Can you place a forum link into a block?

Can you place a forum link into a block?

by Billy Zwiener -
Number of replies: 9

 I am trying to find a possibly better way to add a forum into a block on the left or right side of the layout. In a perfect world, after turning editing on, it would allow the forum to be dragged into a block, much like it allows you to drag it down the timeline. However, I see no simple way of making the isolated forum simply appear in its own nice block (to make it easy on the eye and not jumbled in to the timeline).

Is this possible? Currently I have been linking the forums through HTML and simply making it link like a webpage however I'm not sure if this is the most ideal solution. I'd be welcome to any ideas . Thanks


Moodle 3.0

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In reply to Billy Zwiener

Re: Can you place a forum link into a block?

by Howard Miller -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers

Just a though... research suggests that nobody sees side-blocks and moves to mobile devices further suggest that their days are numbered in many applications. Do you *really* want to add a forum to the blocks?

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In reply to Billy Zwiener

Re: Can you place a forum link into a block?

by Rick Jerz -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers

I wonder what you are really trying to accomplish.  Are you trying to make your moodle look like a Blackboard, D2L, or Canvas system that provide a centralized forum location for the entire course?  Please explain a little better the functionality that you seek.

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In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: Can you place a forum link into a block?

by Billy Zwiener -

I've never seen any of those to know but I would like a centralized location for the forum. In the past I've went to the forum location, grabbed the link for that page, then created an html block from the moodle timeline and then placed the link into that block with an image linked to that URL page. Maybe this is the best way to do this but I was unsure. The main problem with this method is I still have to place a link to the forum within the timeline because if I hide it then the activity goes away. It just seems like there might be a better way.

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In reply to Billy Zwiener

Re: Can you place a forum link into a block?

by Rick Jerz -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers

I don't think I can help.

I recall that one of the add-in themes, maybe Essential, had a button to see all the forums.  It looked interesting.  I was able to see the form of the URL, and then tried it in my own Moodle and it seemed to work.  But that was maybe a year ago, so I don't remember exactly how the URL looked.

I use forums a lot, usually two per topic.  But keeping links in each topic seems to work for me.

You have a need to navigate forums a different way.  It seems to me to be a lot more work, but you have have somehow figured out a method, but that method takes more work.  I am not sure what to suggest.  Let's see if other folks here on moodle.org have any ideas.

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In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: Can you place a forum link into a block?

by Billy Zwiener -

Rick, Im curious by this statement you made "I use forums a lot, usually two per topic." So you have separate forums all down through your timeline for a variety of topics? Ive primarily used a general question forum in mine which is why it always seemed more appropriate to link it as a hub of sorts. I'd be into exploring more options and sticking with the timeline placement but it has always felt downplayed in font, etc. as to be this primary forum that was a social area for everyone. Maybe I will rethink this.

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In reply to Billy Zwiener

Re: Can you place a forum link into a block?

by Rick Jerz -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers

Yes, see my picture.  I create discussion forums for every topic.  I also have a forum for every topic where students can post any question.  Then sometimes I use forums for specific assignments.

In my forums for a topic, I might have 6 to 8 topics that students can pick to discuss.  I use the forum "rating" system to provide aggregated grades for student's posts.

Attachment forums.jpg
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In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: Can you place a forum link into a block?

by Billy Zwiener -

Thank you for sharing how you use them and taking the time to post.

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In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: Can you place a forum link into a block?

by Dave Sherwin -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers

The link to Forum Modules is site.org.mod/forum/index.php?id=course number. It's a nice feature to list all the forums or other activities on a single page for a user. It's not a block but does display all the same activities on a single page.

So if you click on https://moodle.org/mod/forum/index.php?id=5 all the forums for the Moodle in English will be displayed, which there are definitely many forums. 


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In reply to Billy Zwiener

Re: Can you place a forum link into a block?

by C Schipper -

"The main problem with this method is I still have to place a link to the forum within the timeline because if I hide it then the activity goes away. It just seems like there might be a better way."


You can hide the link by placing it in an "Orphaned activities" topic: add a new topic/section, place the forum in that topic, then click on the little - to have one topic less again. Unlike hiding the activity, it will still be available via a link this way. Note that this will make your course a bit messier while editing, so determine for yourself whether you want to do this. Also as mentioned above it's better to keep the forum in the main area for mobile purposes.

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