Adding a branch table

Template:Lessons A Branch Table is one of two content page types in a Lesson. Sometimes they are referred to as a Branch page. A branch is a series of pages.

Branch Tables and branches in a nutshell

1. Branch Tables are simply pages which have a set of links to other pages in the lesson. Typically a lesson may start with a Branch Table which acts as a table of contents.
2. Each link in a Branch Table has two components, a "jump" and a "description" that the student sees as a button.
3. A Branch Table can effectively divide the lesson into a number of branches (or sections). Each branch can contain a number of pages (probably all related to the same topic). The end of a branch is usually marked by an End of Branch page. This is a special page which, by default, returns the student back to the preceding Branch Table. As with any page, the "return" jump in an End of Branch page can be changed, by editing the page. In some versions, using a "This page" jump in an End of Branch, will send the student to the first page in the lesson.
4. Branches can be nested within each other. For example, a lesson might usefully be structured so that specialist points are sub-branches within the main subject branches. Working on nested sub branches can get complicated without a plan.
5. Branch Tables can also be used to hold content in the lesson as a simple page. As such they are really non-graded content pages. With no description, their jump-link will automatically go to the next page if that is the default in the lesson setting.

Title

The title in a branch table is similar to other pages but has some special uses. The title is the identifier in collapse edit mode and appears on the pulldown jumpto list. The title in a branch table is also used with the "display left menu" setting.

Content

The content area in a branch table is typical of most informational areas used in Moodle. It has the standard Moodle HTML editor.

Description

A branch table description appears to the student as a button. The button width fits the text and the height is fixed. The student selects the button which is associated with a jump. These buttons may be arranged vertically or horizontally. Vertical buttons are centered. Horizon buttons appear in a row, and a second row will appear if needed. The arrangement of buttons is the only thing a teacher can change and this is done in the Lesson settings.

TIP: The "Description" box does not work like the "Answer" box in a question, no mater what it looks like. The "use editor" check box is there and the familiar HTML editor will appear. They do not work. For example, you will see the text in a description field in bold, but the student will not see it.

• The "Maximum number of answers/branches" in Lesson settings ("Update this Lesson" button) determines how many blank descriptions the teacher will see in edit mode.

The Jump link

Each Description in a Branch Table has a Jump associated with it. When a Description button is chosen, the student is sent to the page defined in the Jump associated with the button. The jump can direct a student to a relative or absolute page. In edit mode the teacher can see all the possible jumps by a pull down menu. The most common Relative links are "This page" and "Next page". "This page" means that the student sees the current page again. "Next page" shows the page which follows in the logical order of pages. An absolute page link is specified by choosing a page's title.

Note that when a page is moved, its relative (for example, "Next page") Jump link will show the student a different page than before. Whereas a Jump link that uses an absolute (For example, a page title) always show the same page after the page has been moved.

Special Jumps

Unseen Question within a branch

This will link to a randomly chosen unseen (by the student in this attempt) question between this Branch Table and the End of the Lesson or the next End of Branch.

Random Question within a branch

This will link to a randomly chosen question between the current Branch Table and the End of Lesson or the next End of Branch. If the student has already seen the question and attempts are greater than 1, they will get another chance to earn the point(s) for that question. If attempts are set to 1, the question will be skipped and another random question shown.

Random Branch Table

This will jump to a random Branch Table between the current Branch Table and the End of Lesson or the next End of Branch.

Creating a branch structure in a lesson

It is best to create a branching structure in a lesson after you have created content pages in your lesson in some sort of logical order. Here is a simple example of creating branches that students can navigate to from a page at the start of a lesson.

Go to All-Pages View or Expanded View of your lesson. Above each page of your lesson you will see a link: Add a Branch Table. Decide where you want to create a branch table and click on the Add Branch Table link. You will need to specify the name of your Branch Table (for example: Contents) and then write a few words introducing the topic/ topics covered in your branches.

Next, enter the name of each button link in the description and the page to which each button link will jump. This jump should be the start of each navigational branch section. As a best practice, add a button for End of Lesson in at least this branch table so the student can exit.

Finally you will insert End of Branch pages where each navigational branch section ends. All the jumps your End of Branch pages should be set to the Content page we created in this example.

See Also

• Index of Help Files - Very Useful

Lesson_Pages#Branch_.28Branch_Table.29-_Choice_Pages

For more Lesson topics click on Lesson or the Teacher links below