doi.org/10.15198/seeci.2019.50.87-105
RESEARCH
FUNCTIONALITIES OF MOODLE AND EDMODO IN THE MIDDLE AND HIGHER EDUCATIONS
FUNCIONALIDADES DE MOODLE Y EDMODO EN LAS ENSEÑANZAS MEDIAS Y SUPERIORES
FUNCIONALIDADES DE MOODLE E EDMODO NO ENSINO COLEGIAL E SUPERIOR
Ana Almansa-Martínez1: Malaga University. Spain
anaalmansa@uma.es
Guillermo Van-Zummeren Moreno2: Conservatory of Music of Murcia, Spain
vanzumer@gmail.com
Rosario Haro3: Conservatory of Music of Murcia, Spain
rosario.haro@murciaeduca.es
1Universidad de Málaga. Profesora Titular de Universidad en el Departamento de Comunicación Audiovisual y Publicidad. Docente e investigadora de comunicación política, relaciones públicas, dirección de comunicación y tecnologías de la comunicación y la información.
ABSTRACT
ICT can be a great opportunity in education and platforms such as Moodle or Edmodo are a good example of this. This article analyzes what are their contents and what tools they offer, which are useful in middle and higher education. Also, we study what perception it has of these two platforms, both teachers and students. In the investigation, we have used content analysis of Moodle and Edmodo and in-depth interviews with users (teachers and students). In general, the two platforms are used as a complement to face-to-face teaching, Edmodo individually by teachers and Moodle in a more institutionalized way by educational organizations. In general, users (teachers and students) show their satisfaction with what the platforms provide, although teachers complain about the workload it entails and the students that the platforms are less motivating than other ICT, like the socialmedia, for example. Given the predominant role that ICT currently have in society in general and in teaching in particular, an institutional commitment has to the reformulation of these platforms seems necessary, in order to make better use of their possibilities.
KEY WORDS: ICT, Moodle, Edmodo, middle educations, conservatories, higher educations, university
RESUMEN
Las TIC pueden ser una gran oportunidad en la enseñanza y plataformas como Moodle o Edmodo son buen ejemplo de ello. En este artículo se analizan cuáles son sus contenidos y qué herramientas ofrecen, que son de utilidad en enseñanzas medias y en superiores. También se estudia qué percepción tienen de estas dos plataformas, tanto profesorado como estudiantes. En la investigación se ha recurrido al análisis de contenido de Moodle y Edmodo y a entrevistas en profundidad a los usuarios (docentes y estudiantes). En general, las dos plataformas se utilizan como complemento a la enseñanza presencial, Edmodo de forma individual por parte de los docentes y Moodle de forma más institucionalizada por las organizaciones educativas. En general, los usuarios (profesorado y alumnado) muestran su satisfacción por lo que las plataformas le aportan, aunque los profesores se quejan de la carga de trabajo que supone y los estudiantes de que las plataformas son menos motivadoras que otras TIC, como las redes sociales, por ejemplo. Dado el papel predominante que en la actualidad tienen las TIC en la sociedad en general y en la docencia en particular, parece necesaria una apuesta institucional por la reformulación de estas plataformas, para poder hacer un mejor uso de sus posibilidades.
PALAVRAS CHAVE: TIC, Moodle, Edmodo, ensino médio, conserva-tórios, educação superior, Universidade
RESUME
As TIC podem ser uma grande oportunidade no ensino e plataformas como Moodle ou Edmodo são bom exemplo. Neste artigo analisam quais são seus conteúdos e qual ferramentas oferecem, que são de utilidade no ensino colegial e ensino superior. Também estuda que percepção tem destas duas plataformas, tanto o professorado como estudante. Nesta investigação se recorreu a análise de conteúdo do Moodle e Edmodo e a entrevista em profundidade aos usuários (docentes e estudantes). Em geral, as duas plataformas são utilizadas como complemento ao ensino presencial, Edmodo de forma individual por parte dos docentes e Moodle de forma mais institucionalizada pelas organizações educativas. Em geral, os usuários mostram sua satisfação pelo que as plataformas aportam, embora os professores se queixam da carga de trabalho que supõe e os estudantes de que as plataformas são menos motivadoras que outras TIC, como as redes sociais por exemplo. Dado o papel predominante que na atualidade tem as TIC na sociedade geral e na docência em particular, parece necessária uma aposta institucional pela reformulação destas plataformas, para poder fazer um melhor uso de suas possibilidades.
PALAVRAS CHAVE: TIC, Moodle, Edmodo, ensino médio, conserva-tórios, educação superior, Universidade
How to cite the article: Almansa-Martínez, A.; Van-Zummeren Moreno, G. & Haro, R. (2019). Functionalities of Moodle and Edmodo in the middle and higher educations. [Funcionalidades de Moodle y Edmodo en las enseñanzas medias y superiores]. Revista de Comunicación de la SEECI, (50), 87-105. doi: http://doi.org/10.15198/seeci.2019.50.87-105
Recovered from http://www.seeci.net/revista/index.php/seeci/article/view/615
Received: 02/09/2019
Accepted: 23/09/2019
Published: 15/11/2019
1. INTRODUCTION
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have meant new opportunities in various fields. As Caldevilla highlights, some of the characteristics of ICT are ubiquity, which allows the user to access information from anywhere with an Internet connection; content authoring, which allows users to “become their nerve center”; and virulence, that is, mass dissemination in the network (Caldevilla, 2009, p. 34).
These characteristics translate into possibilities applicable to different fields and to teaching in particular. “This new university model is increasingly open, using the Internet as a channel to extend the classroom beyond the walls that delimited it” (Gea and Camarillo, 2012, p. 23).
And these opportunities are not only valid for university education, an area where the use of ICT has been more studied, especially “from the perspective of the practical application of a certain technological instrument that facilitates and improves the perception and assimilation of the contents expounded by the teacher in the classroom” (García-Tartera, 2017, p. 141); but also in high school and even in Preschool and Primary Education (Garrote-Rojas, Arenas-Castillejo and Jiménez-Fernández, 2018). In this sense, ICT entail “a strong stimulation to update the teaching of the new curricular contents (…) whose main objective is autonomy of judgment and reflection as a methodical procedure for students of the compulsory and high school education” (Trespaderne Arnaiz, 2010, p. 280).
All this is possible thanks to the improvements in the communicative possibilities among all the actors involved in the teaching-learning process and the possibility of cooperative learning and exchange of experiences by all students through ICT (De Haro, 2010). And, this ICT implementation leads to a quality learning teaching process (Morales, Morales and Ocaña, 2017). In fact, “a big part of the innovation generated in universities is supported by ICT” (Llorens, 2012, p. 11).
But it is worth considering to what extent ICT have modified the teaching-learning processes. “Although the incorporation of technology into the classroom (…) imposes the way in which teachers teach their classes, by itself, technology is not a transforming element. We could say it is a facilitating and even motivating element” (Lorenzo, 2018, p. 100). The fact of using them does not directly transform the teaching methodology.
This technological implementation is not absent from problems, at different educational levels: “lack of time, lack of specific training and / or ‘solutionism’ that characterizes some institutional actions and demands related to ICT” (Dos Santos-Ferreira, Cunha-Freitas and Portela-Moreira, 2018, p. 25). But, to do it, the university and the education system in general need to adapt to the new reality, so that “one of the challenges in university teaching is to carry out a methodological change that conceives the student as an active subject of his own learning and not as a mere information memorizer” (García-Barrera and De las Heras-Cuenca, 2017, p. 85).
Likewise, a commitment by the teachers of the new teaching methodologies is necessary. “An increase in teaching staff is required to be able to take on the methodological challenges arising from the European Higher Education Area and better attend to student diversity, thus carrying out a more personalized follow-up” (Esteve-Faubel, Molina-Valero, Bottle- Quirant et al., 2010, p. 604).
But the requirements should not only be for teachers, but also educational institutions must commit themselves and rethink the new learning systems. “The studies show interest of teachers, but in the institutional sphere there are no systematized strategies to achieve the goal of technology adoption” (Campos-Cruz and Ramírez-Sánchez, 2018, p. 62).
The change that is needed is of great importance and affects all educational levels. “A pedagogical reflection is needed on how resources can benefit the teaching-learning process, what skills are necessary in teachers, how to adapt the curriculum and how it affects the evaluation system” (Belando-Montoro, 2014, p. 4). And, to further complicate the situation, always taking into account “the continuous and changing demands of society and the labor market” (Belando-Montoro, 2014, p. 4).
In this sense, a word that is repeated as an imperative need for the implementation of ICT to teaching is time: “more than the academic burden, it is the work attached to teaching and the working commissions which consumes the time that teachers need to learn ICT and integrate them into their courses” (Negrón-Rivera, 2019, p. 67).
On the other hand, high school education, conservatories and other teachings present a different picture as far as the use of ICT is concerned and it is their isolated, particular use, instead of being generalized:
In the case of secondary school, high school, FP and language teachers, the training they receive to innovate is usually concentrated in a specific subject, instead of applying innovation in the rest of the subjects, which hinders the correct training of these future teachers on issues of innovation and ICT. (Ortega-Ruipérez, 2018, p. 345).
Also, ICT training of many teachers in high school education is not adequate. The teachers themselves recognize that they lack sufficient training and that, in many cases, they are self-taught (Colás-Bravo and Hernández-Portero, 2014). Therefore, “it is necessary to generate institutional policies on the subject and higher levels of investment to guarantee access to these technological resources” at different educational levels (Gómez-Cano, Sánchez-Castillo and Ramón Polanía, 2017, p. 48).
Of tremendous influence are the characteristics of the students themselves: the student today “is a very active subject, who has many computer resources at his disposal and who, despite the fact that the educational system is unidirectional and rigid, is no longer satisfied with receiving a single source of information” (Zempoalteca-Durán, Barragán-López, González-Martínez and Guzmán-Flores, 2017, p. 82), which makes even more urgent a rethinking of the educational model and the use of ICT in teaching. As the student is accustomed to the use of technologies, it is logical that “the positive assessment that students make about the use of ICT and virtual classrooms is high” (Rubio and Escofet, 2014, p. 228).
Training in technologies becomes a key element, because the use of technologies requires the acquisition of new knowledge. Digital literacy is necessary for children, youth and adolescents, but also for all people throughout life. (Valencia-Arras, Arras-Vota and Tejedor-Tejedor, 2014). And it is that “media literacy is essential for citizens to acquire digital competence” (Román-García, Almansa-Martínez and Cruz-Díaz, 2016, p. 102).
Focusing on the object of study, a technology that facilitates the configuration of new educational models is the virtual teaching-learning platforms. In this article, research is carried out on two of these platforms, specifically on Moodle and Edmodo.
Virtual educational platforms are web spaces that offer multiple services to members of the educational community (teachers, students, center and family managers): information, tools for data search, teaching resources, tools for interpersonal communication, training, advice, entertainment (Díaz-Pinzón, 2017, p. 11).
Moodle is a platform widely used in universities and also in Vocational Training and high school education in Spain. Moodle allows
The most critical voices to this platform warn that it is mainly used as a content diffuser, not taking advantage of its communication and interaction capabilities. In addition, “it is not integrated with the tools and environments that students (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), or even teachers themselves use regularly and requires a thorough rethinking to offer better and more adequate instruments to teachers” (Cebreiro, Fernández-Morante and Arribi, 2014, p. 251).
Students also complain about this lack of interactivity: students “often use it exclusively for download notes” (Rivadulla-Lopez, 2015). However, the different groups involved make a positive overall assessment of the platform, especially because of the economic and time saving it entails for students (Rivadulla-López, 2015).
For its part, “Edmodo is considered the world’s leading global and social learning network” (Jiménez-Cercado and Acosta-Véliz, 2018, p. 39).
The possibilities offered by Edmodo are wide and varied: “Edmodo allows you to establish a virtual space for communication with students and teachers, in which you can make comments and contributions of the activities carried out, attach files and links, establish a work schedule, as well as a schedule of activities, evaluations and manage them” (Díaz-Pinzón, 2017, p. 10). Other highlights are that it is free and in Spanish (Díaz-Pinzón, 2017, p. 10), in addition to allowing
the edification of self-managed learning, respecting learning paces, since the one needing more time can take it from access to the platform, how long and as many times he deems necessary; taking into account learning styles, because the fact of involving videos, audios, images, among others, allows students to better understand from the visual or the auditory or from the practical so as to have an opportunity to improve their learning and, finally, “it shortens” distances, given that if the student, for any reason, cannot attend classes, on the platform he can find the contents (Marín, 2015, p. 14).
Both Moodle and Edmodo can be two platforms that motivate students and, in addition to providing resources, allow more fluid communication. Success or failure depends on the use it is made of in each specific case. This article analyzes, precisely, some cases.
2. OBJECTIVES
The objective of this article is to know the use digital platforms are made of in high school and higher education. Specifically, we intend to:
3. METHODOLOGY
In this piece of research, two research techniques have been mainly used: content analysis and in-depth interviews, to study the cases of Moodle and Edmodo.
As Krippendorff points out, “content analysis is a research technique designed to formulate, based on certain data, reproducible and valid inferences that can be applied to its context” (Krippendorff, 1990, p. 28). This way, the data that have been analyzed have been Edmodo and Moodle platforms.
The analysis template that has been used is shown in Table 1. Content, Communication and Evaluation are the three areas of analysis.
Table 1. Analysis template.
Source: Own elaboration.
In-depth interviews have also been conducted. According to Wimmer and Dominick (2001), the richness of in-depth interviews is that they allow us to deal with a topic in detail and are very suitable for knowing opinions about something, the image someone has, perceptions, etc. The interview is carried out directly with a person and, as it develops, from the answers, new questions can be asked.
In the first place, in order to know the teachers’ point of view regarding the use of educational platforms, four teachers have been interviewed, two from high school, specifically from middle conservatories, and two from university teaching. In the case of high school teachers, they use the Edmodo platform as part of their teaching activity. In the case of university professors, they use the Moodle platform. From this moment on, to name high school teachers, letters A and B will be used. And to talk about university professors, C and D.
In order to know the opinion of students, two students have been interviewed. A high school student and a boy, a university student. So as to maintain the anonymity of the interviewees, when referring to the student, she will be mentioned as 1 and, to talk about the university student, 2.
4. DISCUSSION
4.1. Moodle
4.1.1. Moodle content
Moodle allows you to share all kinds of textual and audiovisual resources: various documents, audios, videos, etc. In this sense, it becomes a good tool to provide students with all kinds of resources in the teaching-learning process.
Regarding the possibility of uploading resources to the platform, D considers that “it is a great advance, because we can provide students, at all times, with everything we want: from the PowerPoint presentation of the classes to complementary readings, going through a video with a documentary with the subject in question”. He explains that today it is easier to deliver all this material to the students... “easier and more comfortable, because when I started at the university, the documents were left in photocopies in reprography, and it was impossible to provide other types of audiovisual materials”. In this line, D recalls “the queues that formed at the copy shop, especially students, to get these materials”.
For its part, C is also very satisfied with the use of Moodle, since “it offers a range of unthinkable possibilities without the Internet.” But the difference between online and classroom teaching: “for distance studies, these platforms have been a great opportunity. Also for face-to-face, combining face-to-face with virtual teaching”.
But C considers that “one cannot forget that face-to-face teaching is that: face-to-face. Sometimes students, as it is so comfortable, want everything that is face-to-face to be transferred into virtual”. C defends face-to-face teaching and understands that the use of Moodle should be a complement to face-to-face teaching, regretting that “this duplicity has translated into more work for teachers, that we continue with the same face-to-face work plus the addition of the virtual campus”.
In addition to being able to publish all kinds of resources, among the activities offered by Moodle is homework. This way, students can hand in their exercises comfortably. Precisely, B emphasizes that “what I like most is that we can hand in our work from anywhere and in a period of time. This is much better than handing it in on paper in class and, in addition, it is much greener”.
Likewise, teachers make a positive assessment of the use of homework and understand that “it makes it easy for everyone to hand it in on time”, says C. This interviewee (C) explains that, with the delivery of work in person, students are more prone to deliver it out of time. However, homework, as it is closed, avoids these inconveniences.
When it comes to correcting these exercises, D says that the platform helps because “all the exercises are stored there”, but C regrets that “it is not allowed to write about the texts handed in by the students, but only one can do a brief comment to each activity”.
Similarly, those activities that allow collaborative work are well valued by teachers and students. The options offered by Moodle are varied, but teachers highlight wiki and glossary. “I use them every course and the result is very good, because it allows students to work together in all types of group exercises, even if they are in different places”, says D. C also ensures that he uses them, but complains that “there are already other resources that students prefer, as they consider them newer... Google or the social networks themselves can be a more motivating alternative to students”. Indeed, 2 values collaborative work at Moodle but ensures that his group “usually works off campus”.
4.1.2. Moodle communication
The possibility of teacher-student contact should be as wide as possible. To the email phone you have to add the options offered by Moodle.
Moodle includes two types of messages, the so-called internal mail and messaging. Messaging is associated with each profile, with each person who is registered. Internal mail is included in each subject. Internal mail works as an email of the subject and each member can write to whoever they want. Image 1 shows, on the upper right, an example of internal mail in a subject.
Regarding its use, 2 prefers to use messaging, because “it is faster, no need to get into any subject”. But, precisely because of this, C says that sometimes he has problems: “When you have hundreds of students and they write to you by messaging, it is difficult to locate them, because they do not give any explanation of who they are. When they write to you by internal mail, at least you know what subject their doubt is about”. However, he understands that messaging may be more comfortable, because “you receive the message, full text, which you have been sent by messaging also by email, while the internal mail do not receive the text, only a warning”. To answer, in both cases you have to enter Moodle.
Source: Self made and Moodle (2019).
Image 1: Example of a subject in Moodle.
Moodle also offers the possibility to interact through forums, chat and videoconferences. Forums are the most used, both to clarify doubts and to make evaluable exercises. C reports that “in my center we have two weeks of complementary teaching activities, in which there are no face-to-face classes. For those two weeks, we use the forums quite a lot and do exercises like “The perfect exam” or “The trivial of the subject”. In these cases, forums are used so that students can ask questions and answers.
Chat and videoconferencing are also used. D says he uses these activities sporadically, because “I usually use other platforms to make videoconferences”. “Especially with TFG or TFM students, as well as PhD students, I make videoconferences frequently, but I use Skype or Adobe Connect”, agrees C.
On the other hand, teachers value very positively that they can send news through Moodle. C ensures that “it is a very good tool to keep the entire community informed, since the news that is uploaded is received by email”.
However, 2 complains that ““we receive many messages, because there are many subjects and, in addition, from the center and from the University they also send us news... and many times we are not interested in what they send us”. The complaint of the students does not focus so much on the news published in each subject, but on the institutional messages they receive, which are not segmented by audiences. This way, students may receive content that has nothing to do with them. This problem of internal communication escapes the objectives of this study, but it would be interesting to study it in depth to be able to solve it, due to the disastrous consequences it has regarding communication.
Image 1 shows, in the right column, an example of “Latest News”.
In image 1 we can also see an example of “Upcoming Events”. Moodle gives the option of this section, which indicates which calendar events are closest: an exam, delivery of a task, etc. This section is very well valued by students who consider that “it is always good to be reminded, so that we do not fail to remember”, as recognized by 2.
On the other hand, Moodle also allows appointments between students and teachers. Here opinions are disparate. While C assures that it helps him to organize his face-to-face tutoring, D considers that it is not necessary to make an appointment: “my tutoring schedule is open and anyone who wants or needs it can always come, even if they don’t have an appointment” D prefers that “if they want to ask me for an appointment, it will be done in person, although I already say that I attend to everyone at the established tutoring schedule, no previous appointment is necessary”.
4.1.3. Evaluation in Moodle
Moodle helps in the evaluation and qualification process. That is, through the platform you can evaluate the teaching process and, also, you can grade the students.
Regarding grading, evaluable tests can be placed: test, homework, etc. C reports that “some classmates are choosing to put the exams in Moodle, they put a test-type exam and the advantage is that it is not necessary to correct. It saves much time, although I have not yet encouraged myself to do so”. What C and D do is put homework on Moodle that are part of grading.
Moodle allows teachers to grade students through the platform, entering the values ??stipulated in each case. However, D considers that this grading can be complex, since “the system of evaluation of the subjects that I teach is very fragmented and there are many grading activities”. “If we add to this that there can be up to 5 teachers involved in grading in a subject, it can really be very complex to grade via Moodle, so we choose to exchange the grades in a traditional way”, says D.
For his part, C considers it very convenient to evaluate through these platforms. C reports that, with face-to-face teaching, he does not grade students through the platform, but “I do it for virtual or distance teaching and the experience is very positive, since it allows me to save a lot of time, not having to pass the partial and final grades of the students”.
As for the evaluation, Moodle offers the possibility of putting opinion polls, in which all groups can evaluate how the process has been. Both C and D say that they have put surveys of this type on their students, but C regrets that he does it less and less because “my University passes a survey to each student by subject and teacher. I used to put an evaluation survey before, but since there are already too many surveys, lately I don’t do it”.
In the same line, student 2 complains about the multiple surveys they must do, since it is one for each teacher who participates in each subject. These surveys are conducted virtually, regardless of Moodle (at most, you can put the survey link on Moodle).
What C and D do are tests that allow them to know the students’ acquisition of knowledge. They propose a self-correction test, with which students can check if they are learning the subject well and the teachers get an idea of how the teaching-learning process has been.
“This type of test can be very useful, because it helps you to study. Not many teachers put them, but when someone does, it does help me”, says 2. D, for his part, considers that it is helpful and that therefore usually poses one or two tests per semester: “the problem is the same as always: the time to be devoted to these things”, he complains. D understands that, if this option is not used more often, it is precisely because of the work involved.
4.2. Edmodo
4.2.1. Edmodo content
Edmodo covers different educational levels (basic to advanced), with functions similar to Moodle in terms of the possibilities it offers (create groups, publish homework, have a record of grades, calendar, or library), but is based on individual use of each teacher (as their employment is not institutionalized) and adds contact options with families.
According to A, “the possibility of sharing materials is very useful in conservatories because, in addition to avoiding the use of photocopies of sheet music, these platforms help students to be more methodical in their study and provides them with a folder where they can store essential content for their training: recordings, audios and videos of great performers, etc.”
Storing information with the library function for teachers or “backpack” for students to store an unlimited number of files / links in it and connect Google Drive, provided they do not exceed 100 MB per file, but the total is unlimited. According to A “it falls a little short if you upload videos, so they usually share mainly WeTransfer links or audios”.
According to 1, “the backpack is very useful for storing multimedia content and, as for the documents, I used to lose the photocopies that the teacher gave me, and since I know that I usually study them with my tablet”.
The fact of using Edmodo in the classroom, according to B, “is another tool that contributes to the implementation of the new e-Learning methodologies, promoting the use of digital devices and the student’s autonomy in the search for information and data contrast”.
Edmodo contains internal applications that complete the development of some skills among students, to which B states that “some are very interesting, but are not used because most are paid”.
Communication in Edmodo
A very significant feature of Edmodo is its aesthetics. According to 1, “it looks like Facebook”, and this appreciation is not surprising because it contains a browsing bar at the top of the page, a board of news from other users reminiscent of the Facebook bulletin board, side control panels and it uses Hashtags. Image 2 shows an example of the aesthetics of Edmodo.
In addition, Edmodo allows you to share publications on Twitter and Facebook, which A, B and 1 do not use frequently, although B points out that “it is interesting to motivate students’ musical advances by sharing their class work promptly with their family and friends, since they create artistic products”.
There is a general news panel and another panel that is used as an internal forum for each group or class. The most useful, according to A, is that of each group “sometimes both teachers and students respond respectively to questions raised. In some cases these clarifications are sufficient with a written explanation (even sharing some additional material), or they are postponed to be resolved in class”.
As for Edmodo’s messaging, it is possible to exchange private messages between teachers and students, or send notes to a particular class or group.
Source: Self made and Edmodo (2019).
Image 2: Example of an Edmodo account.
As mentioned, in Edmodo, face-to-face education extends virtually to the family environment, as parents can monitor their children’s activity by taking an active role in their education, reviewing their homework and delivery dates. According to A, “the possibility of collaboration of families in this process is essential and helps students to meet their obligations and objectives”.
However, B adds that “some parents are not familiar with information technology and prefer more face-to-face tutoring” and adds “in the Conservatory, to inform them we prefer to use the email or, for other functions, the myConservatory program, as it is used at center level and provides global data on the set of subjects”.
However, regarding notices of upcoming exams and work deliveries, all respondents state that any notice is always useful.
4.2.3. Evaluation in Edmodo
In Edmodo it is possible to conduct surveys, evaluable tests and grade students.
According to A, “I use Edmodo annually in the realization of written tests or exams of initial evaluation; and satisfaction and self-assessment surveys at the end of the quarter and the course”; however B and 1 claim not to use these Edmodo functions. As B maintains that “in musical teaching, instrumental performance tests that do not adapt to the Edmodo test format are evaluated”.
However, 1 claims to have been evaluated according to the homework or work that has been uploaded and stresses that “delivery times seem more stringent as you cannot upload a file if the delivery schedule has been exceeded”. He also states that “his parents liked to see the grade and the explanation of it”.
As for continuous evaluation, both A and B conclude that the periodic delivery of homework (in this case in audio format) through Edmodo as a way to improve self-assessment, record the quality of the individual progress of each student is interesting.
5. CONCLUSIONS
Moodle and Edmodo are two platforms that are usually used as a complement to face-to-face teaching (also in virtual) and that allow us to share content and can be good communication tools between teachers and students, as Diaz-Pinzón (2017) points out.
However, there are substantial differences between Moodle and Edmodo in terms of use. Edmodo is a platform that is used individually by teachers, while Moodle is used in a more institutionalized way (Maldonado-Berea and Vega-Gea, 2015, p. 108).
It has been verified what are the resources, activities and possibilities offered by these two platforms (objective 1), confirming that they are very varied. Although users do not always take advantage of the full potential. The most common is that content is offered, but the tools that enhance teacher-student communication are not used too much.
The fact of being, in most cases, a complement to face-to-face teaching makes it an added work for many teachers, rarely recognized. Undoubtedly, this circumstance influences the fact that the possibilities of the platforms are not used more frequently, especially those that are very interesting (such as communication), but whose management involves a significant workload.
Precisely, these circumstances affect the opinion of teachers and students about these platforms (knowing it was objective 2). In general, the results show a general satisfaction of teachers and students in both cases, coinciding with previous studies, such as those by Rivadulla-López (2015).
But there are some criticism or negative aspects. Teachers often complain about the work involved in managing these platforms, while students see them as less attractive than other technologies, such as social networks.
The motivating factor that these platforms could entail seems to be extinguished. As ICT are indispensable in today’s society, educational institutions must rethink how to reorient them, to enhance digital literacy and to improve the teaching-learning process (Campos-Cruz and Ramírez-Sánchez, 2018).
REFERENCES
AUTHORS
Ana Almansa-Martínez: Full Professor of the University, Faculty of Communication Sciences, University of Malaga. Author of From the press office to the communication cabinet, New media in Political Communication, Communications Advisors and more than fifty articles in scientific journals. Principal investigator in the Lobby and Communication project in Spain (Ministry of Science and Innovation. National R&D Program) and the Communication project of heritage assets for the economic and social development of Andalusia (Andalusian Studies Center). Editor of the International Public Relations Magazine. Coordinator of the Official Master’s Degree in Strategic Management and Innovation in Communication. Secretary of the Academic Commission of the Interuniversity Doctorate in Communication. Member of the UMA PDI Training Commission.
anaalmansa@uma.es
Orcid ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0256-6369
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=Q8LWr1AAAAAJ&hl=es&oi=ao
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ana_Almansa_Martinez
Directorio Exit: https://www.directorioexit.info/ficha4585
Guillermo van Zummeren Moreno: PhD in the Interuniversity Doctorate of Communication of the Universities of Malaga, Seville, Huelva and Cádiz. Master’s Degree in Musical Research from the University of Murcia. Higher Degree in Music in the specialty of Interpretation at the Conservatory of Music of Murcia Manuel Massoti Littel. Concertist and Professor of Trombone and Chamber Music at the Authorized Center for Musical Education ANMAVI S.L. of Murcia (Department of Wind-Metal and Percussion), in the Professional Conservatory of Music “Julián Santos” of Jumilla (Department of Wind) and in the Conservatory of Music of Murcia (Department of Wind-Metal and Percussion).
vanzumer@gmail.com
Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3408-5968
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citationsuser=s9oLMvcAAAAJ&hl=es&authuser=1
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Guillermo_Van_Zummeren-Moreno
Academia Edu: Academia.eu uma.academia.edu/GuillermovanZummerenMoreno
Rosario Haro: Concertist, Researcher and Professor of Piano at the Conservatory of Music of Cartagena, (piano department) and at the School of Base and High Musical Studies Alter Musici S.L. (department of Piano and chamber music). PhD in the Interuniversity Doctorate of Communication of the Universities of Malaga, Seville, Huelva and Cádiz. Master’s Degree in Musical Research from the University of Murcia. Higher Degree in Music in the specialty of Interpretation (Piano) at the Conservatory of Music of Murcia.
rosario.haro@murciaeduca.es
Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9645-8504
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?hl=es&user=Pn5HwskAAAAJ
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rosario_Haro2
Academia Edu: https://uma.academia.edu/RosarioHaro