Shingai's Sandpit

Section outline

• Enable groups to chat in Moodle
  

  Collapse all Expand all

  Why:
  

  If you are using Moodle groups, you can change a setting to allow the students in a group to message each other. This gives small groups a private space to communicate. If you add yourself to a group, you can also join the group chat.

  Note: you must first set up Moodle groups to enable this function.

  
  

  How:

  1. Go to 'Participants', click the cog to the right, and select 'Groups'. 
  2. Select a group from the box on the left.
  3. Select 'Edit group settings'.
  4. Change 'Group messaging' to 'Yes' (from the default 'No').
  5. Advise students they can now message within their group in Moodle messaging. 

  Note: If you (the course teacher) want to participate in a group chat, you need to enrol yourself in the group first.  

  
  

  
  

• Message students in Moodle
  

  Why:
  

  Sometimes, rather than sending an announcement to all students, you'll want to send a private message to one student, or a small group of students. 

  How

  There are two ways to send students messages in Moodle:

  • Send a message via Participants.
  • Send a message via Moodle messaging.

  If you have Moodle groups set up, you can also send a message to a group.
  

  
  

  Note that by default, a student will receive an email notifying them of a message sent in Moodle. This goes to their @live.nmit.ac.nz email address, so remind them to check it if that is how you choose to communicate with them.
  

  
  

  
  

• Customise notifications
  

  Why:

  Setting up your notifications to suit you will ensure you're neither bombarded with student activity in forums or group messaging, nor out of the loop. 

  
  

  How:

  1. xxx

  
  

  
  

• Pre-record a voice-over PowerPoint
  

  Why:
  

  Pre-recording voice-over PowerPoint is good for delivering 'lecture style' content. You can record when it suits you, and students can watch when it suits them. Flexibility is the distinct advantage it has over Zoom, or even face-to-face lectures.

  Think 'mini-lectures': 2-8 minute recordings that focus on key concepts or skills; and which will help students grasp ideas they often struggle with on their own. Avoid the idea that you need to record a 2-hour lecture. Boil it down to the essentials, chunk it into parts, and deliver it well.
  

  How:
  

  1. Prepare your PowerPoint(s) and plan what you will say.
     
  2. In the open PowerPoint, go to Slideshow.
  3. Go to Record Slideshow.
  4. Choose Record from beginning (or current slide) and start recording.

  Watch this NMIT screencast [4:55] for a demonstration.
  

    

     
  

  
  

  
  

  • 

    Physical Security Dialogue Cards File

    1.4 MB
  • Topic forum: Safe work practices

    You are a newly appointed retail sales manager for a busy service station. You have had many years of experience working as a retail sales assistant and you are concerned there are no procedures in place to support/protect the staff should a security problem occur. Being open all night is also a concern for yourself and the other staff on duty during those times as you often have to work at night.

    1. Open the file How to Implement Safe Workplace Practices ACC. Navigate to page 111/112 and read through the sections on Robbery and Aggressive or Threatening Situations.
    2. As part of a group/in your workplace decide on some procedures for staff to follow should a robbery occur or someone is aggressive toward them or they are threatened while at work.
    3. Post your answers in the forum below.
  • 

    How to Implement Safe Workplace Practices PDF File

    1.8 MB
  • 

    Safe Work Practices - Forum

    Mark as done
  • Legislative Requirements

    There are a number of pieces of legislation that must be complied with when providing customers with information about the products sold in your workplace.

    Below is a summary of each Act that you should be familiar with:

  • 

    Legislative Requirements Dropdown List File

    507.5 KB

• Record a screencast
  

  Why:
  

  Screencasts enable you to demonstrate what you are doing on your computer, with voiceover. This can be particularly helpful when teaching students online, to point them to helpful resources in Moodle for example. They can also be a useful teaching tool in disciplines such as Design, Tourism and IT, where students need to learn to use industry software.

  
  

  How:

  1. Install the app Screencastify on your computer. 
  2. Open the app and click the Screencastify icon.
  3. Choose whether what you want to record: your Browser Tab, entire Desktop, or Webcam Only.
  4. Click Record, and Stop when you have finished recording.
  5. Save and share the recording so you can upload it as an mp4 file to Moodle.

  See this screencast [4:21] for more detail:

  
  

  
  

  
  

• Set up Moodle Groups
  

  Why:
  

  Moodle groups allow students to collaborate online in groups or pairs. Perfect if they are working on group assessments or projects, and good for encouraging informal discussion and peer review (in a private group forum).

  
  

  How:

  1. Go to Participants. 
  2. Click the cog to the right and select Groups.
  3. Choose Auto-create groups and work through the settings to create groups based on number of members or groups OR Create a group to add participants to groups manually.

  For more detail see: Groups (set up)

  Variations:

  • Set up a group forum, to give group members a private space to share files etc.
    
  • Enable group messaging, to allow informal chat between group members.