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Moodog: Tracking Student Activity in Online Course Management Systems

, , University of California in Santa Barbara, United States

Journal of Interactive Learning Research Volume 21, Number 3, ISSN 1093-023X Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC

Record type: ARTICLE

Abstract

Many universities are currently using Course Management Systems (CMSes) to conduct online learning, for example, by distributing course materials or submitting homework assignments. However, most CMSes do not include comprehensive activity tracking and analysis capabilities. This paper describes a method to track students' online learning activity, and provide this information to instructors to allow them to assess students' learning behavior and progress. Further, the information can be used by educational researchers to evaluate the contribution of CMSes to learning. A prototype of the proposed system, called the Moodle Watchdog, or "Moodog", has been implemented on top of the Moodle CMS. The Moodog system provides accurate tracking information with an easy-to-use interface, and offers a wide range of activity information to instructors and educational researchers. As a basis for evaluating Moodog, the system has been deployed in several courses taught at the University of California in Santa Barbara. Using the results and experiences obtained from this evaluation, Moodog has been shown to collect useful activity information for both educators and educational researchers.

Citation

Zhang, H. & Almeroth, K. (2010). Moodog: Tracking Student Activity in Online Course Management Systems. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 21(3), 407-429. Waynesville, NC: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved March 19, 2024 from .

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