In the discussion about rewriting the attendance module Howard' wondered whether it is "worth the trouble at all".
I think some sort of attendance function is required, particularly for those instructors who use Moodle in a computer lab situation, as do many language teachers, in particular.
I've
built my own using a different algorithm that perhaps is better, algorithm-wise, although my code, too, is not so well written: On
the course settings page, the days & times of class meetings plus
how many minutes after the start is considered 'late' are set (and can
be set differently if the course has groups inside it). When a student
enters a course, 1) a cookie is set and 2) one record is placed in the
mdl_attendance table. As long as the cookie is set to this course for
the set duration of the class, no other records are written to the
mdl_attendance table.
The admin block then has a link for 'attendance today' and 'attendance
this term' which displays green, yellow (late) or red dots for each
student for each class meeting day. An excel spreadsheet can also be
printed out.
The advantage of this set-up is that it isn't a module at all, but rather something that happens passively as long as the student logs into the page during classtime (or within 15 min. before it starts). If you wanted to get fancy, you could also have an IP address filter so that 'attendances' from remote locations aren't recorded as such.
Hello Thomas
Can I see this code?
Bests Regards
Can I see this code?
Bests Regards
The current Attendance modul is sick: trying to repair it I see lots of problems like missing table fields (maxgrade and grade in attendance) links pointing in wrong directions (for multiple attendances) tricky code solutions, etc..
So please publish your alternativ!! and maybe someone could remove the current attendance from the download page until it is repaired?
Maybe a good testcase for the new QA-manager of moodle.com? 
In reply to Ger Tielemans
Re: A different algorithm for the attendance module?
by Martin Dougiamas -
Attendance is dead already ... and I've now removed it from the Moodle download page as well (it was always marked as "unstable").
I'd still like to see a new attendance block
I'd still like to see a new attendance block
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: A different algorithm for the attendance module?
by Ger Tielemans -
Thanks, so Thomas the floor is yours.
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: A different algorithm for the attendance module?
by Roland Gesthuizen -
Some thoughts for developers of the attendance block. 
There seems to be an overlap in requests on these Moodle forums for an attendance report and management system that automatically records and reports on the regular online engagement by students and one that a teacher can use to manually record, manage and report on face-to-face attendance in regular class. One system could easily cover both.
I envisage that this could work if there is an option for the system to automatically flag a daily attendance event for a course when a student click engages (perhaps at least twice on a day). This might resolve some of time zone issues raised by another user or requirement for all students to be online at once. Another option may be for a teacher to manually flag on a particular day another attendance event (user defined as absent / present / late / sick etc) .
The information kept in the student attendance log table could then be tabulated into a report that would mirror the familar attendance roll kept by teachers, export to a spreadsheet etc. Is this what other users are looking for?
There seems to be an overlap in requests on these Moodle forums for an attendance report and management system that automatically records and reports on the regular online engagement by students and one that a teacher can use to manually record, manage and report on face-to-face attendance in regular class. One system could easily cover both.
I envisage that this could work if there is an option for the system to automatically flag a daily attendance event for a course when a student click engages (perhaps at least twice on a day). This might resolve some of time zone issues raised by another user or requirement for all students to be online at once. Another option may be for a teacher to manually flag on a particular day another attendance event (user defined as absent / present / late / sick etc) .
The information kept in the student attendance log table could then be tabulated into a report that would mirror the familar attendance roll kept by teachers, export to a spreadsheet etc. Is this what other users are looking for?
I'm currently trying to sell Moodle to my Adminstration here, and a major draw-back in comparison to Blackboard, is the lack of a solid attendance scheme. Blackboard really accels on this one with charts and graphs and dates and everything a teacher needs to see whether the student has been "attending" the necessary documents and sites enough.
PLEASE, SOMEONE (qualified) REPAIR THIS MODULE!!
Unfortunately, the attendance block requires the students and teacher to all be online at the same time. Our school in Europe, covers 5 time zones, so syncronized learning is virtually impossible. It also takes away the whole advantage of flexibility with online learning.
PLEASE, SOMEONE (qualified) REPAIR THIS MODULE!!
Unfortunately, the attendance block requires the students and teacher to all be online at the same time. Our school in Europe, covers 5 time zones, so syncronized learning is virtually impossible. It also takes away the whole advantage of flexibility with online learning.
In reply to Matt Cromwell
Re: A different algorithm for the attendance module?
by Roland Gesthuizen -
Matt, our college administration is very impressed with the charts and
detailed log files kept by Moodle, many of the features that you are
looking for are already there. I just put this Wink demonstration together for you to illustrate some of the reports that I use when working with parents and students. I would be interested in your thoughts after playing it.
Link to Moodle student activity reports animation (requires Flash player)
Link to Moodle student activity reports animation (requires Flash player)
In reply to Roland Gesthuizen
Re: A different algorithm for the attendance module?
by Matt Cromwell -
WOW, I don't know how I missed that, but that answers a lot! Thanks Roland. I knew there had to be something. So far, Moodle has answered every one of my doubts with a fully functioning module or at least with something in development.
The Wink demo was also really nicely done, I could see it being very useful for those non-initiated web teachers who just point-and-click there way through life. But as soon as I saw the first screen I knew where to look.
The only draw back to your demo was that I had to view in in IE (I normally use Firefox) and that I had to allow it to use ActiveX (which I generally try to avoid doing). Other than that, I wish I had such a file for the whole Moodle training for our faculty here! Thanks again.
The Wink demo was also really nicely done, I could see it being very useful for those non-initiated web teachers who just point-and-click there way through life. But as soon as I saw the first screen I knew where to look.
The only draw back to your demo was that I had to view in in IE (I normally use Firefox) and that I had to allow it to use ActiveX (which I generally try to avoid doing). Other than that, I wish I had such a file for the whole Moodle training for our faculty here! Thanks again.