Moodle 1.95 Instructor Guide: Setting Up Your Moodle Course

Transcription

1 What is Mdle? Mdle is a free and pen surce Learning Management System (LMS). Instructrs will be able t uplad syllabi r ther curse guidelines t the Mdle curse, set up assignment submissin electrnically, rganize discussin frums, send s t the class, etc. Tips t get started: 1. Befre the curse starts, cntact yur students and let them knw hw they can access curse resurces via the Mdle learning management system (see page 10). 2. Syllabus naming cnventin (see pg. 4): Beginning 2012 Spring, the letters syl must appear in the syllabus name. Please name yur syllabi using the fllwing cnventin: Getting Started: Access Yur Mdle Curses Access the Mdle lgn page in ne f three ways: G directly t mdle.lasell.edu G t my.lasell.edu, select the Mdle tab G t selfservice.lasell.edu, select the Mdle frm the Hme tab T lg int Mdle: Enter yur Lasell Netwrk username and passwrd. Once yu lg in, yur curses will be listed. Click n the name f any ne f yur curses t begin the editing prcess. Curse Hmepage Layut 1. When entering a new Mdle curse fr the first time, the curse hmepage will be mstly blank. syl_buss101a_cursename_facultylas tname.pdf r syl_buss101a_cursename_facultylas tname.dc 3. Keep the same file name: if yu keep using the same file name after updating the dcument cntent, the newly updated file will replace the ld file n need t re-link the file. 4. Use the breadcrumb navigatin bar at the tp f each page. It will help remind yu where yu are. 5. Open the Curse: When yur curse is ready t pen t students, g t the Curse Setting page and change the Availability t This curse is available t students. 7-Step Checklist t Set Up Mdle Curse: 1. User Prfile is up t date (page 8) 2. Curse intrductin and welcme is cmplete (page 2) 3. First Weekly tpics is set and available t students (page 3) 4. Syllabus and ther intrductry materials have been upladed (page 4) 5. Added assignments (if apprpriate, page 9) 6. Made the curse available t students (page 8) 7. Sent welcme letters t students explaining hw t use Mdle (page 10) 2. A Curse Template will be visible ffering a breadcrumb style navigatin bar at the tp, Curse Menu n the left (functins the navigatin that users culd select and jump t each week r tpic quickly), individual blck areas n the right side (The default psitins f side blcks are prvided, yu d NOT need t wrry abut changing them), and Weekly Outline sectins in the middle t let yu add Curse resurces and activities. 3. Yu will ntice that the tp sectin befre the Week ne (we call it Week 0) has a stand-ut grey backgrund. This grey sectin is reserved t put yur curse intrductins and guidelines. We will start here t wrk n yur Mdle curse. Editing Yur Mdle Curse Page T add cntents r edit the cntents t the curse, make the curse t the editing mde by clicking n the Turn edit n buttn in the upper right crner f the curse hmepage. Yur curse hmepage will enter the editing mde and lk differently with sme extra icns and drpdwn menus. Yu will use thse icns and drpdwns t add, edit, rganize, r delete cntents. 1/6/2012 1

2 1. Adding Yur Curse Intrductin T help yur students access general curse resurces, it is recmmended t pst yur curse intrductins (descriptins) r ther general curse resurces at the tp sectin f yur curse. The tp sectin (we call it Week 0, r Curse Intrductin sectin) has a stand-ut grey backgrund reserved fr this purpse. At the editing mde, click the Edit summary icn (we call it Edit icn) at the tp Week 0 sectin t add yur curse intrductin infrmatin frm yur structuring page n the paper. Yu will get the Summary f week 0 page. Yu can start typing in yur curse intrductin at the summary bx, using the html editrs t change the fnt clr, size, r d ther frmatting, and then click n the Save Changes buttn t g back t the curse hmepage. In additin, yu can frmat yur week 0 sectin by inserting a label a. Turn editing n, if yu haven't already dne s. b. Chse "Insert a label" in the "Add a Resurce" drp-dwn menu n the week 0 sectin. c. At the adding a new label page, use the HTML editr t frmat yur label (different fnt size, fnt clr, r hrizntal line etc.) t break up the text r list f resurces. 1/6/2012 2

3 The next is an example f the Curse Intrductin sectin after frmatting (we will talk abut hw t uplad yur syllabus r curse guidelines t the curse intrductin sectin sn.) 2. Adding Yur Weekly Tpics Use yur curse utline as a guide t yur weekly tpics. On the curse hmepage, find the first week sectin under the grey week 0 sectin. It will be labeled with starting date and ending date f that week, fr example September 6 September 12, depending n what the first day f yur class is. If yu are still at the editing mde, yu will see a similar page like next screen; If yu didn t see thse extra icns and drpdwn menus in each week sectin, please click n the Turn editing n buttn at the tp-right crner again. Click the edit icn again in this week 1 sectin and start wrking n yur week ne tpic. Same as week 0, yu can insert the label and use the html editr t frmat yur tpics and make each different part stand ut. Fr example, use different clr and fnt t label different parts. Ntes: Please take time t play with the frmatting f the week 1 sectin until yu feel satisfied with its lk and feel. After yu cmplete the week 1 sectin, yu can use this sectin as a template fr the fllwing weeks s that yur students are presented with a cnsistent frmat. 1/6/2012 3

4 The next screensht is an example f the week 1 sectin: 3. Uplading Curse Resurces t Mdle A. Resurces type: Yu can uplad almst any file type t yur curse, such as web pages, graphics files, audi files, vide files, wrd prcessing dcuments, presentatins, PDF files, links, r flash files. ns. Recmmended file type: PDF free sftware that can be dwnladed, if necessary Micrsft Wrd dcument - if yu want t prvide a template fr students such as a wrksheet r assignment. B. File naming: (yu may want t share the rules with yur students and ask them t fllw the same rules t uplad their files t Mdle): Rule 1: Avid using special characters in a file name. \ / : *? < > [ ] & $,. It shuldn't have any punctuatin in the file name, such as cmmas, apstrphes, etc. If yu find yur file des nt appear in Mdle after it was upladed, try t remve all punctuatin by renaming the file and then try t uplad again. Rule 2: Use underscres instead f perids r spaces. Perids already have a specific functin in a file name, which is t tell the cmputer prgram where the file-name extensin begins. Spaces are frequently translated in a Web envirnment t be read as %20. Fr example, Naming tutrial.dc wuld appear as Naming%20tutrial.dc. Because the file will be upladed and displayed nline; this alteratin can cause cnfusin in identifying the actual file name. Rule 3: The file name shuld include all necessary descriptive infrmatin, fr example: syllabus_itec305_fall_2009.pdf firstname_lastname_week1_assignment_ dc Special instructins f syllabus naming cnventin, beginning 2012 Spring: When the faculty member uplads the syllabus t the Mdle curse, a cpy f this syllabus will be cpied t a database n my.lasell, fr the cmmunity t access. In rder fr this strage prcess t wrk prperly, the letters syl must appear in the syllabus name. Please name yur syllabi using the fllwing cnventin: syl_buss101a_cursename_facultylastname.pdf r syl_buss101a_cursename_facultylastname.dc 1/6/2012 4

5 C. Organize yur resurce files in an apprpriately named flder: The curse materials yu prepared can be added t yur curse by uplading files t the server. While yur files are n the server, yu can mve, rename, replace, r delete them. All f these actins can be perfrmed using the Files link in yur Administratin blck. The Files Repsitry lks like the fllwing screensht. The Files link is nly available t teachers - it is nt accessible by students. Yu can click n Make a flder t create a new flder fr each week sectin, and then uplad curse resurces in each week yu planned n the paper t each apprpriate week flder in the file repsitry. After ne flder is created, click the flder name and enter the flder, then click the "Uplad a file buttn. Hit Brwse, lcate the file n yur cmputer, and click "Uplad this file." Yu will be returned t the "Files" windw. Yu will find yur upladed file is listing in the flder. Tips f re-uplading the file - Keep the same file name: After we uplad ne file fllwing the abve steps, it is ften we need t edit the file, update the cntent, and then re-uplad. After updating the dcument cntent, the newly updated and upladed file culd replace the ld file, nly if we keep the same file name. This simple tip will save us time t avid relining the file t the Resurce. The files that yu uplad are still at the backend file repsitry and NOT available t yur students nw. They are made available t students later n as "Resurces" when yu Add a resurce at each weekly/tpic sectin, either by link t a file r web site r Display a directry. D. Adding yur rganized resurces t Curse Intrductin sectin r weekly sectin T add yur rganized resurces in the file repsitry t yur curse hmepage, turn edit n, g t the Curse Intrductin week 0 sectin r desired week sectin, and select "Link t a file r website" frm the "Add a resurce" drp-dwn menu. Give yur file link a descriptive name. It's best t have a brief summary f the link file fr yur wn reminder. Yur students will nt see the summary part. 1/6/2012 5

6 Click "Chse r uplad a file", and lcate the file. If the file is in the flder, duble click t the flder name t display the names f included files. The screensht example is shwing the file is in the Syllabus flder. Click the "Chse" link next t the file. Then the file s path will shw up in the Lcatin bx. If the file has NOT been upladed, click the Uplad a file buttn t uplad the file first and then click the Chse link next t the file. Then click n Save and return t curse buttn t g back t the curse hmepage. Editing/Building Icns and Drpdwn Menus Mdle has flat and linear navigatin, therefre all links t yur activities r materials will be psted right n the curse hmepage, ne under anther, in the apprpriate sectin fr tpic r week. T pst yur activities r materials n yur Mdle curse, yu need t be in the editing mde. In the editing mde, yu will be able t see drp-dwn menus and additinal cntrl icns. 1. Turn editing n buttn: T add cntents r edit the cntents t the curse, yu have t make the curse t the editing mde by clicking n the Turn edit n buttn in the upper right crner f the curse hmepage. Yu can always chse Student frm Switch rle t drp-dwn bx t view yur curse as a student. 2. Drp-dwn menus: Drp-dwn menus will allw yu t add three different types f items t the curse site: Resurces, Activities, and Blcks. Resurces static curse materials that students read but dn't interact with, such as web pages, graphics, Wrd dcuments, PwerPint s, links, shrt labels, vide files, and Adbe Acrbat dcuments. Activities interactive curse mdules that yu use t interact with yur students, such as frums, glssaries, quizzes, assignments, wikis, etc. Blcks - additinal tls which prvide sme additinal functinality t the site, e.g. calendar, nline users, sectin links, quickmails, etc. 1/6/2012 6

7 3. Cntrl icns: Once yu add an item t the curse hmepage, yu will be able t mve it t the desired lcatin r mdify its appearance, by using the cntrl icns explained belw. Edit: click this icn t edit whatever it is next t. Delete: This icn deletes resurces and activities (with a warning), whereas it nly remves blcks, which can be added at any time later (except HTML blck). Help: click this icn t view a ppup cntent sensitive help file abut the item. Hide (Opened eye): An pen eye indicates that an item is visible t students. Clicking n the icn will hide the items frm students when yu feel the item in nt ready fr students t view. Visibility can be als cntrlled n the Settings page fr the individual resurce r activity (Cmmn mdule settings: Visible). Shw (Clsed eye): If any f yur items are hidden, yu may unhide them and make them available t students by clicking n this icn. Mve up/dwn: click this icn t mve the item up and dwn in the curse. Mve left/right (Indent/Outdent): fr each recurse r activity, click this icn t add r cancel the item s indentatin; fr each side blck, click this icn t mve the blck t the right r left side. Placehlder: This icn will appear nly nce yu click Mve up/dwn icn Clicking n Placehlder will mve yur item t the new lcatin. / Highlight: This icn will allw yu t highlight the current tpic, if yur curse uses Tpic layut (the current week is highlighted autmatically). / / Grup mde: Sme activities can be dne in grups. This icn represents what kind f grup mde is currently set fr the activity: N grups/ Visible grups/ Separate grups. Grup mde can be als cntrlled n the Settings page fr the individual resurce r activity (under Cmmn mdule settings: Grup mde) / Cllapse/Shw all sectins: This icn will allw yu t view nly ne sectin (tpic r week) at a time. If yu chse t cllapse, the Jump t drpdwn menu will appear n the bttm f the curse hmepage. Nte that this is an individual setting, and each user has t set it n his/her wn. Navigatin 1. The breadcrumb style navigatin bar at the tp f each page will help yu knw where yu are and allw yu t g back t the hmepage by clicking the curse name as yu explre different parts f Mdle. 2. Mving t Sectins with the Curse Menu blck On the tp-right Curse Menu blck, click the link f each week r tpic t jump t the specific week r tpic. 3. Mving between sectins: If yu are under the cllapse mde and nly see ne sectin a time, yu can use the Jump bar at the bttm f the screen, r the numbers in the Sectin Links blck yu added n the side t mve frm sectin t sectin. 1/6/2012 7

8 4. Mving between curse resurces and activities: If yu are in ne f curse resurces and activities pages, anther way t navigate the curse site is the Jump t drpdwn menu lcated at the tp right crner f yur curse page. It allws yu t mve frm ne exercise t anther and bypass the main menu. The small arrws t either side f the jump bar will take yu frward r back ne exercise. User Prfiles Yur prfile is yur identity n Lasell Mdle. All Lasell Mdle users can see it, including yur students, if they have pprtunity t click yur name. T access yur prfile, click n Participants link in the Peple blck and then click n yur wn name, r click n Prfile link in the Administratin blck, r anywhere else that yur name appears as a link. Yur prfile will pen, shwing the infrmatin thers can see abut yu. Click the Edit prfile tab t add intrductin abut yurself, uplad an image, r add/change ther pieces f infrmatin. Picture: Yur picture will be used in varius places t represent yu in Lasell Mdle. If yu have ID picture taken, yur ID s pht will be displayed autmatically in yur Mdle prfile. If yu dn t have the ID pht, r if yu wuld like t replace the ID pht, in the Picture f blck use the Brwse buttn next t the "New Picture" field t lcate a picture. The picture must be in JPG r GIF frmat (ie the names will usually end in.jpg r.gif). Then click "Update my Prfile" at the bttm, the image file will be crpped t a square and resized dwn t 100x100 pixels. Curse Settings T adjust yur curse settings, find the Administratin blck n yur curse hmepage and click Settings. On the Settings page, yu can change a number f settings abut yur curse, frm its name t what day it starts. Fr details abut a setting, click the Help icn next t it. Frmat: The curse frmat yu chse will determine the basic layut f yur curse. WEEKLY frmat: rganizes the cntent blcks in seven day increments frm the start date t the finish date f the curse. Activities and Resurces can be arranged accrding t the week. Mst f the curses will use this weekly frmat. TOPICS frmat: is nt autmatically labeled, and is nt restricted t any time limit. Tpics can be used t rganize material mre thematically. Number f weeks/tpics: This setting is used by the Weekly and Tpics curse frmats, and determines the number f "bxes" dwn the middle f the curse page. In the Tpics frmat it specifies the number f tpics in the curse. In the Weekly frmat it specifies the number f weeks that the curse will run, starting frm the curse starting date and displaying ne blck fr every seven days. Availability: All curses are created with Availability set t "This curse is nt available t students" s that the curse will nt appear n any curse listings, except t teachers f the curse and administratrs. When yu think yur curse is ready t pen t yur students, please cme back t the Curse Setting page and change the Availability t This curse is available t students. 1/6/2012 8

9 Advanced Mdle Features Mdle 1.95 Instructr Guide: Setting Up Yur Mdle Curse Building a curse invlves adding curse activity mdules t the main page in a lgical rder. Yu can change the rder any time yu like. T turn editing n: click n the buttn at the tp right crner f the page. T add a new activity: g t the desired tpic r week sectin where yu want t add the activity, and select the type f activity frm the Add an activity drp dwn list. Summary f standard Mdle activities: Assignment An assignment is where yu set a task with a due date and a maximum grade. Depending n the type f assignment, students will be able t uplad ne file t satisfy the requirements. After students submit their assignments thrugh Mdle, the instructr can view each upladed file and then recrd a grade and a cmment. There are fur assignment types in Mdle: Advanced uplading f files: If yu wuld like t let students submit multiple files r prvide their ntes alng with assignment submissin, r yu wuld like t cmment n a student's file and als uplad the versin f the file with yur cmments, chse Advanced uplading f files under Assignment type. This will allw the student t uplad a file, which the instructr can then pen and grade. In additin the instructr can add cmments t the submitted file, save it with a new name, and uplad the cmmented versin. Students will then see bth their riginal and yur cmmented versin f their file. Online text: This assignment type asks students t enter text using the nrmal Mdle editing tls directly. These assignments are graded nline with the ability t add inline cmments r changes. Uplad a single file: This assignment type is similar t the advanced uplading f files, hwever, this assignment type nly allws students t uplad ne file withut ntes. This assignment type als lacks the ability t uplad cmmented files back t the student. Offline activity: This assignment type can be used t remind students f real-wrld assignments they need t cmplete. Frum This activity mdule is fr curse discussins. It s a pwerful cmmunicatin tl. The frum type is defaulted t Standard frum fr general use - an pen frum where anyne can start a new tpic at any time; this is the best general-purpse frum. Subscriptins: If yu decide t frce subscriptin then all curse users will be subscribed autmatically. It means that all users will be sent cpies f every pst in that frum (psts are sent abut 30 minutes after the pst was first written). Please be careful t chse this ptin because it may fld everyne s bx quickly. Frums may als be used as graded assignments. Quiz This activity mdule allws yu t design and present quizzes cnsisting f multiple chices, true-false and shrt answer questins. Yur questins are kept in a categrized database, and can be reused within curses and between curses. This mdule includes grading facilities. 1/6/2012 9

10 Sample Letter t Students Mdle 1.95 Instructr Guide: Setting Up Yur Mdle Curse Welcme t (Curse) and Welcme t Mdle, a curse management tl which will allw us t extend ur time tgether beynd ur face t face class meetings. We can use Mdle t pst dcuments, access timelines, and cmmunicate with ne anther. Yu may even want t use this tl t cllabrate n prjects with yur classmates. S t begin, yu need t fllw a few basic steps: Access t the Mdle lgn page can be accmplished in ne f three ways: G t my.lasell.edu, select the Mdle tab G t selfservice.lasell.edu, select the Mdle frm the Hme tab G directly t mdle.lasell.edu In the center f the Lasell Cllege Mdle hme page, yu will find Mdle Student Guide (ffered in text and vide) that will give yu an understanding f hw yu can access sme really cl features in Mdle. Remember these tw easy steps: 1. Lg int Mdle using yur Lasell username and passwrd. 2. Select ur curse name which is listed under My Curses. T be sure that yu have been successful with yur lgn, here is yur first assignment: Send an t me ( address is lcated n the syllabus) using the prfessinal standards psted n ur Mdle website (lk fr link) and explain t me: what yu hpe t learn frm this curse (curse bjectives are lcated in the syllabus and the curse utline discusses assignments and prjects); what grade yu plan t earn; what yu need t d in rder t earn that grade; and cmplete and attach the curse survey, which yu will find under Curse Intrductin Assignments (I usually ask students t answer questins that will help me understand hw their previus knwledge will infrm their experience in this curse). Nw even thugh we have this wnderful nline tl, I fully recgnize that sme f yu wuld prefer additinal face time; therefre, dn t frget t lk fr my ffice hurs n the syllabus. I d get lnely and d enjy a face t face chat whenever pssible. :<) Best wishes fr a successful semester at Lasell, Prfessr 1/6/

11 Truble Shting: Setting up Curses When I try t access Lasell Mdle at the page culdn t be laded. It seemed like there may have been sme netwrk related issues ging n ccasinally. We've had gd, dependable perfrmance ut f the Mdle server, but we d realize any dwntime is an incnvenience. Mdle supprt team will be ntified autmatically abut the prblem at the minute, and will reset the web service t bring Mdle service back t nrmal. Please try again in a cuple f minutes later. My curse n Mdle is ready t g, why my students cannt see it? Please make sure that yu made yur curse available in Mdle. G t Settings in Administratin bx and change the Availability field t This curse is available t students. I d nt have ptins t edit my curse page, what can I d? Be sure t click n Turn editing n buttn either frm the upper right crner f yur curse r the Administratin bx. Then yu will see a small blue icn (edit icn) besides each week/tpic mdule and each activity (e.g., frum, assignment, resurces etc.) that yu added int yur curse. Then yu can start editing. Why culdn t I uplad the file t my Mdle curse? Please duble check with the file name. When naming yur file, avid using special characters ( / \ *? < > & $), space and punctuatins (, : ;.). After remving all special characters, space and punctuatins, please uplad yu file again. I upladed all my resurces files in Mdle, hw can my students see and dwnlad them frm my curse hmepage? Althugh yu already upladed all yur resurces files in Mdle, it is still at the back-end file repsitry and nt available fr yur students yet. Yu need t click n Add a resurce drp-dwn bx t add either a link t a file r web site r Display a directry t add yur resurce file at the week sectin that yu want it t be. After that, yur students will be able t lcate the file and dwnlad it. I added resurces and materials fr week ne, why culdn t students see it? In the editing mde, did yu ntice the pened eye and clsed eye fr yur week ne? If the eye icn fr yur week ne is a clsed eye, that means yu hide the week ne and yur students are nt able t see it. Just click the clsed eye t make it pen. I cmpleted all SIX weeks f my curse n Mdle, why can I nly see ne week s materials and activities frm the curse hme page? Yu might click n the Cllapse sectins icn in ne week/tpic sectin by accident. This icn nly allws yu t view ne sectin at a time. Just click the Shw all sectins icn again t shw all sectins. Hw can I add r delete extra weeks/tpics in my Mdle curse? Yu can add r delete extra sectins by clicking the Settings in Administratin bx f yur curse. Change Number f weeks/tpics t whatever yu want it t be. 1/6/