The Moodle Reader Module: A Progress Report

Thomas N. Robb Kyoto Sangyo University trobb@cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp http://moodlereader.org

Purpose of the Reader Module

To provide an efficient, easily manageable means of testing the comprehension of texts used for extensive reading (and thus the ability to assess whether students have read the books they claim to have read). To ensure that students only select books at their own reading level in order to prevent frustration and overuse of the dictionary. To encourage regular reading by pacing the quiz-taking times To provide a mild sense of competition and an additional incentive to reading through the cover "stamp collection"

Choosing a book from the library

Comparison of AR Program and the Reader Module Approach

Moodle Reader Module
Students can only select from books at their current Reading Level, or one below it.

Accelerated Reader (Old System)

Students can select any book that has an AR quiz.

Students are promoted to the next level after gaining 6 points at their current level.

No promotion system.

Books are basically all worth 1 point, but some are Books have a point value that is based worth more or less purely based on their relative on both length and difficulty. length compared to graded readers at that level. Students may take the tests anywhere, even at home. Quizzes are randomly generated from a large question bank. There are several question types. Quizzes are timed Maximum 15 minutes. In order prevent a last-minute rush, students may take a quiz only every third day. Student can take the quizzes only under supervised conditions. AR quizzes consist of 10 unvarying multiple-choice questions. Students can take up to 30 minutes to complete a quiz. Students can take multiple quizzes on the same day.

Question Types
True/False Multiple Choice Ordering type Matching questions Who said this?

Comparison of Student Accesses AR vs MR

Quizzes Taken Friday, June 6

Passed: 243; Failed: 51; Total: 294 35 30

25
20

15
10 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Failed Passed

Analysis of AR vs. Reader Module

More books read. 4.7 per students for AR, vs. 8.3 for the Reader Module for the same time period A more even distribution of reading. (AR students could not take quizzes on weekends and tended to postpone their reading to the end of the reading period.) Fewer quiz failures: Greater comprehension?

Two Approaches to Implementation

1. Install the MoodleReader Module on your own server 2. Request a course on MoodleReader.Org

Setting Up the Module (1)

Install the "Reader Module" in their Moodle course. Import, from moodlereader.org, quizzes for the books that you have in their own ER collection. You may also create their own quizzes for any books for which quizzes are not available. Determine which reading level the books should be set at (if they wish to depart from the recommended levels in the repository) and set the initial level for each student.

Set-up (2)
Set parameters such as
target point goal the time limit where quizzes may be accessed passing percentage, how frequently quiz taking is to be permitted

Determine a policy for how points are gained, or how total points above and below the set target point value are to be integrated into the students final class evaluation.

Procedure for Students

Students read a book and then take the quiz. If students pass the quiz, they are awarded one point, none if they fail.
Books at any level that are considerably longer or shorter than the average graded reader at that level may have a higher or lower point value.

When students have passed a specific number of quizzes at their current level, they are promoted to the next level. They can still take a set number quizzes on books one level above or below.

Color-Coded Levels

New Admin Menu

Student Summary Report

Level Adjustment Page

Implementation Challenges
Funding and coding Obtaining cover images from publishers Problem of multiple editions Getting publishers to create quizzes Quality control of teacher-made quizzes Getting other schools to participate Syncing authentication systems

Another Lesson Learned

Implementation of technology for student use across an entire curriculum Sidesteps the problem of requiring or expecting individual teachers to have the know-how, time and/or enthusiasm to implement a tech component But this requires:

Curriculum-wide Implementation
The authority to require it An adequate server and necessary software The human resources (ideally tech-proficient teacher) to implement and support it, including system back-up A mechanism for making the student grade reports available to the individual instructors so that they can incorporate the grades into their students final evaluation.

Questions/Discussion? Logins: user-low OR user-mid with

same for the password

Email: tom@tomrobb.com http://moodlereader.org