Content Creation

The database activity module enables students to create, maintain and search a collection of entries or records. You define the structure of the entries by a number of fields. 

Adding a Database and Settings

1. On your course homepage, Turn editing on. 
2. Click 'Add an activity or resource' in the section of your course where you want the database to be displayed.
   
   
   
3. Select the Database option from the activities list.
   
   
   
4. Click Add which is located at the bottom of the 'Add an activity or resource' box.
   
   
   
5. If your database is intended to be a summative assessment, choose the relevant assessment from the list populated through Course Outline. Otherwise check the 'Formative or non-assessed activity' box. 
6. Click Proceed to settings. 
   
   
   

7. Database - General

   • Name the Database activity. 
   • Provide a Description for students if needed, this can include instructions on how to use the tool. 
   • Choose whether this description should be displayed on your course homepage by clicking the checkbox. 
     
     
     

8. Database - Entries

   • If enabled, entries require approving by yourself or a colleague before they can be viewed by everyone. 
   • If disabled, approved entries can no longer be edited or deleted by the student who added them. This setting has no effect unless Approval required is enabled. 
   • The Allow comments on entries option allows students to comment on other database entries. 
   • This option restricts students from viewing other entries until they have posted a preset number of entries themselves. 
   • This option places a cap on the number of entries students can post. 
     
     
     
9. The Availability settings gives you the option to to set time frames for when the database is open, either to view or to edit:
   
   
   
10. The RSS settings allows feeds to be added to the database and to limit how many:
    
    
    
11. The Grade option is only available if the database is a formative activity and if you have allocated an Aggregate type in the Ratings section. It allows you to set a minimum grade to pass.

12. Database - Ratings
    

    • This option is not editable and tells you what role is able to allocate ratings.
    • The Aggregate type defines how ratings are combined to form the final grade in the gradebook. 
    • The Scale of the rating is how the rating is displayed to students. If you have chosen to have ratings through the Aggregate type, you have to chose the only option available - 'Mark'. You can then enter the maximum grade available for this activity. 
    • If this checkbox is clicked, ratings will only be applied to items within the date range that you allocate. 
      
      
      

13. Other settings

    The other settings you can change on the Database page are shown below:
    • Common module settings
    • Restrict access
    • Activity completion
    • Tags: this feature allows you to add tags to the database
14. Click either Save and return to course  or Save and display if you want to preview the activity and begin entering the requirements. 
    • See the Fields in the Database resource for information on defining your database.