Christine: Hello Beatrice,
We are doing something on Moodle, can you remember a time when you did not use
technology in your teaching and what was it like
teaching
Beatrice: So yes I can remember when I was an FLA, a Foreign Language Assistant,
I didn't used to have a computer, we just were working in the corridor, and come up
with activities on the spot and I thought that it was a lot more spontaneous than
actually relying on the computer and being in the classroom. So I thought that it was
a lot more natural, and free- it gives you more freedom. And maybe come up with
something different. and the same thing happened when I was teaching as a
volunteer in Ghana, obviously a lot less resources there, and old chalk board, and no
chairs and no desk. And again it enabled me to be more free in my teaching.
Christine: So you can do without
Beatrice: You can definitely do without, yes
Christine: So, obviously I know you do use moodle because we have got it, so how
do you use it, and is it different at different times, and different pupils/classes… you
know, just give me a brief …
Beatrice: I used to use it more often, but I am still using it now, but it depends on the
class indeed. So students, well , it depends where I am, but if I am in LA4, I would
use it to structure a full lesson and then they know where they can find the activities,
and their homework, but at the minute I don’t have access to the computer I use it
more for homework pretty much. Some classes maybe they don’t like it because they
struggle maybe to open the page, things like that. It's rare but it can happen. So
maybe for those sorts of students I will find an alternative and maybe just print out a
sheet for them
Christine: So you don’t send them an email or anything? You think they like prints
Beatrice: Some students they like the pages printed out, I would not send them an
email with the homework, I usually explain in the classroom, you know this is what
you will see, because if not they don’t know how to access it, even though you have
explained already.
Christine: And the way you use moodle, when did you actually start using moodle?
Beatrice: I am not quite sure… a year ago, two years ago? Three years ago??
Christine: It's been three or four years… Has it changed over time, when you think
at first when you were trained with Nathan I suppose?
Beatrice: Naah, it was just I didn’t got trained I just learned how to use it on the
spot… I mean you showed me…
Christine: A little bit… I mean that's it you didn’t have any formal training or
anything…but do you think it has changed over the time when you had started using
it? that was three years ago?
Beatrice: I am not using it as much, I think you lose the excitement…
Christine: Ah …Moodle fatigue!
Beatrice: Ah moodle fatigue I only really use it for homework now, I think you ve got
to a question about that, so I won't go on about it now…
Christine: How do you feel about it now is it exciting? is it boring? is it a teaching
device according to what you have said I know the answer now…
Beatrice: Well for me it is still exciting in a sense, but its more easy- its interesting
for the homework. I wouldn't say that I would teach things on it… its not .. but for the
homework it is very very good because you can monitor what they 've done , and
when they have done it, they can see that as a feedback and I thinkd its fantastic,
they don’t lose their work, which can happen, as a teacher, even if you are organised,
or if they lose it as well, so it is brilliant for the homework.
Christine: Mmm hmm ok. is there any other technology you would want or are using
actually in the future, so which one and why?
Beatrice: Plenty!!! I wish we could all have tablets, and students as well to replace
their exercise books, and to have, you know a folder for each subject, and they can
go on the network, and when you give them homework, it is already uploaded there,
and there is no moodle, nothing else, they have just got tablets, they don’t have
books, it would be so much easier, and when they do their homework it would be
uploaded straight away and its not just on the tablet, but also on the network so that
you could access what they have done. That would be ideal, but obviously that is
not happening, the SANACO???? is something that we are going to be using very
soon…that would be nice, and I wish I could use blogs a lot more. with the students,
integrate some listening tasks there and ask them to … like on face book or on
foreign discussions, we could put trailer in french
Christine: You would not use moodle? because we have got that facility already …
Beatrice: It would be Mharra??? I haven't had time to use it but ..I would like to
explore it. Mhara would be the right one to use for blogs but I havent had time to
explore it more.
Christine: Do you thnk next year you would be able to explore it more??
Beatrice: yeah….I have two blogs on some school trips in French and Spanish I
have got some pictures and I have had training, very quick training with Nathan
actually, and I have done something for my form on it. anyway I have used it but I
just haven't had the time, or the chance yet to explore it,
Christine: Do you think- I mean you say thye only do the homework on it or the work
sometimes, do you think they enjoy it, or… some of them do?? On the whole…
Beatrice: I think they do because I tend to use games as homework, and they like as
soon as they get the computer, they are engaged, for some students, I have set
some writing homework like for the GCSE students, I have asked them to answer the
questions online so that I can mark them while it actually happens that you leave it
on for more than three hours and you will have all the answers, so … in that case the
kids didn’t like it because to be honest they had lost all their work, but when its KS3
and it’s a few games, an d a things like
Christine: DO you think Moodle does enhance your teaching , well you answered
that at the beginning, about the way people learn do you think so or do you think
you could do without it. You have answered that already havent you really…
Beatrice: I could do with out it, I mean it is great for monitoring, I think without that
then it’s a lot more paperwork, and that's brilliant in that sense , but … for the
teaching, not especially, no.
Christine: No. So you don’t use it in the classroom to present work, or … no?
Beatrice: No
Christine: And do you use it… you know we have schemes of work there do you
use it to check year 7 year 8… to check that kind of thing or not…everything is there
for your teaching…
Beatrice: No actually, because I know what is going on. I don’t really use that
resource, because I have got my own.
Christine: I check that I am ok or not and if I am setting the right work ?
Beatrice: No I remember from the last time…
Christine: no no its ok, my memory is bad so I have to use it… so last question would
technology be a priority, or would it be something else?
Beatrice: do you mean for the whole school? Yes it would be a priority, because …
well um? fortunately everyone uses moodle, and as I have mentioned before it is
great for certain things , and I have said for me it is great for home work because it
works a lot better than a exercise book. It has got loads of qualities, and not
everyone is using it, and get the best out of moodle. It would be quite but if you don’t
use it afterwards, then they will not remember it so it is not worth it. so maybe we
need to pinpoint who will be interested, and then perhaps offer training.
Christine: There has been some but I think people don't take it.
alright, thank you Beatrice, merci beaucoup.
Beatrice: de rien!