Teacher: Essential Resources

Resources are the "passive" materials in your course: the content students read, watch, or listen to. Unlike Activities (Assignments/Quizzes), students do not "submit" anything to a Resource.

This guide covers the three most important tools for building your course content.

1. The "Add Activity or Resource" Menu

To add anything to your course:

1. Turn Edit mode ON (top right).
2. Hover your mouse over the location where you want the item.
3. Click the Plus icon (+) or the link Add an activity or resource.
4. A chooser window will pop up. Select the tab Resources to filter the list.

2. The Big Three: Which one to use?

Before you click add, choose the right tool for the job.

Resource Type	Best Used For...	📱 Mobile Experience
Page (网页)	Creating content directly in Moodle (text, video, images). Like a mini-website.	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent. Adapts to screen size.
File (文件)	Distributing PDFs, PowerPoint slides, or Excel sheets that students need to save.	⭐⭐ Fair. Requires downloading and opening a separate app.
Text and media area (formerly "Label")	Displaying headings, short instructions, or a banner video directly on the course homepage.	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good, but don't make it too long or it clutters the scroll.

3. Using "Page" (Recommended)

We strongly encourage using Pages instead of uploading Word documents. Pages are easier to update and readable on any device.

How to create a Page

1. Select Page from the resource menu.
2. Name: The link the student clicks (e.g., "Lecture Notes: Week 1").
3. Page content: This is the main editor. You can:
   • Type or paste text.
   • Insert images (drag and drop into the box).
   • Insert videos (paste a YouTube/Vimeo link, Moodle will embed it automatically).
4. Scroll down and click Save and display.

Pro Tip: If you find a typo in a Page, you can fix it instantly online. If you find a typo in a Word doc, you have to fix it, save it, delete the old file, and upload the new one. Use Pages!

4. Using "File" (PDFs & PPTs)

Use this for content that must preserve its layout (like a complex PDF) or slides for students to keep.

Method A: Drag and Drop (Fastest)

[Image of Moodle drag and drop file upload]

1. Turn Edit mode ON.
2. Open the folder on your computer containing your file.
3. Drag the file from your computer directly onto the Moodle course page.
4. Release the mouse. Moodle will upload it instantly.
5. You can then change its name by clicking the Pencil icon ✎.

Method B: Manual Upload

1. Select File from the resource menu.
2. Name: Enter a clear title.
3. Select files: Drag your file into the upload box.
4. Appearance Settings (Optional):
   • Automatic: Moodle guesses the best way to open it.
   • Force download: The file saves to the student's computer immediately.
   • New window: Opens the file in a new browser tab (Good for keeping Moodle open).

5. Using "Text and media area" (Labels)

This resource has no "click to enter" link; its content sits directly on the course homepage. It is the "glue" that holds your course structure together.

Common Uses

• Sub-headings: To break up a long list of files (e.g., "📚 Required Reading" vs "📝 Optional Materials").
• Instructions: A short note saying "Please read Chapter 4 before watching the video below."
• Banners: An image to make the section look nice.

How to create it

1. Select Text and media area from the resource menu.
2. Type your text into the box.
3. Use the formatting toolbar to make it Bold or change the "Heading" size (Large/Medium/Small).
4. Click Save and return to course.

6. Using URL (External Links)

If you want to link to a news article, a YouTube video, or a library database.

1. Select URL from the resource menu.
2. Name: What the student sees (e.g., "Article: The Future of AI").
3. External URL: Paste the website address (e.g., `https://...`).
4. Appearance: Change "Display" to In pop-up if you don't want students to leave the Moodle site completely.