Probably a silly question, but as this forum is free-form, I'll ask it here even though it would fit on other forums... I actually sent a similar query on another forum and didn't get an answer, probably because I'm having a hard time explaining this.
Is it possible to create resources which aren't located in a week/topic but appear in one of the side blocks?
With my Moodle sites, I often end up with a large "Week 0" section because much of the activities/resources for my courses could be relevant at different times during the semester. At the same time, my course is in the regular weekly format because timing is a rather big issue with several students.
Looking at the KoKae.com Moodle site with guest access (created by Richard Treves, at Southampton), I notice the "Site Links" section on the left. It seems like the resources and activities listed there are also in the topic list but would it be possible to have something similar with resources/activities not associated with a specific week/topic?
Thanks!
Greetings, Alexandre!
There was such a block: Side Bar
The social activities block and the main menu block are also similar, but both are unavailable when using topics or weekly formats. I did use Side Bar on 1.6, but every time you changed the topic order your content disappeared. Now that I am on 1.6.3+, the Side Bar block is listed at the bottom of the admin/blocks.php page as not being compatible. I have emailed the authors to request an update, so perhaps they will have time to give it a look!
I know this does not help you much, but perhaps you have someone at your institution that could take a look at Side Bar and see what would be required to update it?
atw
There was such a block: Side Bar
The social activities block and the main menu block are also similar, but both are unavailable when using topics or weekly formats. I did use Side Bar on 1.6, but every time you changed the topic order your content disappeared. Now that I am on 1.6.3+, the Side Bar block is listed at the bottom of the admin/blocks.php page as not being compatible. I have emailed the authors to request an update, so perhaps they will have time to give it a look!
I know this does not help you much, but perhaps you have someone at your institution that could take a look at Side Bar and see what would be required to update it?
atw
Thanks!
It does help me in that it makes me know that I'm not crazy...
Unfortunately, Concordia University, which has 30 000 registered students and has now a Moodle site for every course, has exactly one person working on the Moodle installation.
Maybe next year...
Thanks again!
It does help me in that it makes me know that I'm not crazy...
Unfortunately, Concordia University, which has 30 000 registered students and has now a Moodle site for every course, has exactly one person working on the Moodle installation.
Maybe next year...
Thanks again!
A.T.,
Well, then, I will just try it again!
Thanks!
atw
Thanks!
atw
Chardelle created a block that does this that I use. Cant' recall what it is called though.
Hi Alexandre,
Perhaps part of the confusion in getting an answer is that it is not clear whether you want to create activities/resources on a block on the 1) site page or a 2) course page. My guess is that you want such a block on a course page.
1) Site Page Activities/Resources Block: This is called the "Main Menu" block and you have an easy drop-down menu for any activity or resource.
2) Course Page Activities/Resources Block: Besides the side block suggestion on this forum, you can also add an "HTML" block, with links to the activities and resources you want.
Perhaps part of the confusion in getting an answer is that it is not clear whether you want to create activities/resources on a block on the 1) site page or a 2) course page. My guess is that you want such a block on a course page.
1) Site Page Activities/Resources Block: This is called the "Main Menu" block and you have an easy drop-down menu for any activity or resource.
2) Course Page Activities/Resources Block: Besides the side block suggestion on this forum, you can also add an "HTML" block, with links to the activities and resources you want.
Good point!
AFAIK, I don't have access to the site page.
I thought about the HTML block but I don't see a way to create an activity/resource outside of the list of weeks/topics. Maybe if I make it invisible, I can still link to it?
OTOH, I probably don't need to be concerned with cluttering the course site. Students still find the information pretty easily.
AFAIK, I don't have access to the site page.
I thought about the HTML block but I don't see a way to create an activity/resource outside of the list of weeks/topics. Maybe if I make it invisible, I can still link to it?
OTOH, I probably don't need to be concerned with cluttering the course site. Students still find the information pretty easily.
My approach to the problem was to make an html block with links to the activity.
I "hid" the activity by putting about twenty returns or a very long invisible graphic as a Label after my last "viewable" link in my last topic section. Then I create the activities that I want in my sideblock and copy the url of the activity to the html block.
If the activity is an assignment, for example, the students never notice it in the main section because they would have to scroll very far down a page section filled with blank sections in order to see it. Because it is technically visible, however, when they click on the breadcrumb menu for Assignments, it will be lsited in the assignments for the last topic or week.
Inelegant but functional?
Bob
I "hid" the activity by putting about twenty returns or a very long invisible graphic as a Label after my last "viewable" link in my last topic section. Then I create the activities that I want in my sideblock and copy the url of the activity to the html block.
If the activity is an assignment, for example, the students never notice it in the main section because they would have to scroll very far down a page section filled with blank sections in order to see it. Because it is technically visible, however, when they click on the breadcrumb menu for Assignments, it will be lsited in the assignments for the last topic or week.
Inelegant but functional?
Bob
I kind of did the same thing to distinguish the final examination period from the rest of the semester. In this case, I have extra weeks in the course so that there's a clear line between the regular semester and the finals. Inelegant but somewhat functional.
From your message, it looks as if I'm not the only one who would like to be able to create activities (especially assignments) outside of the topic/week list. In fact, the interface could make this easy in the appropriate activities sections. For instance, you create a new assignment in the page listing all the assignments, you change the dates as you please, and you decide where it should appear in the topic/week list. There could be a student-invisible week/topic for general assignments.
A case in point. I have my students in upper-level courses do a small number of critical reviews based on required readings during the semester. They choose which texts they want to write critical reviews on. So, the CR assignments are undated. I put them in "Week 0," but this method is quite inelegant and rather confusing.
The more I think about it, the more an "invisible week" makes sense... Maybe it doesn't make sense for others, but I could see some possibilities.
From your message, it looks as if I'm not the only one who would like to be able to create activities (especially assignments) outside of the topic/week list. In fact, the interface could make this easy in the appropriate activities sections. For instance, you create a new assignment in the page listing all the assignments, you change the dates as you please, and you decide where it should appear in the topic/week list. There could be a student-invisible week/topic for general assignments.
A case in point. I have my students in upper-level courses do a small number of critical reviews based on required readings during the semester. They choose which texts they want to write critical reviews on. So, the CR assignments are undated. I put them in "Week 0," but this method is quite inelegant and rather confusing.
The more I think about it, the more an "invisible week" makes sense... Maybe it doesn't make sense for others, but I could see some possibilities.