How to present assignments, in or out of the 'Assignment'?

How to present assignments, in or out of the 'Assignment'?

by Isabelle Langeveld -
Number of replies: 6

It is funny how different ones views on 'what is logical' can be. To me it is obvious to put all the instructions for an assignment (result, criteria, form of feedback) in the introduction of the Assignment. If it doesn't all fit in the Introduction window I first reflect on the complexity of the task: is all this REALLY necessary? If so I offer a pdf with instructions that ptcpnts can download, even print, if they want to refer to it while working on the task.

For quite a lot of Moodle teachers the opposite is logical. They upload a File called f.i. Task ABC about XYZ. Then, the ptcpnt has to scroll down to the Assignment with a variation on the task title where he has to turn his work in. Here no information is given about the task. It is nothing more then an Inbox for the teacher. There can even be a totally separate topic in the course called 'Assignments' with just a list of Inboxes.

This issue has been nagging at me for as long I am using Moodle (about 6 years!). What would be the best practise?

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In reply to Isabelle Langeveld

Re: How to present assignments, in or out of the 'Assignment'?

by Christine Healey -

HI Isabelle -

I could not agree more with your views. However, my experience of how students manage assignment instructions and guidance tells me that many of them (and we're talking levels 3 - 5 here) only look at the 'headline' of the assignment and then vanish offline to do the work, ignoring the guidance with helpful links and prompts!

As a result, as I set up courses on my new Moodle, I'll be providing a downloadable document with the same guidance as I've put in the assignment introduction. It's easy enough for me to do and - purely selfishly - it will save me endless formative feedback that says 'please read the guidance'

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In reply to Christine Healey

Re: How to present assignments, in or out of the 'Assignment'?

by Paula Clough -

Well, ladies, I have worked with Moodle with K-12 teachers and now higher ed.  I will tell you that there is always a plethora of ways of doing and organizing things.  I personally as a teacher and a student like to have the information as close to the assignment as possible.  I like Chrisine's idea of doing both as a good idea.  I find that whatever is done, it needs to be done consistently with a logic behind it so that the students know where to look if they chose to.

Paula cool

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In reply to Isabelle Langeveld

Re: How to present assignments, in or out of the 'Assignment'?

by Martha Gold -

Isabelle brings up a common problem, but I don't know if putting the same instructions in two forms is always the best solution. Students may think  the contents of the pdf are different than the instructions in the assignment box and get upset or even more confused when they spend time looking for differences between the two. Also, if you update the directions, you have to remember to update them in both areas.

One thing I have been looking into is using the Personal Learning Designer. Isabelle, I don't know what version of Moodle you are using, but the PLD allows you to make certain activities appear only after the student has opened a resource and read it. You could even measure comprehension of the directions by making access to the assignment or other activity contingent upon the student opening the resource that contains the directions or, even, scoring above a certain amount on a quiz that tests student comprehension on the directions.

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In reply to Martha Gold

Re: How to present assignments, in or out of the 'Assignment'?

by Paula Clough -

Martha are you hosted with MoodleRooms?  That is the only place I have seen the Personal Learning Designer.  I did a quick search in the plugins, but didn't find it.  Didn't see it in any of the other installations I have,but 2.5 is the highest access I have.

In Moodle core this can also be done using the conditional activities which will allow you to set it up so that the instructions must be at least opened before the assignment can be.  Still can't make them read the instructions but the hope is if they open it, they will read it.

Paula cool

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In reply to Paula Clough

Re: How to present assignments, in or out of the 'Assignment'?

by Martha Gold -

Hi Paula,

My apologies, the PLD is specific to Moodlerooms. The conditional activities seem to be a good substitute, and simpler to use, though you are right - it won't force them to read.

Wish I could have been more help. Good luck!

-Martha

 

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In reply to Martha Gold

Re: How to present assignments, in or out of the 'Assignment'?

by Isabelle Langeveld -

TNX ladies for your contributions. Always nice to know we are thinking about the same issues.

I think I will go for the presentation of the assignment in a pdf, and only in a pdf, and link to it in the introduction to the assignment. This way you prevent the double presentation which people may find confusing. A Word doc or a PPT slide that you save as a pdf is easier to format and students can take it where ever they want.

The pdf with instructions is for the goal of the assignment, criteria, tips for a good approach and what kind of feedback you receive. Students can open the pdf in another tab and switch easily from the instructions to the course page to look for reference to the topic they are working on and for resources.

I end the description field with: 'Are you content with the product you have made and are you confident you have met the criteria? Then click on Submit to send your work to me for feedback.'

At the end of the pdf one can provide a link to the assignment with a variation on this text.

The idea of making the reading of the assignment a condition for submitting it as a pretty logical one. However I deal mostly with adults and it feels a bit childish to do this.

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