I'm using Moodle 1.9.3
Do any of the later versions of Moodle allow a user to post anonymously - to a forum preferably. Work arounds are fine!!
We're trying to do some anti bullying stuff, and need to get anonymous feedback - obviously.
Any assistance would be appreciated.
Not that I am aware of, but that is actually a pretty good idea. Have you considered placing this suggestion into Moodle Tracker? It is obvious when someone has stated it but someone needs to say it, well done Paul.
How about using an unapproved database or a journal module? These would both allow personal feedback between the teacher and student...
In fact, I am pretty sure that you could set the database up so that the teacher did not even see which student had posted....
Jon
In fact, I am pretty sure that you could set the database up so that the teacher did not even see which student had posted....
Jon
I think the requirement is for other kids not to see who posted. Kids remaining anonymous among their peers, rather than anonymous from the teacher!
And if other kids are having probems, they can join in the discussion. Its really designed to prevent any further victimisation. the forum, if it can be done, is the ideal vehicle!!
And if other kids are having probems, they can join in the discussion. Its really designed to prevent any further victimisation. the forum, if it can be done, is the ideal vehicle!!
If it is just peer anonymity you can try emulating a forum in the database activity. An entry can serve as a topic, and if you enable comments users can respond to entries and to comments by adding comments. Since you design the entry form of the this activity you can simply not add the username field to make the entries anonymous. You can hide the author name and picture of the comments by adding to the css template of the activity the following:
.datacomment img,
.datacomment .header {
display: none
}
Hope this helps.
.datacomment img,
.datacomment .header {
display: none
}
Hope this helps.
This looks like it may do the job - thank you. Just need to do some testing, and and see how the teacher in charge copes, but it's looking the best work around I've seen.
Thanks very much!!
Thanks very much!!
Hi Paul - yes, there is.
In the config-dist.php file in your root directorty, there are some settings that you can tweak. In section 7, you'll find...
// Force displayed usernames
// A little hack to anonymise user names for all students. If you set these
// then all non-teachers will always see these for every person.
// $CFG->forcefirstname = 'Bruce';
// $CFG->forcelastname = 'Simpson';
Just copy that across to your config.php file and delete the double slashes at the beginning of each line. You can change the first and last names to whatever you want by replacing Bruce and Simpson.
In the config-dist.php file in your root directorty, there are some settings that you can tweak. In section 7, you'll find...
// Force displayed usernames
// A little hack to anonymise user names for all students. If you set these
// then all non-teachers will always see these for every person.
// $CFG->forcefirstname = 'Bruce';
// $CFG->forcelastname = 'Simpson';
Just copy that across to your config.php file and delete the double slashes at the beginning of each line. You can change the first and last names to whatever you want by replacing Bruce and Simpson.
I'm sure this has been requested and discussed before actually. I like that hack above but that surely would then apply to all forums everywhere when you might elsewhere want the names to be shown. Another workaround would be to create a new student "John Smith" and tell the students the username and password (which cannot be changed) and then say that if they wish to post anonymously they should post in that username.
edit Just went and checked tracker and found this However I still think a simpler workaround would be better.
edit Just went and checked tracker and found this However I still think a simpler workaround would be better.
This is essentially what we did. We created a separate user account that students in our School of Dentistry can use to post anonymously. One issue we've noticed with this approach is that it is not truly anonymous. An instructor can view the logs for their course, and since most students view the course/forum with their actual account, and then log off and log back in with the anonymous account to post, it is very easy to determine who posted anonymously in most cases (just follow log with the IP). It's important in our situation that students be guaranteed absolute anonymity when posting anonymously (especially from their instructors/deans/etc.), and unfortunately this workaround does have its holes.
We hope to see a new "post anonymously" feature in Forums at some point. But it will be important that it support true anonymity -- no record should be maintained that can connect the post with the student. From what I can tell, this is a lot harder than it sounds.
Brian
We hope to see a new "post anonymously" feature in Forums at some point. But it will be important that it support true anonymity -- no record should be maintained that can connect the post with the student. From what I can tell, this is a lot harder than it sounds.
Brian
That particular Moodle Tracker item (MDL-1071) is the fix we implemented. It works very well, we also tweaked it to make sure that any 'Recent Activity' block information and forum table 'Last Post' information was 'Anonymous'. This implements an additional option when setting up the forum to allow anonymous posts so it can be 'Off', 'Optional' or 'Forced'.
Of course we can always view the log details of that forum to check who posted content if it is inappropriate!
Cheers
Teresa
Of course we can always view the log details of that forum to check who posted content if it is inappropriate!
Cheers
Teresa
Or you could create a Feedback activity, with 'Record User Names' set to anoymous and 'Show anyalsis to students' set to yes - then use a comment box for the 'feedback' from students.