What are replacement variables?
Replacement variables provide another way to simply and uniquely personalize each user's learning experience. Variable codes placed in the content causes Pearson Connexus to automatically replace the variables with dynamic values drawn from user, course, and/or domain information.
Example
This example uses the $USERFIRST$ code, allowing the teacher to address each student by first name, and the $COURSENAME$ code, which means that they can change the name of the course without having to edit this folder's landing content.
Now, this is what Sandra sees when she opens that activity folder.
Where can I use replacement variables?
Currently, you can use variables in the following locations:
- Folder landing pages
- Activity content
- Questions in assessment and practice questions activities
- Activities that are website links; you can use variables in the website URL or in POST parameters to the website.
- You can use a limited set of variables for giving student feedback.
- You can use a limited set of variables in Assessment themes.
Predefined domain-wide replacement variables
This table outlines the predefined variable codes that are available in all Pearson Connexus domains. Simply set the variable code between dollar signs ($) to activate the variable, like this: $VARIABLECODE$.
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| DOMAINID | The ID of the current user's domain |
| DOMAINNAME | The current user's domain name |
| USERID | The current user's ID. This ID is unique only within the Userspace; i.e., the USERSPACE/USERID value uniquely identifies a user in Buzz |
| USERNAME | The current user's username. This name is unique only within the userspace. |
| USERSPACE | The current user's userspace. The USERSPACE/USERNAME or USERSPACE/USERID combination uniquely identifies a user. |
| USER | The current user's full display name |
| USERDISPLAY | Same as USER |
| USERFIRST | The current user's first name |
| USERLAST | The current user's last name |
| USERREFERENCE | The current user's external ID |
| USEREMAIL | The current user's email |
| ENROLLMENTID | The current user's enrollment ID for the content they are viewing |
| ENROLLMENTFIRST | First name of the current enrollment user |
| ENROLLMENTLAST | Last name of the current enrollment user |
| ENROLLMENTREFERENCE | The external ID of the current enrollment |
| ENROLLMENTUSER | Full name (first and last name) of the current enrollment user |
| ENROLLMENTUSERNAME | Username of the current enrollment user |
| ENROLLMENTUSERREFERENCE | External ID of the current enrollment user |
| ENROLLMENTUSEREMAIL | Email of the current enrollment user |
| COURSEID | The ID of the course the current user is viewing |
| COURSENAME | The name of the course the current user is viewing |
| COURSEREFERENCE | The external ID of the course the current user is viewing |
| ITEMID | The ID of the item that the current user is viewing |
| ITEMNAME | The item's title that the current user is viewing |
How do I create my own replacement variables?
You can also create replacement variables for your own course:
- Open Course settings (wrench icon) from the Editor toolbar.
- Select Add variable under Variables.
- Provide the variable Name, which is the variable code that will be replaced (e.g., SECTIONNUMBER).
- Provide the variable Value, which is the value you want the code to be replaced by (e.g., Section 5).
- Select Done and Save.
Once you've created a course-specific replacement variable, you use it by placing it between dollar signs ($) just like you do with the other variable codes (e.g., $SECTIONNUMBER$).
