Dataform activity settings

This page describes the various configuration options available within the Dataform module - both at the Site level and the Activity level.

Dataform settings

The following configuration options are available when creating or editing/updating a Dataform activity.

Name

Give your Dataform a name (e.g. “Report on Topic 1 Content”). The title entered here will be the name that learners see in the course content area. Learners will click on this name to enter and participate in the activity.

Description

The description of the dataform is optional and may include a description of the content of the dataform, instructions for participating in the activity and/or information or resources related to the activity.

For example, if the dataform is used for a graded activity, the instructor can use this area to describe the activity requirements, completion criteria and the grading scheme. The instructor can also add audio/video clips and links to external web content which should be used by participants for completing the task.

The description can be as brief or as detailed as is necessary to meet the needs of participants.

Available from

The Available from setting prevents participants from adding entries to the dataform before the shown date.

This option allows an instructor to set a day, month, year and time (24 hour clock) from which participants can begin to add and edit entries. Please note that this setting does not hide the activity from the learners. Instead, the learner will see the activity, be able to view the instructions and use any materials you have include in the description, but the learner will not be able to add content, if required, until the Available from date.

By default the Available from date is Disabled. To enable this feature simply tick the Enable checkbox and set the date and time as desired.

Due date

The Due date sets a deadline for participants to complete the activity requirement. Depending on the 'Allow late' setting, submissions after the due date, namely late submissions, are either denied or highlighted.

This option allows an instructor to set a day, month, year and time (24 hour clock) before which learners must complete the activity.

By default the Available from date is Disabled. To Enable this feature simply tick the Enable checkbox and set the date and time as desired.

Notes on Date Settings

Both the Available from and Due dates are displayed for learners in the dataform details, but the Due date is also marked in the course Calendar as a visible reminder for participants and provides a link to the activity.

The use of the Available from and Due date settings will probably be dependent on the overall structure of the course. An instructor who facilitates an open ended course or a course with rolling enrolment, might find it easier to not apply the Available from and Due date settings. This arrangement will allow the learners to access the activity according to their own schedule and progress within the course.

Alternatively, when working within a more structured format or adhering to a timeline, the Available from and Due date settings are useful for keeping learners on schedule. Using the Available from setting will make it possible for learners to preview upcoming activities, while at the same time, prevent them from finishing the course in the first week and not returning for additional activities or information. Likewise, the Due dates help keep the learners from lagging too far behind and decrease the likelihood that the learner will become overwhelmed by having to complete several weeks worth of work at once.

Interval

The interval setting allows the instructor to set a duration (in minutes) to the dataform activity. This setting may be used as an alternate way to set a due date for the activity but more importantly, it may be used together with the 'Number of intervals' setting to set the dataform as a periodic activity.

With the a specified interval the due date is calculated automatically as 'Available from' plus the product of the interval duration (minutes) and the number of intervals.

Number of intervals

Together with the Interval setting, the Number of intervals allows the instructor to set the dataform as a periodic activity.

By default, this setting is set to 1 and disabled. It may be enabled by specifying an interval. With specific interval and number of intervals the due date is calculated automatically (see Interval above).

Allow late

With a designated Due date, if 'Allow late' is set to 'No' (default) participants will not be able to add or edit entries after the Due date, and if 'Allow late' is set to 'Yes' participants will be able to add or edit entries after the Due date but the entries Time modified will be highlighted to indicate late submission.

Grade

Specify the maximum grade or Scale to be applied to the activity. If the dataform is used as a resource or for an ungraded activity, choose No Grade.

Grade Category

Any custom Grade Categories that have been created within your site or course will be listed here and will be available for selection. Select the required Grade Category to add this dataform as a Grade item within this Category.

Common module settings

Group mode

When course group mode is turned on, the group mode can be one of four levels: No groups, Separate groups, Visible groups, Separate participants.

• No groups - There are no groups and all participants share one Dataform area.

• Separate groups - The dataform is divided to group areas. Participants can add and view entries only within their own group area. Teachers/trainers can view all entries together or by group.

• Visible groups - The dataform is divided to group areas. Participants can add entries only within their own group area but can view entries in all group areas. Teachers/trainers can view all entries together or by group.

• Separate participants - This is a dataform virtual group mode whereby the dataform is divided to separate areas by participant. Each participant can view only his/her own entries and teachers entries. Teachers/trainers can view all entries.

Groupings

Groupings is an Advanced setting. A grouping is a collection of groups within a course. If a existing grouping is selected from the dropdown list, students assigned to groups within the grouping will be able to work together within the group mode specified above.

Visible

Choose whether to Show or Hide the activity from learner view. A hidden activity will be displayed greyed out on the main course page for those with teacher, creator, manager or admin type roles but invisible to students/learners.

ID number

Setting an ID number provides a way of identifying the activity for grade calculation purposes. If the activity is not included in any grade calculation then the ID number field can be left blank.

The ID number can also be set in the gradebook, though it can only be edited on the activity settings page.

Restrict access settings

The Restrict access area becomes visible in Moodle activities and resource settings if Conditional Activities have been enabled.

Allow access from

The Access from date determines the day, month and year students may first access the activity via the assignment name link on the course page. To activate this option click in the Enable checkbox to add a tick.

Allow access until

The Access until date determines the day, month and year students may last access the activity via the assignment name link on the course page. To activate this option click in the Enable checkbox to add a tick.

Note: The difference between access from/to dates and availability settings for the activity is that outside the set dates the latter allows students to view the activity description, whereas access from/to dates prevent access completely.

Restrict access settings in Assignment

Grade Condition

This setting determines any grade conditions which must be met in order for students to access the activity. Multiple grade conditions may be set using the 'Add 2 grade conditions to form' button. If there are multiples completion conditions applied to an activity, it will only be accessible to learners when all grade conditions are met. See Conditional Activities for more information.

Before activity can be accessed

Before a learner has fulfilled the the Grade Conditions specified above and the activity is still inaccessible to them, you can choose whether to show the activity greyed-out on the course page with the grade conditions listed (restriction information) or to hide the activity from learner view entirely.

Locally assigned roles

In Settings > Assignment administration > Locally assigned roles selected users can be given additional roles in the activity. See the Using Moodle Custom role for 'Course Monitor' forum discussion for an example.

Dataform permissions

Role permissions for the activity can be changed in Settings > Dataform administration > Permissions.

Site administration settings

The following configuration options are available for an administrator under Settings > Site administration > Plugins > Activity modules > Dataform.

Maximum fields

An Administrator can specify the maximum numbers of fields that the instructor may add to a dataform activity.

By default the maximum fields is set to unlimited (-1).

Maximum views

An Administrator can specify the maximum numbers of views that the instructor may add to a dataform activity.

By default the maximum views is set to unlimited (-1).

Maximum filters

An Administrator can specify the maximum numbers of filters that the instructor may add to a dataform activity.

By default the maximum filters is set to unlimited (-1).

Maximum entries

An Administrator can specify the maximum numbers of entries that may be added by each participant in a dataform activity.

By default the maximum entries is set to unlimited (-1).

File:dataformadmin.png

Dataform Module Settings

See also

• Dataform permissions