Managing groups differently, I think...

Managing groups differently, I think...

by John Sims -
Number of replies: 5

I have a course that is offered at multiple institutions over the course of a year.  At each of the institutions there could be multiple classes.  While each of the classes might have the same dates on the calendar, some of the multiple institutions may also have the same dates.  Similar duplication could happen with assignments.

in the past, I have created separate courses for each institution with groups only affecting the classes within each institution.  

The question is, can I have a single course that is accessible by multiple institutions and classes that works collectively on a single calendar with both same a separate dates for events, activities and assignments?  If so how?

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In reply to John Sims

Re: Managing groups differently, I think...

by Keith C -

What do you mean "same a separate dates?"  How can they be both the same and separate?

Sounds like you need a layer of group functionality in Moodle activities to assign due dates for the activity to the group.  I am not familiar with any implementation that will make this work.  Perhaps there is some plug-in.

If the instructor can manage the due dates and late submissions without the system then you would just not set them in the activities, put everyone into one course managed on a remote server on the internet and place them in respective groups.  You would then add all instructors to the course and they would manage/instruct their respective groups.  The permissions are going to get a little messy but it's doable perhaps even desirable.  I like the potential for all these groups to share some select information like student developed FAQs and Glossaries.

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In reply to Keith C

Re: Managing groups differently, I think...

by John Sims -

Keith,  Thanks for the response.  "Same and separate dates" means that on any given day I might have the same class session offered at one school in the morning and one school in the afternoon.  Additionally, at each school I could have two different groups that could attend the same session.  Conversely, each group could attend their own sessions.  It makes for a very flexible schedule for the student, but a nightmare when I am trying to keep everything in the same moodle course.

Imagine two schools, each having two groups.  Each class takes place on separate days, or on the same day at separate time.  There could be 4 separate meetings or activities.  To make it more complicated, there is only one instructor (that would be yours, truly).

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In reply to John Sims

Re: Managing groups differently, I think...

by John Sims -

Let me extend this one more step....

My students are required to attend an offline activity.  I enter their participation grade into the grade book.  When I list the activity, it can take place on a Monday afternoon, or a Wednesday afternoon.  The activity is a single activity offered twice at different locations.  How would I keep this as a single entity in the grade book, or is that even possible?  Without a solution, I will have to create 8 separate classes, some with multiple periods (groups).  Each of the classes would be set up the same way.  Any help??

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In reply to John Sims

Re: Managing groups differently, I think...

by Christine Healey -

If I've understood you correctly, you want to use the Calendar function/ due dates in assignments to remind students it's time to do their offline work or to schedule in the tasks? Location is unimportant, of course - as far as Moodle is concerned, they are all 'groups'.

I don't know of a way to use any of the date/time functions to manage different timings for different groups in a single course, though using Groupings might offer a solution. I haven't done much of this - but I think that only people in a Grouping see the task set for them, so you could set up one activity multiple times for different Groupings. However, the Grade view will be monstrous! and I'm not sure that this is a more efficient way of managing the problem - easier to set up different courses, and less potential for making errors in admin, I think.  

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In reply to John Sims

Re: Managing groups differently, I think...

by Keith C -

I don't understand why you would not just have one activity in Moodle.  So it would be a single offline activity and in the assignment you say to the student:

"attend on Monday or Wednesday".

Or just make it an assignment and say:

"attend on Monday or Wednesday and tell me which one you attended in this assignment".

 

I guess I am wondering if you might need to think about your course design a little differently on a high level.  Really you just have people in groups.  Physical location and/or activities need to be looked at a lot differently than they do logically.  There is no reason multiple groups of people can't meet in the same course at the same time.  And if that is the case and you are the only instructor I think this would be very desirable!

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