Course Creation

Course Creation

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Each term, courses are built in Moodle so you can begin to add content to them whenever is convenient.  An email is sent from the Online Learning Manager during the term before informing you when the courses have been created. When courses are created, they are, by default, hidden from student view.  If your course was cross-listed, the sections have been combined into one, so when you go to populate your course, be sure to utilize the one that has both course listings (MKTG/MGMT48000, as example of MKTG48000 and MGMT48000 merged). If your course is cross-listed and you do not see a combined site like this, please reach out to Brittany Jackson (JacksonB1@hiram.edu).

To access our Open LMS (formerly eThink) Moodle platform

Log in through the portal (my.hiram.edu > Moodle > the top link) or directly from online.hiram.edu. Log in with your normal Hiram College username and password.

Important: If you do not immediately see your courses, from the home landing page, select the icon that says “All Courses” and follow this pathway:

All Courses > Course year (“2021-22,” for example) > Appropriate term (“Spring 2022 – CAS” or “Spring 2022 – Traditional,” for example)

You will see your courses listed there. To find them more easily:

  1. Select “Dashboard” from the Dashboard icon at the top of your page or from the Dashboard link in the left menu.
  2. Select the ellipsis (…) to the right of a course you want easy access to.
  3. From the dropdown menu, “Star” the course. Starred courses will appear at the top of the list of courses on your Dashboard. 

To utilize previous content in your course

If you would like to import or restore content from a previous offering of the same course that you have instructor access to:

  1. If the course was originally offered on the Moodlerooms (aka Blackboard Open LMS) platform, then you can import directly from the original course site, which now also exists on the Open LMS server. Select the “Traditional College” or “PGS” category and then the semester to view the course. You can import it yourself or ask for assistance.
  2. If the course was originally offered on the Learning House platform, then it has been backed up and the backup file is stored on both a network drive and an external hard drive. You will need to request assistance to access the backup file. Please note that the network drive can only be accessed from campus, via ethernet. 
  3. If the course was originally offered on Open LMS Site A (our test site) in Spring or Summer I 2019, then it has been backed up and the backup file stored on both a network drive and an external hard drive. You will need to request assistance to access the backup file. 
  4. If the course was offered during or following Summer II 2019 semester on our permanent Open LMS site, then you can import content directly into your summer course. You can do this yourself or ask for assistance. 

To utilize previous content you did not create yourself in your course:

If you would like to access content from a previous offering of a course you have not taught yourself:

  1. If the course was developed for online delivery on Learning House, then by contractual arrangement the course is available for reuse by other instructors. Ask the Online Learning Manager, Brittany Jackson, for assistance in restoring a backup to your Moodle site.
  2. Otherwise, you will need the permission of the course designer in order to utilize the content. Please ask for assistance if you have any questions about this.

Remember to turn on editing in an Open LMS Moodle course

When you access a course as an instructor, you will not see it in “editing” mode by default. To edit, select the square green editing button at the top left of your course homepage, just to the right of the Hiram College.  It will turn red when you are in edit mode.

Please report any problems and ask for assistance!

If you notice anything missing or unexpected in either your old courses or your new site, please report the problem as soon as you can. We’re here to help, and Open LMS has been very responsive to our requests for assistance when we reach out to them.

You also have access to Moodle resources provided by Open LMS. If you do not see the resource sites (Basic and Advanced) immediately, search for “Moodle” and you’ll find them. In addition, at the top of each Moodle course, you can select the dark blue “Course Blocks” button to access the “Hiram Technology Resources 101” that is written for students but also provides a good overview of basic Moodle tools in the Hiram environment. 

Teaching with Technology Resource site and the Moodle Playground

To access each of these, type in the name (listed in bold below) in the Search bar in Moodle.  Click on the course name (listed in bold below).  Once inside, down near the bottom of the screen, click “Enroll me.”  This will then provide you access to each site.  You will need to do these steps for both sites listed below.

  1. Teaching with Technology Resource Moodle site.  This is a Moodle site that provides task aids for much of the functionality of Moodle, along with the many other technology resources at Hiram College.  This is constantly a work in progress, so check back often.  When you click the Enroll me button for this course, you will be created as a student in the course.  Don’t see something you need?  Please reach out to us!
  2. Moodle Playground.  This space offers you the opportunity to go in and test things out before you place them in your course.  When you click the Enroll me button for this course, you will be created as an instructor, so you have access to all of the usual Moodle tools. 

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to Garrett (munrogr@hiram.edu, 330-569-5417) or Brittany (jacksonb1@hiram.edu, 330-569-6114) with any additional questions!