Many courses utilize a shared digital space where students can access materials, complete coursework, and connect with peers. CEU uses Moodle (CEULearning) as its learning management system, which enables faculty to supplement and teach courses online.
This page provides suggestions for how to get started with Moodle and basic tips for structuring a course. Moodle technical guides are also available for frequently asked questions. For individual technical support, contact e-Learning Developer and Manager Gábor Ács (acsg@ceu.edu).
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Getting to Know Moodle
If you're new to Moodle, consider starting with the following to get acquainted with the platform:
Complete the Getting Started with Moodle training. This self-paced course will guide you through logging into Moodle, configuring your preferred settings, and editing your course. You'll find information about uploading resources, adding activities and assignments, and publishing content.
Customize your profile. Consider uploading a profile picture and/ or short bio in Moodle so that students can get to know you and identify you within the course. You may also encourage students to add their own profile photos, or if they prefer, to upload a photo that represents or relates to them (e.g. an interest, pet, or hobby).
Develop a Welcome Unit. To get familiar with basic course editing, try building a welcome unit for the beginning of your course. This might include a short welcome message or video, a syllabus, course announcements, and an Introductions forum. These will help students get oriented in the course and get to know each other. Other items that it may be helpful to include are a netiquette or code of conduct, an instructor biography, your contact details, and office hours information. To learn more about recording videos, visit IT's SharePoint site [CEU login required].
What to Include on Moodle
Here are some suggestions of what to include in Moodle at the beginning of the semester.
Welcome Post: Posting a welcome announcement or video before the course starts can help orient students and convey care (Apigo, 2020). Include your syllabus in the pre-course welcome to give students time to reach out to you with questions or request accommodations. Consider asking students to share a bit about themselves and their goals and objectives for the course.
Technology Requirements: Early in the course, let both groups of students know what technology they will need to participate in planned activities. You can also set up a short Moodle questionnaire to check on students’ technology access at the start of the semester. Having these discussions early can help you think of ways to provide flexibility as needed (Kurz, 2020).
Zoom link: If you will be meeting with students online, we recommend using the Zoom meeting feature in Moodle to create one reoccurring meeting throughout the semester. Remote student can easily locate or bookmark this meeting link for each session.
Resources: Posting resources on Moodle ahead of class sessions is an effective way to make your courses more structured and accessible. This may include readings, agendas, handouts, and study guides.
Assignments: Consider setting up all your assignments in Moodle so that students can find and submit them in one place. This can also benefit instructors, who can view, grade, and return student work in the same area. You can also upload written or video instructions, grading criteria, and supplemental materials.
Because of Moodle's flexible design and the uniqueness of each course, the information provided above is just one of many ways to structure an online or hybrid course. Faculty and TAs are welcome to set up a consultation with Elkana Center faculty (elkanacenter@ceu.edu) to discuss ideas and questions regarding course design.