Basic Guide to Moodle - Taylor's Online

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide3.9 Calendar .......................................................................................................................................................... 774 COURSE MANAGEMENT – ADVANCED LEVEL ............................................................... 774.1 RSS Feeds ........................................................................................................................................................ 774.2 Survey .............................................................................................................................................................. 774.3 Plagiarism Detection Tool .............................................................................................................................. 774.4 Moodle for Mobile.......................................................................................................................................... 784.5 SCORM package .............................................................................................................................................. 78

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide31.3 Profile SettingOnce you have logged into Moodle, you can access your profile from almost anywhere, by clickingon the link to your name at the top or bottom of the screen as illustrated in Figure 3.Figure 31.3.1 Edit ProfileTo edit your profile, you can go to Settings block on the left hand side of the screen as illustrated inFigure 3. Click to expand “My Profile Settings” and select “Edit Profile” option.The profile in “View” ModeFigure 4Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide4The profile in “Edit” ModeAdding DescriptionFigure 5On this screen you can write some basic information about yourself e.g. your area of expertise,hobbies, qualifications in the description box, so that other users know who you are.Upload user pictureTo upload a photo of yourself or an avatar image that other users will see as part of your profile, goto User picture section and click on “Choose a file” button as illustrated in Figure 6.Version 1.0Figure 6

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide5The File Picker dialog box will be displayed as illustrated in Figure 7. Click on “Upload a file” link,and click “Browse” button to select a picture from your computer. After that, click “Upload this file”button to upload the picture.Figure 7When the picture has uploaded, it’ll be returned to the edit profile screen. Scroll down to thebottom and click the “Update Profile” button. The image file will be cropped to a square and resizeddown to 100x100 pixels.Note: The picture must be in JPG or PNG format and make sure that the file is not larger than themaximum size listed (8MB), or it will not be uploaded.Update Other General InformationIn the edit profile screen, you will also be able to update the following information:• Email address• Email display - You have a choice to hide your e-mail or allow everyone in Moodle to see youre-mail• Email digest type - You can change the settings so that you only receive one email a dayinstead of an email from each time someone adds a post to a forum in your course.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide6• Forum auto-subscribe - If you are subscribed to a forum, you will receive email notificationwhen someone else posts to the forum.The remaining optional fields allow you to include your other contact information.Note: Email Notification will not be turned on in the development server. Therefore all the emailnotification will not be sent out.Click on the “Update Profile” button after you have done.1.3.2 MessagingMessaging refers both to automatic alerts from Moodle about new forum posts, assignmentsubmission notifications etc, and also to conversations using the instant messaging feature.Users can receive message alerts for a number of different reasons and can also send and receiveinstant messages. How to configure a user to receive notifications of incoming messages can be setin Settings > My profile > Messaging (Figures 8 & 9).Version 1.0Figure 8

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide7This brings up a screen with check boxes where users can choose how they wish to be notified bothwhen logged in and logged out. They can choose between a pop up, Jabber message or an email.Pop upWhen a user has logged in into Moodle, the message will pop up from the bottom right corner ofthe page. The user can choose to read the message immediately or to ignore it. If they choose toignore it, the message returns until it is read.Figure 9Jabber (Instant Messaging service from an open source community, Jabber.org)If the Jabber server has been configured, Jabber messages can be sent. The Jabber ID can be set onlywhen the Jabber service is enabled by the Moodle Administrator.EmailThere is a box at the bottom of this Message settings screen (Figure 9) which allows for a differentemail address from the default to be chosen for receiving notifications.Prevent non-contacts from messaging meNon-contacts can be prevented from sending messages by checking this box in General Settings atthe bottom of the screen.1.3.3 BlogsYou can set how many blog entries are displayed on a page in Settings > My profile > Blogs >Preferences. The default number of entries is 10.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide8Enable external blogsThis is to enable users to specify external blog feeds. Moodle regularly checks these blog feeds andcopies new entries to the local blog of that user.1.4 Course Layout and BlocksOnce you have logged in, you will see the section - My Courses which will display a list of courseswhich you have enrolled in. Click on the Course to enter the course, the page will be displayed.A Moodle course basic screen element as illustrated in Figure 10 consists of:• The Navigation bar (breadcrumbs trail)• Course content area• Side blocks• Turn editing on button (seen by Lecturer role only)Navigation barThe Navigation bar or “breadcrumbs trail” in Moodle displays hyperlinks, showing where thestudent is in relation to the course or site main page. This allows the user to easily return to aprevious screen, and should be used over the back/forward buttons on the browser.Course content areaBy default, the course content area is set in a weekly format. This can be changed to topic format,and more topics/weeks can be added.Side blocksBlocks can be added or removed and moved to a different position. Each block has a show/hide (+/-)toggle button to either show or hide its content.Turn editing on ButtonClick the “Turn editing on” button located on the top right corner of the screen to reveal Moodle'sfeatures for adding content and arranging side blocks in your course. This action will reveal featuresfor adding activities and resources in the content area of the course, and allow you to work withside blocks.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide9Changing Course LayoutFigure 10You can determine whether to use the topical or weekly format, and how many units or weeks toinclude. To do this, go to the “Settings” tab of your administrative panel. Click to expand the Courseadministrator and select “Edit settings”.Figure 11Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide10On the edit settings screen, scroll down to the Format option. There are four types of format youcan choose which are:• SCORM - For displaying a SCORM package in the first section of the course page (a SCORMpackage contains content that can be included in Moodle. For details refer tohttp://docs.moodle.org/22/en/Creating_SCORM_Content#Find_existing_SCORM_packages)• Social - A forum is displayed on the course page• Topics - The course page is organized into topic sections• Weekly - The course page is organized into weekly sections, with the first week starting onthe course start date.You can then set the number of blocks (weeks or topics), and the course start date.Figure 12You can choose to have all of the weeks/topics show to the students, or only one. You will noticethat in each unit of the middle column (after the header block) there is a small rectangle on theupper right hand corner.Figure 13If you click on this box, that particular week or topic will be the only one showing, and you will see adouble box. Click on the double box to return to the view that shows all weeks/topics.Figure 14Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide12i. Upcoming EventsThis block displays upcoming calendar events in an abbreviated list, with links to the actualevent. If this event is an Assignment, Forum, Quiz or Chat closing date the participant canlink directly to this activity.ii. Search forumsThe search forums block allows you or your students to search for any word (or words) thatoccur in any forums (discussion groups) you have in your class.iii. AdministrationThese features are discussed in the Learner Management section of the manual.iv. CoursesThis block will display a list of all courses (only) that a participant is enrolled in, allowing oneclickaccess to another course home page.v. Latest NewsThis block shows the latest discussion posted to the News Forum.vi. Recent ActivityThis block displays two types of information for a participant; an abbreviated list of whatthey have done since their last login (displayed within the block), and a more detailed “Fullreport of recent activity”. This latter feature provides the participant with a Normal viewdisplayingvii. Online UserDisplays names and images of everyone logged in to the course within the past 5 minutes.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide132 Course Management – Basic Level2.1 Course Setup2.1.1 Course SettingsYou can use the Course Settings area to change the course duration, dates, availability, upload filesand other features of your course.To access the Course Settings area, go to Settings block, click on “Edit Settings” under the CourseAdministration. When the screen refreshes, it will display the page as Figure 18.Figure 18All of the individual settings have next to them to explain what they do. Any fields in red andmarked with an asterisk are required to be completed. Detailed explanations of these fields are asfollows:General sectionCategoryCourses are typically assigned to a category (e.g. Finance, IT, HR etc.), and your Moodleadministrator may have done this when the course template was created. Category field serves nopurpose during the development stage. However, in production, this may be automatically pulledfrom the Campus Management System (CMS) depend on the School or Division that the course ismapped to.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide15New items to showA special forum called "News" appears in the "Weekly" and "Topics" course formats. It's a goodplace to post notices for all students to see. (By default, all students are subscribed to this forum,and will receive your notices by email.) This setting determines how many recent items appear onyour course home page, in the Latest News block or News forum.If you set it to "0 news items" then the Latest News block will not appear on the home page.Show gradebook to studentsThis setting determines whether or not to let the students see the grades you give them on anyassignments. By default, this is set to “Yes” so the student can see the grade you gave. If this is set to“No,” then students cannot see the grades that were given.Show activity reportsThis feature defaults to “No.” If this is switched to “Yes,” then students can see their activity log.Lecturers always have access to these reports, using the “Activity” link visible on each participantsprofile page. Student access to their own reports is controlled by the lecturer via this course setting.For some courses these reports can be a useful tool for a student to reflect on their involvement andappearance within the online environment, but for some courses this may not be necessary.Another reason for turning it off is that the report can place a bit of load on the server while beinggenerated.Maximum upload sizeThis setting defines the largest size of file that can be uploaded by students in this course, limited bythe site wide setting created by the Moodle administrator. It is possible to further restrict this sizethrough settings within each Moodle activity module.Guest Access sectionAllow guest accessThis controls the people without account or being required to enroll whether can get into the course.Default setting is “No”.PasswordIf “Allow guest access” option is set to Yes, you can set the password to allow the guests who havethe classroom enrollment key (the password) can access the course.Groups sectionGroupsThis setting has 3 options:• No groups - There is no sub groups, everyone is part of one big community• Separate groups - Each group member can only see their own group, others are invisible• Visible groups - Each group member works in their own group, but can also see other groupsVersion 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide16The group mode defined at course level is the default mode for all activities within the course. Eachactivity that supports the groups can also define its own group mode, though if the group mode isforced at course level, the group mode setting for each activity is ignored.Force group modeIf group mode is forced, then the course group mode is applied to every activity in the course. Groupmode settings in each activity are then ignored.Default GroupingCurrently, this feature is not enabled.Other SettingsAvailabilityThis setting determines whether the course appears in the list of courses. Apart from lecturers andadministrators, users are not allowed to enter the course.LanguageThis feature is not being enabled at the moment. Courses are only available in English.Role RenamingThis setting allows the displayed names for roles used in the course to be changed. Only thedisplayed name is changed - role permissions are not affected. New role names will appear on thecourse participants’ page and elsewhere within the course. If the renamed role is the one that theadministrator has selected as a course manager role, then the new role name will also appear aspart of the course listings.2.1.2 Design ToolsThis section will discuss Moodle design tools (editing symbols and the HTML editor), used duringcourse edition. Begin by clicking the “Turn editing on” button.Version 1.0Figure 20

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide172.1.2.1 Editing SymbolsEach time you add an instance of an activity or resource to your course, a series of editing symbolswill appear alongside the link. For example, in Figure 20, these symbols appear to the right of the“News forum”, added by default when the course shell was created.The following is an explanation for these editing symbols:SymbolsDescriptionLeft/Right. Indents activity (left-facing arrow appears to un-indent)Move. Move the activity up or down in relation to other activities (intopic/weekly areas)Update. Allow you to update the activity properties.Duplicate. Allow you to duplicate the activity.Delete. Delete the activity.Hide activity from students (or show the item if it is already hidden). If youclick on the eye, the item becomes hidden from students, and a closed eyeappears.Display “Group” setting status of activity (Groups discussed in LearnerManagement)Assign roles in the activity.Show only this week/topic.Highlight this block as the current week/topic.Move Up/Down. Move the week/topic to up/down one position.Help. This icon will provide content specific help.2.1.2.2 Adding Course SummaryTo add comments in the Top section of the course that describes your course to participants, clickthe Edit icon link on the Top section area (Figure 20) and the Summary of General page will bedisplayed (Figure 21). You can fill in the following fields:Use default section nameThe default section name shows the topic week as "Topic 1" or "Week 1". To change this, deselectthe checkbox to add a customized section name.Section nameThis field only will be enabled for editing after you have unchecked the checkbox above. You canenter the customized section name here.SummaryEnter any text or images here to summarize your topic/week.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide18Figure 21When complete, click on the “Save Changes” button to see your summary appear on the coursehome page (Figure 22). Each topic/week in your course can have a Summary description.Figure 22Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide192.1.2.3 HTML EditorWhen you are creating your course you will frequently use Moodle’s built in HTML editor (Figure 23).Your students will use this tool when responding to Forum posts, making Journal entries, creating aDialogue response and when they use a Wiki. The HTML editor can be disabled by the Moodleadministrator, but it is a useful tool for enriching course content. The HTML editor is not as featurerich as a commercial application like Dreamweaver or FrontPage, but you can do almost anythingthese tools can. A button on the tool bar allows you to expand the editor to full screen and you canalso work directly with code.Figure 23Images stored in the course “Files” area can be easily inserted and you can create links to resourcesstored on another server. Moodle has built in media filters, discussed in the Administration sectionof the manual, which allows you to embed Flash, QuickTime, MP3 and Windows Media files into theHTML editor so they play directly within the page you create.2.1.2.3.1 Adding MediaMoodle allows you to embed rich media into an activity you create within your course when usingthe HTML editor.Moodle Mediai. Create an instance of an activity (e.g. forum, assignment) on the course home page.ii. At the HTML editor, click on the “Moodle Media” icon (Figure 23), and a pop up will bedisplayed (Figure 24).Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide20Figure 24iii. Click on the “Find or upload a sound, video or applet…” button to select the existing media orupload the new media.iv. After the media have been selected, a preview is available on the screen.v. Click on the “Insert” button to add the media and the link will be displayed in the HTML editor.vi. To change the media properties, you can mouse on the media and click on theup window will be displayed.icon. A popFigure 25vii. You can change the media title, where you would like to open the media (in this window/newwindow), pop up properties and etc.viii. Click on the “Save changes” button when you are done. The media will display in the post.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide21Figure 26Embedded YouTubei. At the HTML editor, click on the “HTML” icon, and a pop up will be displayed (Figure 27).Figure 27ii. Copy the embedded URL from YouTube and paste on the HTML Source Editor and click on the“Update” button to save it.iii. The video clip will be displayed in HTML editor.iv. Click on the “Save changes” button when you are done. The media will display in the post.2.1.2.3.2 Adding Mathematical Equations, AlgebraMoodle supports TeX and Algebra notation to add mathematical expressions anywhere in a modulewhere the HTML editor is used.Version 1.0AlgebraThere are couple of ways to add mathematical expressions.a. For very simple expressions, you can use the superscript and the subscript functions (icon) in the HTML editor.b. More complicated expressions (fractions, calculus, etc.) need more advanced formatting,using the algebra filter. This filter uses coding to create mathematical expressions.The code looks like a mathematical expression you would type (like x^2 = y), except you needto enclose it in double “@” signs, like this: @@x^2 =y@@. The filter is flexible and can ignorespacing:• @@xy=z@@ is the same as @@ x y = z @@.• The filter can make full use of parenthesis for organization, so@@(length)/(height)@@ is a valid expression.

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide22Here are some examples of what the input into Moodle would look like, with the correspondingoutput:@@x^2@@@@A=pi r^2@@@@dy/dx=3x^2/y^3@@@@asin(x/y)@@@@int(x/(x^2+4) dx)@@@@int(x/(x^2+4) dx,0,1)@@@@sqrt(x^2+y^2)@@@@sqrt(x^2+y^2,3)@@@@x>=1@@@@x

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide23Figure 28b. Select the math equation type.c. Choose the math equation.d. Enter the number.e. Click on “Insert” button.You may export the math equation to an image. To do this, select File > Export to image at theDragMath Equation Editor.Note:Please note that Moodle administrator must enable the filter for multi-media plugins, TeX notationand Algebra notation in order for these functions to work.2.1.3 Edit Course ContentThis is where the majority of things happen in your classroom. Here is the place where you adddiscussion boards, journals, tests, quizzes, online resources and more. There are two basiccategories for items that you can use to design your Moodle course: resources and activities. Afteryou have clicked the “Turn editing on”, editing symbols will now appear next to the existing features,and two “Add” boxes will now be in each topic box (or week box if you use Weekly format):2.1.4 ResourcesVersion 1.0Figure 29There are two basic categories for items that you can use to design your Moodle course, resourcesand activities. Resources are non-interactive items that you can use to distribute information to your

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide24students. Commonly used resources include labels, web pages, and links to files or websites. Thefollowing Resources are available:FileA picture, a pdf document, a spreadsheet, a sound file, a video file or etc that can be uploaded toMoodle and displayed to students.FolderFolders help organize files and one folder may contain other folders. A folder allows a lecturer todisplay several course resources together. The resources may be of different types and they may beuploaded in one go, as a zipped folder which is then unzipped, or they may be added one at a timeto an empty folder on the course page.IMS Content PackageAn IMS content package is one of the standards used for sharing content back and forth betweendifferent Learning Management systems. If you were using a different Learning Management systemat another institution, and exported your course information in an IMS compatible format, youwould then be able to upload that content as a resource in Moodle.LabelA label serves as a spacer on a Moodle course page. It can be used to add text, images, multimediaor code in between other resources in the different sections. It is a very versatile resource and canhelp to improve the appearance of a course if used thoughtfully. Banners or descriptions may beadded to labels to distinguish between and highlight different areas.On the other hand, over-use of multimedia (sound, video) in labels can slow down the loading of acourse page.PageA page resource creates a link to a screen that displays the content created by the lecturer. Therobust Text editor allows the page to display many different kinds of content such as plain text,images, audio, video, embedded code or a combination of all these.URLA URL is a link on the internet to a website or online file. Lecturers can use the URL module toprovide their students with web links for research, saving the student time and effort in manuallytyping out the address.2.1.4.1 Upload FileFiles can be uploaded directly to the Topic/Weekly outline or to a Topic/Week, or they can beuploaded to a Folder. Zipped or unzipped files can be uploaded. To upload a file, select File underthe “Add a resource” menu and you will see a screen as below (Figure 30).Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide25Figure 30Fill in the Name and Description of the file, which are mandatory. Click the “Add” button under theContent section. The File Picker window will be popup. Click on the “Upload a file” option, and thenclick on the “Browse” button to browse for a file from your computer. When you are done, click onthe “Upload this file” button. Then the file picker window will be closed and the file that you haveselected is now displayed in the Content section (Figure 31).Figure 31You may update other fields in the screen as well. When you are done, click on the “Save and returnto course” or “Save and display” button.2.1.4.2 Create FolderTo create a folder, select Folder under the “Add a resource” menu, you will then see a screen asbelow (Figure 32).Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide26Figure 32Fill in the Name and Description of the file, which are mandatory. When you are done, click onthe “Save and return to course” or “Save and display” button.Upload a File to a FolderTo upload a file to a folder, click on the editing icon next to the folder (Figure 33) at theTopic/Weekly page.Figure 33The Updating Folder page will be displayed. You may follow the steps in 2.1.4.1 Upload File toupload a file.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide272.1.4.3 Adding LabelLabels are text or images that are embedded in your main course page. Labels can be used to directstudents to information and to organize the layout of your course. To add a label, select Label underthe “Add a resource” menu, you will then see a screen as below (Figure 34).Figure 34Fill in the Label text, which is mandatory. You may update other section in the screen as well. Whenyou are done, click on the “Save and return to course” button. The label will display as seen in Figure35.2.1.4.4 Adding PageVersion 1.0Figure 35A page enables a web page to be displayed and edited within the course. To add a page, select Pageunder the “Add a resource” menu, The Adding a new page will be displayed. Fill the Name,

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide28Description and the Page content which are mandatory. You can use the HTML editor to formatyour page content. You may update other section in the screen as well. When you are done, click onthe “Save and return to course” button.2.1.4.5 Adding URLA URL (Uniform or Universal Resource Locator) is a link on the internet to a website or online file. Toadd a URL, select URL under the “Add a resource” menu, the Adding a new URL page will bedisplayed (Figure 36).Figure 36Fill the Name, Description and the External URL which are mandatory. The External URL can be theactual path of web site (e.g. http://www.taylors.edu.my) or click on the “Choose a link” button tothe file picker where they can choose URLs from online areas such as YouTube, Box.net, Picasa,Merlot etc, depending on what the administrator has allowed.The URLS can be displayed in various ways. You may set it under Options section (Figure 37).Version 1.0DisplayAutomatic - Make the best guess at what should happen (probably what is wanted 99% of thetime).Embed - Show the Moodle page with heading, blocks and footer. Show the title/description ofthe item and display the file directly in the page as wellOpen - No Moodle heading, blocks, footer or description - just show the file in the webbrowser (e.g. shows image, PDF, flash animation, taking up the whole browser window)

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide29In pop-up - Same as 'Open', but opens a new browser window to show this file (without theMoodle heading, blocks, etc) - this browser window also does not have all the menusand address bar in it.Figure 37When you are done, click on the “Save and return to course” or “Save or display” button to return tothe course homepage.2.1.5 ActivitiesAn activity is a general name for a group of features in a Moodle course. These differ from resourcesin that Activities are interactive or graded items and some of the activities require studentparticipation. Commonly used activities include assignments and forums. There are many typesof activities in the Moodle that can be found on the "add an activity" drop down menu.i. Assignments - To enable lecturers to grade and give comments on uploaded files andassignments created on and off line.ii. Chat - To allow participants to have a real-time synchronous discussion.iii. Choice - A lecturer asks a question and specifies a choice of multiple responses.iv. Database - To enable participants to create, maintain and search a bank of recordentries.v. External tool - To allow participants to interact with LTI compliant learning resourcesand activities on other web sites.vi. Forum - To allow participants to have asynchronous discussions.vii. Glossary - To enables participants to create and maintain a list of definitions, like adictionary.viii. Lesson - To deliver content in flexible ways.ix. Questionnaire - To allow lecturers to create a wide range of questions to get studentfeedback on a course or activities.x. Quiz - To allow the lecturer to design and set quiz tests, which may beautomatically marked and feedback and/or to correct answers shown.xi. SCORM Package - To enables SCORM packages to be included as course content.xii. Survey - To gather data from students to help lecturers learn about their classand reflect on their own teaching.xiii. Wiki - A collection of web pages that anyone can add to or edit.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide30xiv. Workshop - To enables peer assessments.2.1.5.1 Assignment OverviewThe assignment module allows lecturers to collect work from students, review it and providefeedback including grades. There are 4 types of assignments:Advanced uploading of filesOptions include multiple file submission, allowing students to type a message alongside theirsubmission & returning a file as feedback.Online TextThis assignment type asks users to compose and edit text, using the normal editing tools. The onlinetext assignment can be set up to allow learners to compose, revise and edit over time or such thatthe learner only has one opportunity to enter his or her response. Furthermore, with the onlineassignment, instructors can grade the work online and even edit and/or provide comments withinthe learner’s work.The online text assignment is ideal for journaling and composition work.Upload a single fileA student can upload a single file, such as a Word document, spreadsheet or anything digital.Multiple files can be zipped and then submitted. After learners upload their files in this arrangement,the instructor will be able to open the submission and then use the Moodle interface to assign agrade and offer comments as feedback.Offline activityThis is useful when the assignment is performed outside of Moodle. It could be somethingelsewhere on the web or face-to-face. Students can see a description of the assignment, but can'tupload files. Grading works normally, and students will get notification of their grades.Specifically, an instructor in a hybrid or blended environment (combination of face-to-face andonline instruction) may use the offline activity type of assignment to assign a project that the learnerwill physically present to the instructor at a face-to-face session. This arrangement allows theinstructor to communicate the project expectations online while creating an entry for the project inthe Moodle gradebook.2.1.5.1.1 Advanced Uploading of FilesThis activity is useful when you want your students to turn in multiple files (Word Document, ExcelFiles, etc) as an assignment. To add an Advanced Uploading of Files assignment, select “AdvancedUploading of Files” under the “Add an activity” menu, the Adding a new Assignment page will bedisplayed (Figure 38).Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide31Fill in the required fields as describe in below:General sectionAssignment name:Mandatory. To give the assignment a name.Description:Mandatory. To describe the assignment.Figure 38Available fromMandatory. If Enable check box selected for this line. Select the date and time the assignment willfirst be available to the students. Deselect the check box if not relevant.Version 1.0Due date:

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide32Mandatory. If Enable check box selected for this line. Select the date and time the assignment is due.Deselect the check box if not relevant.Prevent late submissionsSelect No to accept late submissions, or Yes to NOT accept late submissions.Grade sectionGradeTo set the grade as either a number (from 1-100) or as a custom word-based scale set up in the“Scales” section.Grade CategoryThis setting controls the category in which this activity's grades are placed in the gradebook. If youhave set up categories in your gradebook, and this assignment falls into one of them, select thatcategory.Advanced uploading of files sectionMaximum sizeSelect the required maximum file size the student is allowed to upload (per file).Allow deletingSelect Yes or No. If Yes is selected, the student can delete uploaded files at any time beforesubmitting for grading.Maximum number of uploaded filesSelect the required number. This is the maximum number of files each participant may upload. Thisnumber is not shown to students, so it’s best to write the actual number of requested files in theassignment description.Allow notesSelect Yes or No.Hide description before available dateSelect Yes or No. If Yes is selected, assignment description is hidden before the opening date.Email alerts to teachersSelect Yes or No. If Yes is selected, lecturers are alerted with a short email whenever students add orupdate an assignment submission.Enable Send for markingSelect Yes or No. If Yes is selected, this allows students to indicate to the lecturer that they havefinished working on an assignment.Common Module settings sectionVersion 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide33The last two settings are common to all activities.GroupsThe group mode for each activity can be one of three levels:a. No groups - there are no sub groups, everyone is part of one big communityb. Separate groups - each group can only see their own group, others are invisiblec. Visible groups - each group works in their own group, but can see other groupsVisibleIf set to show, students will see the assignment. If not, the assignment will be hidden. This is useful ifyou want to prepare an assignment in advance (like a pop-quiz).When you are done, click on the “Save and return to course” or “Save and display” button to returnto the course homepage.2.1.5.1.2 Online TextOnline text assignment allows students to submit editable text, using the normal editing tools.Lecturers can grade them online, and even add inline comments or changes. To add an Online Textassignment, select “Online Text” under the “Add an activity” menu, the Adding a new Assignmentpage will be displayed. Most of the options for this activity are the same as the “Advanced uploadingof files” activity except the Online text section (Figure 39).Version 1.0Online text sectionFigure 39Allow resubmittingIf enabled, students will be allowed to resubmit assignments after they have been graded (for themto be re-graded).Email alerts to teachersIf enabled, lecturers receive email notification whenever students add or update an assignmentsubmission.Only lecturers who are able to grade the particular assignment are notified. So, for example, if thecourse uses separate groups, lecturers restricted to particular groups won't receive notificationabout students in other groups.Comment inline

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide34If enabled, the submission text will be copied into the feedback comment field during grading,making it easier to comment inline (using a different color, perhaps) or to edit the original text.When you are done, click on the “Save and return to course” or “Save and display” button to returnto the course homepage.2.1.5.1.3 Upload a Single FileThis activity is the most commonly used by the lecturer. This activity can be used as a “Digital Dropbox” when you want a student to turn in a file, such as essay or spreadsheet. To add an Upload aSingle File assignment, select “Upload a Single File” under the “Add an activity” menu, the Adding anew Assignment page will be displayed. Most of the options for this activity are the same as the“Advanced uploading of files” activity except the Upload a single file section (Figure 40).Figure 40When you are done, click on the “Save and return to course” or “Save and display” button to returnto the course homepage.2.1.5.1.4 Offline ActivityThis activity allows students to see the description of the assignment, but can't upload files or editanything. This is useful when the assignment is performed outside of Moodle (e.g. midterm exam,class participation, final exam, face-2-face and etc). When the lecturer gives the grade to theassignment, then students will get notifications of their grades. To add an Offline activity assignment,select “Offline activity” under the “Add an activity” menu, the Adding a new Assignment page willbe displayed (Figure 41). Most of the options for this activity are the same as the “Advanceduploading of files”, but no option for upload file setting.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide35Figure 41When you are done, click on the “Save and return to course” or “Save and display” button to returnto the course homepage.2.1.5.2 ForumIn Moodle, discussion boards are called forums. This activity can be most important in terms ofhelping learners construct new knowledge-it is here that discussion among participants andlecturers takes place. Forums can be structured in different ways, and can include peer rating ofeach posting. The postings can be viewed in a variety for formats, and can include attachments. Bysubscribing to a forum, participants will receive copies of each new posting in their email. A lecturercan impose subscription on everyone if they want to.2.1.5.2.1 News ForumIn every Moodle course there is a specialized forum called the “News Forum,” which automaticallyappears in the topmost block of the middle section of the course homepage (Figure 42).Version 1.0Figure 42

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide36The News Forum is designed to be a place for general news and announcements intended for theentire class. By default, only lecturers can post items in the News Forum. Also by default, whenevera message is posted in the News Forum, every participant in the course will receive an email copy ofthe message.When new a message is posted in the News Forum, an update appears in the “Latest News” block(Figure 42). Note that you can also add a new topic to the News Forum from a link in the “LatestNews” block.2.1.5.2.2 Creating ForumTo create a discussion forum, go to the week/topic of the course, select “Forum” under the “Addan activity” menu, the Adding a new Forum page will be displayed (Figure 43).TermsThe following terms are relevant to Forums:• Forum Typea. A single simple discussion - A single discussion topic which everyone can reply tob. Each person posts one discussion - Each student can post exactly one new discussiontopic, which everyone can then reply toc. Q and A forum - Students must first post their perspectives before viewing otherstudents' postsd. Standard forum displayed in a blog-like format - An open forum where anyone can starta new discussion at any time, and in which discussion topics are displayed on one pagewith "Discuss this topic" linkse. Standard forum for general use - An open forum where anyone can start a newdiscussion at any time• ThresholdStudents (e.g. users which don't have the 'Exempt from post threshold' permission) can beblocked from posting more than a specified number of posts in a given period.• RatingsRatings use scales to standardize the reporting of performance. A forum rating can beincluded as part of a student’s grade. For example, a lecturer might use a custom rating scarein a forum and allow students to rate forum posts.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide37Version 1.0Fill in the required fields as describe in below:General sectionForum nameMandatory. To give the forum a name.Forum typeDefine the type of forum.Figure 43Forum introductionMandatory. To give a short description to introduce the forum.

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide38Display description on course pageIf enabled, the introduction / description above will be displayed on the course page just below thelink to the activity / resourceSubscription modeWhen a participant is subscribed to a forum it means they will receive email copies of forum posts.There are 4 subscription mode options:• Optional subscription - Participants can choose whether to be subscribed• Forced subscription - Everyone is subscribed and cannot unsubscribe• Auto subscription - Everyone is subscribed initially but can choose to unsubscribe atany time• Subscription disabled - Subscriptions are not allowedRead tracking for this forumIf enabled, participants can track read and unread messages in the forum and in discussions.Maximum attachment sizeThis setting specifies the largest size of file that can be attached to a forum post.Maximum number of attachmentsThis setting specifies the maximum number of files that can be attached to a forum post.Post threshold for blocking sectionTime period for blockingStudents can be blocked from posting more than a given number of posts in a given time period.Users with the capability mod/forum:postwithoutthrottling are exempt from post limits.Post threshold for blockingThis setting specifies the maximum number of posts which a user can post in the given time period.Users with the capability mod/forum:postwithoutthrottling are exempt from post limits.Post threshold for warningStudents can be warned as they approach the maximum number of posts allowed in a given period.This setting specifies after how many posts they are warned. Users with the capabilitymod/forum:postwithoutthrottling are exempt from post limits.Grade sectionGradeThis setting controls the category in which this activity's grades are placed in the gradebook.Ratings sectionVersion 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide39Roles with permission to rateTo submit ratings users require the moodle/rating:rate capability and any module specificcapabilities. Users assigned the following roles should be able to rate items. The list of roles may beamended via the permissions link in the settings block.Aggregate typeThe aggregate type defines how ratings are combined to form the final grade in the gradebook.There are 5 aggregate types option:• Average of ratings - The mean of all ratings• Count of ratings - The number of rated items becomes the final grade. Note that the totalcannot exceed the maximum grade for the activity.Maximum - The highest rating becomes the final grade.• Minimum - The smallest rating becomes the final grade.• Sum - All ratings are added together. Note that the total cannot exceed themaximum grade for the activity.If "No ratings" is selected, then the activity will not appear in the gradebook.ScaleScales are a way of evaluating or rating a performance. Moodle offers a standard set of numericscales. It is also possible to create custom scales which can be available on the site.Restrict rating to items with dates in this rangeThis setting only will be enabled if aggregate type is selected. The lecturer can allow only postswithin a certain date range to be rated. This is useful if the lecturer wants to keep students focusedon the most recent content and maintain a specific pace within the forum or course.If your administrator has enabled RSS feeds, you will see the RSS section (Figure 44). Since RSS feedis available in multiple modules, it is covered in its own section. For more information, please referto the Course Management – Advance Level.RSS sectionFigure 44RSS feed for this activityTo enable the RSS feed for this activity. Select either discussions or posts to be included in the feed.Version 1.0Number of RSS recent articles

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide40This setting specifies the number of articles (either discussions or posts) to include in the RSS feed.When you are done, click on the “Save and return to course” or “Save and display” button to returnto the course homepage.2.1.5.2.3 Posting to forumClick on the icon of the forum you wish to post to (Figure 45) from the course homepage.Figure 45If no one has posted yet, the page will look like Figure 46. This is also how a student will see thispage.Figure 46Click on the “Add a new discussion topic” button, the Add new discussion topic page will bedisplayed (Figure 47).Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide41Fill in the required fields as describe in below:SubjectMandatory. The discussion topic subject .MessageMandatory. The discussion topic message.Figure 47SubscriptionIf you are subscribed to a forum it means you will receive email copies of forum posts. Usually youcan choose whether you wish to be subscribed, though sometimes subscription is forced so thateveryone receives email copies of forum posts.AttachmentYou can optionally attach one or more files to a forum post. If you attach an image, it will bedisplayed after the message.When you are done, click on the “Post to forum” button to post the topic. If your post wassuccessfully added, you will briefly see a page that says “Your post was successfully added. You have30 mins to edit it if you want to make any changes.” There will also be a link entitled “Continue”.Either click on that link or just wait a few seconds, you will be taken back to the Forum page, whereyou will see the post (Figure 48).Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide42Figure 482.1.5.2.4 Editing or Replying to a PostTo edit a post, click on the post title under the “Discussion” column. This will take you to a screenthat will look like Figure 49.Figure 49To edit your own post, click on the “Edit” link. To reply to someone else’s post, click on the “Reply”link. In either case you will be taken to a screen giving you the same options as described under“Posting to Forums,” above.2.1.5.2.5 Grading ForumsMoodle offers a variety of options for grading forums. You can adjust the forum to be graded eitherin the initial set up process or after the forum has been created. To set up a forum for grading, go toAdd/Updating forum page. At the Add/Updating forum page, under the Ratings section, choose thedrop down menu next to Aggregate Type.For example, let set up the forum aggregate type for Maximum rating. Next set the maximumnumber of points to 10 by using the drop down menu next to Scale (Figure 50).Version 1.0Figure 50

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide43If you have set up the forum to be graded (see above), you will see a “Maximum Rating” optionshow on screen (Figure 51).Figure 51Click on the “Rate” drop down arrow and you will be given a choice of a grade to assign dependingupon how you set up the scale. Once the appropriate score has been assigned, the grade will appearin the gradebook under the forum title and next to the corresponding student (Figure 52).Figure 522.1.5.3 QuizIn Moodle, the term “quiz” is synonymous with test or exam. The Quiz activity module allows thelecturer to design and build quizzes or assessment consisting of a large variety of Question types,including multiple choices, true/false and short answer questions. These questions are kept in theQuestion bank and can be re-used in different quizzes.There are three steps in creating a quiz.i) Create the “quiz shell” which will establish the parameters by which the quiz will beadministered (such as when it will be available to students, the amount of time allow to takethe quiz, how many attempts will allow and etc)ii) Create the “question bank”. The question bank is a repository of quiz questions that can bereused from one quiz to another and from one course to another.iii) Adding questions from the question bank to the quiz.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide442.1.5.3.1 Quiz SettingTo create a quiz, go to the week/topic of the course, select “Quiz” under the “Add an activity” menu,the Adding a new Quiz page will be displayed (Figure 53).Fill in the required fields as describe in below:General sectionNameMandatory. To give the quiz a name.IntroductionTo describe the quiz.Figure 53Display description on course pageIf enabled, the introduction / description above will be displayed on the course page just below thelink to the activity / resource.Open and close datesStudents can only start their attempt(s) after the open time and they must complete their attemptsbefore the close time.Time limitIf enabled, a floating timer window (requiring JavaScript) is shown with a countdown. When thetime limit is up, the quiz is submitted automatically with whatever answers have been filled in so far.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide45Attempts allowedNumber of attempt allow to take the quizGrading methodWhen multiple attempts are allowed, the following methods are available for calculating the finalquiz grade:• Highest grade of all attempts• Average (mean) grade of all attempts• First attempt (all other attempts are ignored)• Last attempt (all other attempts are ignored)Layout sectionQuestion orderThe question orderNew pageFor longer quizzes it makes sense to stretch the quiz over several pages by limiting the number ofquestions per page. When adding questions to the quiz, page breaks will automatically be insertedaccording to this setting. However page breaks may later be moved manually on the editing page.Question behavior sectionShuffle within questionRandomize the questionHow questions behaveStudents can interact with the questions in the quiz in various different ways. For example, you maywish the students to enter an answer to each question and then submit the entire quiz, beforeanything is graded or they get any feedback. That would be 'Deferred feedback' mode. Alternatively,you may wish for students to submit each question as they go along to get immediate feedback, andif they do not get it right immediately, have another try for fewer marks. That would be 'Interactivewith multiple tries' mode.Review options sectionThese options control what information students can see when they review a quiz attempt or lookat the quiz reports."Immediately after the attempt" means within two minutes of the attempt being finished. "Later,while the quiz is still open" means after this, and before the quiz close date. "After the quiz isclosed" means after the quiz close date has passed. If the quiz does not have a close date, this stateis never reached.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide46Display sectionShow the user's pictureIf enabled, the student's name and picture will be shown on-screen during the attempt, and on thereview screen, making it easier to check that the student is logged in as themself in an invigilated(proctored) exam.Decimal places in gradesThis setting specifies the number of digits shown after the decimal point when displaying grades orgrades. It only affects the display of grades, not the grades stored in the database, nor the internalcalculations, which are carried out to full accuracy.Decimal places in question gradesThis setting specifies the number of digits shown after the decimal point when displaying the gradesfor individual questions.Extra restrictions on attempts sectionRequire passwordIf a password is specified, a student must enter it in order to attempt the quiz.Require network addressQuiz access may be restricted to particular subnets on the LAN or Internet by specifying a commaseparatedlist of partial or full IP address numbers. This can be useful for an invigilated (proctored)quiz, to ensure that only people in a certain location can access the quiz.Enforced delay between 1st and 2nd attemptsIf enabled, a student must wait for the specified time to elapse before being able to attempt thequiz a second time.Enforced delay between later attemptsIf enabled, a student must wait for the specified time to elapse before attempting the quiz a thirdtime and any subsequent times.Overall feedback sectionOverall feedback is text that is shown after a quiz has been attempted. By specifying additionalgrade boundaries (as a percentage or as a number), the text shown can depend on the gradeobtained.When you are done, click on the “Save and display” button and you will be redirected next page,click “Edit quiz” button to go to Editing quiz page as Figure 54.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide472.1.5.3.2 Building QuizFigure 54Once a quiz has been added to the course and the Quiz settings established, the lecturer can start tobuild the quiz. The lecturer can use the Navigation menu to get to the quiz's "info" link or clickdirectly on the Quiz name on the course's homepage.The basic ideas of quiz-makingThe basic idea is in building a quiz is to add questions from the question bank organize them by pageand determine the value of each question.There are several ways to add questions. From the editing quiz tab, the lecturer can add question byusing the "Question bank contents {Show)" link to find an existing question or use the "Add aquestion" button to create a new question that is automatically added to the question bank.In the question bank you can create categories, which are similar to folders in your computer filesystem. You can use Categories to create a hierarchy for organizing your questions.You can use random questions so that different students get different questions, or so that onestudent gets different questions each time they attempt the quiz. When a student starts an attemptat the quiz, the random question will be replaced by an actual question, picked at random from acertain category in the question bank.2.1.5.3.3 Question Bank - Add new categoryOn the right, you may select a category (there is one set up called “default”). These are ways oforganizing your questions. If you use the same questions over and over, you may wish to organizethem (into categories like “Vehicle”, “Gadget” ant etc.). The questions are then available to pick andchoose from to create your quiz.To add new categories, you may go to the Setting block > Course administration (or Quizadministration), expand Question bank and click on the “Categories” and the page will display onthe right hand side as Figure 55.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide48Figure 55Under Add category provide a category name. It is important to name the category so you will beable to identify it later. Also, make sure the Parent category is the default for your course. Yourcourse’s name should appear in the title. When you are done, click on “Add category” button.2.1.5.3.4 Question Bank - Add new questionThere are few ways you can go to add the question to the quiz/question bank (Figure 55).a) Click the “Edit link” under Setting block > Quiz administrationb) Click the “Question bank” link in the bread crumb trail at the top of the screen.c) Click the “Question bank” link under Setting block > Quiz administration (or Courseadministration).To “build” a question,i. Select a categoryii. Check the “Also show old questions” to show the existing question (optional)iii. Click on the Create a new question… button.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide49Figure 56A pop up menu will be displayed (Figure 57). When you create a question, it is stored in the categoryyou that select. It is then always available to add to any quiz at any time.iv. Select the type of question you want and click the “Next” button.Figure 57v. Fill in the question details and click on the “Save Changes” button.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide50The question now will be display at the question bank (Figure 58).2.1.5.3.5 Add question to QuizFigure 58To add question to quiz, select the question which you would like to add under the question bankand then click on the “Add to quiz” button. The question will be appearing under the Edit quizsection (Figure 59). You also can add a question under here by clicking the “Add a question” or “Adda random question” button.2.1.6 Switch role to…Figure 59After adding content to the course, you can test how your students will view the designed course.To switch role to Student, Under Settings, under Switch role to…, expand it and click on “Student”role to view Moodle page from the point of view of a student.Figure 60Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide512.2 Course AdministrationThe course administration menu system allows lecturers to manage Course settings, student andlecturer enrollments and their groups, view the course gradebook menu (create custom gradingscales), access the Question bank, perform backups, restores and imports.2.2.1 GroupsA lecturer can organize users into groups within the course or within particular activities. Activitiesthat have groups enabled allow users to filter contributions by group.For example, enabling either separate or visible groups on an assignment drop-box enables staff tofilter the student submissions to see only those from a particular tutor group.Using groups with discussion forums allow lecturers to restrict interaction between students.Separate groups mean only students in the same group can see and participate in discussions withina particular forum. Visible groups allow students to see other group's discussions, but onlyparticipate in their own group's discussions.2.2.1.1 Create a groupTo create a group, you may go to Settings block > Course administration > Users and click on the“Groups” link, the course Groups page will be displayed (Figure 61).Figure 61Then, click on the “Create group” button and the Create group page will be display (Figure 62).Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide52Fill in the required fields as describe in below:Group nameMandatory. To give the group a name.Figure 62DescriptionTo describe the group. To display above the list of group members on the participants’ page.Enrolment keyAn enrolment key enables access to the course to be restricted to only those who know the key. If agroup enrolment key is specified, then not only will entering that key let the user into the course,but it will also automatically make them a member of this group.Hide pictureIf enabled, the picture will be hidden.New pictureThe group picture. To display on the participants’ page and next to forum posts.When you are done, click on the “Save changes” button and the group will be displayed on screen.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide532.2.1.2 Auto-create groupsAn auto-create group is useful when you want generic names for your groups e.g. Group 1, Group 2etc. and when you wish to create a large number of groups – since it avoids the requirement forrepetitive steps. You can use this method to create the required number of groups and then renamethe groups at a later stage if required.To do this, you may click on the “Auto-create groups” button at the course Groups page (Figure 61)and Auto-create groups page will be displayed (Figure 63).Figure 63Fill in the required fields as describe in below:Select member from roleChoose the group member role. Default is Student.SpecifySelect Number of group or Members per group.Group/member countMandatory. Number of the group or member you want to create.Prevent last small groupWhen selecting “Members per group”, the Prevent last small group will allocate additional membersto an existing group rather than create a new group with fewer members than x.Allocate membersIf you are going to allocate members separately – choose ‘No allocation’, else you can choosewhether to allocate the student either randomly, alphabetically by name, or alphabetically by IDnumber.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide54Naming schemeMandatory. The at symbol (@) may be used to create groups with names containing letters.The hash symbol (#) may be used to create groups with names containing numbers.Create in grouping & Grouping nameTo allow you to create a new grouping and allocate the new auto created groups to be created to it.Prior to creating the groups, you can view the groups.After enter all the details, click on the “Preview” button to preview the groups you are about tocreate at the bottom of the page. When you are done, click “Submit” button and the group will becreated and displayed on screen.2.2.1.2.1 Assign users to the groupTo add students to a group, the lecturer can follow the following steps:i. Highlight the particular group and click the “Add/remove users” button next to the group, theAdd/remove users: ___ page will be displayed (Figure 64).ii. In the "Potential members" list, select the users you want to add to the group. Multiple usersmay be selected by holding down the CRTL key on your keyboard while clicking on each name.iii. Click the “Add” button to add the users to the group.Figure 64iv. The users who added into the group, their name will appear on left hand side.v. Click the “Back to groups” button to back to the Course groups’ page.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide552.2.1.3 GroupingA grouping is a set of groups. Groupings enable students to be arranged into different sets of groupsfor each activity. Participants are allocated to Groups and Groups are allocated to Groupings. To bea participant of a Grouping, a person must be a member of a Group in that Grouping.To do this, you may click on the “Grouping” tab at the course Groups page (Figure 61) and click onthe “Create grouping” button, the Create grouping page will be displayed (Figure 65).Fill in the required fields as describe in below:Grouping nameMandatory. To give the grouping a name.Grouping descriptionTo description the grouping.Figure 65When you are done, click on the “Save changes” button and the grouping will be displayed onscreen (Figure 66).Figure 66Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide562.2.1.3.1 Assign groups to the groupingTo add groups to a grouping, click on the editing symbolAdd/Remove groups page will be displayed (Figure 67).on the screen (Figure 66) and theFigure 67i. In the "Potential members" list, select the group you want to add to the grouping. Multiplegroups may be selected by holding down the CRTL key on your keyboard while clicking oneach group.ii. Click the “Add” button to add the groups to the grouping.iii. Click the “Back to groupings” button when you are done.2.2.1.4 Enable Groups for the ActivityTo enable groups for the activity, you can go back to the Course homepage and click the “Turnediting on”. Find the Groups icon for the activity and click it until you reach your preferred mode.Types of GroupsMoodle allows you to apply either of two Group modes to any Activity. In addition to ‘No groups’(the default), there are:• Visible groups - students can view other groups’ activities but not participate.• Separate groups - students can neither view nor participate in other groups’ activities.How to Communicate with Grouped ForumsVersion 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide57Lecturers can post to all groups or to individual groups. To post the topic to individual groups, youmust remember to select the group to whom you want to post from the pull down menu in thebottom-left corner of the screen when you create a new discussion topic (Figure 68).Figure 682.2.2 Course BackupA course can be saved with some or all of its parts by using the course. After that, you can thenrestore the backup file into the same course or into a different course.To begin the backup process, go to the course administration panel on your homepage and click onthe “Backup” link. When the screen refreshes, it will display the page as Figure 69.Version 1.0Figure 69These are the steps for backing up a course.

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide581. Initial settings - Select activities, blocks, filters and other items as required then click the Nextbutton. Users with appropriate permissions, such as administrators and managers, can choosewhether to include users, anonymize user information, or include user role assignments, userfiles, comments, user completion details, course logs and grade history in the backup.2. Schema settings - Select/deselect specific items to include in backup then click the Nextbutton3. Confirmation and review - Check that everything is as required", using the “Previous” buttonif necessary, otherwise click the “Perform backup” button.4. Complete - Click the “Continue” button.A backup file (with distinctive .mbz extension to avoid confusion with .zip files) is then saved in thecourse backup area. You can download it to your pc and keep it as a backup.Figure 702.2.3 Course RestoreTo restore the back files to the system, go to the course administration panel on your homepageand click on the “Restore” link. When the screen refreshes, it will display the page as Figure 71.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide59Figure 71The page will show you a list of your file section, and if you have any backup zip files already created,you will have a link labeled “Restore” next to the file. You can choose a file in the course backuparea or Upload the backup file or user private backup area and click Restore. If you click the “Restore”link next to the backup file, the following screen will be displayed as Figure 72.Version 1.0Figure 72These are the steps for restoring a course.1. Confirm - Check that everything is as required then click the “Continue” button.2. Destination - Choose whether the course should be restored as a new course or into anexisting course then click the Continue button..3. Settings - Select activities, blocks, filters and possibly other items as required then click theNext button.4. Schema - Select/deselect specific items and amend the course name, short name and startdate if necessary then click the Next button.5. Review - Check that everything is as required, using the “Previous” button if necessary, thenclick the 'Perform restore' button.

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide606. Complete - Click the continue button.2.2.4 Course ImportCourse Import is great for lecturers who use some of the same material in multiple courses. This willallow lecturers to re-use instead of re-creating one or more activities or resources. Import coursedata is similar to a backup and restore process and does not include any user data. To import coursedata, go to the course administration panel on your homepage and click on the “Import” link. Whenthe screen refreshes, it will display the page as Figure 73.Figure 73Select the course you wish to import from and click Continue.You will be presented with the "backup settings" page (Figure 74). Use the check boxes for importactivities, blocks and or filters as types of items which will show on the next screen.Figure 74Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide61Select the elements you want to include in the import in the Initial settings step (Figure 75).Figure 75Review and click on the “Preform import” or click on the “Previous” or “Cancel” buttons. Theconfirmation page will place green check marks and red marks next to the backup settings andinclude item list for you to review.Figure 76Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide622.2.5 GradeAll the grades for each student in a course can be found in the course gradebook, or 'Grader report'in Settings > Course administration > Grades.Figure 77The grader report collects items that have been graded from the various parts of Moodle that areassessed, and allows you to view and change them as well as sort them out into categories andcalculate totals in various ways. When you add an assessed item in a Moodle course, the gradebookautomatically creates space for the grades it will produce and also adds the grades themselves asthey are generated, either by the system or by you.2.2.5.1 Grader reportWhen you click on the “Grades” link in the course administration block of your course, you’ll betaken to a page like Figure 78.Version 1.0Figure 78Along the top of the grader report are several rows: first the course, then the category, then thecolumns for each graded activity (for example: Assignment, Quiz, Lesson and etc). Any activitiessettings which were left "uncategorized" will appear in the general category which is named afterthe course by default (any category name can be changed).There are three ways that the categories can be displayed. Each section has a small iconimmediately to the right of its name. Clicking this will cycle through these display modes for thatcategory.

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide63• Grades view - without the category totals column• Full view - Grades and the aggregates (the totals column for the category)• Collapsed view - Category total column onlyYou can add a row showing the range of possible scores by selecting “Show ranges” in “My reportpreferences” under the drop down list.2.2.5.1.1 Filtering the gradebook by groupsIf you change the course settings Group mode to “Visible groups” or “Separate groups” (refer to2.1.1 Course Settings ), a drop-down menu will appear in the gradebook to allow you to filter yourstudents by groups (Figure 79).Figure 792.2.5.1.2 Altering the gradesYou can click on “Turn editing on” button at the top right to alter the grades. When the screenrefreshes, the grader report is editable with an edit icon next to each grade (Figure 80).Figure 80You can enter the score in the text box and click on the “Update” button or click on the edit icon willbring up the editing screen for that grade which will allow you to set the grade, its written feedbackand a number of other attributes (Figure 81).Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide64Figure 812.2.5.2 Grade Categories and ItemsGrades can be organized into grade categories. A grade category has its own aggregated gradewhich is calculated from its grade items. There is no limit to the level of nesting of categories (acategory may belong to another category). However, each grade item may belong to only onecategory. Also, all grade items and categories belong to at least one, permanent category - thecourse category.To go to the grade categories and items, from the drop down menu select “Full view” under the“Categories and items” section or you can access it under Grade administration > Categories anditems > Full view (Figure 82). When the screen refreshes, it will display the page as Figure 83.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide65Figure 822.2.5.2.1 SettingAggregationFigure 83The method of grading to use in the course is called “Aggregation”. The aggregation determineshow grades in a category are combined, such asVersion 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide66• Mean of grades - The sum of all grades divided by the total number of grades.• Weighted mean of grades - Each grade item can be given a weight, which is then used in thearithmetic mean aggregation to influence the importance of each item in the overall mean. Insimple terms, the category "total" will be equal to the sum of the scores in each grade item,these scores being multiplied by the grade items' weights, and that sum being finally dividedby the sum of the weights.• Simple weighted mean of grades - Default setting in Moodle. In this method, everyassignment has a worth or “weight” equal to the total possible number of points that can beearned on the assignment.• Mean of grade (with extra credits)• Median of grades - The middle grade when grades are arranged in order of size• Lowest grade• Highest grade• Mode of grades - The grade that occurs the most frequently• Sum of grades - The sum of all grade values, with scale grades being ignoredFor more about Category aggregation information and example, you can refer to:http://docs.moodle.org/22/en/Category_aggregationExtra creditIf the aggregation is Sum of grades or Simple weighted mean and the extra credit checkbox is ticked,the grade item's maximum grade is not added to the category's maximum grade, resulting in thepossibility of achieving the maximum grade (or grades over the maximum if enabled by the siteadministrator) in the category without having the maximum grade in all the grade items.If the aggregation is Mean of grades (with extra credits) and the extra credit is set to a value greaterthan zero, the extra credit is the factor by which the grade is multiplied before adding it to the totalafter the computation of the mean.Aggregate only non-empty gradesAn empty grade is a grade which is missing from the gradebook. It may be from an assignmentsubmission which has not yet been graded or from a quiz which has not yet been attempted etc.This setting determines whether empty grades are not included in the aggregation or are counted asminimal grades, for example 0 for an assignment graded between 0 and 100.Aggregate including subcategoriesThis setting determines whether grades in subcategories are included in the aggregation.Drop the lowestThis setting enables a specified number of the lowest grades to be excluded from the aggregation.MultiplicatorVersion 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide67The multiplicator is the factor by which all grades for this grade item will be multiplied, with amaximum value of the maximum grade. For example, if the multiplicator is 2 and the maximumgrade is 100, then all grades less than 50 are multiplied by 2, and all grades 50 and above arechanged to 100.OffsetThe offset is a number that is added to every grade for this grade item, after the multiplicator isapplied.2.2.5.2.2 Add Grade CategoryTo add a grade category, click on “Add category” button, the New Grade Category page will bedisplayed (Figure 84).Figure 84i) Give the grade category a meaningful name, such as Quizzes, Essays, Assignment and etc.ii) Choose the aggregation method to be applied within the category.iii) Fill in other the details in Category total sectioniv) Click on the “Save changes” button.The following illustration (Figure 85) assumes that grade category for “Lesson” activities have beencreated in a course.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide68Figure 85For more about Categories and Items information, you can refer to:http://docs.moodle.org/22/en/Edit_categories_and_items2.2.5.2.3 Add Grade ItemA grade item is a unit (typically an activity) where course participants are assessed through a gradeor mark. As such, a grade item is a container for grades and a set of settings applied to these grades.The settings affect the calculation and display of the grades in the gradebook reports and exports.To add a grade item, click on “Add grade item” button, the New Grade Item page will be displayed(Figure 86).i) Give the grade item a meaningful name.ii) Fill in other the details.iii) Click on the “Save changes” button.Figure 86Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide692.2.5.3 Grader Report PreferencesLecturers can set their preferences for the grader report via the gradebook 'My preferences' tab.These settings will apply to all courses for that lecturer. The lecturer may change them at any time.To go to the grader report preferences, from the drop down menu select “Grader report” under the“My preferences” section or you can access it under Grade administration > My report preferences >Grader report (Figure 87). When the screen refreshes, it will display the page as Figure 88.Figure 87Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide70Figure 88Here are the available fields in the grade report preferences setting:Show/hide toggles sectionShow calculationsIf enabled, when editing is turned on, a calculator icon is shown for each grade item and category,with tool tips over calculated items and a visual indicator that a column is calculated.Show show/hide iconsIf enabled, when editing is turned on, a show/hide icon is shown for each grade for controlling itsvisibility to the student.Show column averagesIf enabled, the grader report will contain an additional row displaying the average (mean) for eachcategory and grade item.Show locksIf enabled, when editing is turned on, a lock/unlock icon is shown for each grade for controllingwhether the grade can be automatically updated by the related activity.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide71Show activity iconsIf enabled, activity icons are shown next to activity names.Show rangesIf enabled, the grader report will contain an additional row displaying the range for each categoryand grade item.Show grade analysis iconIf the activity module supports it, the grade analysis icon links to a page with more detailedexplanation of the grade and how it was obtained.Special rows sectionGrades selected for column averagesThis setting determines whether cells with no grade should be included when calculating theaverage (mean) for each category or grade item.Show number of grades in averagesIf enabled, the number of grades used when calculating the average (mean) is displayed in bracketsafter each average.General sectionQuick gradingIf enabled, when editing is turned on, a text input box appears for each grade, allowing many gradesto be edited at the same time. Changes are saved and highlighted when the update button is clicked.Note that when a grade is edited in the grader report, an overridden flag is set, meaning that thegrade can no longer be changed from within the related activity.Show quick feedbackIf enabled, when editing is turned on, a feedback text input box with a dotted border appears foreach grade, allowing the feedback for many grades to be edited at the same time. Changes aresaved and highlighted when the update button is clicked.Note that when feedback is edited in the grader report, an overridden flag is set, meaning that thefeedback can no longer be changed from within the related activity.Students per pageThis setting determines the number of students displayed per page in the grader report.Enable AJAXAdds a layer of AJAX functionality to the grader report, simplifying and speeding up commonoperations. Depends on Javascript being switched on at the user's browser level.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide722.3 MessagingMessaging is a private communication tool between student and lecturer or between two students.Unlike forums and chats, messaging is not course-specific; users may send messages to each otherregardless of whether they are enrolled in the same course.To encourage the use of messaging in your course, you may wish to add a “Messages block” and/oran “Online Users” block to your course page.2.3.1 Instant messagingIf enabled for the site, users in Moodle have the option to send each other message. Messages canbe sent from the following places:• As admin in Bulk user actions• As a lecturer from the People block• As any logged in user from the Messages block or Online Users block• as any logged in user by clicking on the profile of another user (if admin has allowed profilesto be viewed)To add Messages, Online users or People block to your course page:i) Click on the “Turn editing on” button.ii) Select “Messages” from the Add blocks menu.iii) Select “Online users” from the Add blocks menu.iv) Select “People” from the Add blocks menu.Figure 89The Messages link in the Messages block provides another way of opening the Messages window.2.3.2 Sending messagesTo send a message to an individual (From the Messages block):1. Click on the “Messages” link in the Messages block (Figure 89) to go to the message window(Figure 90).Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide73Figure 902. In the Messages window, you can click on the person name from contact list to send message oryou can search for a person. To narrow the search down further, click on the blue “Advanced”link to search for a person "only in my courses" or with Keywords in messages.3. Types the message in the box, then click on the “Send message” button. A copy of your messagewill appear above the box.Figure 91To send a message to an individual (From the Online users block):• Click the name of one of the people currently online and click the Send message link in theirprofile.• Type the message in the box and then click on the “Send a message” button.Version 1.0To send a message to selected course participants (for lecturers only)• Click on the Participants link in the “People block” on the course page.• Select participants from the list or use the "Select all" button at the bottom of the list.

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide74• Choose "Add/send message" from the "With selected users..." drop-down menu (Figure 92).• Type the message then click the "Preview" button.• Assuming you are satisfied with the message, click the "Send" button.Figure 922.3.3 Reading and replying to messagesWhen you have a message, a popup notification of a message will be show on screen (Figure 93).Click the link “Go to messages” to read and reply to it.Figure 93Also, the Messages block will display the name of the person sending the message with a link toread the message (Figure 94). Click the envelop icon (with the number of messages) to go to themessage window. Type your reply into the box and then click on the “Send a message” button.Figure 94Note: If you have chosen to receive copies of messages via email (refer 1.3.2 Messaging), you willget a copy of the message in your email after the time you have specified if you are not logged in.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide753 Course Management – Intermediate Level3.1 ChatChats allow participants to have a real-time synchronous discussion via the web. This is a useful wayto get a different understanding of each other and the topic being discussed - the mode of using achat room is quite different from the asynchronous Forums. The Chat module contains a number offeatures for managing and reviewing chat discussions.3.2 DialogueDialogues allow students or lecturers to start two-way dialogues with another person. This courseactivity can be useful when the lecturer wants a place to give private feedback to a student on theironline activity. For example, if a student is participating in a language forum and made agrammatical error that the lecturer wants to point out without embarrassing the student, adialogue is the perfect place. A dialogue activity would also be an excellent way for counselorswithin an institution to interact with students - all activities are logged and email is not necessarilyrequired.3.3 BloggingThe word 'blog' is a contraction of 'web log'. Blogs are a form of online journal used by millions ofpeople around the world for self-expression and communicating with family and friends. Blogs areusually organized as a chronological series of postings created by the author of the blog. Blogsusually are written by one person, although some blogs can be authored by groups of people.Blogs in Moodle are user based - each user has their own blog. Users can also register their externalblogs, such as Blogger or Wordpress, so that entries are automatically included in their Moodle blog.3.4 ChoiceA choice activity is very simple - the lecturer asks a question and specifies a choice of multipleresponses. It can be useful as a quick poll to stimulate thinking about a topic; to allow the class tovote on a direction for the course; or to gather research consent.Choice requires some preparation time for creating your activity and thinking about what resultsyou would like to achieve, but your participation with activity itself is likely to be minimal.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide763.5 WikiA wiki is a collection of collaboratively authored web documents. Basically, a wiki page is a webpage everyone in your class can create together, right in the browser, without needing to knowHTML. A wiki starts with one front page. Each author can add other pages to the wiki by simplycreating a link to a page that doesn't exist yet.Wikis get their name from the Hawaiian term "wiki wiki," which means "very fast." A wiki is indeed afast method for creating content as a group. It's a hugely popular format on the Web for creatingdocuments as a group. There is usually no central editor of a wiki, no single person who has finaleditorial control. Instead, the community edits and develops its own content. Consensus viewsemerge from the work of many people on a document.In Moodle, wikis can be a powerful tool for collaborative work. The entire class can edit a documenttogether, creating a class product, or each student can have their own wiki and work on it with youand their classmates.3.6 GlossaryThe glossary activity allows participants to create and maintain a list of definitions, like a dictionary.Glossary can be used in many ways. The entries can be searched or browsed in different formats. Aglossary can be a collaborative activity or be restricted to entries made by the lecturer. Entries canbe put in categories. The auto-linking feature will highlight any word in the course which is locatedin the glossary.For example, each time a participant encounters a term within the glossary within say a forum post,assignment activity or quiz, the term is highlighted in grey. Clicking the highlighted term will displaythat glossary definition in a pop-up window.3.7 Lesson PlanThe lesson module presents a series of HTML pages to the student who is usually asked to makesome sort of choice underneath the content area. The choice will send them to a specific page inthe Lesson. In a Lesson page's simplest form, the student can select a continue button at thebottom of the page, which will send them to the next page in the Lesson.There are 2 basic Lesson page types that the student will see: question pages and content pages.There are also several advanced navigational pages which can meet more specialized needs of theLecturer. The Lesson module was designed to be adaptive and to use a student's choices to create aself-directed lesson.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide773.8 WorkshopWorkshop is a peer assessment activity with a huge array of options. It allows participants to assesseach other's projects, as well as exemplar projects, in a number of ways. It also coordinates thecollection and distribution of these assessments in a variety of ways. Workshop module does have alearning curve; however the effort made can include greater student participation.3.9 CalendarThe calendar can display site, course, group and or user events in addition to assignment and quizdeadlines, chat times and other course events.A calendar may be included in a course or the site Front page by adding a Calendar block or anUpcoming Events block.4 Course Management – Advanced Level4.1 RSS FeedsRSS (really simple syndication) feeds in Moodle enable people to stay up to date with forum posts,glossary entries and other events within Moodle.4.2 SurveyThe Survey module is a course activity that provides a number of verified survey instruments,including COLLES (Constructivist On-Line Learning Environment Survey) and ATTLS (Attitudes toThinking and Learning Survey), which have been found useful in assessing and stimulating learningin online environments. Lecturers can use these to gather data from their students that will helpthem learn about their class and reflect on their own teaching.4.3 Plagiarism Detection ToolPlagiarism is when a student submits content they have copied and the real author was not givencredit for the words. Plagiarism prevention detects when this form of cheating or academicdishonesty has happened.Version 1.0

Taylor's UniversityMoodle Instructional Guide784.4 Moodle for MobileMoodle can be used on a mobile device by downloading a native app, such as the “Mobile app” (theofficial Moodle mobile app for iPhone). Moodle smartphone app allows users to have a quickeraccess to some Moodle functions.4.5 SCORM packageSCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a set of technical standards for e-learningsoftware products. The SCORM module enables the lecturer to upload any SCORM or AICC packageto include in your course.SCORM is a collection of specifications that enable interoperability, accessibility and reusability ofweb-based learning content. SCORM content can be delivered to learners via any SCORM-compliantLearning Management System (LMS) using the same version of SCORM.Version 1.0