Settings in the Moodle Course

The lecturer role in Moodle allows you to adjust various settings in the Moodle course and to design the content of the course.

How settings can be edited differs depending on the Moodle theme (see screenshots below).

On the other hand, adding activities or material is the same for all Moodle themes (see quick access for Moodle).

Quick access for Moodle

⬛️ Turn on editing (top right button)

➕ Create activity or add material

⚙️ Edit settings

✏️ Edit title via pencil icon

✢ Move elements using arrow cross icon

"Edit settings" in the Moodle theme Classic
"Edit settings" in the Moodle theme Classic
"Edit settings" in the Moodle theme Boost
"Edit settings" in the Moodle theme Boost
"Edit settings" in the Moodle theme Adaptable
"Edit settings" in the Moodle theme Adaptable
Step 1: course format

Select suitable course format

e.g. grid format, topics format, weekly format

Course administration -> "Edit settings" -> "Course format"

Course administration - Edit settings - Course format

Grid format

  • Presentation of modules in tiles

  • Advantage: direct overview of all sections of the course

  • Disadvantage: Section opens as pop-up, images required for tiles

Moodle course format: grid format (Boost theme)
Moodle course format: grid format (Boost theme)

Topics format

  • all contents on one page

  • Advantage: no extra pop-up opens

  • Disadvantage: not all sections at a glance (scrolling required)

Moodle course format: Topics format (Boost theme)
Moodle course format: Topics format (Boost theme)

Weekly format

  • all contents on one page

  • Advantage: no extra pop-up opens, sorted by weeks

  • Disadvantage: not all sections at a glance (scrolling required)

Moodle course format: Weekly format (Boost theme)
Moodle course format: Weekly format (Boost theme)
Step 2: theme

Set the desired theme

e.g. Boost, Classic, Adaptable

Course administration -> "Edit settings" -> "Appearance"

Course administration - Edit settings - Appearance

Boost

Moodle appearance & design: Boost (in topics format)
Moodle appearance & design: Boost (in topics format)

Classic

Moodle appearance & design: Classic (in topics format)
Moodle appearance & design: Classic (in topics format)

Adaptable

Moodle appearance & design: Adaptable (in topics format)
Moodle appearance & design: Adaptable (in topics format)
Step 3: structure content into service and lesson areas

Creating the structure of a Moodle course

Use the service area and lesson area for orientation

Service area

  • Greeting as text, video or audio track (customise label)

  • Image

  • Contact details

  • Overarching learning objectives

  • Information about the course structure

  • Communication channels (forums, chat ...)

  • Indication of consultation hours

  • If applicable and consistent throughout the semester, course room

Lesson area

  • Learning objectives

  • Input, material

  • Descriptions

  • Tasks for the week with approximate times

  • Literature

  • If applicable, knowledge test

  • If applicable, coloured bars for orientation (use HTML codes)

Example structure of a Moodle course in service and lesson area
Example structure of a Moodle course in service and lesson area
Example lesson area
Example lesson area

Tips for teaching

  • Create learning objectives & introductory text

  • Indicate approximate workload in minutes (behind each activity to support predictability for students).

  • Add descriptions and check “Display description on course page".

  • Embed images, videos or H5P applications in a text field

  • Hide course content that is not yet relevant (whole topic or individual content)
    Settings -> Course format -> completely invisible

  • Use participant view to check course view for students
    Profile picture -> Switch role to... -> Participant (Teilnehmer/in)  
    Profile picture -> Back to my normal role

  • Use highlighting, e.g. coloured dividers for each text field or section highlighting in Moodle

Explanation: Group mode in Moodle

Use Moodle group mode (as needed)

e.g. for seminar groups (groupings) or for group work in a seminar (groups)

Course Administration -> Users -> Groups -> Auto-create groups

Groups and groupings

In Moodle, students can be divided into groups and groupings. This has the advantage that activities and materials can be used differently by individual groups.
This makes it possible to combine courses with similar content that were previously divided into three or more course environments (e.g. for each seminar group) into one Moodle course and additionally create areas for group work.

Conclusion: the group mode makes it easier to differentiate in terms of content and methods in Moodle.

There are three group modes in Moodle:

  1. No groups: there are no groups in the course, each course member belongs to the overall group.

  2. Separate groups: each group is only able to see the members of its own group. The other groups (and their activities, e.g. forum posts or wiki entries) are invisible.

  3. Visible groups: each group works for itself, but sees the members of the other groups (and their activities, but with read-only access).

When should I use groups?

Example: for group work as part of a seminar. 

  • Groups are suitable, for example, if you would like students to discuss, exchange or work together in small groups.

    • Internal group discussion forum

    • Internal group etherpad for collecting ideas

    • Internal group wiki

When should I use groupings?

Example: I can use groupings to differentiate the content and students for a seminar I am teaching to parallel groups (seminar group 1 and seminar group 2).

  • Groupings, in turn, make it easy to provide certain groups with materials and activities that other groups should not have access to.

Use groupings in the Moodle course to define what is displayed
Use groupings in the Moodle course to define what is displayed
Adjust settings for groups in the Moodle course
Adjust settings for groups in the Moodle course
Automatic creation of groups in the Moodle course
Automatic creation of groups in the Moodle course
Adjust settings for groupings in the Moodle course
Adjust settings for groupings in the Moodle course
Step 4: enrolment methods

Define enrolment methods

e.g. manual enrolment, self-enrolment

Course administration -> Users -> Enrolment methods

The "Edit" column makes it possible to enable or disable the enrolment methods (eye symbol) and edit the settings.
e.g. to protect self-enrolment with a password

Examples:

  • You can enrol colleagues and assistants manually.
    Enrolment methods -> Manual enrolments -> Enrol users -> [new window] search for names in the search field of the “Not enrolled users" section -> Assign course role (lecturer) -> Add
    URZ manual enrolment guide

Define enrolment methods
Define enrolment methods
Activate self-enrolment with password
Activate self-enrolment with password
Explanation: roles and rights

Manage roles and rights

e.g. to give someone lecturer rights

Participants -> Roles: Pencil symbol -> Select role -> Save

  • Select "Participants" (or in the block "Course administration" in the section "Users" select the option "Enrolled users")

  • The column "Roles" is usually set to "Participant" by default. To the right of it is (easy to miss) a pencil icon. Click on the pencil and in the drop-down menu click on the corresponding role - for us this is "Lecturer” (Dozent/in).

  • Don't forget to save

Manage roles
Manage roles

Video tutorial: How to change or add the role of participants? [02:09 min]

Explanation: announcement & message function

Send notification to students via Moodle course

Example: send a message to all course participants

  1. Select "Participants”

  2. Filter by "Participant" and check all boxes

  3. Select "Send a message" in the drop-down menu

  4. Enter and send the message

Send message
Send message

Moodle basics explained in video tutorials

Video tutorial #1: which course formats are available in Moodle? [03:37 min]

Video tutorial #2: which designs does Moodle offer & how do I create materials/activities? [01:41 min]

Video tutorial #3: how can I change or add the role of participants? [02:09 min]


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