HANDBOOK
FOR THE USE OF THE
E-LEARNING SYSTEM
Introduction
Welcome! The purpose of these pages is to provide educators with a brief overview of learning with the E-learning system of the ECEtt TOI, based on Moodle LMS. Texts and images used in these pages are realized by CEIS Formazione or produced by the Open Source community of moodle and released under open commons license. What is e-learning and why we’ve chosen it.
Electronic learning or E-learning is a general term used to refer to computer-enhanced learning. It is used interchangeably in so many contexts that it is critical to be clear what one means when one speaks of 'eLearning'. In many respects, it is commonly associated with the field of advanced learning technology (ALT), which deals with both the technologies and associated methodologies in learning using networked and/or multimedia technologies.
ECEtt project is based on cooperative learning and experiences exchange, its wide network needs very efficient communication tools in order to let people to share their knowledge beyond their travels and B or C trainings. That's why we looked for a LMS learning management system, with tools for communication and training, with a multilingual interface and very simple for users and teachers. Our E-learning system is based on Moodle software which is a free software e-learning platform.
Before you start
We are assuming that your site administrator (Andrea Ascari: [email protected]) has sent you a username and a password and has assigned you to a course where you have student privileges.
You must be logged in in order to enter a course and use most of the features described below.
What I need?
What you need to follow this course it's just an email address and a computer with a web browser connected to Internet. The best choice is Mozilla Firefox on any O.S. but you may get excellent results also with MS Internet Expolrer. If you have some experience in surfing the Internet and using on-line forms, you probably have all the acknowledgement you need to work with ECEtt e-learning.
To edit files you need a word processor as MS Word or OpenOffice write.
To view PDF files you may get a free version of acrobat reader, by downloading it from
www.adobe.com
.It does not matter which version or kind of operative system you have in your PC, notebook, netbook.
To listen and view multimedia contents you need a pc with headphones / loudspeakers. A software like VLC mediaplayer will help you to open any kind of multimedia file.
How to get the e-learning course
The simplest way to reach the e-learning website is to select the e-learning button in ECEtt website, so simply go to http://www.ecett.eu and click on “e-learning” menu item.
You may also reach directly the server which hosts the system by writing http://62.149.204.119/ecett_moodle_n in the address bar of your browser.
What to do in e-learning system
The e-learning courses are made by different activities. In the website you’ll find an handbook with a simple explanation of main activities.
Our system is stable, and maintained by expert professionals: don’t be afraid to cause damage to it. Try, try and try again and, if you have problems, don’t hesitate to call the e-learning support contacting us using the information at the end of this document.
Tools and activities
The main tools you will find are:
Forums: useful to communicate in an asynchronous way, letting your message and waiting someone else to login and answers you.
Questionnaires: with simple interface you may answer to questions by selecting options or writing. The questionnaires are automatically saved on the server.
Databases: take a look of different catalogues of items, search them by keywords and insert yours.
Chat: “talk” on line with other students, teachers and tutors using your keyboard.
Lessons: follow a lesson on the screen and answer to the questions or select the training path most suitable for you.
Glossaries: find the definition or the translation of a word in different languages.
Resources: download files and visit web sites just following the links editing course section.
Who could help me?
Andrea Ascari is responsible for e-learning within the ECEtt project, he speaks Italian, English and he understands Spanish and French.
Krzysztof Szadejko is the e-learning tutor and speaks Italian, Polish, English and Deutsch.
Chiara Vallini is another tutor and she speaks Italian and French and she understands Spanish and English.
Stefano Passini works at University of Bologna as e-learning tutors, he speaks Italian, English and he understands Spanish.
The best way to contact us is Skype chat.
What is Skype?
Skype: a software which allows you to communicate either with chat or with audio connection for free (for audio you need a headphone/speakers and a microphone and a internet connection not too slow).
We strongly recommend it because Each ECEtt Helpdesk has a Skype ID.
In the Skype home page you'll find manuals in different language and the software for different operative system. www.skype.com
Login and language selection
First of all you may choose the language of the system among a selection of different languages. There are more than 50 translations, so, if you don't find your language, ask the administrator to add it to the system.
The language selection doesn't affect the contents of linked webpages or other documents. It is just a translation of the menus.
To login, chose your condition among the following.
1. If you have a username and a password, even if it was provided for the previous system, you may use it in the form. Then press the Login button. Your username is normally provided using this policy: “namefamilyname” (one word). 2. If you received a username and a password but you have forgotten them, chose
“Lost password” and provide either your username or your email. You'll receive a password within few minutes in your mailbox (the mailbox you provided at your first registration).
3. If you don't have a username and a password, you may choose to create one just clicking on “Create new account” and filling in the form which will appear. You need to repeat the email twice, because this is the most important data, and it could be useful to recover a lost password.*
* Notice!
This feature is unavailable at the moment. It will be provided when the system will end the testing phase.
EXAMPLES
Database: database of good practices
The Database module allows the students to build, display and search a bank of record entries about any conceivable topic. The format and structure of these entries can be almost unlimited, including images, files, URLs, numbers and text amongst other things.
Forum: discussion among trainees
This activity can be the most important - it is here that most discussion takes place. Forums can be structured in different ways, and can include peer rating of each posting. The postings can be viewed in a variety for formats, and can include attachments. By subscribing to a forum, participants will receive copies of each new posting in their email.
Discussion forums are very important in our project. They allow students to keep in contact with other colleagues all over Europe, to get assistance by the help desks and the e-learning tutor centre, and to exchange files and documents.
The forum is integrated with the mailing system of moodle: for any new message posted the participants receive a notification in their mailbox.
Questionnaire: evalutation by employer
The questionnaire module allows you to answer questionnaires (surveys) providing data and information useful to manage our project and to understand your needs.
Credits and contacts
Andrea Ascari
CEIS Formazione – Centro Studi D. J. Ottenberg Via Toniolo 125 I 41122 MODENA [email protected] T. 059 453 111 F. 059 315 353 Skype: abby001 Stefano Passini
Università di Bologna – Facoltà di Scienze della Formazione Via Filippo Ré 4 I 40126 BOLOGNA [email protected] T. 051 2091618 Skype: stefano.passini Krzysztof Szadejko
CEIS Formazione – Centro Studi D. J. Ottenberg Via Toniolo 125 I 41122 MODENA [email protected] T. 059 453 111 Skype: krzyszszadejko Chiara Vallini
CEIS Formazione – Centro Studi D. J. Ottenberg Via Toniolo 125
I 41122 MODENA [email protected] T. 059 315 331
Skype: chiaravallini
