Changing Course Format

Course format refers to the layout of the course page. The default format for all new Beloit Moodle courses is chronological (by week). It can be changed if desired. Available course formats include Weekly (default), Custom Topics, Social, and Single Activity.

Follow the steps given below to change the course format:

1. Click the Settings link located in the course navigation at the top of the course page.

2. Scroll down the Course Format section and click to expand the section.

3. Click the Format dropdown and select one of the course format options.

   • Weekly format organizes the course in a week-to-week layout. Weekly sections are created and named automatically by Moodle, based on the start date of the course. The current week is automatically highlighted on the course page for easy navigation. Additional information on the Weekly Format at Moodle Docs.

   • Custom Topics format organizes the course into customizable topic headings. Topics are automatically numbered 1-16, but can easily be renamed by the course instructor. Additional information on the Custom Topics Format at Moodle Docs.

   • Social format is organized around a main discussion forum, which is prominently displayed on the main course page. This format may be beneficial for discussion-based or more freeform courses. Additional information on the Social Format at Moodle Docs.

   • Single Activity format contains only one section and allows the instructor to add only a single activity to the course page. This format should not be used for a main course but may be needed for certain publisher-originated course materials, such as SCORM packages. Additional information on the Single Activity Format at Moodle Docs.

4. Complete any additional steps as prompted.

5. Click Save and Display at the bottom of the screen.

There are two layouts from which an instructor may choose (only available for Weekly and Topics course formats). The default layout for a course page is to show all sections on one page so that the students are able to see the entire course on one page. This can also contribute to SOD (scroll-of-death) if each topic section contains a large amount of material.

If the show one section per page option is selected, students will be able to click through each topic section in order, viewing one at a time, or select the exact topic they wish to view from a drop-down menu. While this effectively limits what the student sees, it can help focus on a particular week or topic and avoid SOD.

Follow the steps outlined below to change a course layout:

1. On the course page, click on Settings on the top navigation menu.

2. Click to expand the Course Format options.

3. Select one of the layout options from the dropdown menu: 

   • Show all sections on one page shows all course weeks/topics on the same course page.

   • Show one section per page shows only one week/topic section at a time on the main course page and adds links to previous/next sections at the top and bottom of the course page.

4. Scroll down and click on Save and Display