Moodle Basics

1. Moodle Basics Janice Poston David Tipton

2. Helpful Sites • Information about the conversion and links to the live site will be on the portal in the middle of screen under Moodle/Joule Conversion • Not all are there yet, but keep checking for information and resources • Tutorials and handouts on Moodle/Joule 2 are is available at--http://clickables.moodlerooms.com/s/steps/m/joule2

3. Logging On • Usually use the portal just like with Blackboard • Today though we will use the Development Site available at: • http://spalding-sandbox.mrooms.net/

4. Login (cont.) • Login by clicking on Login in the upper right-hand corner • Enter your portal username and portal password

5. Editing Your Profile • Important to request how you want to receive e-mails regarding forum postings • Important to edit settings to allow for Advanced Web Settings like Ajax • After logging on go to the far left-hand side and to the Settings Block

6. Editing Profile (cont.) • Click on My Profile Settings to edit

7. Editing Profile (cont.) Choose digest for forum postings Choose Advanced Web Features Here

8. Course Administration Editing • Go to My Courses on the left-hand side and double-click on your course • Go to the left-hand side of the screen and scroll down to Course Administration • Turn editing on • Click on Edit Settings • You may change the format from weekly to topical, change completion settings, make course unavailable to students, add weeks (e.g. for holiday break)

9. Course Settings Page Change format—weekly to topical

10. Course Administration • Also allows access to grades, rubrics, creation of groups, reports, and Personalized Learning Designer for setting up rules for student progress through the course • We will try to cover some of these at the advanced sessions

11. Edit Summary • Click on the icon right above News Forum

12. Resources and Activities • Resources are files, books, textual materials that are non-interactive and not graded • Activities are interactive, graded materials such as forums, quizzes, test, wikis, lessons, etc. • They are added for each week or topic

13. Adding Resources, Activities, and Icons The action is in the middle of the screen Move an item using click and drag Edit contents Delete Add resources or activities Hide contents

14. Adding a File • Click on the Add a Resource menu • Add a name and summary for the file • Click on Add • Use the File Picker to Browse for the file • Click on Upload File • After adding any resource or activity, be sure to click on Save and Return to Course or Save and Display

15. Adding a Forum • Click on Add Resources • Select Forum • Give the Forum a name • Select the type of forum • Select subscription type—auto is best • Select whether it should be graded or rated

16. Adding a Forum (cont.) • Five types of forums • Standard forum--everyone post a response and anyone can start a new discussion at any time • Q & A students must post a response before viewing other posts • Each person posts one discussion which everyone can respond to • Standard forum blog-like format • Single discussion topic anyone can respond to

17. Adding a Quiz • Click on Add Resources • Select Quiz • Give the quiz a name • Decide how you want questions displayed • Decide if you want them shuffled • Set up grade boundaries

18. Setting Up Categories in GradeBook • Best to keep it simple and use a point system • Grades will automatically load into WebAdvisor when session is finished • Use Sum of All Grade Values for aggregation and avoid weighting if possible • Some activities automatically entered in the GradeBook • Simpler GradeBook coming

19. That’s All Folks • Moodle is similar to Blackboard, but there are some new tools • While BB content may be converted to Moodle, some items may not convert and cleanup will be necessary • May be easier and faster to start from scratch