In 1.9, I have set up a few select users as Course Creators at the global level via Site Administration/Permissions/Assign system roles. It is my understanding that these users should then have the ability to add new courses and edit any existing courses. When logging in, they do not have an Add Course button nor when they are in an existing course, do they have the ability to edit that course. It is as if they are a student.
Am I not understanding this role or missing something in assigning it? The documentation leads one to believe that this is all that must be done in order for Course Creators to edit any course or create a new one.
Any help with this would be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Bob
In reply to Bob Singletary
Re: Course Creator role not functioning as expected in 1.9
by John Isner -
Course creator assigned at system level can create courses in any category. But they have to first get into a Category context in order to see the button.
It can be tricky getting into a category context, depending on what shows on the Site front page. If the Front page shows a Category listing or a Combo list, the course creator can click the category. If the Front page shows only a course listing, but there is a Courses block AND there are multiple categories, they can click the All courses... link and get to a page showing the categories. If all else fails, they can use a magic URL
Course creators are automatically assigned the role of Teacher, but only in courses they create. In other courses, they have no special status, so the behavior you're seeing (asking them if they want to enroll) is normal.
You should not think of Course creator as a particularly powerful role. It can ONLY create courses. A user who is Course creator gains the additional powers within a newly created course only as a result of becoming a Teacher there.
It can be tricky getting into a category context, depending on what shows on the Site front page. If the Front page shows a Category listing or a Combo list, the course creator can click the category. If the Front page shows only a course listing, but there is a Courses block AND there are multiple categories, they can click the All courses... link and get to a page showing the categories. If all else fails, they can use a magic URL
http://mysite/course/category.php?id=1
Course creators are automatically assigned the role of Teacher, but only in courses they create. In other courses, they have no special status, so the behavior you're seeing (asking them if they want to enroll) is normal.
You should not think of Course creator as a particularly powerful role. It can ONLY create courses. A user who is Course creator gains the additional powers within a newly created course only as a result of becoming a Teacher there.
In reply to John Isner
Re: Course Creator role not functioning as expected in 1.9
by Bob Singletary -
John,
Thanks for the quick and useful response. I have taken the course creators and given them teacher roles at the category level and that seemed to work fine.
I must confess I don't quite follow the design logic of the Course Creator role and the documentation does not seem to be too consistent with its behavior.
Again, many thanks!
Bob
Thanks for the quick and useful response. I have taken the course creators and given them teacher roles at the category level and that seemed to work fine.
I must confess I don't quite follow the design logic of the Course Creator role and the documentation does not seem to be too consistent with its behavior.
Again, many thanks!
Bob
In reply to Bob Singletary
Re: Course Creator role not functioning as expected in 1.9
by John Isner -
I have taken the course creators and given them teacher roles at the category level and that seemed to work fine.
So you have enabled these users to (1) create courses in any category (by virtue their Course creator role in the System context) and (2) teach and edit courses within a specific category.
Is that what you really want?
IMO it is best not to get too fancy when starting out with roles. The system is already complicated enough; why add complexity? I would seriously advise you to stick with just the Course creator role, and furthermore I would assign it in a Category context, not the System context. Don't assign Teacher at Category context. Remember that Course creators automatically become Teachers in courses they create.
I reviewed the documentation and it seems OK to me. I think the problem is merely that the role doesn't conform to your expectations. If you had been using Moodle prior to 1.7, you would probably be happy with how the role works, since it works just like the old fixed creator role did, prior to 1.7.
So you have enabled these users to (1) create courses in any category (by virtue their Course creator role in the System context) and (2) teach and edit courses within a specific category.
Is that what you really want?
IMO it is best not to get too fancy when starting out with roles. The system is already complicated enough; why add complexity? I would seriously advise you to stick with just the Course creator role, and furthermore I would assign it in a Category context, not the System context. Don't assign Teacher at Category context. Remember that Course creators automatically become Teachers in courses they create.
I reviewed the documentation and it seems OK to me. I think the problem is merely that the role doesn't conform to your expectations. If you had been using Moodle prior to 1.7, you would probably be happy with how the role works, since it works just like the old fixed creator role did, prior to 1.7.
In reply to John Isner
Re: Course Creator role not functioning as expected in 1.9
by Bob Singletary -
John,
I appreciate the follow-up and recommendation, but unless I am not understanding, for them to be able to edit EXISTING courses, they have to be assigned the Teacher role (thus my choice of doing that at the category level) and remain Course Creators to be able to add courses (thus my choice of doing that globally). Complex perhaps, but it is only for a handful of our staff members and will not be the general rule.
Again, thanks.
Bob
I appreciate the follow-up and recommendation, but unless I am not understanding, for them to be able to edit EXISTING courses, they have to be assigned the Teacher role (thus my choice of doing that at the category level) and remain Course Creators to be able to add courses (thus my choice of doing that globally). Complex perhaps, but it is only for a handful of our staff members and will not be the general rule.
Again, thanks.
Bob
In reply to Bob Singletary
Re: Course Creator role not functioning as expected in 1.9
by John Isner -
Bob,
Thanks for explaining the situation. Sounds like it will work.
Thanks for explaining the situation. Sounds like it will work.