Virtual Learning Environment/Wikimania demo

This is the project page for the Wikimedia UK Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) for the month of July 2014, leading up to Wikimania 2014. Involved are Stevie Benton (SB), Charles Matthews (CM), Doug Taylor (DT).

Technical

There is a fuller discussion on the Bugzilla thread.

Update to Moodle 2.7

This is desirable as soon as possible, now, since the update may break the skin, which would then have to be fixed.

• Requires updates to PHP and MySQL

Software development

Three proposed directions.

• CM to talk to SB about the transclusion plugin, with a view to having it tested, via an office request.
  • Richard Nevell is chasing this.
• CM to communicate with Magnus Manske about the possible quiz repository, and feature requests for the Wikisoba tool.
  • CM is working on a detailed proposal for expanded GIFT syntax.
• A quote has been sought for the update to the SSO module to Moodle 2.7 (CM & DT).
  • SB is chasing this.

Content

New course "Finding and Understanding Sources"

A brief view of the content was aired at the Future of Education Workshop. CM to draft the course 18 July to beginning of August, and add quiz questions. If possible, both the question bank and transclusion from MediaWiki should be available on this new material at Wikimania, as live demos.

Reuse of VLE material

CM is running a discussion of this on August 7, as part of the Wikimania Education Pre-Conference.

• CM to take up invitation to publicise this event via the Outreach newsletter, copy date July 15.
• CM to liaise with SB on some matters relating to images.

The idea is that from August 7, CM will be demonstrating the VLE, reuse and the Wikisoba tool as part of DT's WikiLounge sessions. Details to be worked out.

Beta review

As on Virtual Learning Environment/Beta feedback, and in a review obtained from Midas Training by SB. Action points for CM:

• Address points on quizzes from the wiki page, Midas, and noted on Virtual Learning Environment/Three-month plan: there are known fixes.
• Address general points on presentation raised by Midas, working with SB, DT and possibly others. In principle the Moodle category system can be used to "ration" the lessons offered to the newcomer. Some material can actually be hidden in the student view (easily done) if it is not to be on display at all.
• CM to prepare as a first step a "prerequisites" document as an aid to understanding the underlying training issue (what needs to be covered before what).
• CM to ask SB about the production of four short video clips, to help signpost students where to go first on the assumption that editing is their priority.

VLE brief

The VLE was mentioned, but not discussed in depth, at the Train the Trainers refresher 2014. One point that came out is that the initial brief, i.e. to support training events after they have happened, could usefully be made more explicit. Further, the content of the VLE could be looked at in various ways, leading to some ideas on how the scope could be expanded. Clearly any expansion would have to go hand-in-hand with solutions to presentation of the existing material.

The time to Wikimania being short enough, discussion can hardly be completed by then; but this issue is on the table, along with (for example) understanding how the VLE might relate to badging by WMUK.