FAQ - Your questions answered

Here is a list of questions and answers so far.  Check this list to see if your question is here!

Logging in

Q. How do I access Moodle?

A. Moodle is the University's online learning environment, Open a browser and go to http://moodle.nottingham.ac.uk

Q. How do I log on to Moodle?

A. Moodle is web-based and you can access it from any computer or mobile device with an internet connection (on and off campus).

Use your usual University network account username and password

Go to the login page http://moodle.nottingham.ac.uk and enter your username and password

By the first teaching week, a list of the courses you are enrolled on should appear once you have logged in - click on a module name to enter the site

I can?t login: I don't know my Moodle username/password

Your Moodle username/password is the same as your main University username/password (i.e. what you use to log into University computers).

Q. How do I change my Moodle password?

Your Moodle password is always the same one you use as your University network password. If you need to change your password you can do so at the Password Reset page. If you have forgotten your password contact the  Student IT Helpline or elearning helpline at your campus: #helpline.

help.

Basic techniques

Q. How can I paste from Word or elsewhere in Moodle without having problems with scripts running slowly and strange formatting?

Use Notepad to strip out all formatting from the text and reformat once in Moodle

All Programs > Accessories > Notepad is where you'll find it.

OR use the Paste as Text [T] or Paste as Word [W]buttons. They are circled below.

Click on one and it opens a window, paste into that box and it strips out any extraneous code that might slow it down.

Q. How can I copy something from one course to another?

A. You will need Teacher access to both courses.

In the destination course, with Editing On:

Under Settings

1. Select Import
2. Search for or choose the course you wish take the material from and select the relevant radio button
3. Click Continue
4. On the Backup settings screen you can deselect anything you don?t want, for example if you?re importing a single Resource, untick blocks, filters and activities.
5. On the Include screen, select item(s) you want and the Topic it?s in (untick anything you don?t want)
6. Click Next
7. Check and click Perform import
8. Click Continue

The item will appear in your course in the approximate position it was in its original course. If your course has a different number of topics the item may appear in a strange place, but can easily be moved to wherever you want it.

Q. How do I add an image to a Moodle label or page?

Please view the tutorial (you will need to login to Moodle) http://moodle.nottingham.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=2511

Course design and navigation

Q. Can I use the "weekly format" to create a timetable showing students the dates or times of teaching sessions?

Use the Moodle calendar to add class events to your Moodle module.  If you use the University's Syllabus + / IMAT system then you can automatically synchronise Moodle's calendar in your module with the one that IMAT has. See  Calendar - Synchronise your module's calendar with University timetabling

Some staff have put a label at the top of the course giving the teaching sessions eg "Lectures 3 pm Mondays C5, 10 am Thursdays B102" and use the weekly blocks for the content relating to the week in question.

Q. Can I change the number of blocks in my course, I need less than or more than 10?

• In Settings menu in left hand sidebar
• Click Edit Settings
• Look for ?Number of weeks/topics? and change the number as appropriate

Q. Is there a way to do a linear series of web pages?

There is a tool called ?Book? which essentially replicates the learning module idea. You'll find it under "Add a resource".

?The Book module makes it easy to create multi-page resources with a book-like format.. This module can be used to build complete book-like websites inside of your Moodle course. Previously created websites can be imported directly into the Book module. Books can be printed entirely or by chapter. The Book module allows you to have main chapters and sub chapters, but it goes no deeper. In other words, sub chapters cannot have their own sub chapters. The book module is not interactive. You can, however, link to choices, forums etc., from within a book. And you can include multimedia objects like Flash movies in your book.?

One feature currently available is the Lesson module which can do this - although it's not the simplest of Moodle tools. It can produce either linear pathways or branched ones which depend upon student choice and input.

Xerte Online Toolkits of course can produce some lovely pieces of elearning and easily embedded in Moodle.

Or you can display a website created, e.g., in Dreamweaver (see next Question).

Q. Can I display a whole website in Moodle?

You can create a website in any handy HTML editor (eg Dreamweaver) and upload it: Moodle will then present the website as designed? This collection of web pages appear WITHIN Moodle as a series of linked pages, not as a link to an outside website (you can display them embedded in the Moodle page or as a pop out in their own window).

To upload a website:

1. Create a zip file of all the site
2. Use ?upload a file? (not create a folder)
3. Upload the zip file (one file? let us know if it?s too big and we?ll change your allowance)
4. Click on the icon at the end of the filename and choose ?Unzip?.
5. When unzipped, click on the icon at the end of the index/home page and select ?Set main file?
6. Change "Display" setting as appropriate (e.g., to Open or In Pop Up)
7. Click ?Save and Display?

Q. In a ?Topic? is it possible to create hierarchical folders?

A.

You can have up to 52 blocks so quite a lot of content can be included.  You could then use a navigation system that just shows one at a time (see something similar in action on our Starting Moodle course – the top block on the right has links to take the student directly to a particular block and show just that block. Do look at this in action.).

Another way to do it is to have a series of Moodle folders, e.g., for lots of lectures, you can have a lecture topic which has a list of lectures each of which is a folder containing a list of files attached. You can add a description to put the list of attached files in context. (TIP: give the files clear and understandable filenames to help students identify them)

Of course, like most systems this has advantages and disadvantages. It means that it is very clear where everything is and students do not have to hunt through various folders to find content. It can result in a lengthy page (long scroll) but there are ways to mitigate that effect (such as the navigation block mentioned above).  Because of this difference in layout you may prefer to take the time to investigate the alternative layout methods of Moodle.

Q. Can I use the same Moodle space for two modules which have essentially the same content?

YES:  It's possible to have two or more modules with different content "feeding into" an opverarching space such as a Programme space with further (e.g., general course-specific not module-specific) content.  Please let us know if you would like to implement something like this in Moodle.  

Please contact learning-team-support@nottingham.ac.uk to explain your requirments

Q. How can I make resources available to one set of students and not another?

This is not possible. 

Q. How can I create groups and/or groupings?

Enable Groups in your course:

In Settings > Course Administration > Edit Settings there is a Groups section

Choose from Visible Groups (can see one another's material but not take part) or Separate Groups (cannot see what the others are doing)

In Settings > Course Administration > Users > Groups

• Create your Groups, e.g., V1000 and V20000 – use e.g., Create group [Moodle:there are several ways to create groups but this is simplest]

• Create your Groupings, e.g., First Year and Second Year – click the Groupings Tab and Create grouping, then add the relevant group(s) via the Groups button

Q. How do I allow my students to see what group they are in?

Turn editing on

Bottom right click Add Block

Select the People Block

They can then click on Participants and see just their group

Q. Can I create a series of topics each with a teacher and a group of students (e.g., for tutorial groups) but where the teacher can only see their own group resources and students?

• Enrol all participants as students.
• Set up groups and a grouping for each Tutor Group (see above). (Each grouping may have only one group in it in this instance.)
• Set up a topic for each grouping (i.e Tutot Group)
• Give the Tutor the role of Teacher for each activity or resource that you set up, then they can edit anything in their space.
  Tutors cannot create new resources or activities, but given a folder they can add files: possibly a forum, a wiki and/or assignment for each Grouping may be appropriate as default.
• NOTE Students will be able to see eveything in every section so clear LABELS and instructions should be included to make sure they are directed to the correct section.

Q. Is there any information I can give my students about how to use Moodle? 

There's a Resource in the Starting Moodle course called Starting to use this course which can be used for It is available as a Page (cut and paste to make your own page) or a PDF.

Direct link to Starting to use this course Page:  Moodle:Student Guide to Moodle PDF

All students are also enrolled on "Introduction to Moodle for Students"

More materials are being prepared and if you have any suggestions, or you create any materials worth sharing, please let us know.

Resources

Q.How do I upload my first file?

A. There are Helpsheets in the Starting Moodle course to which you all have access as students. This course is a good place to start as there is a lot information about Moodle and using Moodle as an instructor/teacher.  Here is a direct link to the helpsheets How to create (login as yourself).

Q. How do I get a powerpoint slideshow to open and run automatically as a slide show?

Save your Powerpoint as Powerpoint Slideshow (pps or ppsx)

Click Add resource > File

Upload your pps or ppsx file

While in the Add file page, Under Options, for Display choose Open or In Popup.

Q. How do I get audio files to work inside Moodle? Howe do I allow students to download audio files?

A. Moodle will accept the following audio file formats..mp3
.aac
.wma (Windows Media Audio)
.ra (Real Media)

If you want your sound file to play in Moodle's own player embedded on a page then choose mp3 format.
If you want students to download it and play it offline, then the most useful format again is mp3.

There is a setting you can change so that you can have
EITHER
audio files can be downloaded - this relies on the students having a program on their computer that will play audio. If they do not have such a program, the audio cannot play
OR
Files are automatically played using Moodle?s embedded media player) - this means they are played through Moodle, but they can't be downloaded.

This is set per module (you can't have some playing in the embedded player and some downloadable).

To change the setting for this:

In your module click Turn Editing On
In the Settings block, under Edit Settings click Filters
For Multimedia plugins select On if you want the embedded player and Off if you want them to be downloadable)
Click Save changes

Activities

Q. I?ve added a Forum to my module, for the students to ask questions and discuss things. Can I set up an email notification to tell me when comments are added?

Forums can be set up in three ways:  

1. Force everyone to be subscribed (anyone subscribed receives emails) e.g., for the News Forum which is the equivalent of Announcements (Force subscription)

2. Allow people to choose whether they subscribe with the default set to receiving emails (so they have to turn them off) (Auto subscription)

3. Allow people to choose whether they subscribe with the default set to NOT receive emails. This one may be a good idea especially where students may be added to the course before you want them to start receiving emails. And it means you can choose to receive the emails and the students won't get them unless you tell them (or they choose) to turn them on. This is the default.  (Optional subscription)

(4. There's also a no-subscription allowed setting)  

To change this setting :

• go into your forum,
• then go to the Settings block > Edit settings (bottom left for me)  
• Change subscription mode if required. 

Q. Can I change whether I get emails from a forum?

To change whether you receive posts by email or not:

• go to Edit Settings
• see "Unsubscribe from this forum"  or "Subscribe to this forum". 
• Check your email is correct in your profile!  

As a teacher you can also see who is and who isn't subscribed to a forum. 

Q. Can I create a glossary outside Moodle and import it to save time?

Yes, this is possible. It is a bit complicated as it has to be an XML file. However, there is a tool available to convert an .xls file into xml for import?MoodleGlossary.xls

Create your glossary in excel using this file: MoodleGlossary.xls. The minimum required is concept and definition: the macro tells you what to do. Note: there seems to be a bug which ignores the last entry, so put a fake entry on the last line.

1. Make sure macros are enabled
2. Run the macro, which produces an xml file, which you save.

To import glossary entries via an XML file:

1. Create a glossary: Click Save and display   OR Edit a glossary
2. Within the glossary, in Settings on the left hand side, follow the "Import entries" link.
3. Browse for the XML file on your computer.
4. Select the destination for the new entries, either the current glossary or a new one.
5. If you want to import category information, click the checkbox.
6. Click the "Save changes" button. You'll then see a report of the entries and categories added to the glossary. If you enabled duplicate entries when you created the glossary, the import process will add all of the new definitions. Otherwise, it will not allow you to import any duplicate entries.

Note that Glossaries are Activities not Resources: i.e. it is intended that students are able to add their own definitions to the glossary, not just that the glossary is a static teacher-created resource.

Q. How can I give audio feedback privately to students?

You can do this with the Moodle Assignemnt (Advanced uploading of files) tool. Students do not have to submit anything to receive feedback or files back.

1. Add an Activity
2. Select Advanced Uploading of Files

3. Create the assignment as usual
   [Moodle:If you are giving feedback without a physical assignment being submitted, then make that clear in the instructions – You don?t have to submit anything but look here for feedback]

4. View the assignment as a teacher and click on View submitted assignments               
   OR   Click Grades under Settings, and select the heading corresponding to the assignment
5. All students are listed whether or not they?ve submitted anything
6. Click Grade for the student of choice
7. Type in feedback box (can be just a sentence) and add any files as attachments, e.g., mp3
8. Save changes

Help, support and training