Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

by Becky Menendez -
Number of replies: 10

It looks like this question may have been asked a few years ago, but I'm wondering if any better solutions exist now.  I'd like to be able to make a single activity appear in more than one module.  For example, a single blog or journal that participants add to each week (module) throughout the course, or a discussion forum that spans several weeks (modules).

From what I can tell, it looks like activities have to be associated with a specific module, rather than created at the course-level.  So the only way I can do this right now is to create, say, a blog activity in Module 1.  Then link back to that blog in all the subsequent modules.  This means, however, that when the participant opens that blog activity in Module 4, they'll be taken back into an entirely different module.  Is this correct?

Is there a better way to manage this?  What I'd love is the ability to create a course-level activity that is linked to in each of the modules.  Whether the participant access this activity from Module 1, or Module 4, they would be able to use the bottom navigation to get to the previous/next activity in that same module... not having to jump to a different module and find their way back.  

Is this possible?

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In reply to Becky Menendez

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

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

When you say "module" I assume that you mean "topic."  Right?

Well, interesting question.

I have had success creating a forum in one topic, and then duplicating it to another topic so that students get to the same discussions regardless of which topic they clicked on.  I did this by not really "duplicating" it but rather by creating a URL resource, and then linking it to the first forum activity. This might be what you are looking to do.  I will provide a screenshot that I hope conveys what I have just said.

I have never done this for other types of activities or resources, but I think this technique will work.

One subtle, yet a nice feature of this technique is that when I restore a backup of this course to a NEW course, these URL linked items continue to work.  They seem to be "relative" URLs as opposed to "absolute" URLs.  Of course, this makes my life easy with new courses.

Attachment linked resources.png
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In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

by Becky Menendez -

Thanks, Rick!  Yes, I did mean "topic," sorry!  

The approach you're describing is what I'm guessing I would have to do to make this work.  It's good to know that the URL continues to work when restoring a backup.  My concern is that, because we're using a one topic format, the navigation may be confusing to the user.  I'm assuming that when students in your course click on that "Link to Ch13/14 Combined Discussion," they end up back in the Chapter 13 space, where the original forum is housed.  In my case, this would take them completely away from the module/topic they were halfway through, and to continue to the next activity, they'd have to find their way back to the where they were before they clicked the link.  Does that make sense?

I'd love for them, after clicking into that forum link in Chapter 14, to be able to click straight to the next item in their to do list.  I'm used to be able to doing this in Canvas, so trying to figure out if something similar is possible in Moodle.

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In reply to Becky Menendez

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

by ben reynolds -

One idea is a meta course. I don't entirely understand meta courses; they are a challenging concept, but my co-workers use metacourses as offices for different instructors working in the same course.

Another concept may be an i-frame. It's difficult to know when/where Moodle will let you use an i-frame, but that might work.

Oh, a third idea. Use Rick's link but make the link a popup so users never leave the topic they are in.

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In reply to ben reynolds

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

by Becky Menendez -

Thanks, Ben!  This gives me a couple more ideas to try out... I've never heard of meta courses.  Curious about the iframe option, though I wonder if that will reproduce more than just the discussion forum... menus, etc... will play and find out.

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In reply to Becky Menendez

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

by ben reynolds -

Now that we're no longer in the world of pop-ups within pop-ups spam unto infinity, I'm a fan of using pop-ups in Moodle. Partly because you choose in your browser whether a pop-up is a pop-up or opens a new tab. In either case, you don't lose your place in the originating Moodle topic.

The i-frame should work if you're linking directly to the forum, but I'm not sure whether the size of the frame would be useful (maybe too small?).

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In reply to Becky Menendez

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

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

Yes and no, and also maybe.

When my students click on "Link to Ch13/14 Combined Discussion," they are taken right into the discussion.  When they leave that discussion they are taken back to the course and can go where ever they want.  But I have no experience with the one topic format, nor with linking from one topic to the next.  I use the add-in Collapsed topics, which provides both a one-topic or multiple topics view, selectable by the student.  I get the best of both worlds.  And my students can go to any activity or resource.  

The thing that makes some of this doable in Moodle is that Moodle knows the URL to every web page.  So to create the "Link to Ch13/14 Combined" URL, I first go into the Ch13 Forum, copy the URL, and then create a new URL Resource using this copied URL from Ch13.  Canvas, from my experience, is somewhat limited with how it uses URL to navigate its web pages.  However, Canvas also has its "side" categories, ala Blackboard, for all Quizzes, Assignments, etc.  Some maybe your can use items in these "buckets" in any topic, as you can in Moodle.  But the real question is where is the student taken when they are done.

Experiment a little with your Moodle and let us know.

Also, I do know your exact needs.  In Canvas, are using some form of sequencing so that students can continue from where they left off?  In Moodle, you can use "Activity Completion" checkboxes to help students know what they have already completed.  Canvas does not have this feature, so I do wonder how students keep track of what they have done.

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In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

by Becky Menendez -

This makes sense, Rick... with your Collapsed topics format, it sounds like the navigation aspect of this is not as problematic.  Might be a possibility to bring up with my team.  And I have a few other things to try as well.

Not sure exactly how Canvas makes it work, but if you're curious, this is what I notice there.  In one of my courses, I have a discussion that appears in Module 1 and Module 2.  Students can navigate to that discussion by: 

  1. Clicking it where it's listed in the Module 1 items.
  2. Clicking it where it's listed in the Module 2 items.
  3. Navigating to it from inside either Module 1 or 2 using the "Previous" and "Next" buttons.
  4. Clicking the Discussions link in the course navigation menu and then clicking on the discussion there.

It *looks* to me like each discussion/assignment/page gets its own identity/URL, but when it's placed in a module, it also somehow gets its own module placeholder.  

  • When I open the discussion where it appears in Module 1, the URL is:
    /courses/1925387/discussion_topics/11892202?module_item_id=24005395
  • When I open the discussion where it appears in Module 2, the URL is:
    /courses/1925387/discussion_topics/11892202?module_item_id=24005505
  • When I open the discussion from within course Discussions area, the URL is:
    /courses/1925387/discussion_topics/11892202

I do really like the "activity completion" checkboxes in Moodle, I think that's a great feature for students to keep track of their progress.  You're right that there's not an equivalent in Canvas, though I guess Calendar does automatically cross out assignments after students have submitted them.   Its module setup is similar to your Collapsed topic setup, from what you described.

Anyhow... thank you for your help!  If you think of any other ideas, let me know, but I'll start experimenting with the options I have.

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In reply to Becky Menendez

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

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

Good comments, Becky.

In your example about a discussion in Canvas, Moodle can easily do #1 and #2.  Since Canvas does not have any easy method for students to keep track of where they are, maybe the Next/Previous buttons is Canvas' method.

When I talk about a unique URL, what I mean is that every web page, and many other items, have a unique URL.  For example, the "Permalink" at the bottom of your first post can be grabbed, and then I can say "Go to https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=379723#p1530847" or "Go to your first post."  I can even email this to a student, and when they click on the link in their email, it takes them exactly to the spot in Moodle.  Canvas does a little of this, but it is not consistent and I cannot figure when it works and when it doesn't, so it is of no use.

When I use activity completion, I usually prefer to have the student manually check-off the assignment or resource.  But Moodle can do this too.  The management of the Calendar is always an interesting challenge for both instructors and the LMS.  I am pleased with how Moodle does this, and Moodle even allows students to add their own items to the Calendar, that I don't think Canvas allows (or easily allows, I forget.)  But even if Canvas does cross out items, it still doesn't answer the student's question "Where am I in this course."

Yes, when I explored using Canvas, it seemed to me that the most efficient way of organizing my course was by using "Modules."  Canvas Modules = Moodle Topics.  Moodle allows the instructor to "highlight" the current topic with a color, Canvas does not.  The Collapsed Topics plugin, which I have been using for maybe 5-8 years, is much more powerful than Canvas.  But Canvas is very simple and not powerful, and apparently, this appeals to some.

Incidentally, I teach college-age students, so I let them decide where they want to go in my course and don't miss "Next/Previous" buttons.  

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In reply to Becky Menendez

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

by Visvanath Ratnaweera -
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There's a similar discussion going in parallel. See "Creating reusable course and modules - converting from face-to-face only delivery" https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=379291.
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In reply to Visvanath Ratnaweera

Re: Reusing the same activity across multiple modules

by Rick Jerz -
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Yep Visvanath, I am over there, too.  But I saw Becky's question a little differently.  Becky is staying in the same course, whereas the other Chris is wanting to make things common across courses.  I think Becky's desires are easier to address than Chris' desires.

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