Moodle Help Guide

Editing Dates in an Assignment

It's crucial to start by checking the availability dates of each Moodle Assignment, as this sets the timeline for your work. 

Allow submission from date (i.e., open the assignment)

The assignment opens to the class, and students can submit their work.

Due Date

This is the expected time students will submit their work. The assignment can be submitted after the due date but will be marked late. ]

Cut-off date

An assignment cannot be submitted past the cut-off date. 

 

Editing Dates in a Discussion

Gradebook Setup

Adding a Blank Graded Item

Adding Categories to a Gradebook

Changing Aggregation Method

Moodle converts all grades to a percentage value and then aggregates the grade according to the strategy that you select. There are over 8 different aggregation methods.

Aggregation Methods

Method	Definition
Mean of Grades	The sum of all grades is calculated and then the total is divided by the number of graded items.
Weighted Mean of Grades	The sum of all grades is calculated, the specified weight is applied to the grade, and then the total is divided by the sum of all weights.
Simple Weighted Mean of Grades	The sum of all grades is calculated ,the Maximum Grade Value for the assignment is applied as the weight, and then the total is divided by the sum of all weights.
Median of Grades	Grades are arranged in ascending order, and then the median value is chosen. If there are even grades, the two middle values will be chosen and then divided by 2.
Natural	This will  be the sum of all grade values, scaled by their relative weight. The maximum grade of the category is the sum of all the maximum grades of the aggregated items.

How do I change Aggregation Methods?

Step 1

Click Edit > Edit Settings on a Course Category.

 

Step 2

In Edit Settings under the Aggregation drop-down, choose the appropriate weight.

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Adding a Blank Graded Item

An instructor might want to add a blank Graded Item for a variety of reasons, such as:

• An instructor might facilitate an assignment in the classroom in which no evidence of student work is uploaded in Moodle LMS. To assign credit to the assignment, the instructor would create a blank Graded Item.
• An instructor might record daily participation or course participation using a blank Graded Item.

Step 1

Click Grades on the Course Main Menu.

 

Step 2

From the Dropdown Menu on the Grader Report Page select Gradebook Setup.

 

Step 3

From the Gradebook Setup window select Add Grade Item button.

 

Step 4

Complete the detailed information on the Graded Item, such as the Grade Type and Maximum Grade.

 

Step 5

You can choose a Gradebook category for the Graded Item and then click Save Changes.

Note. If you select Weighted Mean of Grades, you will be able to input the weight of each item within the category on the Gradebook Setup page.

Adding Categories to a Gradebook

To add a grade category, you must be on the Gradebook Setup Page (Actions Menu > Gradebook Setup).

What are Grade Categories?

Grades can be organized into grade categories. Each category has its own aggregated grade, which is calculated from its grade items. There is no limit to the level of nesting of categories (a category may belong to another category). However, each grade item may belong to only one category. Also, all grade items and categories belong to at least one permanent category: the course category.

Adding a Grade Category

To add a Grade Category, click on Add Category on the Gradebook Setup page.

Grade Category Settings

Aggregation

the drop-down menu will allow you to select an aggregation method for the specific Grade Category.

Exclude Empty Grade

If this option is checked, then the aggregation will ignore all grade items for which there is not a grade.,If this option is unchecked, all non-graded items will receive a grade of 0.

Note. An empty grade is a missing grade book entry. It could mean that the student has not yet submitted an assignment, that the assignment has not been graded, or that the grade has been manually deleted.

Drop the Lowest

This will drop the lowest x number of grades from the report.

Note: When using natural weighting - dropping the lowest is only allowed when:

• all children of the category have equal weights
• all children of the category have equal max grade
• there are no subcategories in the category
• there are no extra credit items in the category

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Assignments with No Grade (i.e., Collecting Disability Forms in Moodle)

Step 1

 

Step 2

 

Step 3

 

Step 4

You can now collect your ADA forms in the Assignment Dropbox, and their grades will not be affected.

A clean, organized course layout helps students navigate easily and keeps their focus.To keep your Moodle course sleek and student-friendly, please take a few minutes to review the following:

 

• Delete any blank topics that may have sneaked in.

• Clear out old or extra announcements that are no longer relevant.

Using the Moodle Header

The first topic in your Moodle course shell is similar to a Header in Microsoft Word. It will be repeated on every page in your course.

If your students select and enter a topic, they will see the first Moodle topic on your course's main page.

Keep this Moodle header short by adding a topic directly below the first blank topic in Moodle. In the new topic, start your introduction to the course. 

This prevents the large header from repeating everywhere.

Consider Using the Moodle Design Checklist Tool

Here is a road map to course design success. This checklist was adapted from the OSCAR rubric. We encourage everyone to review and apply it as you prefer. If you want to learn more, just contact the CETL!