Moodle 3.1 Overview

Moodle’s latest release contains plenty of useful features and improvements, including much-anticipated support for Competency Based Education (CBE). See the full list of improvements and features in Moodle 3.1 here.

Moodle Student "Incomplete" Status

Do you have a student who received an "Incomplete" in your Moodle course? Here is our process for accommodating a student with an Incomplete status in a Moodle course:

1) CRITICAL! Make a backup of your Moodle course and include the words "STUDENT_INCOMPLETE" in the filename. This step is important in the event that the student does wish to reattempt the course, so we can restore the backup as a new course shell, with all of their grades intact.

2) RESET your Moodle course.

3) NEXT - If the student contacts you and wishes to finish the course, please contact either Paul or Eric to restore the backed up file (located in the course shell "Files" area).

4) END - Once the student has completed the course, repeat the End of Term processes in the PMC and let the Moodle admins know that this shell can be archived.

This Will Revolutionize Education!

"The foundation of education is still based on the social interaction of teachers and students."

I think this guy is onto something.

Resetting Your Moodle Course

Resetting your Moodle course is a simple operation - just a series of simple decisions - but it's a process you typically only perform once every few months. And we all know how those kinds of things can leak out of our heads…

Here is what you need to know to reset your Moodle course.

How to Find a Time Among Multiple People in Google Calendar

Have you ever spent more time scheduling a meeting among multiple people than the meeting itself? It's surprisingly simple and easy to avoid that, and schedule a meeting during an available time slot among all of your guests.

TECH Talk - Scheduling Grade Visibility in Moodle

Did you know you can schedule the visibility of student grades for an individual gradable activity in Moodle? You can, and it's really easy!

Tips for Creating Universally Designed MS Word, Google Docs, PDF's and More

Did you know that it's extremely important (and required) that you verify all MS Word, Google Docs, and PDF's that you create are universally designed to meet the needs of all users? Below are some helpful tips for learning how to develop and ensure all users have access to these types of documents.

Free add-on for Google Docs guides you in checking for accessibility. The Grackle Docs demonstration video will guide users in learning how to self-check documents for accessibility and then provide examples of converting a Google Doc into an accessible PDF. Please note: If you convert documents to PDF's regularly, it is recommended that you have access to Adobe Professional.

Creating Accessible Word Documents video teaches you how to create a universally designed Microsoft Word document, including tips on the importance of using headings to create a logical reading order for screen reader users, tagging objects, and more.

Other tips:

Accessibility Checker in MS Office 2013
Accessible Charts, Graphs and Maps
​Color Contrast Checker​
Tagged PDF

Carol Raymundo, MSIDT
Center for Accessibility Resources & Student Assessment Manager

Don't Fall Victim to Ransomware!

Ransomware targets PSU -- and LBCC!

We suspect LBCC may be included in a focused 'email campaign' to infect devices with RANSOMWARE. Ransomware typically comes from email containing links to infected or hacked websites. Several LBCC employees are reporting a significant increase in suspicious email messages containing links to websites. Recently, PSU and Newberg-area businesses were also targeted:

PSU Students Fall Victim to Ransomware

How you can avoid infection -- here and at home

​Never click on links in email unless ​it's absolutely necessary and ​you're 100% sure it's legit

​FLOAT-OVER! Pass your mouse over links in messages and compare it with the URL that appears at the bottom of your browser:

• ​Be ​very cautious when searching or surfing the internet​
• ​ -- avoid unknown sites​
• Do not download software or other files
• Never give passwords via email or phone
• Do not use USB flash drives that are not yours, or used on devices not yours
• Verify that anti-virus software is installed and current

Keep Windows Updates current ​

Be prepared -- have an offline backup of important data (USB thumb drive, or disk drive stored in your desk)

How LBCC protects your computer

• folders known to be targeted for ransomware installation are blocked
• a perimeter firewall scans for malware
• desktop protection scans downloads and websites (Symantec 'Network Threat Protection')

Your data​ is still ​vulnerable

Firewall and Anti-virus software are not capable of 100% detection. None of the protective measures listed above prevent our users from surfing the internet, downloading or installing software, or clicking links in email messages. YOU are the greatest vulnerability. Please take the time to learn about the risks, and how to avoid them.

If you have additional concerns, questions, or would like someone from IS to make sure your computer is secure, please contact the Staff Help Desk at x4333.

Shelly Ellingson

Attaching Outcomes to a Moodle Course and Assignment

It's easy to attach an outcome set to a Moodle course, and then to specific gradable items within that course!

Faculty Self-Service

Brought to you by the LBCC Banner Bunch!

Moodle Rubric Template

Moodle Gradebook Basics: Weighting

Google Calendar in a Moodle Block

Learn how to embed one or more Google Calendars in a block in your Moodle course. The concepts we cover in this video also apply to regular websites, as well. Stay tuned for future related topics!