Programs can design Moodle templates at the program-wide or course-specific level. Programs interested in template design should contact Help Desk (helpdesk@cca.edu) for next steps or additional questions.

Skip ahead:

• Program Templates
• Course-Level Templates
• Creating Content for Templates
• Images in Moodle

Your program has the option to design a customized Moodle template that would serve as the starter course for every section in your program, replacing the default starter course (for more on the default starter course, please visit Portal). This is your opportunity to expand on the starter course with branding, links, and other content specific to your program.

For programs that opt-in, we will create a Moodle course in which your program can design your template. If you already have a program template from a previous semester, please update that one.

Please remember that this template will be applied to every course in your program. Therefore, we advise you keep your program templates as clean and minimal as possible.

What you could include:

• Program branding (banner, text, etc.)
• Customized text and background colors for section headings (please consider these guidelines for accessibility)
• Hidden instructions for faculty
• Important information for all students in your program
• Links to external webpages such as a “Moodle homeroom” or a CCA Maker’s Common “Group” for your program
• Student surveys built with the Moodle Feedback tool or the new H5P activity (ex. questions: location, timezone, tech needs, etc.)
• Reusable content imported from our Common Elements Moodle page (such as our Quick Guide to MLA citations, or instructions for using VoiceThread).

What to avoid:

• Course-specific content.
• Large blocks of text.
• Low contrast text-and-background color combinations. For example, please do not use yellow text.
• Changes to the Course Format.
• YouTube, Vimeo, or other embedded content that is not globally available.
• Placeholder text that needs to be rewritten by the instructor.

Programs can elect to design a Moodle template for specific courses that have multiple sections and faculty who are working in collaboration. In comparison to a program-level template, a course-level template can include specific course material and actual assignments. These templates can be built from the default starter course or a Program-level template if you have one.

What you could include:

• Assignments, activities, and resources that all course sections will have in common.
• Images and banners.
• Customized text and background colors for section headings (please consider these guidelines for accessibility).
• Hidden instructions to faculty.
• Information for students.
• Student surveys built with the Moodle Feedback tool or the new H5P activity (ex. questions: location, timezone, tech needs, etc.)
• Reusable content imported from our Common Elements Moodle page (such as our Quick Guide to MLA citations, or instructions for using VoiceThread).

What not to include:

• Do not include placeholder assignments or example activities. We advise that you only include activities that are ready for students.
• Low contrast text-and-background color combinations. For example, please do not use yellow text.
• YouTube, Vimeo, or other embedded content that is not globally available.
• Avoid files like PDFs or Word documents, which can be hard to open or edit for many people. Instead, use a Page resource.

Content can be added with a variety of tools.

• Blocks (right sidebar)
  • Blocks display in the right sidebar of a course page. There are existing Blocks you can choose from (such as Activities, Calendar, or Recent Activity) or you can select HTML Block and place text, images, videos, or other types of media within it.
• Activities (main column)
  • Use Feedback or the new H5P tool to create a survey or questionnaire.
  • Use Glossary for program or media-specific vocabulary.
  • Use the new H5P tool to create interactive and engaging lessons.
• Resources (main column)
  • Text and Media Area can be used to add text, video, or images directly on the main course page.
  • Page can be used to add text, video, or images on a subpage instead of on the main course page.

If you use banners or other visual elements to brand your program in Moodle, please consult this table for recommended image sizes.