Topic outline

  • Lecturer Profile

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  • Introduction to Course

    This course introduces students to the core principles, tools, and practices of Open and Distance Learning (ODL). It explores the flexible nature of ODL, emphasizing independent learning, digital platforms, and the role of Self-Instructional Materials (SIM). Students will gain an understanding of how to manage their learning in a virtual environment, participate in asynchronous and synchronous activities, and evaluate learning through various digital tools. The course also highlights essential digital literacy skills and the importance of self-motivation and time management in an ODL setting.

  • Week 1 - Introduction to Open Distance Learning

    By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

    1. Define Self-Instructional Material (SIM).

    2. List and explain the 6 characteristics of SIM.

    3. Reflect on how SIM supports independent learning.


    • Week 1 - Lecture - Introduction to Open Distance Learning

       (Material comes first)

      *For lecture videos - Lecturers may use a combination of Synchronous and Asynchoronous formats if videos are not able to do a job of explaining the subjects well. For example, mathematical problems may require live explanation (synchronous format).

      (Example: Lecture slides that have 40-50 slides may lead to a video creation of 1-2 hours. Lecturers can reduce this to a 10-minute video which may contain the first 10 slides. Then the rest of the slides can be in the form of other materials such as notes, audio format or other available video resources from the internet.)

      Watch the video given in the link. (Then comes the instruction) <--- If possible, instructions are made simple and concise.

      (1 hour) <--- Recommended/Optional



    • File icon
      Week 1 - Lecture - Notes on SIM File

      Read the Notes given in the link

      (1 Hour) 

    • Assignment icon
      Week 1 - Continuous Assessment - Assignment on SIM
      Opened: Tuesday, 22 April 2025, 12:00 AM
      Due: Tuesday, 29 April 2025, 12:00 AM

      Click on Assignment on SIM to start the assessment. Instructions on how to complete the assignment is given in the assignment word file. <--- If the instructions are elaborate/has more instructions we can put them elsewhere such as given in the word file for the assignment. This is so that the instructions are simplified/concise in the main page.

      (3 Hours)

    • H5P icon
      Week 1 - Activity - ODL Interactive Content

      Click on Week 1 - Activity - ODL to start

      (30 Minutes)

    • File icon
      Week 1 - Resource - ODL Research Paper File

      Click on Week 1 - Resource - ODL Research Paper to start <--- The resource (if it has a file in the form of pdf or other types must be downloaded first and then stored here. Otherwise, it can be put as a link). Add as much resources as you think is appropriate for the student's learning. Hence, ODL can be a bank of resources for students to learn. 

      (1 Hour)


    • URL icon
      Week 1 - Quiz - Academic Papers ODL Quiz URL

      Click on Week 1 - Quiz - Academic Papers ODL Quiz <--- Use the link plugin as denoted here to link materials

  • Week 2 - Assessment Strategies to Avoid Copying

    • Randomize Questions (MCQ / Short Answer/ Various)

      If you're using the Quiz activity (test plugin) in Moodle, you can randomly assign 10 questions from a pool of 30 using the "Random question" feature from the question bank.

      ✅ How to Do It (Step-by-Step):

      1. Create Your Question Bank:

        • Go to your course > More > Question bank.

        • Create a Category (e.g., "Test Pool – Chapter 1").

        • Add all 30 questions to this category.

      2. Create a New Quiz:

        • Go to your course page.

        • Click “Add an activity or resource” > Quiz.

        • Name the quiz and set timing, attempt limits, etc.

        • Click Save and display.

      3. Add Random Questions to the Quiz:

        • Click “Edit quiz”.

        • Click “Add” > “+ a random question”.

        • Choose the category you created.

        • Enter “Number of random questions to add” = 10.

        • Click Add random question.

      4. ✅ Done!

        • Now, each student will get a random 10-question subset from the 30-question pool.

        • If you also enabled answer shuffling, every student’s test will look different.

      💡 Bonus:

      • You can add random questions from multiple categories to mix topics.

      • Use different difficulty levels by organizing your bank into:

        • Easy

        • Medium

        • Hard


    • Quiz icon
      Week 2 - Test - Randomized Questions Example Quiz

      Please click on Week 2 - Test - Randomized Questions Example to start. <--- Preferably used with Google Calendar for reminder 

    • Use Quiz Availability + Open Date

      When you set a quiz with an open date, Moodle automatically creates a calendar event and sends reminders if the student has calendar notifications turned on.

      ➤ Steps:

      1. Go to your quiz > Edit settings.

      2. Under Timing, set:

        • Open the quiz: (e.g., July 5, 10:00 AM)

        • Close the quiz

        • Time limit

      3. Save the quiz.

      📌 A calendar event will be generated, and students will be notified according to their preferences.


  • Week 3 - ODL Guidelines

  • Week 4 - Training Videos

    • SIM Development Training



      Click on the video to start watching.

  • Week 5 - Strategies to Improve SIM Completion in ODL

    📘 Strategies to Improve SIM Completion in ODL

    🔁 1. Weekly “SIM Progress” Check-ins

    • Use Moodle Forums or Announcements to remind students every week what part of the SIM they should’ve completed.

    • Pair it with a quick Google Form or Moodle quiz with 1–2 reflection questions — acts as a soft deadline and accountability checkpoint.

    • Consider adding a simple tick-off checklist using Moodle’s Checklist plugin.

    🎯 2. Integrate SIM into Assessment

    • Allocate 5–10% of coursework marks for SIM completion:

      • Uploading summaries, diagrams, short answers, or reflections.

      • Assess using a basic rubric: "Completed / Partial / Not Submitted".

    • Use Moodle's Assignment activity to create weekly SIM submission folders.

    👥 3. Peer Review Activity (Biweekly)

    • Group students into teams of 3–4.

    • Every 2 weeks, assign each group to reflect on one SIM module.

    • One student submits a shared reflection, and all group members get the same participation mark.

    • If one member hasn’t completed the SIM → group penalized.

    📅 4. 14-Week SIM Timetable with Reminders & Consequences

    Week SIM Module Reminder Type Deadline If Missed (Consequence)
    1 Module 1 Moodle + WhatsApp Friday Week 1 Verbal reminder only
    2 Module 2 Moodle post Friday Week 2 No penalty
    3 Module 3 Email + progress alert Friday Week 3 Deduct 1 participation mark
    4 Module 4 WhatsApp + Weekly Quiz Friday Week 4 Quiz locked until SIM submitted
    5 Module 5 In-class announcement Friday Week 5 Can’t participate in group task
    6 Mid-review Zoom discussion + quiz Friday Week 6 Must attend makeup session if 2+ modules missed
    7 Module 6 Moodle popup + email Friday Week 7 Deduct 2nd mark (if recurring)
    8 Module 7 WhatsApp follow-up Friday Week 8 Warning notice via Moodle
    9 Module 8 Peer Forum Activity Friday Week 9 Forum locked if SIM incomplete
    10 Module 9 Moodle “To Do” block Friday Week 10 Cannot take Quiz 2
    11 Module 10 WhatsApp Friday Week 11 Must complete a written summary task
    12 Module 11 Email reminder Friday Week 12 Meet lecturer if 4+ modules missed
    13 Module 12 Final push message Friday Week 13 May be barred from final project if SIMs remain incomplete
    14 Final check Moodle Progress Report Monday Week 14 Course fail risk flagged if >5 SIMs are missing

    📹 5. Lecturer Summary Video / Audio

    • Record a 3–5 minute video or voice note each week summarizing the SIM.

    • Upload to Moodle and/or class WhatsApp.

    • End with a prompt like:

      “Submit 1-minute takeaway here: [submission link]”

    🧠 6. Connect SIM to Real-Life Tasks

    • Add short practical assignments:

      • “Observe your surroundings…”

      • “Interview a family member...”

    • Encourages students to apply and experience learning.

    ⏱ 7. Soft vs. Hard Deadlines for SIM

    • Every SIM task has:

      • Soft deadline (suggested completion date, no penalty)

      • Hard deadline (mandatory submission, with 1–2 mark penalty if missed)

    • Show both clearly in Moodle’s Calendar and Course Outline.

    👀 8. Lecturer Weekly Check-ins

    • Lecturer posts a weekly SIM reminder + discussion thread:

      • E.g., “What part of this week’s SIM did you find most useful or confusing?”

    • Students must reply to gain full participation marks.

    🛠 9. Tools & Plugins to Use (Moodle Ready)

    Need Moodle Plugin / Tool
    Visual tracker ✅ Checklist or Progress Bar plugin
    Weekly reminders ✅ Announcements / Auto-Notify
    Peer activity ✅ Forum / Group Assignment setup
    Submission + grading ✅ Assignment activity + Grading guide
    Light quiz / reflections ✅ Quiz tool with essay or MCQ
    Media upload ✅ Audio/video upload via database/resource



  • Week 6 - Creating 100 MCQs with ChatGPT and Importing into Moodle (Randomized) For Final Exam

    🧠 Lecturer's Guide: Expanding 10 MCQs to 100 using ChatGPT & Randomizing in Moodle

    🪄 Step 1: Prepare Your Initial 10 MCQs

    Write your 10 seed MCQs in this format:

    Question:  
Which of the following bones is part of the axial skeleton?  
A. Femur  
B. Scapula  
C. Rib  
D. Humerus  
Answer: C

    ✅ These will be the basis for ChatGPT to create 100 additional, diverse MCQs.

    🤖 Step 2: Prompt ChatGPT to Generate More Questions

    Use this prompt:

    I have 10 MCQs on [subject/topic]. Please generate 100 MCQs based on the same themes with moderate difficulty, unique contexts, and variations in wording.

Use this format:

Question:  
[Insert question]

A. Option A  
B. Option B  
C. Option C  
D. Option D  
Answer: [Correct letter]

    📌 Paste your 10 original questions as a reference so ChatGPT understands the scope and style.

    📝 Step 3: Convert to Aiken Format for Moodle

    Ensure ChatGPT output is formatted like this:

    Which part of the brain regulates balance?  
A. Cerebrum  
B. Brainstem  
C. Cerebellum  
D. Hippocampus  
ANSWER: C

    ✔️ No numbering, no bold, and one blank line between each question.

    💾 Step 4: Save as .txt File

    1. Paste all MCQs into a plain text editor (e.g., Notepad).

    2. Save the file as:
      Subject_100MCQs_Aiken.txt

    3. Double-check formatting before importing.

    📥 Step 5: Import into Moodle Question Bank

    1. Go to Moodle → More → Question bank → Import

    2. Choose Aiken format

    3. Upload your .txt file

    4. Assign a Category (e.g., Topic 2 Questions)

    5. Click Import
      ✅ Moodle confirms if all 100 questions are imported successfully.

    🔀 Step 6: Randomize Questions into a Quiz

    1. Create a new Quiz in Moodle

    2. Open the quiz and click “Edit quiz”

    3. Click Add → + a random question

    4. Select the imported Category

    5. Choose how many random questions you want (e.g., 10 out of 100)

    6. Repeat for other categories if desired

    ⏰ Optional: Set Quiz Rules

    Option Setting Suggestion
    Shuffle questions ✅ Yes
    Shuffle answers ✅ Yes
    Attempts allowed 1–2
    Time limit 20–30 minutes
    Immediate feedback Only if it's formative testing

    ⚠️ Important Disclaimer

    Lecturers are responsible for verifying the accuracy, relevance, and academic integrity of all questions and answers generated by ChatGPT before using them in quizzes or final exams.

    AI-generated content is a support tool — not a substitute for professional judgment, subject expertise, or quality assurance practices.


  • Week 7 - ODL SIM Engagement: Barriers and Solutions

    The ODL Engagement Matrix: Barriers, Impacts, and Mitigation Strategies

    Barrier Category

    Specific Barrier

    Primary Impact on Engagement

    Recommended Mitigation Strategy

    Key Stakeholder(s)

    Pedagogical

    Poor SIM Design (High Cognitive Load, Passive Content)

    Increases frustration; content is perceived as boring and difficult, leading to task abandonment.

    Redesign SIM using modular, scaffolded structure; embed interactive H5P activities; apply PBL/gamification.

    Instructional Designers, Faculty

    Pedagogical

    Low Instructor Presence

    Fosters isolation and demotivation; students feel unsupported and that their work is invisible.

    Mandate weekly video announcements; create instructor introduction videos; facilitate one synchronous session per month.

    Faculty, Program Heads

    Pedagogical

    Ineffective/Delayed Feedback

    Prevents learning from mistakes; undermines motivation; students disengage when effort is not acknowledged.

    Institute a 48-hour response policy for queries; use detailed rubrics for all major assignments; leverage peer feedback activities.

    Faculty, Tutors

    Learner-Centric

    Poor Time Management / Procrastination

    Leads to last-minute cramming, surface learning, and high stress, increasing dropout risk.

    Provide mandatory time management workshops during orientation; integrate progress trackers and checklists into SIM.

    Student Support Services, Instructional Designers

    Learner-Centric

    Academic Isolation / Lack of Community

    Causes learning burnout, mental exhaustion, and a decline in intrinsic motivation.

    Facilitate virtual study groups; design collaborative assignments; establish a peer-mentoring program.

    Student Support Services, Faculty

    Technological

    Clunky Moodle UX / Poor Navigation

    Creates cognitive friction and wastes valuable student time, leading to frustration and disengagement.

    Adopt a modern, user-friendly Moodle theme; standardize course navigation across the institution.

    IT/LMS Admin, Institutional Leadership

    Technological

    Misalignment of SIM and Assessment

    Students perceive SIM activities as irrelevant "busy work" and rationally choose to ignore them.

    Assign a portion of the final grade to the completion of key SIM activities; design final assessments that require skills practiced in SIM.

    Faculty, Curriculum Committee