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Modules

Includes

Description
Modules tool terms
The three views
Opening the Modules tool
The View page
The Author View page
Adding modules
Setting "Next Steps" for a module
Adding sections to a module
Adding content to your sections
Editing a module
Editing a section
Deleting a module
Deleting a section
Making a module or section inactive
Restoring inactive modules
Using the date planner
Sorting modules
Changing the module label

Description

Modules is a lesson builder tool that allows authors to publish learning sequences that can be created by using a built-in online editor, by linking to web pages, or by uploading learning objects or documents of various formats. The learning (module) sequences that you create become on part of your CTools course website.

Modules tool terms

Module -- a lesson made up of multiple sections. Modules exist within a course site.
Section -- parts of a module; contain content
Content -- information in the sections
Next Steps -- instructions for students ab out what to do next, for examplwe, to to the next module
Views -- three views with different functions

The three views

There are three views under which users can perform various functions for their content: Student View: view and access modules Author View: add, edit or delete modules or sections, set access privileges, set start and end dates, make modules inactive, and much more Manage View: Handle tasks such as sorting, re-activating, importing and exporting modules, etc. When logging on as a student, there are no authoring options. Students can click on a module's title or click on the "expand" icon to view its contents.

Opening the Modules tool

Once in the course site you wish to work in, click Modules on the left navigation bar to go to the Modules area (you may change the default label at a later time).

The View page

The View page allows you to see the student perspective of your modules.

-- You can view the list of modules along with Start and End Dates. Note: The list of Modules displays both active and expired modules. Expired modules show as text line items. Active modules are displayed as hot links.
-- You can access an active module by clicking on its hot link.
-- You can view the sections of a module. Modules that have sections have an expand icon to the left of the title. Click on the expand icon to view its sections. Click on a section's link to view its content.

View Modules

1 . Click Modules on the left navigation bar.

2. Click on View on the top navigation bar to access the Student View.

3. From the Student View, click on a module's title to view it.

View Sections

You can view sections of a module in two ways, both from the Student View:

1 . Click the expand icon next to the module title to display its sections.

2. Click any section title (hot link) that you want to view.

OR

1 . Click on a module title. You are directed to the module's home page.

2. Click on a section title (sections are listed as hot links). Please note that when you access a section, you can navigate to other sections of that module by clicking on the breadcrumbs at the top and bottom of the screen.

 

The Author View page

When you click on Modules on the left navigation bar, you are directed to the Author View of Melete that displays a list of active and expired modules. The Author View page lets you perform the following actions:
-- Add a module
-- Add sections to a module
-- Edit a module
-- Edit sections of a module
-- Delete a module along with its sections
-- Delete only a section of a module
-- Make a module inactive (remove it from the active list of modules).
-- Include "next steps" for students to follow at the end of a module.
-- Set start and end dates for all modules in one screen.

Adding modules

In order to proceed with the module addition, you are required to provide information about Module Title, Description, Keywords and Choose a License. You can add one module at a time as follows:

1 . Click on Author.

2. Click the Add Module link.

3. Define the properties of your module as described below:


Defining properties of a module

While inputting information in the required fields, you should be aware that:
-- The module title cannot be less than 3 or more than 50 characters long. Titles can be a combination of alphabets and numerals. Special characters, such as &, * or %, are not allowed.
-- The description or objectives of the module should be less than 700 characters.
-- Keywords for the module should be fewer than 250 characters. They could be words or phrases.
-- Author name and Term/Year are fixed fields. The information for these fields is provided automatically by the system when you log into the course as an Instructor. You cannot alter the fixed field data. Later on, when you access the module to edit it, this information gets stored in the Modified by filed. Modules can be modified by you, colleague, or assistant who has the same access privileges as you do.
-- Set the Start and End Date for the module using the Date/time picker. Note: If you do not set the start and end date and time, the system sets the start time/date as 8:00 am today (module creation date) and the end time/date as 1 : 59 pm, one year from the module creation date.
-- Finally, you must select a license for your module's content. The choice of license can be Creative Commons, Copyright of an author, Public Domain, or Fair Use Exception. (see next section)


Final steps when adding a module

To proceed with a module addition, click on Add. To discard the module addition, click on Cancel. When you click on Add, you are directed to a confirmation page where you can Add Content Sections to your modules or return to the Author View. You can return to the module to add more content sections at any time.

Setting "Next Steps" for a module

You can set instructions at the end of every module for students. You may direct them to a quiz, assignment, or simply ask them to continue with the next module. To include "next steps" for a module, follow these steps:

1 . Click on Author to go to the Author View page.

2. Click on the Plus icon (see Next Steps column) next to the module you want to set instructions for.

3. Type the steps you want students to follow when finished with a module. Note: The steps will be displayed at the end of the module's homepage.

4. Click Save to submit your content and return to Author View. The Plus icon will be replaced with a View icon. Click on it to make further changes.

5. If you do not wish to save the instructions, click Cancel to return to the Author View page. The Plus icon next to the module will remain intact.

Adding sections to a module

You can add Sections to a module in three ways:

1 . From the Author View page, click on a module title in which you want to add content sections to. You will be directed to the module's properties page. Click the Add Section link located just below the navigation bar.

2. After you are finished editing a section, click the Add Section link just below the top navigation bar to add another section to the module.

3. After adding a new module, click the Add Content Sections link that is displayed in the confirmation page to add another section to the module.


Define Properties of a Section

While inputting properties for a new section, you should be aware that:

-- The Section Title cannot be less than 5 or more than 50 characters long. Titles can be a combination of alphabets and numerals. Special characters, such as &, * or %, are not allowed.
-- The Author field on this page is fixed; i.e. it is not editable.
-- After typing the title and instructions, choose the "modality" of the section's content. Check the format your content (check all that apply):
1 . Textual (Text based)

2. Visual (Flash files, images, etc.)

3. Auditory (Sound files, i.e. .wav files)

Adding content to your sections

After you enter the section title and instructions and have checked the modality fields, select how you will create content for the section. There are three options: Option

1 : Composing content using the built-in editor. The default choice for publishing content in a section is using the built-in WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor. When you choose to add a section, the editor is displayed by default. You do not need to know HTML to use the editor, yet if you know HTML, you may use the html tab of the editor and code directly in the window. You can compose new content in the editor or paste in content from other sources, such as Word, html, or text. Avoid pasting html code created in Word. Word creates bad html code and can cause glitches.

The editor has an image upload feature.  Image files must be uploaded from the users local desktop. To facilitate quick editing we suggest gathering the images you wish to use for projects into one file on your desktop before starting the design of test, surveys, or modules. 

2: Uploading a file. A section's content may be an uploaded file that you have created in Word, pdf, etc. Be aware that only alphanumeric, "_" and "- " characters are allowed in the file name. No spaces are allowed. Option

3: Linking to a webpage. Another option for adding content to a section is by linking to a webpage that you have published or exists on the internet that supplements your module's content (must be a functional URL). IMPORTANT NOTES FOR MELETE TOOL IMPLEMENTATIONS: For Melete installations that use the Sferyx WYSIWYG editor in place of the open source editor that is distributed with Sakai, the following are required: PC USERS:
-- IE 6.0 SP2 or Firefox (latest)
-- Download the Java plug-in: http://java.sun.com/getjava
-- Accept the sferyx certificate. Select "Grant Always." MAC USERS:
-- Firefox (latest). You must have 1 0. 3 Operating System
-- Download the Java plug-in: http://javaplugin.sourceforge.net
-- You must accept the sferyx certificate. Select "Grant Always."

Add New Section Actions

After you set the properties of a section and enter content, click on Add to continue. You will be directed to a confirmation page where you can:
-- Preview your content, accept changes, and continue.
-- Check Accessibility: Click this link to check if the content you added complies with key accessibility requirements. (not implemented)
-- Add Another Section: Click this link to continue adding sections.
-- Finish: Click this link if you are finished adding sections to the module for now. You will be directed to a Confirmation page. Click Preview to view the module's home page and preview your content.


Add More Sections to a Module

You can always return to add more sections to a module you have published. From the Author View page, click the module title you want to add sections to. Then, click the Add Content Sections link just below the top navigation bar. A link to add content sections is also available at the bottom of the screen. Similar links that allow you to add sections are also available at the section level of a module as well (below the top navigation bar and at the bottom of the page).

Editing a module

To edit a module, follow these steps:

1 . From the Author View page, click the checkbox next to the module to select it. Then, click the Edit link at the navigation bar. You will be directed to the Edit Module page where you can revise a module's properties. OR

2. From the Author View page, click the title of the module you want to edit. You will be directed to the Edit Module page where you can make changes. The Edit Module page contains five fixed fields and cannot be modified:
-- Author name, date and time when the module was first created.
-- Author name, date and time when the module was last modified.
-- Author Name
-- Term/Year The following information can be edited:
-- Module Title
-- Description or Objectives
-- Keywords
-- Start Date
-- End Date
-- License Option Once you have changed the module properties, complete the process:

1 . Click Save to save your changes and return to the Author View page.

2. Click Add Content Sections to save changes and continue adding sections.

3. Click Cancel to discard changes and go back to the Author View page.

Co-Authoring Information:

It is suggested that only one instructor make changes to a module at a time. If you will co-author content, establish regular authoring times with your partner or split modules to avoid over-writing each other's work in error. If you edit a module or section simultaneously, the system WILL let you know that someone else has altered it when you attempt to save it. You will receive the following message when trying to save content that was altered:

CAUTION! The properties of this module have been modified by another author simultaneously. Please open a new browser window and log in again to access the most current version of this module. You may make changes to this newer version. As mentioned earlier in this user guide, please note that only the original author can change the license of a module. Co-authors can edit content but cannot alter an original author's selected license. When a module is edited by an author other than the original, the edit module screen provides the following information: "created by:" and "modified by:" and the time of original and modified work.

Editing a section

To edit a section of a module, you can follow one of the three paths:

1 . On the Author View page, click the Expand icon (arrow) next to the module to view the section you want to edit. Click the checkbox next to the section to select it. Then, click the Edit link located below the top navigation bar. You are directed to the Edit Section page where you can make changes. Or,

2. On the Author View page, click the Expand icon (arrow) next to the Module to view the section you want to edit. Then, click the section (hot link) you want to edit. You will be directed to the Edit Section page. Or,

3. From the Author View, click on a Module. Note that sections appear as breadcrumbs below the menu bar. Click on the section you want to edit. On the Edit Section page, you can change the following information:
-- Section title
-- Instructions
-- Modality and
-- Content Options After editing the section, complete the process:
-- Click Save to save the edits.
-- Click Preview to view how the content will be displayed for students.
-- Click Check Accessibility to see if you need to make changes to your content to comply with Accessibility guidelines. (not implemented)
-- Click Cancel to discard the edits and return to the Author View.
-- Click Add Another Section to save the edits and add another section.
-- Click Finish to save the changes to the section and end editing. Co-Authoring Information: It is suggested that only one instructor make changes to a module at a time. If you will co-author content, establish regular authoring times with your partner or split modules to avoid over-writing each other's work in error. If you edit a module or section simultaneously, the system WILL let you know that someone else has altered it when you attempt to save it. You will receive the following message > when trying to save content that was altered:
CAUTION! The properties of this module have been modified by another author simultaneously. Please open a new browser window and log in again to access the most current version of this module. You may make changes to this newer version. As mentioned earlier in this user guide, please note that only the original author can change the license of a module. Co-authors can edit content but cannot alter an original author's selected license. When a module is edited by an author other than the original, the edit module screen provides the following information: "created by:" and "modified by:" and the time of original and modified work.

Deleting a module

1 . On the Author View page, choose the module you want to delete by clicking the checkbox next to the Module title. Then, click the Delete link.

2. A Deletion Warning asks you to confirm the delete action (not recoverable!). When you delete a module, all its sections and related uploaded files get deleted permanently as well. If you do not want to delete an entire module but only sections of it, refer to "Delete Sections."

3. If you are not sure about continuing with the deletion, click Cancel to abandon the process and return to the Author View page.

4. If you know what you are doing, click Continue to delete the module.

5. A confirmation page lists the module that you deleted.

6. Click Return to Modules to return to the updated Author View page.

Deleting a section

To delete sections of a module, follow these steps:

1 . From Author View, find the module whose section you want to delete.

2. Click the Expand icon next to the module title view its sections.

3. Click on the checkbox next to the section you want to delete.

4. Click the Delete link located below the navigation bar. A warning page asks you to confirm the delete action you are about to make (not recoverable!).

5. Click Cancel to discontinue the process and return to Author View.

6. If you know what you are doing, click Continue to proceed with the deletion. A confirmation page will list the section you deleted.

7. Click Return to Modules to return back to the updated Author View page.

Making a module or section inactive

If you will not be using a module in the current term but you do not wish to delete it, use the Make Inactive feature to remove it from the active list of modules. You can restore it at any time by clicking on Manage and then on the Restore icon. How to make modules inactive:

1 . On the Author View page, click the checkbox located next to the module title you want to remove from the current list of active modules.

2. Then, click the Make Inactive link located below the Author link.

3. A confirmation message will alert you that the chosen module is inactive. Note: Only modules can be made inactive. You cannot make sections inactive. When you make modules inactive, they lose their Start and End Date setting. You can access your inactive modules and restore them from the Manage screen.

Restoring inactive modules

To restore an inactive module, follow these steps:



1 . Click on Manage on the top navigation bar.

2. Click the Restore Inactive Modules icon.

3. A list of inactive modules is displayed, along with their deactivation date and time. By default, the modules are sorted by "Date Deactivated".

4. Click the checkboxes next to the inactive modules to select them. You can select and restore to the active list one or more modules at a time.

5. Click Restore to complete the operation.

6. A confirmation page displays the list of Modules that have been restored.

7. Click on Return to Modules to view the updated list of modules. Your restored modules are added at the bottom of the list of active modules.

Using the date planner

You can set the Start and End Dates of your modules at once in Author View.

1 . Click on the date/time picker icon next to a module.

2. A calendar pops up.

3. Set the time first! Then, click on the date.

4. The date/time will be set and the calendar widget will close.

5. Complete the process for all module start/stop dates you want to change.

6. To discard the date/time changes you made, click Cancel.

7. To accept the date/time changes, click Save at the bottom of the page. Notes: You may also revise the dates/times directly in the fields without using the calendar widget. If you don't enter the data correctly, you will receive errors. You can set Start and End dates for. Sections cannot be assigned dates. You can also change start/stop dates and times from the Edit Module page.

Sorting modules

To change the sequence of modules, follow these steps:

1 . Click on Manage at the top navigation bar.

2. Click the Sort Modules/Sections icon.

3. You will be directed to the Sort Modules page.

4. On this page, there are two columns. The first is showing the current sequence of modules. The second column is your work area.

5. In the second column, click the module whose sequence you want to change. Then, click the up and down arrows to change the sequence.

6. After re-sequencing the modules to the desired order, click Save.

7. To discard your changes, click Cancel and return to Author View.

Sorting sections

To change the sequence of the content sections of a module, follow these steps:

1 . Click on Manage at the top navigation bar.

2. Click the Sort Modules/Sections icon.

3. You are directed to the Sort Modules page (default).

4. Click on the Sort Sections button.

5. Select the module (drop-down list) whose sections you want to reorder.

6. Two tables are displayed. One shows the current sequence of the module's sections. The second column is where you can reorder them.

7. Click the section whose sequence you want to move. Then, click the up and down arrows to change the sequence.

8. After reordering the sections, click Save to retain the new sequence.

9. To discard the changes and return to Manage, click on Cancel.

Changing the module label

1. Click on Manage.

2. Click the Change Module label icon.

3. In the text box, type the label that you want to use in place of "Module". The new label should not be more than fifteen characters long. Only alphabetic characters are allowed. There should be no special characters in the label, such as #, *, etc. You are allowed to have one space between words, for example, "Lecture Notes" or "Classroom Notes."

4. To make the new label the default term for your modules, click Save.

5. To abandon the changes and return to your previous settings, click Cancel.