Schedule: 2009-09-11 (18:15 - 19:00)
Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)

Title: The MoodleReader Module for Extensive Reading
Authors: Thomas Robb
Abstract: The Moodle Reader Module is a freeware, open-source module has been developed over the past two years as a means for teachers around the world to share a database of quiz material for “Graded Readers” and to make them easily accessible to their students. The module went online in April of 2008 and is currently being used by over 3000 students.

Until this module was developed instructors had no means of testing, in an electronic form, their students’ comprehension of this reading material as a means of verifying that they had actually read the claimed material. The sheer bulk of graded readers available precluded any teacher or school from developing a comprehensive set of online tests for their library of graded readers. Publishers' sites with downloadable quizzes are not secure and are in a single, fixed format, which is conducive to cheating.

The Reader module allows quizzes to be randomly generated from a larger set of items for each book. The module allows teachers to easily install the module on their own Moodle system, download the quiz material for those textbooks in their graded reader library and configure its operation to their own preferences. The database is password protected to keep the contents out of the reach of students, and currently contains quizzes for some 450 popular titles, including all of the Oxford Bookworms series from Step 1 through Step 6.

For teachers who do not have their own Moodle available, free courses that include the module are available on the moodlereader.org site.
Keywords: Extensive Reading, Moodle, Quizzes, Assessment

Main topic: Curriculum development for CALL.

Biodata: Thomas Robb has been teaching in Japan for over 30 years and active in enhancing Moodle for language learning since 2002. He is past president of PacCALL and a member of the WorldCALL organizing committee.
Type of presentation Paper presentation

Paper category Research & Development

Target educational sector Secondary education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project Yes

Schedule:	2009-09-11 (18:15 - 19:00) Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)
Title:	The MoodleReader Module for Extensive Reading
Authors:	Thomas Robb
Abstract:	The Moodle Reader Module is a freeware, open-source module has been developed over the past two years as a means for teachers around the world to share a database of quiz material for “Graded Readers” and to make them easily accessible to their students. The module went online in April of 2008 and is currently being used by over 3000 students. Until this module was developed instructors had no means of testing, in an electronic form, their students’ comprehension of this reading material as a means of verifying that they had actually read the claimed material. The sheer bulk of graded readers available precluded any teacher or school from developing a comprehensive set of online tests for their library of graded readers. Publishers' sites with downloadable quizzes are not secure and are in a single, fixed format, which is conducive to cheating. The Reader module allows quizzes to be randomly generated from a larger set of items for each book. The module allows teachers to easily install the module on their own Moodle system, download the quiz material for those textbooks in their graded reader library and configure its operation to their own preferences. The database is password protected to keep the contents out of the reach of students, and currently contains quizzes for some 450 popular titles, including all of the Oxford Bookworms series from Step 1 through Step 6. For teachers who do not have their own Moodle available, free courses that include the module are available on the moodlereader.org site.
Keywords:	Extensive Reading, Moodle, Quizzes, Assessment
Main topic:	Curriculum development for CALL.
Biodata:	Thomas Robb has been teaching in Japan for over 30 years and active in enhancing Moodle for language learning since 2002. He is past president of PacCALL and a member of the WorldCALL organizing committee.
Type of presentation	Paper presentation
Paper category	Research & Development
Target educational sector	Secondary education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	Yes