Course checks block: Difference between revisions

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BCU Course Checks carries out a number of automated checks on a course. Checks can be configured by site admin and overridden within a specific course.
BCU Course Checks carries out a number of automated checks on a course. Checks can be configured by site admin and overridden within a specific course.
Checks were designed to encourage a minimum standard of course quality by alerting editors of common mistakes and encouraging the use of specified activities or blocks.
Checks were designed to encourage a minimum standard of course quality by alerting editors of common mistakes and encouraging the use of specified activities or blocks.
The block also has the option to allow users to "clear down" empty sections within a course in a single click, empty sections being a common consequence of Moodle's default behaviour of creating new courses with ten sections.


The block also has the option to allow users to "clear down" empty sections within a course in a single click. This won't delete any sections that have either content or a section summary.
'''** Note:''' If you have issues with empty sections Moodle now allows site administrators to set the default to One section for new courses after which the add / remove sections buttons at the end of the course page can be used to add more as required


The checks that can be carried out by this block are:
==Overview==


The checks / functions that can be carried out by this block are:
* One click clear down of empty course sections (no content and no summary)
* Checks that the course has a summary
* Checks that the course has a summary
* Check the course has an image set (Moodle 2.6+ has this feature)
* Check the course has an image set (Moodle 2.6+ has this feature)
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* Allows site administrators to recommend specific blocks are used in each course
* Allows site administrators to recommend specific blocks are used in each course
* Allows site administrators to recommend specific activities are used in each course
* Allows site administrators to recommend specific activities are used in each course
==Site Administration Settings==
Navigate to: Site Administration > Plugins > Blocks > Course Checks Block
* Allow users to clean course? - when enabled a "Clean Course" button will be enabled in the block allowing one click cleanup of all empty sections
* Allow the user to set their own course checks? - When enabled will allow course editors to override the default settings / checks where they are not appropriate
* Check that course summary isn't empty? - Will indicate whether the course summary (edit course settings) has been set, this is the summary appearing on category pages
* Check that course image is set? - Will indicate whether the course image has been set (edit course settings) which appears on category pages
* Check if the course is visible to students? - Will indicate whether the course is visible to students / hidden
* Check that guest access is disabled for the course - Will indicate whether guest access is disabled "warning" editors if it is. Enabling guest access can be problematic as it allows students to access a course but not participate in activities. This can be confusing to students who (within our organization) subsequently complain that they cannot post to forums or submit assignments
* Should all sections be renamed? - When enabled encourages editors to name sections appropriately as opposed to leaving the default "Topic 1, Topic 2" names in place
* Should all sections have a summary? - When enabled encourages editors to add a summary to each section
* Should all sections have content? - When enabled will flag any sections which are empty encouraging editors to either add content or perhaps use the "clean course" option if additional empty sections are not required


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 11:33, 17 October 2014

BCU Course Checks carries out a number of automated checks on a course. Checks can be configured by site admin and overridden within a specific course. Checks were designed to encourage a minimum standard of course quality by alerting editors of common mistakes and encouraging the use of specified activities or blocks. The block also has the option to allow users to "clear down" empty sections within a course in a single click, empty sections being a common consequence of Moodle's default behaviour of creating new courses with ten sections.

** Note: If you have issues with empty sections Moodle now allows site administrators to set the default to One section for new courses after which the add / remove sections buttons at the end of the course page can be used to add more as required

Overview

The checks / functions that can be carried out by this block are:

  • One click clear down of empty course sections (no content and no summary)
  • Checks that the course has a summary
  • Check the course has an image set (Moodle 2.6+ has this feature)
  • Checks that the course is visible to students
  • Checks that guest access has been disabled on the course (avoiding issues of students accidentally accessing as guest when they should be enrolled)
  • Check that section headings have been renamed from their defaults
  • Check that all sections have a summary
  • Check that there are no empty sections and that they all have content
  • Allows site administrators to recommend specific blocks are used in each course
  • Allows site administrators to recommend specific activities are used in each course

Site Administration Settings

Navigate to: Site Administration > Plugins > Blocks > Course Checks Block

  • Allow users to clean course? - when enabled a "Clean Course" button will be enabled in the block allowing one click cleanup of all empty sections
  • Allow the user to set their own course checks? - When enabled will allow course editors to override the default settings / checks where they are not appropriate
  • Check that course summary isn't empty? - Will indicate whether the course summary (edit course settings) has been set, this is the summary appearing on category pages
  • Check that course image is set? - Will indicate whether the course image has been set (edit course settings) which appears on category pages
  • Check if the course is visible to students? - Will indicate whether the course is visible to students / hidden
  • Check that guest access is disabled for the course - Will indicate whether guest access is disabled "warning" editors if it is. Enabling guest access can be problematic as it allows students to access a course but not participate in activities. This can be confusing to students who (within our organization) subsequently complain that they cannot post to forums or submit assignments
  • Should all sections be renamed? - When enabled encourages editors to name sections appropriately as opposed to leaving the default "Topic 1, Topic 2" names in place
  • Should all sections have a summary? - When enabled encourages editors to add a summary to each section
  • Should all sections have content? - When enabled will flag any sections which are empty encouraging editors to either add content or perhaps use the "clean course" option if additional empty sections are not required


See also