Use+free+and+open+source+tools

==Use free and open-source tools == A great low-cost way to get started with e-learning is to use free and/or open-source software. Some of these (such as Moodle) are being taken up by many large training providers i.e. TAFE SA, UNISA, TAFE NSW etc.

Free and/or open-source tools can be used within a LMS, but many educators and trainers are using them individually to enhance classroom training or provide extra interest so as to engage learners.

MOODLE[[image:Moodle.jpg align="right"]]
"Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is a free and open-source e-learning software platform.As of January 2010 it had a user base of 45,721 registered and verified sites, serving 32 million users in 3 million courses. Moodle was developed ... to help educators create online courses with a focus on interaction and collaborative construction of content." (Wikipedia) Moodle can be downloaded from the **Moodle website**. While most Moodle courses are behind logins and passwords, following are some open courses: Training providers in South Australia are able to get a FREE Moodle classroom from the SA Framework Unit. Use it as a 'sandpit' to become familiar with Moodle, use it for training...or even use it as a delivery point for students.
 * Career Awareness
 * Online Facilitation
 * Digital Photography

BLOGGER[[image:Blogger.jpg align="right"]]
Blogger is a free blogging platform run by Google. “A blog (a contraction of the term "web log") is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video” (Wikipedia) Use **Blogger** for: The video Blogs in Plain English is an excellent introduction to the use of blogs. For examples, check out Jessica Watson's blog where she was journalling her progress in Ella's Pink Lady...or Trudy’s blog, showing progress through a 2009 E-learning project. Read the UNISA Report: Using Wikis and Blogs for Assessment in First Year Engineering
 * Learners doing a workplace assessment
 * Ongoing updates for learners (or colleagues)
 * Helps to improve literacy
 * Involve external people eg employers, supporting school teachers etc

WIKISPACES[[image:Wikispaces.jpg align="right"]]
A wiki can be as simple as an online whiteboard...or as complex as a corporate website. It is essentially a website that can be edited...by yourself, your learners, your colleagues...depending on permissions allocated. Wikipedia is a wiki. One of the more commonly used wikis is Wikispaces (which is this one). Other examples are: For further explanation, check out the video Wikis in Plain English
 * Keeping Up with E-learning
 * Resources4Trades
 * Horizon Project