With the eLearn upgrade to Moodle 4.1 on May 1st comes some new functionality for the Database activity that you might find useful for your course. The Database activity allows the instructor and/or students to build, display and search a structured collection of record entries about any conceivable topic. Students can enter data and search for information based on specific criteria. Instructors can collect and organize information for a variety of purposes, such as creating a repository of student work or managing a research project. The format and structure of these entries can be almost unlimited, including images, files, URLs, numbers and text amongst other things. The upgrade also comes a new set of presets that will save you setup time for particular uses, such as creating an image gallery or setting up a journaling activity.

Here are some of the key features of a Moodle database activity:

  • Customizable fields: Instructors can create custom fields for a database activity based on the specific needs of their course or project. These fields can include text, numbers, dates, and more.
  • Template creation: Instructors can create templates for a database activity to provide students with a consistent format for entering data.
  • Sorting and searching: Students can sort and search a database activity based on specific criteria, making it easy to find the information they need.
  • Permissions and access: Instructors can set permissions to control who can view, add, edit, and delete information in a database activity.
  • Notifications: Instructors can set up notifications to receive alerts when new information is added to a database activity.

Here is an overview of the new features and improvements to this activity (2 min):

And here are instructions for setting one up in your course (6 min):

Interested in learning more? Book a consultation with an Educational Technologist to explore the options.