Intellectual Outputs 2 – part 4

Integration of materials with the Moodle platform – an example of good practice based on the “Exploring Materials Testing Methods” course

The greatest didactic potential is offered by implementing the developed materials on an e-learning platform, e.g. Moodle. The Moodle platform, thanks to its modular structure and wide range of functionalities, allows for the full use of the potential of the prepared materials in the hybrid learning process. It allows for a smooth transition between stationary and remote learning, ensuring the continuity of the didactic process and its effective monitoring. The system allows for the creation of coherent educational paths by combining e-learning lessons with additional activities such as quizzes, tasks or discussion forums, and also provides tools for monitoring student progress and managing the learning process.

As part of the pilot implementation, the prepared e-learning lessons “Materials Testing and Characterisation” were integrated with the Moodle platform, creating a coherent and well-thought-out course structure. The materials were organized into thematic blocks containing the following elements:

• Theoretical background
• Video tutorials
• Laboratory Manual
• Sample files
• Submitting a laboratory report

This approach ensures a comprehensive educational process – from mastering the theoretical foundations, through familiarizing yourself with the practical aspects of materials research, to preparing and assessing independently developed laboratory reports. The course structure promotes effective interaction between instructors and students, facilitating the management of the teaching process and adjusting the pace of learning to individual needs.

It is worth noting that creating such an extensive course required the development of a number of additional materials, going beyond the original scope of the Materials Science Ma(s)ters project. The lecturers, demonstrating initiative and professionalism, prepared, among others:

• Author’s instructional videos presenting laboratory procedures
• Detailed instructions for exercises
• Supporting materials supporting the learning process
• Templates of reports and documentation necessary for proper assessment of work

Below are three sample videos from the “Sample Preparation for Metallography” lesson.

To help you visually familiarize yourself with the interface and structure of the course, a series of screenshots has been prepared presenting the navigation method, the appearance of individual sections and sample activities. Thanks to this, you can see in advance how the course looks from the user’s perspective, which will help you better understand the proposed approach.

Below are two sample lessons from Moodle. Click on the image to enlarge it.

An additional convenience is the ability to download the entire course in the .mbz format (a backup copy of the Moodle course). This allows you to quickly restore the complete set of materials and activities on your own Moodle platform. Simply select the “Restore course” option in the Moodle administration panel, indicate the downloaded .mbz archive, and then go through a simple process of restoring the course. As a result, we receive a complete course with the original structure, resources, activities and quizzes preserved. Thanks to this form of distribution, you can quickly and conveniently implement the prepared lessons, adapt their content to your needs, and efficiently integrate them with other materials, activities and tools in the Moodle environment.