Tips for designing and delivering quizzes in Moodle
Last spring, Moodle quizzes were created in almost 200 courses across the University; many faculty have turned to the Moodle Quiz tool as an alternative to traditional Scantron bubble sheets. Whether you were one of the many who utilized this tool for administering quizzes, or you are new to this feature-rich tool, here are some features to consider when designing and delivering your online quizzes in Moodle: Question types – Use a variety of available question types including short answer, essay, and video/audio response Shuffle questions - Randomize the order in which the quiz questions appear Time limits - Set customizable time limits for all or specific students Quiz navigation – Choose sequential navigation to force students to progress through the questions in order and not go back to a previous question or skip to a later one Synchronous activity in WebEx - Use WebEx to meet virtually if your quiz contains a presentation or group project component To learn more about this tool, check out Moodle’s Quiz quick guide. What about cheating? While there is no way to completely prevent…
Read MoreOnline alternatives to cancelling class
As an Elon faculty member, we know that inclement weather, illness, or travel can sometimes prevent you from being on campus. When this occurs, consider using online alternatives instead of cancelling class. Here are a few technology tips to consider: Use Moodle as a central location to update course information, lead and facilitate discussions, and post assignments. You can also live chat with your students using Moodle’s text-based chat. Design and deliver quizzes or exams using Moodle’s feature-rich Quiz tool (be sure to read our blog post on “Tips for designing and developing quizzes in Moodle“). Introduce a topic/concept using video. Record a quick introduction using your web cam or record your screen with Kaltura and then upload the video to your course in Moodle. Use web conferencing tools like WebEx to hold class remotely and synchronously. Add audio to PowerPoint slides, and then upload your file to Moodle. Link to existing video resources like…
Read MoreWhat to expect with this week’s Moodle upgrade
This Friday, from 6 a.m.-10 a.m., Elon will upgrade to Moodle version 3.5. During this time Moodle will be unavailable to all users. All existing Moodle course data will be backed up and restored during the upgrade. This mandatory vendor upgrade will update existing features, introduce minor look and feel changes, and provide users with a few new features. Explore more about each new addition in the videos linked below. If you have any questions or concerns, or experience problems after the upgrade, please contact the Technology Service Desk at 336-278-5200 or servicedesk@elon.edu. New Features Ability to specify which file types you would like to accept by checking a box Ability to record audio and video directly into a textbox Question bank question tagging for easier searching FollowShare on Tumblr
Read MoreHoliday online shopping tips
The holiday shopping season has officially arrived, and you have made the decision to do some or all your shopping online this year. Maybe the free shipping offers attracted you or maybe the items you are looking for are not available in brick-and-mortar stores. We all know online threats exist but here are some tips to help minimize your risk of becoming a victim of an online scam. Tip #1 – Set up alerts Before you begin your online shopping consider setting up some alerts on your financial accounts. Many credit card companies and banks allow you to set up alerts on your accounts through their online websites. These alerts range from sending you an email or text each time a transaction happens on your account to alerts when transactions meet the minimum or maximum amount thresholds you set. Alerts make you aware of what’s going on with your…
Read MoreWhat makes us vulnerable to data breaches? Cathy Hubbs tells all
Cathy Hubbs, the Chief Information Security Officer at American University, holds an intricate job which entails identifying digital risks, as well as maintaining the University’s information security program. This is imperative to protect technologies and services faculty, staff, and students use on American’s campus every day. As a part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, Hubbs visited Elon to give a talk on the human behavior side of cyber security data breaches. What makes us vulnerable? How do hackers use the art of persuasion to manipulate us, and gain access to our networks? See key insights from Hubbs’ early October talk below. The behavioral aspects of hacking Hackers are masters of the art of persuasion; they know how to exploit natural human tendencies in order to gain access to computers and networks. Be aware if you are engaging in the following processes or behaviors on the web – you may…
Read MoreDo-It-Yourself Video: The Top 10 Takeaways
Video and education have gone hand and hand for many years, supporting professors who teach flipped, blended or online courses. Knowing this, Teaching and Learning Technology held a workshop for professors interested in incorporating video components to their courses. Participants learned the value of including instructional videos, the process for creating video, and tips and tricks for implementation. Todd Lee, Professor of Mathematics and Faculty Fellow of Technology, Ted Moree, with TLT, and Tiffany Foster, an instructional technologist, facilitated the session. Whether you’re an attendee looking to brush up on the workshop, or a professor who missed it but is still looking to better use video elements in the classroom, here’s a quick top ten from this session. 1. Know what you’re trying to accomplish with your video. Before you setup your camera and start rolling, think about what you will be trying to accomplish with your video content….
Read MoreVirtual tables at Job and Internship Expo broaden horizons for students
For the fifth consecutive year, Elon Information Technology (IT) supported the Student Professional Development Center by providing “virtual tables” to the Job and Internship Expo. Using the video chat software WebEx, these virtual tables connect potential employers who cannot be physically present with interested students.
Read MoreQuick Guide to Student Printing
This summer, Information Technology (IT) converted student printer stations from Pharos to Canon printers. This change brought several advantages to students, like the ability to send print jobs from any device and the ability to scan and copy. These new machines are more robust and full-featured, but of course, with all changes, things are a bit different now.
Read MoreLastPass Password Manager: A Crash Course
LastPass, an easily downloadable internet extension for all browsers, is ideal for securely storing your passwords. Whether you’re someone who’s always forgetting a password, prefers to have a different password for every account, or anywhere in between, LastPass will become an essential tool for keeping your information safe and accessible. Any password you add to your LastPass vault is available at the push of a button, making logging into any website simple. The app will also store safely store personal information, like payment details, Wi-Fi passwords, insurance numbers, and more. The info you need will be kept secure and easy to access whenever you need. Students and faculty are able to join LastPass Premium, making an annual $24.00 bill for using LastPass free to the Elon community. Read on to learn how you can start your free LastPass account in just a few clicks. Creating your LastPass Vault Visit…
Read MoreNeed to Cancel Class? Try These 4 Online Alternatives Instead!
Whether you have a planned absence on the calendar, or inclement weather suddenly threatens to cancel your lecture, there are several ways to hold an effective class digitally. Read on to learn about online tools that can help keep your class on track when holding class isn’t possible. 1. Utilize Moodle’s impressive array of features. Todd Lee, a Professor of Mathematics and and Faculty Fellow for Technology, is no stranger to conducting classes remotely. While conferences and the occasional illness sometimes keep him from class, Lee has not shied away from using digital tools like Moodle to keep his classes on schedule despite absence. The ability to embed videos, articles, and quizzes into Moodle courses can be very helpful for designing an online equivalent to lecture. One way to gauge students as they follow a remote class is to assign relevant readings and/or videos, and then a subsequent benchmark…
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