We created a Moodle roadmap plug-in through several iterations and launched it at NC State University in Fall 2022. With the original intention to support blended and flipped learning, the plug-in was created based on an instructional design framework of guiding students through online self-paced learning, in-class active learning, and after-class review and integration, while assisting them in planning, monitoring, and self-reflection. The roadmap plug-in enables instructors to create a visual and navigable structure of their course organized by learning phases, cycles, and steps. The learning steps are presented as icons with different states controlled by the activity completion status of the activities tied to the step.The course roadmap allows students to visually track their activity completion status, progress, and plan for their next steps.
We will introduce the roadmap plug-in interface and functionalities and provide a demo Moodle site for the audience to try out the roadmap as a student and as an instructor. We will showcase the roadmaps from the blended and flipped courses we recently redesigned with instructors, such as general biology (conceptual learning focus), Python programming (skill application focus), biological and agricultural engineering (problem solving focus), and game design (project-based learning focus).
Evaluation studies have been conducted to examine the usage and effectiveness of the roadmap plug-in since the pilot versions. We will share the frequencies of roadmap use across all versions and discuss the lessons learned. We will present detailed findings from the Python programming course implemented during Fall 22 and Spring 23 semesters. Preliminary results indicated that the more students look at and use the roadmap, the more icon achievements they earn and the better perceptions they have about this tool. Achievements of certain learning step icons were found to be significant predictors of course total grades.