Metacourse: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 15:23, 10 August 2021

A meta course is a course that is "with" or linked to one or more courses for its student enrolment (enrollment to some). Adding or subtracting participants in a metacourse can only be done from the courses it is linked to. The linked courses push enrolment information to the metacourse(s) every time cron is run. There are many uses for a metacourse.

Enrolments

Metacourse enrolments occur only through one or more other courses that the meta course links to. This means that students cannot enroll in the meta course directly. Likewise, teachers and administrators cannot enroll students directly into meta courses either.

Concept note: When using a meta course, Moodle calls the courses it is linked to child courses. Some people like to think of them as parent courses. In any case a meta course has a kinship with one or more non-meta courses when it comes to enrolment.

In the simplest form, a linked course only needs to contain just the Students who are to be enrolled in a meta course. There do not need to be resources, assignments, or wikis, etc., just the Students in the linked course. In the simplest form, a meta course cannot enroll Students, but will have resources and activities for students in the linked courses.

Created - a child course and a meta course.	Associating one child course and one meta course.

Examples: one "child" course (a course linked to a meta course) can be associated with many meta courses. Or one meta course can have many child courses associated with it. Both the child courses (non-meta courses) and the meta courses are independent and can be recycled many times, that is, each can be associated with many of the other. However, a course can only be one type of the other and meta courses cannot be linked directly with other meta courses.

2 child courses and a meta course.	1 child course and 2 meta courses.	3 child courses and 2 meta courses.

Creating a meta course

Create a meta course in the same manner as you do any other course. To change this to a meta course, set "Is this a meta course?" question to yes in the course settings.

Changing the setting.

Manage "child" courses

Once you have created a meta course you can link to or unlink from (add or delete) "child" courses by the course Administration menu. This icon and link only appears in meta courses.

Click this link and it will take you to the Child Courses dialogue that offers a list of "child courses" to choose from. You will note that only courses eligible to be child courses appear in this window.

Select screen, one course has been selected so far.

It is here that you can associate more courses for this one meta course to get its enrolments. Alternatively, if you wish to associate one child course with many meta courses, you need to go into each meta course and, using this same technique, associate that child course to a each meta course.

Note: Do not be misled by the term "Child Courses". You are associating courses that the meta course will be dependent upon for its students.

In Moodle 1.5 and 1.6, if a meta course is chosen, the students page changes from listing/searching for students to listing/searching for courses. In Moodle 1.7 onwards, "parent courses" appears in the teacher's administration block.

Tips and Tricks

Draw a map of your courses

Get an oversized piece of paper (A3 or 11"x17'), draw boxes for courses and give them names. Add lines to connect the boxes to show relationships. Label the meta courses (alternatively, color the meta course boxes). Add arrows to the lines so you will know where enrolments come from. This is a great tip from the Business Uses forum.

Groups do not transfer

Meta course enrolments do not transfer groups from the and enrolment does not happen immediately, but occurs next time the cronjob runs.

Transfer of roles

By default all role assignments from child courses are synchronised to meta courses. However, the "Roles that are not synchronised to metacourses" setting in Administration > Users > Permissions > User policies enables administrators to exclude particular roles.

Restoring a meta course

When restoring a meta course with the option "deleting the course first", you will notice that the enrolments that were used by the course previously are now gone. In order to re-link the course, navigate to the new course and select the link "Child Courses" from the "Administration" block on the main course page and re-link the course to its parent.

Converting a regular course to a metacourse

When you have a regular course which is populated with users you no longer have the option in the course settings to create a metacourse as below:

If you change your mind after making a course and really want to convert it to a metacourse you must first unenroll all the users in the course. When the course is empty the metacourse option returns.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-A '''meta course''' is a course that is "with" or dependent upon one or more courses for student enrollment. A meta course automatically enrolls participants from one or more other courses.
+{{Metacourse}}
+A '''meta course''' is a course that is "with" or linked to one or more courses for its student [[Enrolment|enrolment]] (enrollment to some). Adding or subtracting participants in a metacourse can only be done from the courses it is linked to. The linked courses push enrolment information to the metacourse(s) every time [[Cron|cron]] is run. There are [[Metacourse examples of use|many uses for a metacourse]].
-Students do not have to enroll (can not enroll) in the meta course directly. And a teacher or administrator can not enroll students directly in a meta course but ''' only''' through another course that the meta course links to.
+==Enrolments==
+Metacourse enrolments occur ''' only''' through one or more other courses that the meta course links to. This means that students cannot enroll in the meta course directly. Likewise, teachers and administrators cannot enroll students directly into meta courses either.
-:Examples: one course can have many meta courses associated with it (Scenario 2, 3 and 5).  Or one meta course can be associated with many other courses (Scenario 1, 4 and 6).  When using a meta course, one or more "normal" courses are always the gateway to the meta course when it comes to student enrollment.
+:''Concept note:'' When using a meta course, Moodle calls the courses it is linked to '''child''' courses. Some people like to think of them as parent courses.  In any case a meta course has a kinship with one or more non-meta courses when it comes to enrolment.
+In the simplest form, a linked course only needs to contain just the Students who are to be enrolled in a meta course. There do not need to be resources,  assignments,  or wikis, etc., just the Students in the linked course.  In the simplest form, a meta course '''cannot''' enroll Students, but will have resources and activities for students in the linked courses.
+{| class="wikitable" align="center"
+|-
+![[Image:simplemetacourse0.png|thumb|left|200px|Created - a child course and a meta course.]]
+![[Image:simplemetacourse1.png|thumb|left|200px|Associating one child course and one meta course.]]
+|}
+:Examples: one "child" course (a course linked to a meta course) can be associated with many meta courses. Or one meta course can have many child courses associated with it. Both the child courses (non-meta courses) and the meta courses are independent and can be recycled many times, that is, each can be associated with many of the other. However, a course can only be one type of the other and meta courses cannot be linked directly with other meta courses.
+{| class="wikitable" align="center"
+|-
+![[Image:simplemetacourse2.png|thumb|left|200px|2 child courses and a meta course.]]
+![[Image:simplemetacourse3.png|thumb|left|200px|1 child course and 2 meta courses.]]
+![[Image:simplemetacourse4a.png|thumb|left|200px|3 child courses and 2 meta courses.]]
+|}
-==Creating a metacourse==
+==Creating a meta course==
+Create a meta course in the same manner as you do any other course. To change this to a meta course, set "Is this a meta course?" question to yes in the [[Course settings|course settings]].
+[[Image:simplemetacourse5.png|thumb|center|200px|Changing the setting.]]
-To create a meta course, set "Is this a meta course?" to yes in the [[Course settings|course settings]]. After saving the course settings, you will see a list of "child courses" to choose from.
+==Manage "child" courses==
+Once you have created a meta course you can link to or unlink from (add or delete) "child" courses by the course Administration menu. This icon and link only appears in meta courses. <br>
+[[Image:Metacourse children.png|center]]
+Click this link and it will take you to the Child Courses dialogue that offers a list of "child courses" to choose from. You will note that only courses eligible to be child courses appear in this window.
 [[Image:Meta Course - select children.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Select screen, one course has been selected so far.]]
-It is possible to add more courses for this one to get it's enrollments.
+It is here that you can associate more courses for this one meta course to get its enrolments. Alternatively, if you wish to associate one child course with many meta courses, you need to go into each meta course and, using this same technique, associate that child course to a each meta course.
-'''Note: Do not be misled by the "Child Courses".   You are adding courses that the meta course will be dependent upon for its students.'''
+'''Note: Do not be misled by the term "Child Courses".   You are associating courses that the meta course will be dependent upon for its students.'''
 In Moodle 1.5 and 1.6, if a meta course is chosen, the [[Students|students]] page changes from listing/searching for students to listing/searching for courses.  In Moodle 1.7 onwards, "parent courses" appears in the teacher's administration block.
-==Meta course examples==
-Meta courses may be used in a variety of ways.  Here are a few:
-===Scenario 1===
-X is a meta course with Course 1 through 4 as normal courses with standard student enrollments. Students enrolling on these courses are automatically enrolled onto Meta course X.  The meta course is dependent upon its enrollments from each of the non-meta courses.
-[[Image:Metacourses1_en.jpg|Standard Meta course usage|center]]
-For example, a math teacher or department has 2 algebra and 2 geometry courses. The teacher or department wants course for each of these subjects. But they also want a generic space where they can post things for all of the students in all of their courses, perhaps including compulsory work for all students.  By making algebra 1 & 2 and geometry 1 & 2 as each as part of a Math meta course, they achieve this goal.
-A student might be enrolled in one of the algebra and one of the geometry courses.  This student would also be enrolled in the meta course.
-===Scenario 2===
-* Meta courses 1-4 are linked to Y which is a normal course. Students enrolling on Course Y are automatically enrolled on Meta courses  1-4. This would be used, for example, when all five courses are intended to have exactly the same students.
-[[Image:Metacourses2_en.jpg|Upsidedown Meta course Usage|center]]
-In both diagrams you can see students being enrolled normally into standard courses and then the entire student list of a course being added to the Meta course.
-===Scenario 3===
-* One or more meta courses are used as a library of resources and activities.  For example, the English department has collected material useful in writing papers. Teachers can direct or embed a link to a specific reference about citations, or how to select a topic for a paper or suggested reading compiled by students. Thus an English 101 course should be one of the links in the "Writing Papers" meta course.  This Meta course holds a resource called "Citations made easy", a Lesson "Select a topic" and a Wiki or database called "Suggested readings from classmates".
-===Scenario 4===
-* The meta course feature can also be used "in reverse."  Say you have a Diploma program that involves courses D1, D2, D3, and D4.  In this case, you would create a "Diploma" course as a normal course (non-meta course).  You would then designate programs D1 through D4 as meta courses (plus completing the student enrollment task under Course Administration).  When a student enrolls in "Diploma", he or she will be automatically enrolled in courses D1 through D4.
-===Scenario 5===
-*You have 3 course subjects and want to offer them for sale in different packages.   The meta courses will contain your subjects.  A normal (non-Meta course) course will be the gateways to the meta course(s).  Course 1 is your gold package.  Meta course A, Meta course B and Meta course C all link to Course 1.  The silver package is Course 2.  Meta courses A and B link to Course 2.   You have also set up individual courses that have a link from a specific Meta Course to them.  Thus you can offer and charge for each meta course separately or in some combination.
-===Scenario 6===
-* You have one "Wizbang" course but want to charge a different rate based upon the type of user.  The "Wizbang" meta course is the one that holds the content.  You create a courses for "Wizbang for Large Corporation users" and "Wizbang for Small Business users". The Wizbang meta course is linked to "Wizbang for Large Corporation users" and "Wizbang for Small Business users" courses.
-The key point is that the meta courses hold the content which can be "shared" by students enrolled in other courses. The gateway courses might have some specific package information or added bonus information, but a student enrolled in the gateway course will see and be able to get into the meta course(s) associated with it.
 ==Tips and Tricks==
 ===Draw a map of your courses===
-Get a piece of A4 paper (oversized), draw boxes for courses and give them names. Add lines to connect the boxes to show relationships. Label the meta courses (alternatively, color the meta course boxes). Add arrows to the lines so you will know where enrollments come from.   This is a great tip from the Business Uses forum.
+Get an oversized piece of paper (A3 or 11"x17'), draw boxes for courses and give them names. Add lines to connect the boxes to show relationships. Label the meta courses (alternatively, color the meta course boxes). Add arrows to the lines so you will know where enrolments come from.   This is a great tip from the Business Uses forum.
 ===Groups do not transfer===
@@ Line 62: / Line 53: @@
 ===Restoring a meta course===
-When restoring a meta course with the option "deleting the course first", you will notice that the enrollments that were used by the course previously are now gone.  In order to re-link the course, navigate to the new course and select the link "Child Courses" from the "Administration" block on the main course page and re-link the course to its parent.
+When restoring a meta course with the option "deleting the course first", you will notice that the enrolments that were used by the course previously are now gone.  In order to re-link the course, navigate to the new course and select the link "Child Courses" from the "Administration" block on the main course page and re-link the course to its parent.
+===Converting a regular course to a metacourse===
+When you have a regular course which is populated with users you no longer have the option in the course settings to create a metacourse as below:
+[[Image:Convertmeta.jpg]]
+If you change your mind after making a course and really want to convert it to a metacourse you must first unenroll all the users in the course. When the course is empty the metacourse option returns.
 ==See also==
+*[[Metacourse examples of use]] -  Why use a metacourse? here are many examples
 *[[Related courses block]] - contributed code that shows meta or child course relationships
@@ Line 72: / Line 70: @@
 *[http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=39438 Best reference for describing a metacourse] Forum discussion
 *[http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=89741 Assign student in course] Forum discussion
+*[http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=156900#p686857 Confusion over meta-courses] Forum discussion
+[[Category:Course]]
 [[Category:Teacher]]
 [[Category:Enrolment]]

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