Layout, navigation and Images

Examples from staff in Schools around the University

From staff in Schools around the University

The aim is not only to make Moodle look interesting, but to:

All Schools have templates which were created in consultation with staff in each School. These aim to:

keep modules across a School consistent
provide a better experience for the students when trying to find items such as assignments.
make it easier for staff – it’s a usable starting point
be flexible to suit your needs – for example, you can add more sections (topics) – BUT bear in mind the principle of consistency.

By adding the block Module Navigation Moodle shows a “table of contents” automatically picked up from the Section name.

NOTE In the current Moodle (from July 2015) a table of contents appears automatically in the NAVIGATION block in every module.

You can also add images, a Wordle¹ or a Prezi², even using images for navigation.

Students overwhelmingly request clear navigation
They would prefer consistency across their modules.
They like important items easy to locate
Staff may need to provide ways to navigate when students are new to the module and want a lot of introductory information and help with navigation
AND
support for students after they have become familiar with the module and just need to get quickly to the important places

Start simple
Don’t make the images too big or overdo it with too many
Keep graphics discreet and useful to students – should fit with the overall University / Moodle design
If students have to scroll every time they visit the page, they will get frustrated!
Use the blocks available such as Module Navigation
Keep any embedded items such as Prezi or video to a minimum
Put just a few graphic items on the front page or it will take too long to load…

¹Wordle – a way to create visual word maps of a piece of text or important concepts (wordle.net or tagxedo.com

²Prezi is an alternative to Powerpoint with unusual zooms and transitions

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