring, and create program assessments.
View PowerPointClosed Captioning on Panopto
Covers the "why"s of captioning, instructions on how to use closed captioning, and links to additional resources and support.
View PresentationHow to Create QR Codes
Discusses the ways that QR codes could be used in the classroom, how to make a QR code, and the best free websites to use to create a QR code.
View PresentationHow to Create Accessible PDFs and PPTs
Addresses the tools that are available on PDF format and Microsoft PowerPoint to help make digital content more accessible for a wide variety of learners
View PresentationUsing Padlet and Nearpod
Showcases two FREE, easy-to-use educational apps that can be used with any type of instruction - online, hybrid, or in-person - as a way to monitor student progress and increase engagement.
View PresentationH5P and Poodll Add-Ons
Discusses two interactive plug-ins that can be used in conjunction with your existing Moodle pages to encourage more interactive communication with students. Also provided, information about existing resources that can help you learn more about what plug-ins are available for use.
View PresentationObsidian and Zotero
Offers a look at two different tools that can assist with organizing information, particularly when it comes to gathering material and compiling research. These are both free to use for students and faculty. If you have additional questions about this software, contact Colin Payton in the Writing Center
View PresentationHow to Make and Upload a Video Using Zoom and Panopto
Dives into the different ways that you can record presentations and lectures on your computer, as well as how to upload the videos onto your Moodle page using the video editing software Panopto.
View PresentationIntroduction to OERs
Open educational resources, or OERs, are new ways to introduce content to students at no cost to them. This PowerPoint addresses the benefits of using OERs in your course, some suggestions of different OER websites to explore, and suggestions regarding how and when to incorporate these OERs into your classroom. If you have additional questions about incorporation of OERs or would like more suggestions, reach out to the director of library services, Cyd Dyer.
View PresentationVideoscribe
Interested in video animation as a way to increase engagement during your classes, or as a new way to create tutorials? The attached PowerPoint discusses information about Videoscribe, a type of video animation software that lets you create customizable, high-interest videos with over 11,000 different images to come from, various pre-made templates, and more. If you'd like access to Videoscribe, please reach out to Lynne Jensen at lynne.jensen@simpson.edu.
View PresentationCalendly
Looking for an easy, digital way to schedule office hours and other meetings with students? Calendly is an appointment scheduling software that makes it easy to figure out office hours, advising appointments, and more.
View PresentationMonitoring Student Engagement Data in Moodle
If you teach a fully online course, it can sometimes be hard to figure out how often students are engaging with your course content on Moodle. This PowerPoint walks you through two areas on Moodle where you can monitor student activity - through the Instructor Dashboard, and through Reports on Moodle.
View PresentationCreating Engagement in Online Forums with Conversation Cue Cards
Online forums are a great way for students to engage with each other and create a sense of community in their course, particularly if it is web-based. However, it can at times be challenging for students to figure out where to begin. The below PowerPoint and document discuss the idea of cue cards - conversation starters for students that are presented in a way that creates better discussions.
View PresentationThe Workshop Activity
Do you wish you had a better way to run peer reviews in your class, especially online? The Workshop activity on Moodle allows students to submit and provide feedback for others, while you as the instructor can grade them on both their submission as well as the quality of their feedback.
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