HTCI

As students at CHS, we are provided with numerous tools to aid our learning. Whether it be the informative databases or the finest book collections, administrators have done a commendable job of ensuring we have the best resources that available. However, according to myCCS, one such resource, Moodle, will be decommissioned on April 30. This decision by administrators concerns my peers and me very much; although it may seem like we have completely shifted away from Moodle to Canvas, many of us still use Moodle and prefer it.

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For the uninitiated, Moodle is an open-source learning management system (LMS) which has been adapted to over 95 different languages and is used in approximately 100 countries since its advent in 1991. In fact, according to LMS Tips, a website which analyzes various learning platforms, Moodle has always been, and is still, completely free for its users. This means the school’s decision to decommission Moodle does not make any sense because there are no financial constraints involved.

Furthermore, although Canvas may seem to be the most up-to-date learning platform for both teachers and students alike, there are many features in Moodle that are simply not available on Canvas. For example, while Canvas does have a very user-friendly interface, Moodle is definitely a much easier platform to use and “figure things out.” Moreover, I have experienced many instances where teachers face glitches and other technical difficulties while using Canvas due to its unpredictability. There are also certain features on Moodle not available through Canvas. The most important of these is the accessibility to our H: Drive, which enables students to access files saved on CHS computers right from home. Many classes such as AP Statistics still make use of such tools to work on projects. As a result, this decommission will significantly affect students in those classes. To elaborate, I watched a video made by CHS administrators about how to transfer files from the H: Drive to Google Drive. After going through this process myself, I realized that the process requires me to habitually transfer files saved on school computers to my Google Drive. This means the process is both a time-and storage-consuming process because certain large files will use up an enormous amount of space.

It is important administrators realize Moodle is still actively used by students and reverse the decommission which is about to happen. Although each platform has its drawbacks, combined usage of the tools associated with these interfaces enhances our learning; hence, the access to both Canvas and Moodle will greatly aid students at this school.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Adhitya Ramkumar at [email protected].