Create & Download Notes by a Student

Create & Download Notes by a Student

by Shyam S -
Number of replies: 7

Hi Everyone,


We are looking to create a feature in Moodle, which will allow a student to create/make/write his own notes and download them at a later point. 

The way we visualize this is:  When a student is going through a SCORM file, he can open this Notes feature and make/write/create his own notes for his future reference. Notes will be in the form of only plain text. And at any later date, he can download the the same text file and read what he/she has made while reading the content.


Has anyone done this before? Or, has anyone come across any plugin which does similar job?

Any inputs will be highly appreciated.


Thanks a lot!



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In reply to Shyam S

Re: Create & Download Notes by a Student

by AL Rachels -
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I have done this a couple of ways over the years. One is to use the Journal activity with a journal set up to be used during each nine week grading period of our school year. Depending on the student, the one page for entry can get to be pretty long. The other method is to use a Database activity setup up so that students never see anyone's entries, except for their own. The advantage here is that each note is it's own entry, and you can use the built in search capabilities for those students who are prolific and wind up with a bunch of entries.

If needed, both the journal and database can be set to allow the student to save pictures, audio files, and video files. The teacher will be able to see all entries and grade them, if needed.

Unfortunately, since you specified the need for this, neither of these activities allow for downloading the content later on, but students could still access the content online.

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In reply to AL Rachels

Re: Create & Download Notes by a Student

by Richard Oelmann -
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Its been a while since I used the Journal activity - does it allow 'export to portfolio' if one is set up?

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In reply to Richard Oelmann

Re: Create & Download Notes by a Student

by AL Rachels -
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I just went and double checked, but Journal does not support the Moodle Portfolio system. However, Database DOES! It also appears that they only get entries they created or those their role allows them to see.

Personally, I would prefer to use the database activity for note taking as you can automate a lot of the information for each note, such as the subject, time, course the note is for by including menus to select those items from.

NOTE that in my previous entry I erroneously said database did not work with portfolios but it was actually because I had turned it off as part of a test.

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In reply to Shyam S

Re: Create & Download Notes by a Student

by Ken Task -
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Under: 'Any inputs' ...

Suggestion: ask your students how they 'take notes' (electronically) on the SCORM content provided them in the courses.

And a question ... why does everything have to be a moodle plugin/addon?

Student notes are their's ... for as long as they care to keep them.   So why not use a 'space'/app, etc. where they are in full control?   (outside of Moodle)

How about the use of G-Suite or Office 365?

Students might not like being restricted to just text only.   The above might facilitate 'note taking' their way.

'spirit of sharing', Ken


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In reply to Ken Task

Re: Create & Download Notes by a Student

by Ken Task -
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Example:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OGSt1UWGK0UxXTu77QbXsy0KKIfSQeI2oig8-d4b6ZA/edit?usp=sharing

link above set to public - anyone with link, but if entity had a Google Domain, could be restricted to the users of that domain.   Credits ... no I did not create the doc.  Acquired from:

https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/?ftv=1

Must have Google account.   Access to that not restricted to Moodle first then another click.   Can use smartphone or a tablet.   Regardless of how accessed, notes stored on Google.    No need to download or create an e-portfolio or anything special in Moodle - even years after the student has left the course, acquired their degree or certification, etc. those are still under their control.

Entity could develop if they wanted to, recommended (shared) docs/sheets/drawings ... whatever ... for 'note taking'.   Students don't, of course, have to use, but could make their own and share back with entity or fellow students (hmmmm actual student participation in the learning tools)

Could have a resources (for the course) doc/sheet, etc.

No programming necessary ... no special/customized plugin/addon which does cost ... even if that special/customized plugin shared back and offered to all Moodle users.

Adds nothing to the size of the course/DB for Moodle other than the data it takes to setup a URL resource.

All it takes is a little 'different thinking'. ;)

'spirit of sharing', Ken



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In reply to Shyam S

Re: Create & Download Notes by a Student

by Vaishak Kallore -

Hi all,

I had done something similar (screenshot attached), where users can write down the notes when and then they go through the Scorm. It will be saved in a separate table through AJAX calls. When the user visits the page next time, it can be fetched and displayed in the text area.


To achieve this, I had modified few lines in the mod/scorm/player.php (to get user ID, course ID to the JavaScript). Not sure whether this is good to modify core files.

Drawbacks with this modification are,

1. Touching core files

2. The notes can only be accessed on scorm player page (Not course wide).


Anyone can help on making the same course wide, so that users can add/update course notes anywhere in the platform.


If anyone has suggestions apart from changing the core file, that would be really great..

Attachment scorm-notes.png
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