Getting to Know Moodle
Topic outline
Getting Started
If you're new to this site or new to moodle here are some things to do first.
There are many ways to set up a course and many ways to organize content. It's always best to think it through and come up with a plan before beginning development on a course.
Files are a big part of an online course, and it's important to know how to add course content by including files, folders and repositiory items.
Repositories in Moodle enable users to upload files, access previously uploaded files and easily bring content in from external repositories, including Google Docs, through the File picker.
Moodle has a standard HTML editor that appears in many locations. It includes a toolbar that allows teachers/developers to insert content without having to know HTML code.
A community hub provides a directory of courses for public use or for private communities.
Resource
There are many different kinds of Resources that can be added to a course, and they are each explained here.
Examples:
A file may be a document, presentation, spreadsheet or media in numerous formats. It is added using the file picker and may be uploaded from various sources including your computer, server or a repository.
A folder is a useful way to organize multiple files and helps declutter the course page. A folder may contain sub-folders. To upload numerous files, first organise them on your computer, then create a single .zip archive which you can upload into your folder, then unzip it.
A page is a quick and easy way to create an HTML resource. It may contain text, links, and/or media. Use the HTML editor to format your page. Contents from moodledocs
A URL is added by entering a valid web address in the Content > External URL field or by choosing a link from a repository. Content from moodledocs
This is a label. It is a piece of text on the course page, and it is often used to provide narrative or instructions to students within a course. It can include images or links and you can add as many labels as you like to a course.
Activity
There are many different kinds of Activities that can be added to a course, and they are each explained here.
Activity completion enables teachers to specify conditions that define when a student has completed an activity. Course completion enables teachers to specify conditions that define when a student has completed a course. Conditional activities enable teachers to restrict the availability of any activity according to certain conditions such as dates, grade obtained, or activity completion. Each is explained here.
- A PDF handout about Conditionality is available for download.
Examples:
Chat allows real-time text-based communication, like an instant messaging tool. Chat sessions may be scheduled on a repeating basis and past sessions can be saved for viewing.
A choice is a polling activity. In Choice, participants can quickly choose from presented options.
A database is a flexible activity. In Database participants can share information in various field types including text, radio buttons, check boxes, drop menus, URLs, dates, numbers, longitude/latitude, images and files.
A feedback is a way to collect information from course participants. Feedback responses can be time restricted, recorded as anonymous and allow multiple submissions, and email notifications can be enabled.
A glossary may contain text, links or media and is browsable, searchable and linkable. A glossary can also be set to allow comments, ratings and RSS feeds.
A wiki can be set as a 'Collaborative wiki' where it is a series of pages that may be contributed to by all course participants or it may also be set to 'Individual wiki' so that each course participant has their own personal wiki. The pages in a wki can contain text, links and media.
A Questionnaire is a survey-like type of activity that allows teachers to create a wide range of questions to get student feedback. Questionnaires do not test or assess students, they gather data. Sometimes used for course evaluations
A forum is an activity where students and teachers can exchange ideas by posting comments. There are four basic forum types. Forum posts can be graded by the teacher or other students. Examples are presented below:
A Standard forum for general use is an open forum where anyone can start a new discussion at any time.
A Standard forum displayed in a blog-like format is an open forum where anyone can start a new discussion at any time, and in which discussion topics are displayed on one page with "Discuss this topic" links.
A Q and A forum requires that students first post their perspectives before viewing other students' posts.
A Forum - Each Person Posts one Discussion is set up so that each student can post exactly one new discussion topic, which everyone can then reply to.
Assessing Learning
Remove this text and enter wrap-up information, including course authors, credited sources etc.
Consider including Activities like a quiz to measure knowledge gained, a certificate of completion, and/or a questionnaire to evaluate the course.
The Assignment allows teachers to collect work from students, review it and provide feedback including grades.
The Assignment - advanced uploading of files enables mutliple file submissions, student messages and teacher response files with feedback and grading.
The Assignment - online text allows students to type directly into Moodle and teachers can provide inline comments with feedback and grading.
The Assignment - upload a single file enables the student to upload a single file for feedback and grading. There is a setting to 'Allow resubmitting' in the event a student submits a draft or incorrect file. If necessary, multiple files should first be zipped before submitting a single file. Email alerts can also be set to notify teachers of student submissions.
The Assignment - offline activity is useful for in-person or other activities of which teachers want an online record of grades and feedback. Students do not submit an electronic file or type online text.
The Quiz allows teachers to design and build quizzes consisting of a large variety of Question types, including multiple choice, true-false, and short answer questions. These questions are kept in the Question bank and can be re-used in different quizzes
- View
The quiz has numerous configuration options including timing, grading, layout, question behaviour, review, display and feedback.
The Lesson presents a series of HTML pages to the student who is usually asked to make some sort of choice underneath the content area. The choice will send them to a specific page in the Lesson. In a Lesson page's simplest form, the student can select a continue button at the bottom of the page, which will send them to the next page in the Lesson. Lesson Samples give ideas on how they can be used in a course.
A SCORM is a learning object which may contain text, media and a quiz. SCORM is created using a third-party authoring tool, then packaged and uploaded to Moodle. The video shown below was linked to in the Description and set to Open in this window. Then the checkbox to DIsplay description on course page was checked which resulted in it being embedded in the page.
Reporting
All the grades for each student in a course can be found in the course gradebook, or 'Grader report' in Settings > Course administration > Grades
Additional Resources
Information for Simple Certificate
Quick Tips and Other Resources
Acknowledgement
Content adapted from course How to Moodle by My Learning Space which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
