Basic image editing tools

Basic image editing tools

от Melissa Newman -
Количество ответов: 6

Allowing a user to just drag and drop an image is nice, but if there is no way to auto-rotate through the GUI, it is pointless.  In order to rotate a dragged and dropped image, I have to go into the editor, change to HTML code, and then add a piece of style code that I have to memorize.  I am a programmer, and I find that annoying.  Imagine if I did not know HTML?  I would be lost.


It is much easier to just rotate the images in the operating system BEFORE even uploading them to moodle, but sometimes I am in  a hurry, and I just need to get the images into the database.


These upgrades should also be added for images:

  1. If a bunch of images are dragged and dropped, there should be the option to display them as "css-grid" objects that will auto change how many are displayed in a row depending on the screen size.
  2. Image zoom features.  My images are scanned in text and sometimes the original author's writing is not good, camera photo of somebody's notes, and it would be nice to be able to zoom in on the image.
  3. Auto contrast black and white.  Photo scanned images end up with a gray background that it would be nice to remove.
  4. Auto rotate through the GUI.
  5. Images should be in their own editor outside of TinyMCE or any other text editor.  Sometimes images are associated with text, and sometimes the images are the text, for example, scanned class notes.
  6. Auto OCR would be nice, but that may be a luxury item I am asking for.

I will attach a couple of files, so you can get an idea of what type of files I am dealing with.

Приложение WhatsApp Image 2018-12-31 at 8.32.36 AM.jpeg
Приложение WhatsApp Image 2019-01-02 at 8.07.08 PM.jpeg
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В ответ на Melissa Newman

Re: Basic image editing tools

от Melissa Newman -

This is how I am using Moodle.  I am in an intensive foreign language class.  The one class is 5 hours a day for 100 class days.  Each class day is a separate topic.  That part in fine.  

We have a Whatsapp group associated with the class.  On each day, different students posts photos taken of any handouts given during the class, class notes, and the homework.  So on a daily basis between 2 and 10 images are associated with a specific topic.

The problem with Whatsapp is that the images are deleted from Whatsapp after 2 weeks (or so), so uploading them into Moodle is intended to archive the images as well as organize the images.  On average, 5 images a day for 100 days would equal 500 images that need to be kept organized.

Dragging and dropping is nice, but the final display is not nice and since there are no post editing tools, many times I have to delete the images, do the editing outside of Moodle, and then re-add the images.  And since there is no zoom feature, many times I still scratch my head wondering what the person was trying to write.

"Students" being the editors of a class is not the original design of Moodle, but it is an adult education class where Moodle is being used more as a collaboration tool (similar to a wiki) than a teacher lead class.




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В ответ на Melissa Newman

Re: Basic image editing tools

от AL Rachels -
Изображение пользователя Core developers Изображение пользователя Particularly helpful Moodlers Изображение пользователя Plugin developers Изображение пользователя Testers

I would suggest using a Database activity instead of Whatsapp. Each entry can be set to display the photos in a standard size for each template view. The entry can be left so that the student can edit the entry. This would allow you to add comments telling them how to fix the photo so everyone can see/read it. If you set up the database templates correctly, all the photos final "display" will be "nice."

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В ответ на AL Rachels

Re: Basic image editing tools

от Melissa . -

Thank you for the comment, but not going to happen.  Whatsapp is a must, because it is easy.  Use your phone, take a picture, done.  Asking the general user to do anything else i out of the question.  Whatsapp is not the problem.  The lack of post edit features in moodle that is the problem.



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В ответ на Melissa .

Re: Basic image editing tools

от Rick Jerz -
Изображение пользователя Particularly helpful Moodlers Изображение пользователя Testers

But the problem could be stated as:

"The lack of pre-edit features in Whatsapp is the problem."

or

"The lack of knowledge, or desire, of your students to edit their pictures before posting is the problem."

or

"The lack of the camera software to automatically improve the photos or rotate them correctly is the problem."

or

"The inability to teach students to always shoot in landscape mode is the problem."

or

"The lack of these computer systems knowing right from wrong is the problem."

or

"The lack of switching away from Whatsapp to a better tool for this purpose is the problem."


Well, one could say "Moodle's editor is easy" and then you would have to live with what you get, just like you said about Whatsapp.

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В ответ на Melissa Newman

Re: Basic image editing tools

от Visvanath Ratnaweera -
Изображение пользователя Particularly helpful Moodlers Изображение пользователя Translators
Hi Melissa (Newman)

You have two strong preconditions to do a good job with Moodle: a) You are already digital tools intensively b) you understand the technology behind them.

Now about the difficulties you mentioned, and my guess work on them based on long experience:
a) The HTML editor
I agree. For me, who has hand knitted HTML 2 two decades ago, the the whole story of a WYSIWYG tightly coupled with file uploads, filters, etc. is babyisch. But then it dawned me that so many babies are born in those two decades and it is our duty to keep an opening for them. The short answer is, there are advanced methods of editing an authoring for everyone's needs. You have to develop the method which suits you best.

Adding (more) features like image editing to the HTML editor will be the wrong approach. In general, if Moodle tries to be everything it will do nothing well. Specific to image editing, it is the job of an image editing program! Adding a feature half-heartedly because the teacher (you) is in a hurry, is utterly foolish. The teacher has a duty and responsibility. A tool can not take over it!

b) On replacing present tools with Moodle
I see two problems. The first one is wanting exactly the one you already have. Well, then you must stick to it. Moodle is a different tool, not one but a collection of tools. So, you have to develop an understanding of the those tools before using them. This is not always easy since Moodle comes with a large number of tools. The core itself has about two dozens, I have no idea how many plug-ins you can add. Ultimately you have to find out the Moodle tool or sometimes a set of tools for a particular class room szenario.

The second problem is, not all tools are equally simple. You should know that Moodle is successfully used in higher education and professional training. So there are pretty powerful tools. By law of physics, you need to put more effort to master a powerful tool than a trivial one. I'm sorry, WhatsApp doesn't even close to be a tool in this respect.

Side note: With all the respect to Al Rachels, I am not too confident that you should jump from WhatsApp to the Database activity. There are simpler ones, like Forum and Assignment.

c) The balance face-to-face vs. on-line
LMS like Moodle is most effective in a mixed setting, called blended learning. This also means there is a certain amount of time between the face-to-face sessions for people to work on-line. At the intensity you are talking about, 5 hours per day, 100 days at a stretch, when is the on-line time unless you are in some kind of an Ashram (a monastery)?

d) Needs planning
You are in the middle of the course, right? Sorry, ever heard of planning? I understand, you've joined Moodle.org not very long ago, in August 2017. Your impatience, already duplicate posts https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=380529, and chaotic behaviour like barging in to somebody else's discussion with an unrelated problem https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=380434#p1533898, make the matters only worse.

But the good thing is, you are searching intensively. Take your time and develop a course for the next iteration of 100 days.

BTW, here is the perfect occasion for you: https://learn.moodle.net/. Starting Monday!
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