Moodle® For Dummies®

Dig In to the Delightful Database

The Database activity module is a resource that all instructors should use in some capacity — if for nothing else than teaching learners how to set up and use a simple database, a skill they'll find useful in their employment, further education, or personal use. Here are just a few ideas for using this module to keep learners engaged:

• Contact information: The database can be used for learners' personal contact details or portfolio, such as artwork, a photo album, essays for college entrance, resumes, and so on. Learners can create a database that will contain other Moodlers, instructors, business contacts, employment or college information, family, and friends. Having all your contacts organized and accessible makes it easy to set up project work with other Moodlers. You won't have any need to leave to Moodle environment to e-mail, chat, and use other third-party software.
• Project work: Used to collect information for a group project and then to organize that info into categories to make it easily accessible for future uses. For example:
  • • Storage for grant proposals: A large amount of work goes into collecting data and resources before an actual proposal is submitted. Using a database enables a group to work collaboratively, from different locations, and to store information in an organized repository that's available for future similar projects.
  • • Research repository: Research projects generate an extraordinary amount of data and are often ...