Using Oncourse Modules, how do I add, edit, move, or delete content sections?

On this page:

• Adding content sections to a module
• Adding Next Steps
• Editing a content section
• Moving a content section
• Deleting a content section

Adding content sections to a module

1. From the Author view, there are several ways to add a content section to a module:
   
   
   • Check the box next to the module to which you want to add a section, and click Add Content under "Authoring options..." at the top of the page.
   • Click the name of the module to which you want to add a section, and then click Add Content Sections under "Editing module..." at the top of the page that opens.
   • After you have added a new module, click Add Content Sections on the confirmation page.
   • After you have finished adding or editing a section, click Add Another Section on the confirmation page.
   
   
2. Enter a title in the "Section Title" field. The title is required and can be from 3 to 50 alphanumeric characters. Special characters (e.g., &, *, %) are not allowed.
   
   
3. The system fills in the "Added by" field.
   
   
4. Enter any appropriate instructions in the "Instructions" field.
   
   
5. Check all of the appropriate boxes for "Modality". Modality is currently not used, but it is required. At some point, users will be able to search for different types of content.
   
   
6. Choose your content type from the drop-down menu. Once you have chosen a content type for a section, you cannot change it. Choose from the following:
   
   
   • Compose content with editor: Use the rich-text editor to create and edit the content for this section; see The rich-text editor.
     
     
   • Upload or link to a file:
     
     
     1. Click Select.
     2. You can either click Browse to upload a local file (i.e., a file from your computer) or choose from a file that has already been uploaded to Modules by clicking link to me to the right of the filename.

        Note: Files that you upload to the Modules tool in this way are stored in a special area of your site's Resources. You can't see them in Resources, and you can't access them in the normal way, but they count against your quota. See the section below on linking to a new URL for a workaround that can avoid duplicating files in Resources.

     3. Click Continue to add the file to your section or Cancel to return to the Adding section... page.

     Note: Depending on the types of files you are using, you may need to inform your students about specific software they will need to access the files. See General system and connection requirements.

   • Link to new or existing URL resource on server:
     
     
     1. Click Select.
     2. You can either type a new URL next to "Provide new URL" and enter a title next to "URL Title", or choose from a list of URLs that have already been added to Modules.

        Note: Whenever you use the "Provide new URL" option, the URL is saved in Modules. When you choose Link to new or existing URL resource on server and click Select, you will see the list of all the URLs you have added in the Modules tool. To choose one of these links, click link to me next to its title.

     3. Click Continue to add the file to your section, or Cancel to return to the Adding New Section page.

     Note: If you want to avoid uploading a file twice (once to Resources and once to Modules), you can use the Provide new URL feature to link to the file in Resources. See Finding the URL of a Resources item.

7. In the "Description" field, enter an optional description of the content.
   
   
8. Next to "Copyright Status", choose from the following options:
   
   
   • I have not determined copyright yet
   • Copyright of Author: Fill in the "License Holder" and "License Year" fields (both required). A copyright notice will be included in the footer of the section.
   • Public Domain: If you want to offer your work with no conditions, choose the public domain license. By placing your work into the public domain, you recognize that it may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, used, modified, built upon, or otherwise exploited by anyone for any purpose. Fill in the "License Holder" and "License Year" fields if you wish.
   • Creative Commons License: With a Creative Commons license, you keep your copyright. Specify whether or not you want to Allow Commercial use of your work and whether or not you want to Allow Modifications of your work. Fill in the "License Holder" and "License Year" fields if you wish. If you want to offer your work with no conditions, choose the public domain license.
   • Fair Use Exception: Materials used in this section are subject to fair use exception. Permission to use this material is not granted as the author is not the copyright holder of the content presented in this section. Fill in the "License Holder" and "License Year" fields if you wish.

     For more information on copyright in the educational environment, see Columbia University's Copyright Quick Guide

9. Click Add to add the content section, or Cancel to return to the Authoring options... page.

   Note: Whenever you add a section, it is added to the bottom of the module you are currently working in, and it is added at the nesting level just below the module. Because you can enter a new content section by checking the box next to another content section that may be nested deeper in the module, you might think that the new content section would be added under the section you have checked and nested one level deeper. However, this is not the case. Ordering and nesting of content sections are separate steps. See Sorting and nesting modules and content sections in the Modules tool.

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Adding Next Steps

You can use the Next Steps feature to direct your students to do something after they have completed a module (e.g., complete an assignment or take a quiz in the appropriate tool).

1. From the Authoring options... page, click the green + (plus sign) under "Actions" next to the appropriate module.
   
   
2. In the text box, type your instructions.
   
   
3. Click Add to add and save your instructions or Cancel to cancel. You will return to the Authoring options... page.

   Note: Students can see the Next Steps you have added when they click the module name or navigate all the way through the module to the last content section. They cannot see Next Steps from the Table of Contents page. Also, to the students, Next Steps are called "What's next?"

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Editing a content section

1. You can open a content section for editing from the Authoring options... page either by clicking the section title or by checking the box next to the section title and clicking Edit.
   
   
2. Make changes to the content section according to the instructions in the section on Adding sections to a module. Remember that you cannot change the content type when editing a content section.
   
   
3. When you are finished, choose Save, Preview, or Cancel.
   
   
4. Click Finish to return to the Authoring options... page, or Add Another Section to add more content sections to your module.

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Moving a content section

1. From the Author view in the Modules tool, check the box(es) next to the section(s) you want to move.
   
   
2. Click Move Section(s).
   
   
3. Select the radio button next to the module you would like to move the section(s) to.
   
   
4. Click Save to move the sections, or click Cancel.

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Deleting a content section

1. To delete a content section, from the Authoring options... page, check the box next to the section title, and then click Delete.
   
   
2. Click Continue to confirm the deletion.

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