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Dataform settings

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Revision as of 13:14, 3 October 2012 by Itamar Tzadok (talk | contribs)


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

Enabling Dataform module

  • As an administrator, go to Settings > Site Administration > Plugins > Activity modules > Manage activities
  • Turn on the (open) eye of "Dataform"

df-admin-enabling-module.png

Site administration settings

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

Dataform site admin settings

Dataform administration settings

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

General

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.

Timing

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 up the dataform as a periodic activity. For example, with a one-week interval duration and the number of intervals set to five, the dataform will function as a weekly activity ending after five weeks.

By default, the number of intervals 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).

All the entries settings (e.g. max entries, required entries etc.; see below) are per interval. For example, the activity is set to ten one-week intervals and maximum entries is set to one, participants may add up to one entry every week up to a total of ten entries by the end of the activity.

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.

Entries

Maximum entries

The maximum number of entries a participant may add to the activity.

This setting may be useful for applications such as essay/structured assignment and periodic reports. It also prevents from flooding the activity with unnecessary or spam entries.

Entries required

The number of entries each participant is required to enter before the activity may be considered complete. The participant will see a reminder message upon entering the activity if s/he has not submitted the required number of entries.

Entries to view

The number of entries a participant needs to submit before s/he may see entries by other participants.


Note: If entries are required before viewing, the dataform auto-linking filter should be disabled. This is because the auto-linking filter can't determine whether a participant has submitted the required number of entries.

Editing time limit

Approval

When enabled, each entry needs to be approved by someone with the appropriate role before other users may view it.

Grouped

Locks

Comments

When enabled, participants may view or add comments to entries in the activity, both their own and others'.

Comments tags need to be added to view templates (see views).

Ratings

When enabled, participants may view their entries ratings or add ratings to others' entries in the activity.

Ratings tags need to be added to view templates (see views).

Grade

Scale

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.

Method

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.

Other settings

There are the usual Common module settings and - if admin has enabled them - the Restrict access settings Conditional activities.

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.