The database activity module enables participants to create, maintain and search a collection of entries (i.e. records). The structure of the entries is defined by the teacher as a number of fields. Field types include checkbox, radio buttons, drop-down menu, text area, URL, picture and uploaded file.
The visual layout of information, when listing, viewing or editing database entries, may be controlled by database templates. Database activities may be shared between courses as presets and a teacher may also import and export database entries.
If the database auto-linking filter is enabled, any entries in a database will be automatically linked where the words or phrases appear within the course.
A teacher can allow comments on entries. Entries can also be rated by teachers or students (peer evaluation). Ratings can be aggregated to form a final grade which is recorded in the gradebook.
Database activities have many uses, such as
- A collaborative collection of web links, books, book reviews, journal references etc
- For displaying student-created photos, posters, websites or poems for peer comment and review.
Step 1. Login and enter into the relevant course
Step 2. Click the Course Administration (cog icon) on the right-hand-side
Step 3. Select Turn editing on
Step 4. Select “Add an activity or resource” from the relevant section
Step 5. Select “Database” from the pop-up box.
Step 6. Select “Add”
Step 7. This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Database in the Name textbox.
Step 8. Enter a relevant description in the “Description” text area that describes the Database.
Step 9. Entries Setup.
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Options |
Description |
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Approval required |
If set to ‘Yes’, then entries require approval by teachers before these databases can be viewed. |
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Allow editing of approved entries |
Allow editing is only available if Approval required is set to ‘Yes’ |
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Allow comments on entries |
Comments can either be enabled or disabled |
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Entries required before viewing |
The number of entries a student can submit before viewing other students entries |
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Maximum number of entries |
The maximum number of entries a student can submit an activity |
Step 10. The Availability settings
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Options |
Description |
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Available from |
If enabled, date and time can be set when databases are available from. |
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Available to |
If enabled, date and time can be set when databases are available to. |
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Read only from |
If enabled, date and time can be set when databases are read-only from. |
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Read-only to |
If enabled, date and time can be set when databases are read-only to. |
Step 11. The Grade settings
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Options |
Description |
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Grade category |
Only Uncategorised is available |
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Grade to pass |
This allows teachers to set the minimum grade required to pass and will be indicated by green for pass and red for fail. |
Step 12. The Rating settings
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Options |
Description |
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Aggregate type |
There are six Aggregate types that allow for ratings to be calculated or used. These include No rating, Average ratings, Count ratings, Maximum rating, Minimum rating and Sum of rating. |
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Scale |
Scale is the type of grading to be used. If No grading is used then Scale is not used. If it is enabled, Type may be None, Scale or Point with the user able to enter the scale and maximum grade between 0 and 250 |
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From |
If enabled, a date and time can be set when ratings are available from. |
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To |
If enabled, a date and time can be set when ratings are available to. |
Step 13. The Common Module settings
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Options |
Description |
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Availability |
The availability option permits students to view and access databases |
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ID number |
The ID number can be entered to reference the same ID number from a third party package especially gradebook |
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Group mode |
There are three options group settings available. None, separate or visible. |
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Grouping |
If separate or visible grouping is enabled, you will then be given an option to Add group/grouping access restrictions |
Step 14. Restrict access setup
Teachers may restrict students from accessing databases based upon a set of conditions. These conditions may be based on whether an activity has been completed or not, date restrictions custom certificates can be accessed, a specified grade to be achieved, a certain user profile or a set of nested restrictions based on the above settings.
https://support.ecreators.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/360000490215-How-to-setup-Restrict-Access
Step 15. Activity completion setup
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Options |
Description |
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Completion tracking |
There are three options available: Do not indicate activity completion Students can manually mark the activity as completed Show activity as complete when conditions are met |
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Require view |
Enable this option if you require students to view an activity to complete it |
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Require grade |
Enable this option if you require students to receive a grade to complete the activity |
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Require entries |
Enter the number of entries the user can use to complete the activity |
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Expect completed on |
If date and time restrictions are placed to submit certificates, then select the Enable field. |
Step 16. Tags Setup
Tags will allow students and teachers to connect to other courses and content being offered.
Step 17. Competencies Setup
Competencies will not be available unless they have been set up at a course level. Administrators can set up competency frameworks and add competencies within the framework. Teachers can also add competencies to courses and course activities.
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Options |
Description |
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Course competencies |
Course competencies allows you to search for competencies that you’d like to link to this activity. |
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Upon activity completion |
There are four options to select once an assignment has been completed. Do nothing, attached evidence, send for review or complete the competency. |
Step 18. Click Save and return to course.
The activity that has been created will now be displayed in the section where you selected ‘Add an activity or resource’.
Step 19. Select My Database.
Selecting the database name that has been created will now allow administrators to setup their fields to be used in constructing the database.
Fields tab
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Options |
Description |
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Create a new field |
There are twelve fields to chose from when creating a database. These include:
* Latitude/Longitude |
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Default sort field |
The default option is Time added and in Ascending order |
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COG
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The COG is available to administrators on all screens that allows them to quickly navigate to the following items:
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Checkbox
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Checkbox in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Checkbox. |
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Required field |
If the Checkbox is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Options (one per line) |
Enter the options required for the Checkbox using one line per item. |
Date
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Date in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Date. |
File
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the File in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the File. |
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Required field |
If the File is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Maximum size |
Enter the maximum size allowable for uploading. The range is from 10kb to Site upload limit set by system administrators (Max 2GB) |
Latlong ( Latitude/Longitude)
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Latlong in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Latlong. |
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Required field |
If the Latlong is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Link-out service to display |
5 options are available if the link-out service is encountered. Google Maps, Google Earth, Geabios, Open Street/Map, Multimap |
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How to label items in KML files (Google Earth) KML is a file format used to display geographic data in an Earth browser such as Google Earth. |
Most common label for selection is Latitude and Longitude. |
Menu
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Menu in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Menu. |
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Required field |
If the Menu is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Options (one per line) |
Enter the options required for the Menu using one line per item. |
Multimenu
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Multimenu in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Multimenu. |
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Required field |
If the Multimenu is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Options (one per line) |
Enter the options required for the Multimenu using one line per item. |
Number
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Number in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Number. |
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Required field |
If the Number is a required field, then select the Required field. |
Picture
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Picture in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Picture. |
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Required field |
If the Picture is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Width in single view |
The width of the picture when viewed as a single image. |
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Height in single view |
The height of the picture when viewed as a single image. |
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Width in list view |
The width of the picture when viewed in a group of images. |
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Height in list view |
The height of the picture when viewed in a group of images. |
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Maximum size |
Enter the maximum size allowable for uploading a picture. The range is from 10kb to Site upload limit set by system administrators (Max 2GB) |
Radio button
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Radio button in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Radio button. |
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Required field |
If the Radio button is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Options (one per line) |
Enter the options required for the Radio button using one line per item. |
Text Area
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Text area in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Text area. |
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Required field |
If the Text area is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Width |
Enter the number of width columns (default: 60) |
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Height |
Enter the number of height rows (default: 35) |
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Maximum embedded file size |
Enter the options required for the Radio button using one line per item. (default: 0 Unlimited size) |
Text Input
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the Text input in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the Text input. |
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Required field |
If the Text input is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Allow autolink |
If the Allow autolink is a required field, then select this option. |
URL
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Options |
Description |
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Field name |
This is a required field for you to enter the name of the URL in the Field name textbox. |
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Field description |
Enter a relevant description in the “Field description” text area that describes the URL. |
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Autolink the URL |
If the Autolink is a required field, then select this option. |
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Required field |
If the URL is a required field, then select the Required field. |
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Open link in new window |
If the URL requires to be opened in a new window, then select this option. |
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Forced name for the link |
Enter the URL name in this field box |
View List Tab
The View List tab displays all the fields that have been created and allows the administrator the opportunity to either add further database fields, edit or delete existing database fields using the Action buttons.
Edit / Delete buttons
View Single tab
The View Single tab displays all the added entries (see Add entry) that have been created and allows the administrator the opportunity to either edit or delete existing entries using the Action buttons described above. Tags may be used to quickly find a number of items in the database.
Search tab
The Search tab allows administrators to find their database entries based on the fields created from the Add entry tab. The search results are configurable and can display the number of entries per page from 2 to 1000, sorted by:
- Field entries created (eg Round)
- By time created/modified
- By author firstname/lastname
Add Entry tab
The Add entry tab allows the ability to add items to the database based on the fields created. Once you have added an item there are two options available. The first is to Save your added entry and to view the item that has been added, the second option is to Save your added entry and then add a new item in your database based upon the fields that you have created.
Export tab
The Export tab allows administrators to export their fields created so that these may be imported into other programs. The format of the export file may be either a csv file (comma, colon or tab delimited) or an OpenOffice format. Information apart from fields being exported may include tags, user details and the time information was either added or modified.
Templates tab
Templates may be configured as either
| List template | This template allows you to control the fields used and their layout when viewing multiple entries at once (e.g. search results). It is possible that this view may simply provide an overview with more detailed information available by clicking on an entry to access the single view of the entry. |
| Single template | This is used to display a single entry at a time and so has more space for display and can use, for example, larger versions of images or optionally provide more information than shown in the list view. |
| Advanced search template |
An advanced search template is for creating the interface form used in the advanced search. |
| Add template |
This template creates the interface form used when adding or editing database entries. |
| RSS template |
Lets you control the content of the RSS feed for database entries. To enable an RSS feed from a database activity, an administrator must first enable RSS feeds for database activities across the whole site as described in RSS feeds settings. A section called 'RSS' will then appear on the edit settings page of the database activity.
The RSS feed may then be displayed in an Remote RSS feeds block or elsewhere. |
| CSS template |
If any of the HTML in your other templates requires CSS to provide visual style you can specify it here. |
| Java script template | You can use javascript to manipulate the way elements are displayed in either the List, Single or Add templates. Basically you need to enclose the part you want to manipulate in some named html element. The naming is essential as it allows you to identify the element for manipulation. |
Presets tab
To avoid the necessity of always having to always create a new database from scratch, the database activity module has a presets feature. An image gallery preset is included in the database module or you can browse and download one from Moodle or you can create your own presets as well and share them with others.
To import a preset:
- On the database page, click the Presets tab.
- The usual way to import a preset is clicking the "Choose file" button and browsing to the ZIP file containing the preset (eg. "preset.zip") stored on the server. If there does not yet exist a preset ZIP file on the server, upload it from your local machine. Choose the desired preset file by clicking on its action "Choose". Finally, press the "Import" button.
- Alternatively, you can choose a previously loaded preset.
- After the import, you can start to add or import entries. All the hard work of setting up the fields and templates has been done for you. If you desire, you can still customize the fields and templates.
You will see Field mapping after the "Import" button has been pressed. If checked, the database activity overwrites some of its current general settings by those stored in the preset:
- the "Introduction" HTML text
- "Required entries"
- "Entries required before viewing"
- "Maximum entries"
- "Comments"
- "Require approval?"
- rssarticles
To export a preset:
If you wish to share your database presets with others, you have two options:
- Export as a ZIP file, which can then be imported to another course or Moodle site.
- Save as a preset, which publishes the database for other teachers on your site to use. It will then appear in the preset list. (You can delete it from the list at any time.)
Note: Only the fields and templates of the database are copied when exporting or saving it as a preset, not the entries.