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The course creation process consists of:
{{Creating a course}}
#Planning the layout, activities and resources which will best meet the course goals
<p class="note">'''Please refer to [[TOC_with_notes#Creating a course|these notes]] before editing this page.'''</p>
#Naming [[Course sections]]
#Adding [[Resources]], [[Activities]] or [[Labels]] to the sections
#Editing or adding [[Blocks]]
#Testing the course as a student


Essentially Moodle is divided into sections (Topics).  These come blank.  After appropriate plannning, the course creation process consists of
This page should give your some context and links to discover how to meet you and your students needs. 
#Naming sections
#Adding Resources and Activities to the sections


==Getting started==
==Getting started==
First, you will need to be [[Log in|logged into]] a course as a user with [[Teacher]] editing rights to use most of the features below. We have some tips if you are having [[Can not log in|trouble logging in]].
First, you will need to [[Log in]] to Moodle and be [[Enrolment|enrolled]] in a course in a [[Teacher]]'s [[Roles|role]]. We have some tips if you are having [[Can not log in|trouble logging in]]. We will have lots of embedded links in the text and hope you follow them to learn more.


Now on to some details, we will have lots of embedded links in the text. You will find the [[Course homepage|course homepage]] is broken down into [[Course sections]]. A course is created by [[Adding resources and activities|adding resources and activities]].  
The initial [[Course homepage|course homepage]] is broken down into [[Course sections]]. Teachers build their course by [[Adding resources and activities|adding resources, activities]] and [[Blocks]] to the course.  


[[Image:Course edit on new 4.JPG|thumb|center|400px|New Course Moodle 1.6]]  
[[File:New Moodle Course 2 1.JPG|thumb|center|400px|A new, empty Moodle course on the demo.moodle.org site]]


The example above shows a new course set up with topic sections, edit is on and there are blocks both sides of the topics. Resources and activities are ready to be added.
In the example above, a teacher is looking at a new course in edit mode. The course is using the Weekly [[Course formats|format]]. It has 4 empty week sections in the center. There are [[Blocks|blocks]] in the right and left columns and 2 blocks are [[Dock|docked]]. There is a [[News forum|News]] [[Forum|forum]] activity at the top. The teacher can add other [[Resources|resources]] and [[Activities|activities]] to the sections.  The teacher can [[Managing blocks|manage the blocks]] by adding moving or deleting them.
 
Each Moodle site's new course may look different but the elements of activities, resources and blocks will be there. The site may use a different [[Theme]] and a different settings of [[Course settings|course defaults]] to give it a unique look.  As a teacher, you maybe able to change many of these things.


==Editing a course==
==Editing a course==
[[Image:Turn_edit_on_Student_on_buttons.JPG]]<br>
[[File:Turn editing on button.JPG|left]] <br><br>
To add or alter activities or resources a teacher will need to [[Turn editing on|turn editing on]] and off with a button on the course homepage. The student view button allows the teacher to get a general idea of what students will see. There is also an editing on link in the administration block.  These buttons and links toggle between on and off.
To add or alter activities or resources a teacher will need to [[Turn editing on|"turn editing on"]] and off with a button on the course homepage. There is also a "Turn editing on" link in the ''Settings > Course administration block''.  These buttons and links toggle between on and off.
 
Note: writing text in Moodle you have a range of [[Formatting options]] including using [[HTML in Moodle]].
 
When editing is on you will see the following icons:
 
:[[Image:Edit.gif]] - the edit icon lets you alter/update whatever resource or activity it is next to by taking you to its setup page.
 
:[[Image:Copy_icon.gif]] - the duplicate icon lets you make a copy of that resource or activity.
 
:[[Image:Help.gif]] - the help icon will pop-up a relevant help window.
 
:[[Image:Open.gif]] - the open-eye icon means an item is visible to students. Clicking it will make the item invisible to participants and change the icon to the closed eye.


:[[Image:Closed.gif]] - the closed-eye icon means an item is hidden from students. Clicking it will make the item visible to participants and change the icon to the open eye.
See [[Common course editing icons]] for images and descriptions of course element icons you might see.
[[File:Course edit icons example.png|frame|center|Typical course edit icons next to an activity when editing is turned on]]  


:[[Image:Right.gif]] - the left icon is used to outdent course elements. There is also a right icon for indenting items.
You will find many [[Formatting options]] including using [[HTML in Moodle]] when you create or edit text (or content) in Moodle.


:[[Image:Move.gif]] - the move icon allows course elements to be moved up or down throughout the course.
[[Image:HTMLeditor tools M2 1.png|frame|center|The standard version of the [[Text editor]] tool bar]]
 
:[[Image:Movehere.gif]] - the move here icon appears when moving a course element. It appears only after you've clicked the move icon, and indicates the destination of the item you're moving.
 
:[[Image:Delete.gif]] - the delete icon will permanently delete something from the course after you confirm a warning on a second page.
 
:[[Image:Marker.gif]] - the marker icon allows you to make a section current.
 
:[[Image:One.gif]] - the one icon hides all other sections of the course, showing only this one.
 
:[[Image:All.gif]] - the all icon redisplays all sections in a course.


==Activity modules==
==Activity modules==


[[Image:Activity_dropdown.JPG|frame|right|Add an activity drop-down menu]]   
[[Image:Activity_dropdown.JPG|frame|right|Add an activity drop-down menu]]   
There are a number of interactive learning [[Modules (teacher)|activity modules]] that you may [[Adding_resources_and_activities | add to your course]].
There are a number of interactive learning [[Activity | activity modules]] that you may [[Adding_resources_and_activities | add to your course]].


Communication and collaboration may take place using [[Chats]] and [[Forums]] for conversational activities and [[Choices]] to gain group feedback. Adding [[Wikis]] to your courses is an excellent way to allow students to work together on a single piece.
Communication and collaboration may take place using [[Chats]] and [[Forums]] for conversational activities and [[Choices]] to gain group feedback. Adding [[Wikis]] to your courses is an excellent way to allow students to work together on a single piece.
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==Resources==
==Resources==


[[Image:Resource_pulldown_menu.JPG|frame|left|Add a resource drop-down menu]]   
[[File:Resources add a menu 20.JPG|frame|left|Add a resource drop-down menu]]   


Moodle supports a range of different [[Resources|resource types]] that allow you to include almost any kind of digital content into your courses. These can be added by using the [[Adding_resources_and_activities | add a resource]] dropdown box when editing is turned on.  
Moodle supports a range of different [[Resources|resource types]] that allow you to include almost any kind of digital content into your courses. These are added with the "Add a resource" dropdown box when editing is turned on.  


A [[Text page]] is a simple page written using plain text. Text pages aren't pretty, but they're a good place to put some information or instructions. If you are after more options for your new page then you should be thinking about adding a [[Web page]] and making use of Moodle's WYSIWYG editor.
Adding a [[File]], [[Folder]], [[IMS content package]] or [[URL]] resource may lead to the [[File picker]] when you add content.  This will allow you to use existing files located in [[Repositories]] or upload a new resource.
 
Of course the resource may already exist in electronic form so you may want to [[File or website link|link to an uploaded file or external website]] or simply display the complete contents of a [[Directory|directory]] in your course files and let your users pick the file themselves. If you have an [[IMS content package]] then this can be easily added to your course.
 
Use a [[Label|label]] to embed instructions or information in the course section.


==Blocks==
==Blocks==
Each course homepage generally contains blocks on the left and right with the centre column containing the course content. Blocks may be added, hidden, deleted, and moved up, down and left/right when editing is turned on. Examples of blocks can be see in the Getting Starting image above. "Latest News", "Upcoming Events", and "Recent Activity" are blocks.
Blocks may be added, hidden, deleted, and moved up, down when editing is turned on. Examples of blocks can be see in the Getting Starting section above. "[[Latest news block|Latest News]]", "[[Upcoming events block|Upcoming Events]]" are in the right column, "[[Settings block|Settings]]" is in the left column and "[[Navigation block|Navigation]]" and "[[Search forums block|Search forums]]" blocks are [[Dock|docked]] on the left.


A [[Blocks (teacher)|wide range of blocks]] exist that can provide additional information or functionality to the learner or teacher. There are both standard blocks that come with Moodle and many contributed blocks developed by Moodlers that an administrator can add to a Moodle site.  
A [[Blocks (teacher)|wide range of blocks]] exist that can provide additional information or functionality to the learner or teacher. There are both standard blocks that come with Moodle and many contributed blocks developed by Moodlers that an administrator can add to a Moodle site.  


===Administration Block===
In addition to its function, a teacher (and site administrator) has some [[Managing blocks |powerful tools]] to place a block in one or more positions in a course.
[[Image:AdminBlock 1 6.JPG|thumb|Administration block 1.6|150px|left]][[Course_settings|Settings]] in the administration block allow teachers to manage [[Students | student]] and [[Teachers | teacher]] enrollments and their [[Groups | groups]], view the course [[Grades | gradebook]], create custom [[Scales | grading scales]], upload [[Files]] and access the [[Teacher_forum]]. Some teachers will find the [[Reset course]], [[Course_backup | backup]], [[Restore]] and [[Import_course_data | Import (course data)]] very handy tools when creating similar courses. Naturally a teacher will want to define their [[Scales | grading scales]] , look at [[Grades#Viewing_Grades | Grades]] and create [[Reports]].   This block also gives access to a [[Questions | question database]], used in [[Quiz | quizzes]]/tests or in [[Lesson module]].
 
The teacher will have a [[Settings block]] and a [[Navigation block]] that sometimes share common pages via their submenu links. Both these block's menu system will change depending upon [[Context]] (what is being done at the moment). For example, a teacher will always see the "Course administration" link in the settings block. When they are in a [[Chat| chat activity]] they will see a "Chat administration" link in the settings block as well.


The links in the administration block are only available to teachers of the course. Students will receive their own version of the block which will display a link to their own gradebook and, if enabled, their own course logs. As a teacher, you can change the way students (and other teachers) access and view your course by exploring the [[Course_settings]] option in the [[Administration | administration block]].  
===Course administration===
[[File:Settings block course administration.JPG|thumb|Settings block, teacher's view|150px|left]]The Course administration menu allows teachers to edit [[Course settings]],  manage course participants (for example [[Enrolment|enroll]] [[Student role | students]], create and manage [[Groups | groups]] of teachers and students), view the course [[Grades]] menu, and access the [[Teacher_forum]]. Some teachers will find the [[Course_backup | backup]], [[Restore]], [[Import_course_data | Import (course data)]] and [[Reset course]] links are handy tools when creating similar courses. Naturally a teacher will want to look at [[Grades#Viewing_Grades | Grades]] and the [[Question bank |question bank]] database, used in [[Quiz | quizzes]]/tests or in the [[Lesson module]].


For example the course settings allows the teacher [[Course_settings#Format | format the course]] which determines how the center sections appear.  The weekly format is suitable for courses that have a clear start date and activities are presented in weekly blocks. A topic formatted course has no dates, so activities and resources can grouped by subject or for an open enrollment class. The social format doesn't use much content at all and is based around just one forum  which is displayed on the main course page.  
The links in the Course administration block are only available to teachers of the course. Students will receive their own version of the Settings block which if enabled will display a link to their own gradebook  and their own course logs. As a teacher, you can change the way students (and other teachers) access and view your course by exploring the [[Course_settings|Edit settings]] option in the Course administration menu.


Another useful feature of the administration block is the [[Files]] link. From here you can upload (rename, move, delete) any digital content for inclusion in an [[Activities block |activity]], [[Resources | resource]], or for a direct download by the students. You can also create a directory(s) for students and link it as a resource.
===Activity and resource administration===
When the teacher is in an activity or resource, they will see that the settings block has added a new link at the top of the block, above the course administration link. For example, in a quiz this will read "Quiz administration". The sub menu will vary depending upon they type of activity or resource. Check the Moodle Documentation page for the activity or resource for more information.


==General advice==
==General advice==
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* Encourage all of the students to fill out their [[Edit profile|user profile]] (including photos) and read them all - this will help provide some context to their later writings and help you to respond in ways that are tailored to their own needs.  
* Encourage all of the students to fill out their [[Edit profile|user profile]] (including photos) and read them all - this will help provide some context to their later writings and help you to respond in ways that are tailored to their own needs.  
* Keep notes to yourself in the private [[Teacher_forum | "Teacher's Forum"]]. This is especially useful when team teaching.  
* Keep notes to yourself in the private [[Teacher_forum | "Teacher's Forum"]]. This is especially useful when team teaching.  
* Use the [[Logs]] link (under Administration) to get access to complete, raw logs. In there you'll see a link to a popup window that updates every sixty seconds and shows the last hour of activity. This is useful to keep open on your desktop all day so you can feel in touch with what's going on in the course.  
* Use the [[Logs]] link to get access different student activity reports such as Live logs and course Statistics. For example, Live logs is a popup window that updates every sixty seconds and shows the last hour of activity in your course. This is useful to keep open on your desktop all day so you can feel in touch with what's going on in the course.  
* Use the [[Recent_activity|Activity Reports]] (next to each name in the list of all people, or from any user profile page). These provide a great way to see what any particular person has been up to in the course.
* Use the [[Recent_activity|Activity Reports]] (next to each name in the list of all people, or from any user profile page). These provide a great way to see what any particular person has been up to in the course.
* Respond quickly to students. Don't leave it for later - do it right away. Not only is it easy to become overwhelmed with the volume that can be generated, but it's a crucial part of building and maintaining a community feel in your course.
* Respond quickly to students. Don't leave it for later - do it right away. Not only is it easy to become overwhelmed with the volume that can be generated, but it's a crucial part of building and maintaining a community feel in your course.
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*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOIlg21BfPg Video tutorial on editing a course home page using AJAX]. [[AJAX]] (Asynchronous Javascript and XML) can move blocks around the page by dragging.
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOIlg21BfPg Video tutorial on editing a course home page using AJAX]. [[AJAX]] (Asynchronous Javascript and XML) can move blocks around the page by dragging.


[[Category:Teacher]]
[[es:Documentación para Profesores]]
[[es:Documentación para Profesores]]
[[fr:Documentation enseignant]]
[[fr:Documentation enseignant]]

Latest revision as of 08:39, 28 October 2011

The course creation process consists of:

  1. Planning the layout, activities and resources which will best meet the course goals
  2. Naming Course sections
  3. Adding Resources, Activities or Labels to the sections
  4. Editing or adding Blocks
  5. Testing the course as a student

This page should give your some context and links to discover how to meet you and your students needs.

Getting started

First, you will need to Log in to Moodle and be enrolled in a course in a Teacher's role. We have some tips if you are having trouble logging in. We will have lots of embedded links in the text and hope you follow them to learn more.

The initial course homepage is broken down into Course sections. Teachers build their course by adding resources, activities and Blocks to the course.

A new, empty Moodle course on the demo.moodle.org site

In the example above, a teacher is looking at a new course in edit mode. The course is using the Weekly format. It has 4 empty week sections in the center. There are blocks in the right and left columns and 2 blocks are docked. There is a News forum activity at the top. The teacher can add other resources and activities to the sections. The teacher can manage the blocks by adding moving or deleting them.

Each Moodle site's new course may look different but the elements of activities, resources and blocks will be there. The site may use a different Theme and a different settings of course defaults to give it a unique look. As a teacher, you maybe able to change many of these things.

Editing a course

Turn editing on button.JPG



To add or alter activities or resources a teacher will need to "turn editing on" and off with a button on the course homepage. There is also a "Turn editing on" link in the Settings > Course administration block. These buttons and links toggle between on and off.

See Common course editing icons for images and descriptions of course element icons you might see.

Typical course edit icons next to an activity when editing is turned on

You will find many Formatting options including using HTML in Moodle when you create or edit text (or content) in Moodle.

The standard version of the Text editor tool bar

Activity modules

Add an activity drop-down menu

There are a number of interactive learning activity modules that you may add to your course.

Communication and collaboration may take place using Chats and Forums for conversational activities and Choices to gain group feedback. Adding Wikis to your courses is an excellent way to allow students to work together on a single piece.

Work can be submitted by students and marked by teachers using Assignments or Workshops. Automatic marking can be achieved by using Quizzes. You can even integrate your Hot Potato quizzes by adding a Hotpot activity.

Content may be delivered and supported using Lesson module and SCORM activities. Key words can be added to Glossaries by yourself or, if you allow it, your students.

Surveys and Databases are also very powerful additions to any course.

If all of that isn't enough for you then you can also add contributed modules that are not part of the official Moodle release!

Resources

Add a resource drop-down menu

Moodle supports a range of different resource types that allow you to include almost any kind of digital content into your courses. These are added with the "Add a resource" dropdown box when editing is turned on.

Adding a File, Folder, IMS content package or URL resource may lead to the File picker when you add content. This will allow you to use existing files located in Repositories or upload a new resource.

Blocks

Blocks may be added, hidden, deleted, and moved up, down when editing is turned on. Examples of blocks can be see in the Getting Starting section above. "Latest News", "Upcoming Events" are in the right column, "Settings" is in the left column and "Navigation" and "Search forums" blocks are docked on the left.

A wide range of blocks exist that can provide additional information or functionality to the learner or teacher. There are both standard blocks that come with Moodle and many contributed blocks developed by Moodlers that an administrator can add to a Moodle site.

In addition to its function, a teacher (and site administrator) has some powerful tools to place a block in one or more positions in a course.

The teacher will have a Settings block and a Navigation block that sometimes share common pages via their submenu links. Both these block's menu system will change depending upon Context (what is being done at the moment). For example, a teacher will always see the "Course administration" link in the settings block. When they are in a chat activity they will see a "Chat administration" link in the settings block as well.

Course administration

Settings block, teacher's view

The Course administration menu allows teachers to edit Course settings, manage course participants (for example enroll students, create and manage groups of teachers and students), view the course Grades menu, and access the Teacher_forum. Some teachers will find the backup, Restore, Import (course data) and Reset course links are handy tools when creating similar courses. Naturally a teacher will want to look at Grades and the question bank database, used in quizzes/tests or in the Lesson module.

The links in the Course administration block are only available to teachers of the course. Students will receive their own version of the Settings block which if enabled will display a link to their own gradebook and their own course logs. As a teacher, you can change the way students (and other teachers) access and view your course by exploring the Edit settings option in the Course administration menu.

Activity and resource administration

When the teacher is in an activity or resource, they will see that the settings block has added a new link at the top of the block, above the course administration link. For example, in a quiz this will read "Quiz administration". The sub menu will vary depending upon they type of activity or resource. Check the Moodle Documentation page for the activity or resource for more information.

General advice

  • Subscribe yourself to all of the forums in your course so that you can keep in touch with your class activity.
  • Encourage all of the students to fill out their user profile (including photos) and read them all - this will help provide some context to their later writings and help you to respond in ways that are tailored to their own needs.
  • Keep notes to yourself in the private "Teacher's Forum". This is especially useful when team teaching.
  • Use the Logs link to get access different student activity reports such as Live logs and course Statistics. For example, Live logs is a popup window that updates every sixty seconds and shows the last hour of activity in your course. This is useful to keep open on your desktop all day so you can feel in touch with what's going on in the course.
  • Use the Activity Reports (next to each name in the list of all people, or from any user profile page). These provide a great way to see what any particular person has been up to in the course.
  • Respond quickly to students. Don't leave it for later - do it right away. Not only is it easy to become overwhelmed with the volume that can be generated, but it's a crucial part of building and maintaining a community feel in your course.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment: feel free to poke around and change things. It's hard to break anything in a Moodle course, and even if you do it's usually easy to fix it.
  • Use the navigation bar at the top of each page - this should help remind you where you are and prevent getting lost

See also