Course formats guide

Module layout

The Custom sections format will be applied by default to all modules for 2025/2026. Custom sections has a three-column layout.

• Content is presented in the central column in collapsible sections. 
• Sections are used to organise and present learning content and help you structure your module in logical units. 
• You can change to a weekly format from the Module settings and selecting Custom weeks as the Format to use.
• The Module index displays in a panel on the left and provides a table of contents view of the module content. The index can be collapsed to display only the section names. 
• 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 and Hide the Module dashboard button to increase your working space when designing or navigating modules.

Collapsible sections

Content is presented in the central column in collapsible sections. These are expanded by default. Select the Collapse all button to the right of the first section to collapse all topics. 

When sections are collapsed, select Expand all to open all sections again.

Subsections

Content can be further organised in subsections. These can be added anywhere on your module by selecting the plus icon within a section and selecting Subsection. Once created, the subsection can be renamed, edited, added to and moved. You can also add restrictions to each subsection.
Subsections appear below the main or parent section and each one can be opened separately.

Module Leader & Course Officers

• We recommend that you add the contact details of the Module Leader and Course Officers to a Text block in Moodle. This will remain available to students via the Block drawer on Moodle even when they are on a mobile. Previously staff used to add contact details to the General Topic at the beginning of a module. While this is useful at the beginning of a module, students have to spend 12 weeks scrolling past this to get to the module content. 

Help & Support

• Links to Help & Support for staff and students are available via the City Links menu at the top of every Moodle page.  

• A link to the IT Self Service Portal is available via the ? icon at the bottom of each Moodle page. 

The Module dashboard provides quick access to Activities available in your module and Quick links to key services including Timetabling. When using the Custom sections format, the Module dashboard always displays at the top of the page even when you are accessing on a mobile.

The core features of the Module dashboard were developed on recommendations from student user evaluations facilitated by The Interaction Lab at City St George's to provide a consistent location for core activities (e.g. assignments and Lecture Capture) for students. We carried out Focus Groups with a range of students in 2025, and the majority of students favoured keeping the Module dashboard in a prominent location in the central column.

• Each user can choose to Hide or Show Module dashboard.
• Four Activities will display with the remainder available from View more.
• Activities are only displayed on the Module dashboard when an activity or resource of that type is present in the module. For example, if you don't use Turnitin assignments a link to Turnitin assignments will not display in the Activities panel.

Module dashboard link visibility

• With Edit mode on, links that are visible to students are indicated with an open eye.  To hide content from students, select the eye.
• Content that is hidden from students is indicated with a faded, struck-out eye. 

Show/Hide Module dashboard

• Each user can choose to Hide or Show the Module dashboard. Select the Show/Hide Module dashboard button on top of the Module dashboard to hide it. Once hidden, simply select the Show/Hide button again to display it.

Remove Module dashboard on support modules

You can't remove the Module dashboard, but you can hide it from student view by hiding all the elements in the dashboard. The dashboard should only be hidden on small support modules where limited resources and activities are available. On taught modules, the dashboard provides your students with access to essential resources such as Timetable and Reading Lists Online.

1. Turn Edit mode on.
2. Select the eye icon next to each activity or quick link.
3. Content that is hidden from students is indicated with a faded, struck-out eye. 
4. Continue until you have hidden all Activities and Quick links.
5. If you add any new activity types at a later date, you will need to hide them on the dashboard as you add them.

Students will view the module without a Module dashboard.

1. Select the link to Participants in the contextual navigation menu to find a list of enrolled users. 

2. From the Match menus

   • Select Roles from the Select drop-down menu.
   • Select Student from the third drop-down menu.
3. Select Apply filters.
4. This will display only students enrolled on the module.

Staff Information block

• This block can be personalised to a category of modules on Moodle and is only visible to staff enrolled on a module within the category where it has been applied. It will display information that is relevant to your School. Please liaise with your school's Digital Education Lead if would like this block and request this feature via IT Self Service Portal.

Student Information block

• This block can be personalised to a category on modules on Moodle and is displayed to students. It will display information that is relevant to the students studying within the category of modules. Please liaise with your school's Digital Education Lead if you require a change to the block. This feature is then requested via IT Self Service Portal. 

Upcoming events block

• This block provides all Calendar events (including assignment deadlines occurring within 99 days) in the module.

Quickmail block

• This is a block for staff to use to facilitate email communication with students or groups of students on a module.