Get started with Moodle 4 staff guide

When developing your Moodle module, accessibility regulations state that the structure of your module and the design of your content must be accessible. Maximise your content and ensure that it is accessible to the greatest number of users. Review our guidance below on creating an accessible module.

Related guidance

City Course Format is applied by default to all modules. You can choose to activate the Grid Format as long as all modules within a Programme agree to adopt this course format. You cannot have different formats for different modules within a Programme as this will impact on module consistency and make it more challenging for students to find content.

Before applying the Grid format, review the information on limitations with this format.

1. Select Settings from the contextual navigation menu above the module name.
2. Scroll down to Course format settings. Open the Format menu and select Grid. In a few seconds the Grid settings will display.
3. Do not change the default option for Use a popup. The popup Grids have not been tested for accessibility.
4. For Set the image container width, you might need to increase the width if you have longer section names. By default, 20 characters including spaces will display. You can change these settings at any time.
5. Set the Show completion settings to Yes. 
6. Scroll to the end of the page and select Save and display. The sections of your modules will display as Grids.

Modules using the Grid Format are displayed in three columns.

• The Module index in a panel on the left provides a table of contents view of the module content. The panel can be closed and opened and the sections within the index can be collapsed and expanded.
• There is no dashboard at the top of the module. A Dashboard block appears in the Block drawer on the right of the module.
• Additional information and functionality provided via the Block drawer on the right-hand side of the module. 
• You can choose to close the Module index and Block drawer to increase your working space when designing or navigating modules.
• Sections are organised into Grids. Select a Grid to view the content within a section.

• Once a section is open, select links to open resources and activities.
• You can use the arrows at the end of the section to navigate to the previous or next section. Alternatively open the Module index from the panel on the left to jump to any section.
• Use the Module home button at the top right of the section or the link to Module in the contextual navigation menu to return to the module home page.

From 16th July 2024, new modules using the Grid format only will have the Module dashboard block automatically added to the block drawer. The Module dashboard block will replace the Activities block.

This block is not required in modules using City Course Format as the Activities and Quick links are displayed via the Module dashboard.

The Module dashboard block lists the different activities and resources available in your course (Forums, Quizzes, Assignments, Lecture Capture, etc) and provides links to the index page for each activity or resource. The activities list will grow as you add activities to your module.

It also contains Quick links to Timetable, Reading Lists and Library Guides.

Please note: Modules using Grid format for the academic year 2023-24 will retain the activities block and will not have the Module dashboard block added.

Module content is delivered in the form of resources and activities that you create to help students meet the outcomes of your module.

1. To start adding content, turn Edit mode on from the top right of the page.
2. Select the section where you want to display the content.

   

3. Select Add an activity or resource. The Activity chooser opens in an overlay window. Use the Activity chooser to select an activity or resource and complete the steps.

The Activity Chooser is structured in tabs to help you quickly find the relevant activity/resource to add to your modules.

1. Starred: Activities/resources that you have chosen to star because you use them regularly. Starring activities/resources helps you to quickly locate and add them to your module. 
2. All: Available activities/resources.
3. Activities: All activity types (e.g. Forum, Assignment, Glossary).
4. Resources: Content types to help you present and display content (e.g. Page, Book, Label).
5. Recommended: Most commonly used activity and resource types across Moodle modules.
6. If you can't find what you are looking for start typing into the Search field.

Common file types that are uploaded to Moodle modules will automatically be assessed by Ally and receive an accessibility score viewable only to enrolled lecturers on the module. These accessibility scores are created by checking the resource against each of the requirements of UK legislation for web accessibility relevant to higher education and then also given a weight based on how much of an accessibility challenge an issue may pose to education.

The accessibility score assesses the way content is conveyed to students, not the quality of the content itself. For example, a low accessibility score for a resource may be because it is a scanned PDF of a photocopied book, not because the book itself or content therein is of pedagogical low quality. 

These accessibility scores include:

• Explaining which specific issues are the easiest to improve, with step-by-step guidance
• Explaining which specific issues are the most important and impactful to improve, with step-by-step guidance
• A weighted aggregate score for the whole module to identify successes and areas for improvement across the module

All staff can use a Moodle PlaySpace to explore different Moodle structures, features and to test different activities. Most staff have these and they are already available.
•    Log into Moodle and check if you have a PlaySpace by searching for your name in My Modules.
or
•    Request a PlaySpace using the Non-SITS Moodle module request form and choose PlaySpace as the Enrolment type in the form.

This screencast provides an overview of how to navigate and edit a module page which is using the Grid format.