Calendar

1. Locating the Calendar
2. Calendar Block
3. Viewing the Calendar
4. Adding Calendar Events
5. User Options
6. Instructor Information

Moodle has a calendar tool that can help you keep track of due dates, group meetings, or other personal events.  Date-specific information from individual courses will show up automatically; in addition, users can add personal events.

Locating the Calendar

You can locate and access the calendar from three locations:

1. A block located in the upper right hand portion of the Whittier College Moodle
2. A block located in an individual course space (optional)
3. A link in the Upcoming Events block in an individual course space (optional)

The calendar will always be linked from the "Happy Place"; however, this block is optional and may not be included in all course spaces.  From the Upcoming Events block (also optional), you can access the calendar by clicking on Go to calendar...

Calendar Block

If your course space includes the calendar block, it will look something like this:



The calendar will default to the current month.  Global (site-wide), Group, Course, and User events will be highlighted on the appropriate dates.  Moving your mouse over a highlighted date will display a list of events for that date:

 

The fonts in this menu are about one size smaller than the default in the course space, so you may need to increase your browser's font size if this is a feature you use regularly.

To switch to the next or previous month, use the arrows on either side of the month header.

To view expanded calendar information, click on the month and year at the top of the Calendar block.

Viewing the Calendar

If you have clicked through to the calendar from an individual course space, the display will default to the information for that course space:

The default view will include a large view of the current month, with the previous, current, and next months listed on the right hand side.  To switch to the next or previous month, click on the month's name at the top or the side of the page or the small blue arrows above the main calendar display.

A key on the right hand side explains the color-coded highlighting.

You can view either a single course or an integrated listing of events for all of your courses.  This can be selected from the Detailed Month View drop-down menu:

The title for individual events will be displayed in the appropriate day:



Clicking on the event will take you to more information about the specific event.  If the event is an assignment due date, clicking on the event will take you to the assignment's description.

At the bottom of this page are options for hiding the display of different event types.

Clicking on click to hide will suppress these items; clicking on click to show on hidden event types will reveal these events.

Adding Calendar Events

To add an event to the calendar, click on , located at the top of the Calendar page.  If your course space includes the Upcoming Events block, you can also add an event from this block by clicking on .

Most users will only be able to add events for themselves, and so will not see the following screen.  Instructors, TAs, and those with elevated Moodle rights will be able to add other types of events:



Select the appropriate event type, and click on OK.  The next page will list your event type, and you will be asked to provide event information:



The Name will be displayed on the calendar and in the Upcoming Events block.

The Description information will be available when you or another user clicks on the event name in the calendar.



The Date field allows you to specify the date and time for your event.

The Duration field allows you to indicate the length of your event either in minutes or by specifying the end date and time.  Alternately, you can select that your event is without duration.

The Repeats field allows you to create a repeating event by specifying the frequency of the event.

Click on Save changes to submit this event.  The page will refresh, and your event will be displayed:



You can use the icons at the bottom of the event to make changes or delete the event.  When you go back to the main calendar page, this event will be displayed.  This event will also be displayed in the Upcoming Events block when appropriate.

User Options

Individual users can designate their preferences for the calendar by clicking on in the orange menu bar on the right hand side.



Time display format specifies 12 or 24 format for the display of times on the calendar.  The site's default is 24 hour format.



First day of week designates the starting day for calendar weeks.  The site's default is for weeks to start on Sunday.



Maximum upcoming events designates the maximum number of events that will be displayed in the Upcoming Events block.  The site's default is 10 events.



Upcoming events look-ahead designates how far into the future the Upcoming Events block will display events.  While this feature is reliable, there is no guarantee that all events will be displayed, especially if there are more events in the designated time frame than are allowed in the Maximum upcoming events field.



By setting Remember filter settings to yes, these preferences will be stored.

Click on to submit your preferences.

Instructor Information

• Many students have indicated that this feature is especially useful to them, so we strongly encourage at least minimal use in your course space.
• Due dates for assignments will automatically propagate from your course space to the course calendar.
• Additional events can be created by following the steps described above.  As an instructor, you should be able to create course, group, or user events.