I'm thinking of developing a module and am wondering if there is anyone else who would see a demand for this.
What I'm envisioning is a "Quick Report" link that would reside in the admin box for instructors. Clicking on it would reveal a status report on all of the students, with every student's name down the left side, and all modules of any kind across the top (forums, resources, quizzes, assignment submissions, etc. -- any kind of module where a record of aqctivity,apart from the log) is recorded. Any item with absolutely no activity could be skipped so that you don't end up with a lot of empty columns just because the students haven't gotten to them yet.
For the forums, the report could include both the total number of postings and the number of topics initiated. For quizzes, the scores could be reported, or perhaps just a mark indicating those who have accessed it.
I have found with courses that I have taught online that a report of this nature, not only gives me a snapshot of how things are progressing, but, if revealed to the students (by being saved in an Excel spreadsheet and uploaded as a resource or attachment) is a great way to nudge the slowpokes into catching up.
What do you say?
Sounds good, but can you make a student version, too? I think they should -- at a glance -- be able to see what they've done (or not done) at all times, too.
I think Martin's "quick projects" page (http://moodle.org/course/recent.php?id=5) might serve as some component of your report (as well as connect to Howard's desire to roll back recent activity)
I like your ideas about the forums, etc.. Maybe your report might also borrow from the existing "complete" and "outline" reports available to teachers. I think kids should really have access to them. I understand that was a component of Moodle in the past.
Maybe the whole thing could have the look and feel of a portable assignment book where you could a) tab by activity type, b) tab by what has been completed (or touched), c) tab by what has not been completed (or touched), d) tab for grades, e) tab for raw logs. I suspect they could look a great deal like the dialogue or glossary tabs.
I think Martin's "quick projects" page (http://moodle.org/course/recent.php?id=5) might serve as some component of your report (as well as connect to Howard's desire to roll back recent activity)
I like your ideas about the forums, etc.. Maybe your report might also borrow from the existing "complete" and "outline" reports available to teachers. I think kids should really have access to them. I understand that was a component of Moodle in the past.
Maybe the whole thing could have the look and feel of a portable assignment book where you could a) tab by activity type, b) tab by what has been completed (or touched), c) tab by what has not been completed (or touched), d) tab for grades, e) tab for raw logs. I suspect they could look a great deal like the dialogue or glossary tabs.
Sure, it would be no problem to make the same feature available to students, too. If they invoke it, it would just show one column -- their own, while if a teacher invokes it, it would show all enrolled students -- although perhaps is should skip students that show absolutely no activity.
Tabbing, etc. is a little beyond what I would have time (and know-how) to do, but if anyone is willing to take this on, hey, be my guest! I don't have to be the person to do it -- I'd just like to have this feature available.
Tabbing, etc. is a little beyond what I would have time (and know-how) to do, but if anyone is willing to take this on, hey, be my guest! I don't have to be the person to do it -- I'd just like to have this feature available.
Good idea Thomas.
2 suggestions:
1 - Using moodle theme colors to keep it agenced with the site.
2 - Taking in account time.
For quiz it is already stored.
For others activities, using difference between two activities ( not very precise we can open many ressources at same time and read them after ) with an adjustable maximum may be usefull.
I already use something like this in course/lib.php
$dtime = $logtimea-$log->time ;
if ($dtime>0){
if ($dtime<1800){ //seconds
$ttime=$ttime+$dtime/60; //minutes
} else {
$ttime=$ttime+30;
}
}
$logtimea=$log->time;
The 1800 sec or 30 minutes was adjusted with 20 students working continiously during 3 hours.
It depends of the type of activities implied.
It need refinement but it give a good idea of the time use by students.
Thanks,
Bernard
2 suggestions:
1 - Using moodle theme colors to keep it agenced with the site.
2 - Taking in account time.
For quiz it is already stored.
For others activities, using difference between two activities ( not very precise we can open many ressources at same time and read them after ) with an adjustable maximum may be usefull.
I already use something like this in course/lib.php
$dtime = $logtimea-$log->time ;
if ($dtime>0){
if ($dtime<1800){ //seconds
$ttime=$ttime+$dtime/60; //minutes
} else {
$ttime=$ttime+30;
}
}
$logtimea=$log->time;
The 1800 sec or 30 minutes was adjusted with 20 students working continiously during 3 hours.
It depends of the type of activities implied.
It need refinement but it give a good idea of the time use by students.
Thanks,
Bernard
Do you also think of one overview screen where you see the pictures of your studenst in rows of 6(?) and the corner around the picture colors green, yellow or red, depending of the relativ activity position of the student in his course group. Then clicking on the red ones one by one brings up the more detailed view in a pop-up screen.
(Have to find a formula for relativ positions in all these different sports in a Moodle...)
Here is a first stab at a "quick report" feature. It doesn't include most of the bells & whistles requested by others in this thread, but should do the basic job.
The attached zip file contains the following:
quickreport.php -- to be placed in moodle/courses
quickreport.gif -- a sample screenshot
readme.txt -- the readme file appended below.
I look forward to your feedback.
--Tom Robb
--------------------------------
Readme file for preliminary version of quickreport.php
This is a preliminary version of a "Quick Report" module. The final version will allow for the creation of downloadable Excel or text files. It should work with either versions 1.1 or 1.1.1.
"quickreport.gif" is a sample of the current display. Note that this version summarizes activity from these modules. Some of them (with *) have not been tested, so may not work or perhaps cause errors: assignment, choice, forum, *dialogue, *journal,quiz, *survey, *workshop
There is no provision for reports of grades since the separate GRADES module adequately handles that aspect.
TO USE
In order to use the, the file quickreport.php must be placed in the "Moodle/Course" folder. If you do only this, however, you will have to invoke the module by, 1) clicking on the "Grades" link in the "administration" box, and then changing "grades.php" to "quickreport.php".
In order to place a link in the admin box for this module, the code in moodle/course/lib.php needs to be modified as follows: (All we are doing here is replicating the "grades" lines and substituting "quickreport.php.")
Version 1.1beta
After:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"grades.php?id=$course->id¥">".get_string("grades")."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Add:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"quickreport.php?id=$course->id¥">"."Quick Report"."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">;";
Version 1.155
After:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"grades.php?id=$course->id¥">".get_string("grades")."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$CFG->pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Add:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"quickreport.php?id=$course->id¥">"."Quick Report"."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$CFG->pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Intended improvements:
1. Provision to create downloadable .xls and .txt files
2. Addition of pictures next to student names (rendering the "Picture column" redundant for screen displays
3. Changing the display of forum messages from yes/no (X/-) to the number of postings
4. Addition of a header row for the various weeks for the Weekly format, with items grouped by week.
Please notify Tom Robb (tom@robb.net) of any bugs or feature requests.
The attached zip file contains the following:
quickreport.php -- to be placed in moodle/courses
quickreport.gif -- a sample screenshot
readme.txt -- the readme file appended below.
I look forward to your feedback.
--Tom Robb
--------------------------------
Readme file for preliminary version of quickreport.php
This is a preliminary version of a "Quick Report" module. The final version will allow for the creation of downloadable Excel or text files. It should work with either versions 1.1 or 1.1.1.
"quickreport.gif" is a sample of the current display. Note that this version summarizes activity from these modules. Some of them (with *) have not been tested, so may not work or perhaps cause errors: assignment, choice, forum, *dialogue, *journal,quiz, *survey, *workshop
There is no provision for reports of grades since the separate GRADES module adequately handles that aspect.
TO USE
In order to use the, the file quickreport.php must be placed in the "Moodle/Course" folder. If you do only this, however, you will have to invoke the module by, 1) clicking on the "Grades" link in the "administration" box, and then changing "grades.php" to "quickreport.php".
In order to place a link in the admin box for this module, the code in moodle/course/lib.php needs to be modified as follows: (All we are doing here is replicating the "grades" lines and substituting "quickreport.php.")
Version 1.1beta
After:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"grades.php?id=$course->id¥">".get_string("grades")."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Add:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"quickreport.php?id=$course->id¥">"."Quick Report"."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">;";
Version 1.155
After:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"grades.php?id=$course->id¥">".get_string("grades")."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$CFG->pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Add:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"quickreport.php?id=$course->id¥">"."Quick Report"."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$CFG->pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Intended improvements:
1. Provision to create downloadable .xls and .txt files
2. Addition of pictures next to student names (rendering the "Picture column" redundant for screen displays
3. Changing the display of forum messages from yes/no (X/-) to the number of postings
4. Addition of a header row for the various weeks for the Weekly format, with items grouped by week.
Please notify Tom Robb (tom@robb.net) of any bugs or feature requests.
Hi Thomas,
works fine first time on Moodle 1.2 development (2003091800).
Thanks and continue your good work,
Bernard
works fine first time on Moodle 1.2 development (2003091800).
Thanks and continue your good work,
Bernard
Readme file for Version 1.1 of quickreport.php (10 Nov 2003)
This is a second version of a "Quick Report" module, with most of the improvements promised in v. 1.0 now incorporated. The previous version did not work properly in some installations due to a variation in the id assignments of the various types of modules. These assignments are now ascertained dynamically from the "mdl_modules" table.
This version allows for the creation of downloadable Excel files. The download of a text file version can be included if there is sufficient demand. This module should work with either versions 1.1 or 1.2 beta.
"quickreport.gif" is a sample of the current display. Some of the modules (with *) have not been tested, so may not work or perhaps cause errors: assignment, choice, forum, *dialogue, *journal,quiz, *survey, *workshop
There is no provision for reports of grades since the separate GRADES module adequately handles that aspect.
TO USE
In order to use the, the file "quickreport.php" must be placed in the "Moodle/Course" folder. If you do only this, however, you will have to invoke the module by, 1) clicking on the "Grades" link in the "administration" box, and then changing "grades.php" to "quickreport.php" in the URL window.
In order to place a link in the admin box for this module, the code in moodle/course/lib.php needs to be modified as follows: (All we are going here is duplicating the "grades" lines and substituting "quickreport.php".)
Version 1.1beta
After:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"grades.php?id=$course->id¥">".get_string("grades")."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Add:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"quickreport.php?id=$course->id¥">"."Quick Report"."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Version 1.155
After:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"grades.php?id=$course->id¥">".get_string("grades")."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$CFG->pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Add:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"quickreport.php?id=$course->id¥">"."Quick Report"."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$CFG->pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Please notify Tom Robb (tom@robb.net) of any bugs or feature requests.
This is a second version of a "Quick Report" module, with most of the improvements promised in v. 1.0 now incorporated. The previous version did not work properly in some installations due to a variation in the id assignments of the various types of modules. These assignments are now ascertained dynamically from the "mdl_modules" table.
This version allows for the creation of downloadable Excel files. The download of a text file version can be included if there is sufficient demand. This module should work with either versions 1.1 or 1.2 beta.
"quickreport.gif" is a sample of the current display. Some of the modules (with *) have not been tested, so may not work or perhaps cause errors: assignment, choice, forum, *dialogue, *journal,quiz, *survey, *workshop
There is no provision for reports of grades since the separate GRADES module adequately handles that aspect.
TO USE
In order to use the, the file "quickreport.php" must be placed in the "Moodle/Course" folder. If you do only this, however, you will have to invoke the module by, 1) clicking on the "Grades" link in the "administration" box, and then changing "grades.php" to "quickreport.php" in the URL window.
In order to place a link in the admin box for this module, the code in moodle/course/lib.php needs to be modified as follows: (All we are going here is duplicating the "grades" lines and substituting "quickreport.php".)
Version 1.1beta
After:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"grades.php?id=$course->id¥">".get_string("grades")."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Add:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"quickreport.php?id=$course->id¥">"."Quick Report"."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Version 1.155
After:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"grades.php?id=$course->id¥">".get_string("grades")."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$CFG->pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Add:
$admindata[]="<a href=¥"quickreport.php?id=$course->id¥">"."Quick Report"."...</a>";
$adminicon[]="<img src=¥"$CFG->pixpath/i/grades.gif¥" height=16 width=16 alt=¥"¥">";
Please notify Tom Robb (tom@robb.net) of any bugs or feature requests.
Thomas:
It works great. One feature I would love even on the Grades report is to have a fixed frame for the students (with pix) and to allow the scores and report to scroll. This way you can see the student's name as you scroll to the right to see the activity.
My Instructors will love you for this one.
Tony
Yes, for something like this scrolling would be great. You can do that in Excel, but unfortunately, there is no easy way to link scrolling frames inside a browser, unless one does something really cool with DHTML.
An easy way, however, is to right click on the "Quick Report" link TWICE to create two complete reports and then overlap them. A bit clumsy, but it works! You can use the white striations in report to condirm that things don't accidentally scroll up or down whie scrolling to the side.
An easy way, however, is to right click on the "Quick Report" link TWICE to create two complete reports and then overlap them. A bit clumsy, but it works! You can use the white striations in report to condirm that things don't accidentally scroll up or down whie scrolling to the side.
Sorry to be posting so many revisions, but this has two significant improvements:
1) Taking up Tom Murdock's suggestion, this version allows students to view their own activity but not that of other students.
2) In the teachers' version, you can now click on an individual student name to bring up the individual activity report that is already a part of Moodle (in course/user.php).
See the enclosed read.me file for further information.
1) Taking up Tom Murdock's suggestion, this version allows students to view their own activity but not that of other students.
2) In the teachers' version, you can now click on an individual student name to bring up the individual activity report that is already a part of Moodle (in course/user.php).
See the enclosed read.me file for further information.