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| ==History==
| | Please see [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Attendance_module the Attendance module's documentation for Moodle v2.3]. That text applies to all Moodle 2.x versions, and is not reproduced here in order to avoid conflicts and unnecessary duplication when editing the text. |
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| Attendance was originally a Moodle [[Block|block]] developed by Russell Jungwirth in the Fall of 2003.[http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=2431] In the Fall of 2005, [http://moodle.org/user/view.php?id=18237 Dmitry Pupinin] picked up the reins and released version 1.0.2, his first version of the Attendance block.[http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=33132#p158189] In May of 2007 Dmitry released a new version 2.0 suitable for Moodle 1.8. This release was a dramatic restructuring of code that resulted in a significant [[Module|module]] along with a small [[Block|block]].[http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=71597] Dmitry continued to develop the Attendance module and block through 2010. In the November of 2010, [http://moodle.org/user/profile.php?id=52322 Artem Andreev] updated the code to version 2.2[http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=162960] to add common and group session options and some user interface improvements. Artem then released version 2.3 that gave the ability to add multiple attendance instances in a single course (e.g., one instance for laboratory activities and another instance for lecture periods). In July of 2011, Artem released Attendance version 2.4.0[http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=181299], a rewrite of the code as a [[Module|module]] only for use with Moodle 2.x. Users with Moodle 2.0 or higher should use the latest update of Attendance 2.4 (branch MDL_20) available here:
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| ::Git: https://github.com/andreev-artem/moodle_mod_attforblock/tree/MDL_20
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| ::Zip: https://github.com/andreev-artem/moodle_mod_attforblock/zipball/MDL_20
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| ==Installation by Moodle Administrator==
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| To install Artem's version of the attendance module, follow these directions. Installation can only be completed by a user having write access to the file structure on the computer hosting Moodle and with administration rights for your installation of Moodle.
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| ===Download and Unzip Files===
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| Download the latest zipball of the Attendance module using the link above and unzip the file. When you unzip, you should have a folder with a name like '''<code>andreev-artem-moodle_mod_attforblock-175cd46</code>'''. This folder must be renamed '''<code>attforblock</code>'''.
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| ===Language Files===
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| The language file used with the module is contained in the '''<code>attforblock/lang/[language pack]/attforblock.php</code>''' file where <code>[language pack]</code> is the Moodle indicator for the [[Language_packs|language pack]] you are using. If the language pack contains an underscore, for instance, "en_us" then the module will first check in the '''<code>attforblock/lang/en_us/attforblock.php</code>''' file for a phrase. If the phrase does not exist in that file, then it will check in the "parent language" file which in this example is '''<code>attforblock/lang/en/attforblock.php</code>'''. You may wish to edit the language files for localized preferences. For instance, you might consider replacing each occurrence of 'Attendances' with 'Attendance' since some dictionaries say that attendances is the plural form of attendance while others say there is no plural form. Similarly, you may elect to change the spelling of enrolment to enrollment.
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| Note that the '''date format''' is also controlled by the language file you install. If you prefer Month/Day/Year format, for example, you will want to edit the '''<code>attforblock/lang/en_us/attforblock.php</code>''' file to make the changes shown below as well.
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| :$string['strftimedm'] = '%m/%d';
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| :$string['strftimedmy'] = '%m/%d/%Y';
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| :$string['strftimedmyw'] = '%m/%d/%y (%a)';
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| :$string['strftimeshortdate'] = '%m/%d/%Y';
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| :$string['strftimedmyhm'] = '%m/%d/%Y %H:%M'; // line added to allow multiple sessions in the same day
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| ===Mod Installation===
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| If you look at your Moodle installation, you will see that among the many subfolders in the Moodle folder you have a folder named '''<code>mod/</code>'''. Installation is completed by copying the '''<code>attforblock</code>''' folder into your '''<code>moodle/mod/</code>''' folder. Don't forget to change ownership and read/write/execute privileges to the copied files to match the rest of your site.
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| Once you have completed copying files and changing privileges, you need to log into Moodle as the administrator and go to the '''Site administration-->Notifications''' link. This will indicate that you have installed a new plugin and has a button to click for Moodle to update the database structure. Once you have updated the database structure, the Attendance module is ready for use.
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| ==Using Attendance in a Class by a Teacher==
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| ===Adding an Attendance Activity Instance===
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| After the attendance module has been properly installed, you (the teacher) must add attendance as an activity to each course you in which you wish to keep attendance. This is done by first ensuring that you are in the edit mode and then selecting, "Add an activity or resource" in a Moodle [[Course_sections|section]] box. Note that you may now add as many instances of the Attendance module as you like, and that each instance may have multiple sections. Be sure to give the instance a name that indicates what it will be used for (e.g., "Lecture Attendance"). If you will be using groups in your course, set the Group mode accordingly (even if groups exist in the course, you will not be able to use them within the Attendance module if you select <code>No groups</code>).
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| Once you have added an attendance instance, you are ready to start using the attendance module.
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| ===Setting Attendance Categories and Grading Options===
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| Now it is time to set your attendance options. Select your attendance activity and you will have a bar of options, the last of which is "Settings." Select "Settings" and you are presented with acronyms, descriptions, and grade (points) to assign. By default these are Present, Absent, Late, and Excused. You may prefer to change the descriptions (e.g., change the word Late to Tardy), change the way points are counted, or add new options. Be sure to click the "Update" button when you are done changing items on this page. If you wish to add a fifth (or more) items, you may do so by filling in the fifth line and then clicking the "Add" button. It is important to note that when you hit the "Add" button, any changes made to existing options that were made after the last time the "Update" button was used will be lost. Likewise, when you hit the "Update" button, any changes made to the "Add" after the last time the "Add" button was hit will be lost.
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| ===Adding Sessions===
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| Next it is time to add sessions. Note that there is a restriction here. You can only have one session per day. Since you can only have one attendance activity installed (which means that you cannot have a lab attendance activity and a lecture attendance activity) and can only have one attendance session per day, if you have more than one class session per day you will have to be creative in taking attendance. And if you have more than seven class sessions for a single class in a week--then you are overworked!
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| To add class sections, click the "Add" tab (second from left) at the top of the page (if you left the attendance page, select any of the three links from the attendance block to return to the attendance page and gain access to the "Add" tab). You have two options here, to add a single session or to add multiple sessions. The single session is self-explanatory as well as time consuming to use when you have many class sessions so I will go straight the more useful option, how to add multiple sessions.
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| Under the "Create multiple sessions" label choose the date for the first session you wish to add followed by the date for the last session you wish to add. Next select the days of the week on which the class meets. The final option, frequency, may look confusing but it is actually straight-forward. If your class meets every week (the normal situation) then you want a frequency of 1 week which is the default. If your class meets every other week, then you want a frequency of 2 weeks, and so on. When you click the "Add multiple sessions" button, your sessions will be created and you will see a message indicating this.
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| ===Taking Attendance===
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| Now head to the attendance tab. Here you see the list of all attendance sessions you have added. You can delete an individual session by clicking the X to the right of it. (Personal note, it sure would be nice if there was an option to select a few sessions and delete them all at once--I use the multiple sessions option to put my sessions in for the entire semester and then have to go and remove sessions for vacation days one at a time.) You can edit a session (change the date or add a description) with the standard hand icon to the right of the session, or you can take attendance for a session by clicking the green radio button to the right of the session. Sessions where attendance has already been taken do not have the green button, but instead the description is a link that takes you to the screen to modify the attendance record for that session.
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| You will note that when taking attendance the column headings for attendance state are links. If you click one of these column headings, all students will have their status changed to the status you selected. Thus, if everyone is absent (God forbid!), you merely click the '''A''' and it will change everyone's status to absent. If Little Johnny is the only student absent, you would logically click '''P''' to set everyone to present and then go down to Little Johnny and change his status to '''A'''. Enter remarks as appropriate (e.g., the reason for an absence if known or the minutes late if someone is tardy) and click OK to complete taking record.
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| ===Reports===
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| Finally, you have the reports. This is, again, obvious. One of my colleagues prefers to take record on paper and transfer it to Moodle. She suggested printing the monthly report before the start of the month and then taking record on this report. It has an added advantage because you have each student's picture with the record sheet. Of course, that is only useful for students who actually put photos of themselves in for their picture.
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| A final note here. If you added the attendance block as recommended, you may wonder what it looks like for students. It is completely different--showing a summary of their attendance record and having a single link for them to view the details of their personal attendance. Another reason why I think the attendance block should always be added when you use the attendance module.
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| ==Give advice to developer==
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| Have an idea about new features? You need something? Please add your idea or vote for existing at [http://attendance.uservoice.com Attendance Module on UserVoice] page!
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| ==See also==
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| * [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?f=125 Attendance module forum]
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| * [http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=1062 Download Dmitry's version] of module
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| * [[Attendance block]] page
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| [[Category:Contributed code]] | | [[Category:Contributed code]] |
