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Moodle Wave: Reinventing the VLE using Widget technologies Scott Wilson , Paul Sharples, Dai Griffiths and Kris Popat, University of Bolton, UK {s.wilson, p.sharples,d.griffiths,k.popat}@bolton.ac.uk Abstract. Can widget technologies revolutionize the VLE and challenge the dominant design of elearning? The authors describe an experimental implementation of the Moodle VLE using the W3C Widget... moreMoodle Wave: Reinventing the VLE using Widget technologies Scott Wilson , Paul Sharples, Dai Griffiths and Kris Popat, University of Bolton, UK {s.wilson, p.sharples,d.griffiths,k.popat}@bolton.ac.uk Abstract. Can widget technologies revolutionize the VLE and challenge the dominant design of elearning? The authors describe an experimental implementation of the Moodle VLE using the W3C Widget specification and Google Wave Gadget API to replace existing core features. This raises four challenges; (1) By replacing most of the functionality of the VLE with simple reusable applications, the core functionality and design of the VLE is challenged; (2) by allowing these applications to be extracted and used in personal learning environments, the hegemony of the institutional system is challenged; (3) by conducting learning activities in small discrete applications, the model of student tracking is challenged; (4) synchronous, live updating applications challenges the model of user behaviour for the VLE. Keywords: Widgets, Personal Learning Environments, Virtual Learning Environments, Interoperability 1 Introduction In the paper “Personal Learning Environments: Challenging the dominant design of educational systems”, Wilson et al. [1] describe the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment; also called a Learning Management System) as having become a dominant design for educational systems; this is a situation which limits choices for users and institutions, while also presenting a very challenging environment for an alternative design to gain any traction. In this paper we describe an approach to challenging the dominant design through creatively subverting the VLE using highly interactive applications (Widgets) that can be delivered within the VLE but also embedded by the users into other platforms, including individually-owned tools and websites. By extending the capabilities of the VLE in this manner, we can create a new conversation about the VLE that moves us away from the dominant design, but stay within the comfor... view page