乱伦秀

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Last updated: 30 November 2021

This toolkit听outlines听the听tools and functions听in Moodle that can听be used听to monitor students鈥� engagement with a course鈥檚 resources and activities.听听

It complements the听Toolkit听Encouraging student engagement with blended and online learning听which sets out听pedagogical strategies to encourage and sustain engagement. The tools outlined below allow听enrolled tutors and course administrators听to monitor whether these student engagement strategies are having the desired effect(s).听听

The toolkit听also outlines听ways to enable students to monitor and review听their own progress and engagement with听Moodle activities and resources.听听

This toolkit introduces ways听monitor听students鈥� progress and quickly identify students who may be falling behind or over-engaging.听It will听help听you听set up a Moodle course听in a way that enables you to answer the following questions:听

• What听Moodle听resources are students accessing or finding useful?听听
• What is the frequency of access and how much time may students be spending on听each听item/task?听
• What areas do students seem to struggle with?听
• Which individuals appear to be disengaged?听
• Has an intervention to engage students听been successful?听

This toolkit is most useful when you are preparing a Moodle course for a new cohort; this allows you to set up monitoring tools in time to capture students鈥� engagement data from their first time accessing the course.听

What we mean by 'engagement' and 'progress'

In the context of teaching and learning, 鈥榚ngagement鈥� can be broadly defined as a set of positive student behaviours. These include:听

• attention to and completion of听work;听
• active involvement in assigned work; and听听
• similar involvement in their interactions with peers, the teaching team and the wider university community.听

By听鈥榩rogress鈥�, we mean听the sequence of tasks a student does, or engages with, as they听move听through听a course over time.听'Progress鈥� also听refers to what a student may accomplish while on this learning journey, namely:听

• Evidence of improvement,听
• Key performance indicators awarded (such as scores),听
• Intended learning outcomes and objectives.听

There is significant overlap听and interaction between听both terms听in this context.听For example, a student could be viewed as having 鈥榚ngaged鈥� with a resource on a Moodle course if there is evidence that they opened it. But it is not possible to know if their knowledge and/or understanding 鈥榩rogressed鈥� as a result of opening this resource without successfully engaging the student in an activity designed to evaluate the student鈥檚 learning regarding this resource.听听

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How to听identify student engagement and progress

We suggest听that听you 鈥榙esign in鈥� specific activities听at various parts of the module听where you can gather engagement data from your cohort. These should be part of the student journey but can act as an additional 鈥榯emperature check鈥� to ensure students are participating.听听听听

The Moodle tools and functions listed below may flag issues early on, giving more time to implement interventions that could help struggling听students,听result in better learning outcomes or听improve听student evaluations听etc. Bear in mind that any such听interventions take time and may听need听additional preparation (e.g. new sessions or resources).听听

Interpreting the data

For each of the monitoring tools described below, we include a notice of caution: it听is听not always easy to interpret engagement data.听听For example,听

• What does it mean when students revisit a resource or activity frequently? Is it useful or confusing?听
• Why do some individual students appear to spend excess amounts of time engaging with a particular aspect of course?听
• What does it mean when students just don鈥檛 engage with important parts at all, or rarely?听

The data is most useful as one data point in a broader, ongoing conversation we recommend you have with your students about how interesting, relevant and challenging they are finding your Moodle materials and activities.听

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Tools for monitoring听

Click on a Moodle tool below to find out more about what it activity it monitors, how it works and tips on interpreting the data it produces.听

'Activity Completion', 'Restrict Access' and 'Course Completion' tools

What do they monitor?听

Staff听can:听听

• Easily get a sense of the extent to which individual, or cohorts of students are engaging with certain items on their course and hence with the module overall.听
• Control students鈥� access to specific items based on tutor set criteria, such as a date or听completion or engagement with another task.听

Students听can:听

• gain听a sense of the 'volume' of the course, how much they have completed, and how much is left to go.听听
• take听ownership of the course听by checking off items as they progress through the course.

How do they work?听

• Staff configure the course to display a checkbox beside each selected resource and activity.听
• Students can tick a checkbox to indicate task completion or engagement.听 Conditions can be set so that the activity is automatically 'ticked' as completed once the student has fulfilled the听requirements (e.g. creating a forum post and replying to two others; opening an article; responding to a question).'听
• Students can see a report listing听their听ticked/completed and remaining tasks on听the听course.听
• Staff can see a report listing enrolled students and the resources and activities they have ticked/completed.听
• Staff can听also听restrict students鈥� access to resources and activities in-line with pre-set criteria.听

Interpreting the data

Although these tools听can identify听students who听may听seem not听to听be听engaging听with听certain resources or activities,听or who may be 鈥榞aming鈥� the system e.g. by听ticking tasks well in advance of them being covered,听the simple听听on its own听cannot听confirm听that听specific students are听definitely听disengaged听or听explain听the reasons behind any such disengagement. They should be viewed as a data point to start or facilitate an individual or group discussion with your student(s).听You could build on the data by using:

• individual emails, e.g. using听.
• a听quick 鈥榯emperature check鈥� survey听of some or all of the cohort using听the听听tool .
• a conversation in class听or听a forum that听facilitated听anonymous posts may be听appropriate.听(See:听听>听How do I鈥�?听).听

It is important to be transparent in听the use of learning analytics of this kind. Let students know at the outset that you听can see听whether or not items听have听been ticked.听Some students may therefore opt听not to use this system听but this should not be taken as evidence of听disengagement.听

User guides

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• 听
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'Checklist' tool

What does it听monitor?听

• Checklists can prompt students of things to do听or include when preparing for an action听or piece of work e.g. a placement, seeking ethical approval, fieldwork, an assessment etc.听
• Increases likelihood of students听completing听listed items.听听
• Staff can see what items individual students have ticked and/or added.听

How does it work?听

• Staff can add Checklists to a course in which students can tick off listed items.听听
• Checklists can be configured so students can add their own items.听 Useful for research modules, or spaces in which a sense of student ownership is beneficial.听
• The report displays听a table listing听all听the students听enrolled on a course听in the听first听column,听and听all the items on the 'Checklist' presented as column headings听across the听first听row.

Interpreting the data

This tool听allows staff听more granular听oversight听of听individual students. Staff can听instantly听see听how听their听class is progressing with听items on听the Checklist.听(See the听听section in the听Checklist听mini guide).听However, students can choose听whether听to use听this听tool听and to what extent so material evidence of engagement听with an item听listed in听the Checklist,听e.g.,听an assignment submission,听or听a听forum post, may be a more reliable barometer of engagement with that action.听

User guide

• 听

'Group choice' tool

What does it monitor?

• Gives students the freedom to choose a group and听the听potential听to switch groups. This听can provide an opportunity to see if students are sufficiently engaged to join a group and consequently to engage in group activities.听
• Groups don鈥檛 have to be just for formal group work or projects. They could have a social aspect e.g. for encouraging students to form mutually supportive study groups.

How does it work?听

• Staff can create empty groups and students can choose which one they want to join.听
• Staff can set limits on the number of students who can join each group.听
• Access to activities and resources can be restricted by group membership.听

Interpreting the data

Any response听indicates听a degree of engagement on the part of respondents.听However, you听may be able to听read more into听students鈥櫶齡roup choice听or changes to their choice听based on your knowledge听of the听students.听

Where students听have not听joined a group it possible to听prompt them听via individual emails (N.B.听听could be used to do this).听

User guide

'Hot question' tool

What does it monitor?

• It allows students to actively engage in class-wide听discussions听by asking questions or making comments anonymously.听

How does it work?听

• When staff听add听a听Hot Questions听activity听to their course(s),听students can contribute questions/topics and/or vote for their peers鈥� contribution(s).听
• The more votes a question gets the 鈥榟otter鈥� it becomes and the higher it rises in the list.听

Interpreting the data

You can clearly see what students want to know听or what they think听by the questions or thoughts they post听in the听Hot Question听tool. In addition, students can get an idea听of how many听of their peers would like to know the answers to these听questions or听concur听with their comments from the听number of听votes听they get.听

Whereas anonymous听posts听may deny staff the information they need to听reach out to individual students,听facilitating听anonymous engagement may听increase participation by听reticent听students.听

User guide

'Feedback' tool

What does it monitor?

You can take occasional 鈥渢emperature checks鈥� throughout your module, including on how students rate their own engagement with the course.听听

How does it work?听

Staff create a feedback survey on their course with questions that they create. (N.B. This tool is not typically used for centrally managed module evaluations. See听Online Student Evaluation Questionnaires听and听听Harmonising module evaluation听for more on Student Module Evaluations).听

Interpreting the data

Staff can see听both听individual responses in detail,听and听a graphical (and text)听display of听aggregated听responses.听

Engagement can be gauged both by the number of respondents as well as听by听the responses given.听The听effectiveness of this tool听for听understanding the why鈥檚 and wherefores听of students鈥� engagement听along a particular learning journey听is听therefore听largely听dependent听on the听questions composed.

User guide

'Choice' tool

What does it monitor?

• Can be used to ask students subject related or administrative questions.听E.g.听Rather asking students to reply by email to a question with pre-set responses, ask student to complete a Choice poll.听
• Easier for students to click on a link and select a response in a Choice, than to write an email response.听听
• Staff don鈥檛 have to collate email responses and figure out who has yet to reply.

How does it work?

• Staff can pose a question or poll (in the form of an MCQ) and students can select one or more of the choices or options given.听
• Staff can configure the Choice tool in a variety of ways. Including ones that determine whether staff and/or students can see the identities of participants.听

Interpreting the data

Interpreting the data generated by听the听听tool depends on how it听has been听used or the question students have been asked to answer.听 For example,听if may be used:听

• as听a quick poll to stimulate thinking about a topic; 听
• to听facilitate听student decision-making, for example allowing students to vote on a direction for the course; or听
• to quickly test students' understanding.听

In these cases,听any response听indicates听a degree of engagement on the part of respondents.听However, the author of the poll may be able to further evaluate the听鈥榪uality鈥櫶齩f听students鈥櫶齟ngagement听by their specific choice(s).听

Where students听have not听participated听it听is听possible to prompt them via individual emails (N.B.听听could be used to do this). Or听perhaps aa听quick 鈥榯emperature check鈥� survey of these students, could be done using the听听tool, to听sensitively听explore their lack of engagement. In some cases, a conversation in class or a forum that听facilitated听anonymous posts may be听appropriate. (See:听听>听How do I鈥�?听).听

User guide

'Moodle Reports' tool

What does it monitor?

By regularly reviewing听听Moodle Reports you can:听

• gauge the relative popularity of resources听听
• see the pattern of student usage听
• get a听senseof听how and听when听听students听engage across the course.

How does it work?

Most useful听reports for this purpose:听Live Logs,听Activity Reports听and听Course participation.听See 乱伦秀 Moodle wiki for information on how to access and use.听

Logs听鈥撎齛re听useful for听displaying听lists听of all the actions听one/all听student(s)听have听undertaken听in听this听course听within听the past year.听They are often used to see听if听or when听students听submitted听work听or engaged with an activity or resource.听

Activity听reports听鈥撎齭how听the听items听in听a听course on a single page, sorted by topic/week number. Each item in the report displays with听the:听听

• number of听times听it has been viewed,听听
• number of听viewers,听听
• date and time it听was last accessed,听听
• number of days and hours since last access.听

Course听participation鈥痳eports听鈥撎齱ill show all actions for听selected听activities and resources on your course.听

Interpreting the data

Although these tools can readily identify students who may听be recorded as having viewed听resources or activities, these听simple听reports may听not听on听their听own听convey听how听鈥榤eaningful鈥櫶齮hat听student鈥檚听engagement was. As in the case of 'Acitivity Completion' data, they should be viewed as a starting point to听facilitate an individual or group discussion with your student(s) about their level of engagement.听

In the interests of transparency, it is important to let students know at the outset that you can view听these engagement听monitoring听tools.听听

User guide

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Further help

• Contact听any of your education support named contacts for advice on听designing, structuring and delivering your course, etc.:听
  • Your Faculty Learning Technology Lead (FLTL)听听
  • Your Department鈥檚 Learning Technologist听听
  • Your School鈥檚 Digital Education Advisor (DEA)听听
• Useful 乱伦秀 resources include:听
  • The听Connected Learning Baseline: module leaders should consult and听align your course(s) with it.听
  • ABC Learning Design high-speed听workshop that听results in a collaborative course/programme design. Check for upcoming events.听
  • Encouraging student engagement with blended and online learning听[Teaching Toolkit]听
  • 听

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