Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

by Tahir Jomaa -
Number of replies: 8
Hi,

I am currently in the final year of a BSC Information Technology University degree and have chosen a final year project for a secondary school.

A major part of the project is to have a testing facility where Teachers are able to upload multiple choice test questions to a question bank, from which tests can be formed. The pupils are then able to log into the system and take these tests before submitting them and receiving feedback (via a report) on how well they have done. Their results for that test need to also be stored within the system with the teachers as well as pupils able to look back at past test results.

I have been informed that Moodle’s quiz module does something similar (if not identical) to what I want and that I am encouraged to re-use functionality within my project whenever possible as the Uni doesn’t really want me to try and re-invent the wheel!

My questions are:

1) Would I be able to use Moodle’s quiz module source code for my project – manipulating it so that it worked with the rest of my system (my database and other system areas that may be linked)? If so how hard is this?

2) The customer has said that it would be an added bonus if Teachers were able to upload a picture for some questions – does Moodle currently allow this and if not would it be difficult to add?

I am an inexperienced programmer looking to develop my project using PHP/MySQL.

The main aim of this post is to find out if Moodle’s quiz module would be a good thing for me to use for the testing facility within my system. If so could you please let me know how I should go about using the Moodle source code for the project? Otherwise I would be grateful if you pointed me towards other alternatives for this functionality.

Many thanks in advance for any useful feedback!

TCJay

(Edited by Tim Hunt to remove MS Word junk - original submission Tuesday, 13 October 2009, 04:54 PM)

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Tahir Jomaa

Re: Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

by Tahir Jomaa -
Hi all,

Sorry about the top of my previous post - not sure why I have a huge list of font definitions etc (maybe because I typed the post in word then copied it across and submitted?), but i can't seem to edit the post anymore (as the 30 mins has expired).

Still waiting for a reply to my questions. I essentially wish to know whether or not it would be possible to use the source code for Moodle's question bank and quiz functionalities within my project's system. If so please tell me where to get the source code for this from as it seems pretty tough searching through it all - there is so much there!

Thanks,
TCJay
In reply to Tahir Jomaa

Re: Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

by Tim Hunt -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
I think Moodle does all that and more.
In reply to Tim Hunt

Re: Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

by Tahir Jomaa -
Tim,

Thanks for the reply.

I am pretty sure you are right in saying that Moodle does all that and more. The thing is the school that I am developing the system for don't use Moodle and have asked me to develop the system for them - I have agreed to do this as my final year university project.

Within the system I wish to re-use moodle's testing facility as I don't see the point of coding a brand new testing facility for my system which won't be as good as Moodle's, especially as Moodle's testing facility meets the customer requirements set by the school. The point is that I am sure I will need to manipulate the code used by moodle to ensure the testing facility works as it does in Moodle but for my system. Can I do this and if so please point me towards how I should approach this task.

I am a PHP begginer and an inexperienced programmer in the main but am willing to put the effort in seeing as this is my final year project!

Thanks,
Tahir


In reply to Tahir Jomaa

Re: Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

by Tim Hunt -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
Perhaps the simplest approach is to look at integrating Moodle into your other system, so when someone clicks a link to the Moodle quiz from the other system, the integration creates a Moodle user account for them; logs them in silently; enrols them in the appropriate course; and takes them to the quiz page.
In reply to Tim Hunt

Re: Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

by Tahir Jomaa -
Tim,

Thanks for the reply and suggestion.

That may be the simplest approach but I was hoping to customize the code provided by Moodle so that within my system I have something like Moodle's quiz facility up and running. So the teacher logs in, adds questions to the school's question bank, then forms a test out of these etc...

Would customizing Moodle's code for my system's requirements be too much to ask?

Thanks,
TCJay

In reply to Tahir Jomaa

Re: Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

by Tahir Jomaa -
Hey all,

Has anyone used moodle's quiz component within another system? I have heard it is a tough thing to do as it is interlinked with all the other moodle components.

Please let me know!

Thanks,
TCJay
In reply to Tahir Jomaa

Re: Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

by Joseph Rézeau -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers Picture of Translators
Tahir : "I have heard it is a tough thing to do as it is interlinked with all the other moodle components."
Exactly, you said it! In fact, it is next to impossible.
In reply to Joseph Rézeau

Re: Using Moodle Quiz Module within my own system.

by Tahir Jomaa -
Joseph, or anyone else,

Do you know of any other open source alternatives that I could use instead of moodle?

Thanks,
Tahir