How to do better reporting in Moodle (Mini-Guide)
This article will walk you through the simple yet effective process of reporting in Moodle using Edwiser Reports.
Just so you know- This is an all-in-one reporting and analytics tool for Moodle and it’s absolutely free. It’s simple to download with no conditions and no extra charges.
Here’s what you can and should do with Edwiser Reports!
How to use Edwiser Reports for Better Reporting in Moodle
#1 Download the plugin
This is a no-brainer!
First and foremost, you need to download Edwiser Reports. The download just takes a couple of clicks and you don’t have to set anything up. It’s ready-to-use p.d.q (pretty damn quick)
#2 Easily organize and view and the most relevant data
Once downloaded, make sure you’re logged into your Moodle site. Because the plugin cannot identify user roles until you’re logged into your eLearning site.
After your successful login as a manager or a teacher, go to Reporting and Analytics in the left navigation bar. You’ll then be able to easily access all your e-Learning data on a well-organized customizable dashboard to your right.
There are different blocks/modules to give you a holistic view of learner data and pick important insights from.
You can even add, delete, and arrange the blocks based on the details that you prefer to see.
For configuring and tweaking the dashboard as per your needs, just click on the Customize this page button on the top right corner (shown above)
Every block is easily customizable! You just need to click on the gear icon present at the top right corner of whichever block settings you intend to change. (Shown above)
Once clicked on the gear icon, you get three options.
Option 1- Edit the block view
This option lets you adjust the view of the block in order to display it seamlessly across different devices. You can also play with the placement or the position of the blocks on the dashboard if required. (Shown above)
Option 2- Hide block
This needs no explanation! No need to be overwhelmed by so many blocks! You get to see and work with limited data if that’s how you like your reporting in Moodle to be. You can choose to show or hide the block based on your reporting requirements.
Option 3 – Change capability
With this option, you have full control over the view and edit permissions of the block. Your data is completely safe, thanks to such kind of regulated access. (Shown above)
#3 Proactively deliver information right to your inbox
You can proactively receive important information about your learners and your courses right into your inbox. The automated report scheduling in Edwiser Reports gives you the ability to instantly set up or subscribe to specific reports at specific times.
Once scheduled, you can access these reports without having to log into your Moodle site.
#4 Get simplified access to data
You can have the data in whichever format you like – CSV, Excel, or PDF. You have the option to send the report directly to your email or download it in the above formats right away. (Shown above)
Also, if you want to track or see your active users, course enrolments, and course completion rates for a particular time period, you can easily set your requirements in the drop-down menu/filter at the top right corner of the block. (Shown above)
#5 Get a clear idea about course engagement
Simply click on More at the bottom left corner of the block to navigate to Course Reports.
These detailed course reports provide detailed insights into course progress and course engagement for every individual course on your Moodle site.
Course progress tells you the number of students enrolled in the course and the number of students who have completed the course. It also breaks down the number of students based on varying percentages of the course completed by them. This way you know how your students are progressing.
For example
If you have a good number of learners in the 80-100% or the 60-80% category, it could mean most of your students are catching up well. If the majority of them fall in the rest of the categories, then you might have to improve your course. Because it is a clear indicator of students not being able to complete the course.
The Course engagement tab in Course Reports next to Course Progress will help you stay updated on the total number of course enrolments, visits to the course, number of students completing 50% of the course, and the total number of students finishing the course.
You can also know if your learners have gotten off the mark and started with at least one activity in the course. (Shown above)
In order to access more details about your learners within a particular course such as their name and email address, you simply have to click on the numbers in the data. There’s also a handy search box if you wish to look for specific users. (Shown above)
This information can work great for not only identifying weak students but also for connecting with them to understand what part of the course is troubling them.
#6 Keep yourself on top of daily activities
The Daily Activities block (shown above) is a stockpot of information for your regular day-by-day reporting in Moodle. It gives you all the information about the events happening along the day, records site visits made on an hourly basis and the number of learners, as well as teachers, logged in during the day.
You can even set a date of your choice from the calendar and check the daily activities for that particular day to have a better grasp of everyday tasks or events.
Not to miss the calendar that adds to the convenience as you can check the captured activities on your Moodle site for a specific day in the past that you might have overlooked.
All the learner-related information in one place makes it easier to observe and review activities that might go unnoticed due to oversight, gain valuable insights, and recognize key learning trends.
#7 Ace real-time monitoring and bring back disengaged students
Last but not least! You can easily keep track of live users and inactive users on your Moodle site with these blocks shown above.
You might think, tracking live users makes sense but what’s the point of having the inactive users list! I mean it’s quite clear that they are not interested in your courses so why bother them.
But there could be many reasons why they have stopped engaging. They are probably unhappy about something in your course or on your Moodle platform.
So, the right way to tackle this situation is to correct whatever makes them unhappy and set things right. That’s how you make the best use of this list. Use it to reach out to them again.
Moreover, it’s a good way of reminding your students that you’re equally concerned and eager to solve their learning challenges.
Final Words
So, that was a mini-guide on how you can use Edwiser Reports to improve your reporting in Moodle. Do check out the demo if you like what you just read!
Let us know what you think about it in the comments below.
