Filling the course space with content

After completing the preparations in your course, you can now begin adding content and customizing the course space according to your preferences. To do so, first switch to edit mode.

Moodle distinguishes between different storage locations for your files, which you can access when adding a file.

• Server files: All files that you upload directly into a course are stored here. The files are saved in folders named after the respective course under Server files.
• Recent files: This area shows the last 50 files you have used, regardless of their storage location.
• Private files: This is your personal storage space in Moodle, which no one else can access. Here you can store files that you want to use in multiple courses. If you delete a file in one course, it will still be available in other courses and in the Private files folder.
  
  

 It is recommended to first collect all files you need for your courses in one or more folders in Private files. This saves you from searching through your computer’s hard drive.
To gain quick access to your files, you can add the Private files block to the dashboard. 

First, click on your name in the header bar and then select Private files. Alternatively, use the Pivate files block on the dashboard and click Manage private files….

To add files, select the icon. The File picker window opens. Here you can access several data sources, e.g. your local computer (option Upload a file). Using the Choose File button, you can browse your hard drive. Confirm the file with Upload this file. Alternatively, drag and drop the desired files into the designated field ().

It is useful to create directory folders for different courses in advance (). Confirm all file uploads using the Save changes button. When you click on a directory, the uploaded files will be displayed. Using the icon (), you will find various editing options such as rename, create ZIP file, delete, change path.

There are several ways to make files available to your students in your course.

If you want to add your teaching materials to the course space, you must first switch to edit mode.

The easiest way to upload a script or other files (PDF, PowerPoint, Word, graphics…) to the course space is via drag & drop. Open the corresponding folder on your computer and drag the file to the desired location in the course.

The file is uploaded directly and made available in the course space as resource material with the corresponding file icon.

Using the Pencil icon, you can subsequently adjust the displayed file name. Using the three-dot icon, you can make further changes.

If you insert an image (.jpg, .gif, .bmp, .png format) in this way, you will be asked whether you want to embed it as a file or display it directly as an image on the course interface.

Using the drag & drop function, you can also upload multiple files to the course space at the same time. Select them in the corresponding folder and move them into the desired topic area as described above.

The files are saved as Recent files, and you can also reuse them when creating other courses.

To upload a file, first switch to editing mode. Click on the horizontal divider with insert function:

In editing mode, the button Add an activity or resource appears at the bottom of each section. Clicking on it opens a window with an overview of the various options in Moodle. You can fill the course space with materials (static content) and enable students to work collaboratively and communicatively through various activities. Helpful description texts are available via the info button .

If you only want to upload a single file such as a script or presentation, you can do this via File. If you want to upload multiple files in a structured way, it is recommended to create a so-called Directory, i.e. a file folder.

First, enter a Name for the file. This name will be displayed in the course space. A Description can optionally be added.

• If this Description should be displayed in the course, activate the corresponding checkbox.
• Drag the desired file via drag & drop into the field under Select files.
• Under Appearance, you have various display options, e.g. whether the file should be shown As a pop-up window.

• If the file should not yet be available to course participants, set Availability to Hide on course page under Common module settings.

• Finally, confirm your entries by selecting Save and return to course or Save and display.

If you want to upload multiple files in a structured way, it is recommended to select the Directory option () under Folder in Add an activity or resource while in editing mode.

The steps under General and Additional settings correspond to those described under Add file.

Under Content, drag the desired files (including ZIP files) via drag & drop into the field under Files. Using the Create folder icon (), you can add subfolders. Under Display folder contents, decide whether the directory and individual files should be displayed directly on the course interface.

Option Display folder contents:

• On a separate page and Show subfolders expanded: Files become visible on a subpage after clicking the directory.
  
  
• Inline on a course page: Files are visible directly on the course interface.
  
  

In editing mode, you can also drag and drop a ZIP file onto the course interface to upload it.

 Note: Under Windows, please save a folder as a .zip file, not as a .7-zip file. Moodle cannot unpack .7-zip files.
Windows: Send to “Compressed (zipped) folder” 

In the window that opens, select the option Unzip files and create folder and click Upload. You can then access the editing options via the Edit field.

Moodle provides various types of resources that course leaders can add to their course.

You can use Moodle to send messages to all students enrolled in a course. The Forum „Announcements“, which is already available in every course space, is best suited for this purpose. Messages posted in this forum are also automatically sent to enrolled participants by email. To write a message to all students in the course, proceed as follows:

1. First, click on the Announcements Forum.
2. Click on the grey Add discussion topic button (red circle)
   
   
3. In the empty field next to „Subject“, enter the title of the announcement (red circle 1)
   
   
4. Enter the announcement text in the field next to „Message“ (red circle 2).
5. Click the grey Post to forum button (red circle 3) – the post will be sent to course participants within the next 30 minutes.
6. If you want the announcement to be sent immediately without delay, click Advanced and activate the checkbox Send forum post notifications with no editing-time delay.

The announcement will now appear under the „Discussion“ in Announcements Forum and will also be sent by email by default to all persons enrolled in the course.

Important notice: In the forum Announcements only you as the course instructor have writing permissions. Participants only have read permissions and cannot reply to your posts. If your participants are also supposed to communicate with each other and use a forum, you must create the activity Forum (Instructions)