Moodle plugins directory: GPS Format
GPS Format
Barry Oosthuizen, Description:
The course format „GPS Format“ allows e-learning content to be displayed according to the geo coordinates of the learner.
This enables location-based mobile learning or simple geocaching. Learners who use a GPS enabled Web Browser on a Smartphone could take the advantage of this course format. Location services based on WLAN or the phone providers data will not work well due to missing precision.
In events like a city rally, the learner walks between predefined locations using a smartphone or tablet PC. At these stations the learner gets certain information and tasks that are directly related to the location. All conceivable Moodle content like text, pictures, videos or tests can be used.
The trainer is able to integrate new content at his desktop PC, by simply creating a new Moodle course. The GPS format largely matches the popular topics format. Every topic section can contain different material or activities. In a second step specific topic sections can be assigned to the corresponding GPS coordinates where they should be visible. After the installation of the course format "GPS Format", Moodle courses can be created in the new format and existing courses can be transferred into the new format with only one click.
Demo Video:
The demo video shows the Version 1.2 of the GPS plugin. From the version 1.3 and 1.4 on trainers do the GPS settings a bit different. Following the Moodle standards it is now done directly in the settings of the topics themselves.
Hint: Please be indulgent with my English pronunciation in the demo video. I didn't want to wait for a native speakers help to publish this helpful course format early together with a demo video.
How to install:
Follow the instructions of the Moodle documentation:
https://docs.moodle.org/en/Installing_add-ons
The correct path on your Moodle server is:
/path/to/moodle/course/format/
Support:
This is usually an unsupported version of the course format.
If you ask kindly you can contact Barry Oosthuizen who helped us to develop the plugin.
The ka:media Team could also help from time to time.
Background information:
ka:media developed the GPS course format in a „Pro“ version for Totara and its own systems. The focus lies on country-specific learning, mobile learning in large commercial spaces and the efficient training of rescue and delivery services.
The team discovered already in the developing process, that a GPS format will be a very helpful tool for a broad range of users, e.g. teachers or in tourism.
To support the meanwhile great development of Moodle in the area of mobile applications, ka:media decided to publish the GPS format in a version, which is without any fee-based support and can be installed by every Moodle administrator.
Useful links
Screenshots
Contributors
I have a few more questions and would like to chat by email. I sent an email with your questions.
When will be released a new version of the plugin?
I was asked for the range in Meters of the GPS area of a restricted topic.
A: we set it to 50 meters in the free GPS format for Moodle. That means - based on the accuracy of your device a range of 20 meters should be matched correctly on any device.
Keep in mind this only works when you are outside of buildings.
A programmer or an admin can change this value in the locallib.php in line 84 for your complete Moodle installation to set up different values:
" $locationradius = 50; "
I was asked to keep learners position data more secure than we already do and not to update it automatically when the course is loaded.
We will take this suggestion into our TODO list for the next release.
@all: please feel free to make more suggestions directly here.
Thanks for the help
My suggestion is to update the position when user clicks on "update my position" and then click "update"
The current version updates the position as follows:
1) to load a course
2) by clicking the button "update my position" (updated again)
3) After click on the button "update my position" click update (updated again)
I would like to update only when the user clicked on "update my position" and then click "update" (a single update of position). I'm modifying the source code, but I'm not getting any suggestions to help me?
We will publish the new versio (hopefully) in March.
The Plugin will then run in Moodle 3.0.x.
The language files will be cleaned up and will be published im AMOS. So everybody can create and publish own translations of the Plugin.
We will actually not fix the behavior that a GPS hidden section is still accessible by the standard navigation menue, if the menue in your Moodle installation is set up to show single activities.
If you access to a course in gps format with the Moodle Mobile app then you will get all sections without any gps restriction.
Can this module be used to import GPS data from a Satellite pet containment fence?
Yes, the plugin works in Moodle 3.9 ... but it is no longer Moodle like. This is not surprising since the GPS format was developed for Moodle 2.5
Moodle now has a whole range of availability restriction plugins which regulate access depending on very different features (date, course role, cohort, language, course completion, mobile app, paypal, ....). All of these features can be combined as conditional availabilities. And all features can be applied to course sections and individual activities.
The GPS format does not work with the mobile app. If you watch a course in GPS format with the mobile app, you will find that nothing is hidden depending on the location. The course is always fully visible in the mobile app.
Ralf