Platform Supported Content Types

Assignment

The assignment activity module enables you to communicate tasks, collect work, and provide grades and feedback.

Students can submit digital content (files), such as word documents, spreadsheets, images, or audio and video clips, either individually, or as a member of a group. Alternatively, you can require students to type text directly into the text editor. You can also use this content type to remind students of a "real-world" assignment they need to complete offline, which does require any digital content to be submitted. 

When reviewing assignments, you can leave feedback and upload files, such as marked-up student submissions, documents with comments, or spoken audio feedback.

File

The file module enables you to provide a file as a course resource. Where possible, the file will be displayed within the Essentials platform; otherwise students will be prompted to download it. The file may include supporting files, for example, an HTML page may have embedded images. A file could be used to share presentations given in class, to include a mini website as a course resource, or to provide draft files of software programs so students can edit and submit them for assessment.

Note: students need to have the appropriate software on their computers in order to open the file.

Folder

The folder module enables you to display a number of related files inside a single folder, reducing scrolling on the course page. A zipped folder may be uploaded and unzipped for display, or an empty folder created and files uploaded into it.

A folder may be used for a series of files on one topic, for example a set of past examination papers in PDF format or a collection of image files for use in student projects, and to provide a shared uploading space for faculty on the course page (keeping the folder hidden so that only you can see it).

Forum

The forum activity module enables participants to have asynchronous discussions i.e., discussions that take place over an extended period of time.

There are several forum types to choose from, such as a standard forum where anyone can start a new discussion at any time, a forum where each student can post exactly one discussion, or a question and answer forum where students must first post before being able to view other students' posts. You can allow files to be attached to forum posts. Attached images are displayed in the forum post.

Participants can subscribe to a forum to receive notifications of new forum posts. You can set the subscription mode to optional, forced, or auto, or prevent subscription completely. If required, students can be blocked from posting more than a given number of posts in a given time period; this can prevent individuals from dominating discussions.

Forum posts can be rated by you or your students (peer evaluation). Ratings can be aggregated to form a final grade which is recorded in the gradebook.

Forums have many uses, such as:

• A social space for students to get to know each other

• For course announcements (using a news forum with forced subscription)

• For discussing course content or reading materials

• For continuing online an issue raised previously in a face-to-face session

• For faculty-only discussions (using a hidden forum)

• A help center where tutors and students can give advice

• A one-on-one support area for private communications between you and an individual student (using a forum with separate groups and with one student per group)

Label

The label module enables text and multimedia to be inserted into the course page in between links to other resources and activities. Labels are very versatile and can help to improve the appearance of a course if used thoughtfully.

Labels may be used to split up a long list of activities with a subheading or an image, to display an embedded sound file or video directly on the course page, and to add a short description to a course section.

Media

The media module enables you to easily create a video/media resource. Many kinds of externally hosted videos, such as YouTube and Vimeo videos can be used. A media resource has the following options:

• To enter the embed code of a video or other media source

• To upload a thumbnail image

• To specify a title

• To add a media caption

• To open the media in a popup window

• To add a download link

Page

The page module enables you to create a web page resource using the text editor. A page can display text, images, sound, video, web links, and embedded code, such as Google maps. Advantages of using the page module rather than the file module include the resource being more accessible (for example to users of mobile devices) and easier to update. A page may be used to present the terms and conditions of a course or a summary of the course syllabus, and to embed several videos or sound files together with some explanatory text

Questionnaire

The questionnaire module allows you to construct surveys using a variety of question types for the purpose of gathering data from users.

Quiz

The quiz activity enables you to create quizzes comprising questions of various types, including multiple choice, matching, short-answer, and numerical. You can allow the quiz to be attempted multiple times, with the questions shuffled or randomly selected from the question bank. A time limit may be set. Each attempt is marked automatically, with the exception of essay questions. You can choose when and if hints, feedback, and correct answers are shown to students.

Quizzes may be used as course exams, as mini tests for reading assignments, or at the end of a topic, as exam practice using questions from past exams, to deliver immediate feedback about performance, and for self-assessment.

Advanced Forum

The Advanced Forum activity module enables participants to have asynchronous discussions, i.e., discussions that take place over an extended period of time. 

There are several forum types to choose from, such as a standard forum where anyone can start a new discussion at any time; a forum where each student can post exactly one discussion; or a question and answer forum where students must first post before being able to view other students' posts. You can allow files to be attached to forum posts. Attached images are displayed in the forum post.

Participants can subscribe to a forum to receive notifications of new forum posts. You can set the subscription mode to optional, forced or auto, or prevent subscription completely. If required, students can be blocked from posting more than a given number of posts in a given time period; this can prevent individuals from dominating discussions.

Advanced forum posts can be rated by faculty or students (peer evaluation). Ratings can be aggregated to form a final grade which is recorded in the gradebook.

Advanced forums have many uses, such as:

• A social space for students to get to know each other

• For course announcements (using a news forum with forced subscription)

• For discussing course content or reading materials

• For continuing online an issue raised previously in a face-to-face session

• For faculty-only discussions (using a hidden forum)

• A help center where tutors and students can give advice

• A one-on-one support area for private student-faculty communications (using a forum with separate groups and with one student per group)

• For extension activities, for example "brain teasers" for students to ponder and suggest solutions

Book

The book module enables you to create a multi-page resource in a book-like format, with chapters and subchapters. Books can contain media files as well as text and are useful for displaying lengthy passages of information, which can be broken down into sections.

A book may be used to display reading material for individual modules of study, such as a staff departmental handbook, or as a showcase portfolio of student work.

Chat

The chat activity module enables participants to have text-based, real-time synchronous discussions. The chat may be a one-time activity or it may be repeated at the same time each day or each week. Chat sessions are saved and can be made available for everyone to view or restricted to users with the capability to view chat session logs. 

Choice

The choice activity module enables you to ask a single question and offer a selection of possible responses. Choice results may be published after students have answered, after a certain date, or not at all. Results may be published with student names or anonymously.

A choice activity may be used as a quick poll to stimulate thinking about a topic, to quickly test students' understanding, or to facilitate student decision-making, for example allowing students to vote on a direction for the course

External Tool

The external tool activity module enables students to interact with learning resources and activities on other websites. For example, an external tool could provide access to a new activity type or learning materials from a publisher.

To create an external tool activity, a tool provider which supports LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) is required. You can create an external tool activity or make use of a tool configured by the site administrator.

External tool activities differ from URL resources in a few ways:

• External tools are context aware i.e., they have access to information about the user who launched the tool, such as institution, course and name.

• External tools support reading, updating, and deleting grades associated with the activity instance.

• External tool configurations create a trust relationship between your site and the tool provider, allowing secure communication between them.

Feedback

The feedback activity module enables you to create a custom survey for collecting feedback from participants using a variety of question types including multiple choice, yes/no or text input.

Feedback responses may be anonymous if desired, and results may be shown to all participants or restricted to faculty only. Any feedback activities on the site front page may also be completed by non-logged-in users.

Feedback activities may be used for course evaluations, helping improve the content for later participants, to enable participants to sign up for course modules or events, for guest surveys of course choices, school policies, etc.

Glossary

The glossary activity module enables participants to create and maintain a list of definitions, like a dictionary, or to collect and organize resources or information. You can allow files to be attached to glossary entries. Attached images are displayed in the entry. Entries can be searched or browsed alphabetically or by category, date or author. You can set entries to be approved by default or require your approval before they are viewable by everyone.

If the glossary auto-linking filter is enabled, entries will be automatically linked where the concept words and/or phrases appear within the course.

You can allow comments on entries. Entries can also be rated by teachers or students (peer evaluation). Ratings can be aggregated to form a final grade which is recorded in the Gradebook.

Glossaries have many uses, such as a collaborative bank of key terms, a "getting to know you" space where new students add their name and personal details, a "handy tips" resource of best practice in a practical subject, and a sharing area of useful videos, images or sound files.

Group Self-Selection

Allows participants to create and select groups. Participants can create groups, give them a description and set them password protected, if wanted. Participants can select and join groups. Supervisors may be assigned to groups. Teachers can export the course group list as a csv-file. Full compatibility with basic Moodle groups: groups may be created by other means if needed, supports group assignment submissions etc.

Hot question

A Hot Question activity enables students to post and vote on posts, in response to you ask throughout the course.

OU Wiki

A wiki is a web-based system that lets users edit a set of linked pages. In Moodle, you would normally use a wiki when you want your students to create content. The OU wiki has a variety of options. Please see the individual help by each item for more information.

Survey

The survey activity module provides a number of verified survey instruments that have been found useful in assessing and stimulating learning in online environments. You can use these to gather data from their students that will help them learn about their class and reflect on their own teaching.Note that these survey tools are pre-populated with questions.