When authoring content, users are given various activity type options. Each activity type is designed with specific ends in mind and can be used to support various personalized learning models. Review the following activity types to see what is available and how each type can be used.
Activity Type | Description |
---|---|
Assessment | Assessments are gradable, question-based activities that use questions created by Teachers or linked from question banks. Each question can be aligned with specific objectives in the course, and student performance on objectives can be used to make formative and remediation assessments. Students are required to complete assessments according to conditions set by the course author and submit all answers at once. Assessments are automatically graded and can be password protected. |
Assignment | Assignments are gradable activities created using a rich text editor. Students complete assignment activities in their own time and are expected to indicate completion according to conditions set by the course author (e.g., attach a file to a Dropbox, enter findings in a text box). Assignments can also be set up to accompany non-digital submissions. |
Blog | Blogs are assigned writing exercises seen by the authoring student, the Teacher, and all members of the course (unless it is organized by groups, in which case each student can access only the blogs in his or her group). Visitors can comment on blogs to encourage discussion and collaboration. |
Custom Activity | Custom Activities allow users to embed SCORM activities, display external web sites, or create gradable activities using styles and scripts that aren't available with Connexus EMS authoring tools. Because it provides greater customization options, these are best suited for advanced users. |
Discussion | Discussions allow users to create a learning activity in which students can respond to a prompt and interact with other students as part of focused conversation threads. All course members can add to and access the thread unless it is organized into groups, in which case each student can access only his or her group's threads. |
Flashcards | Flashcards are non-gradable activities designed to allow learners to review content and help them commit key concepts to memory. Students see the front of the card, then try to remember what is on the other side. Flashcard activities are marked complete when the learner has flipped all the cards in the activity. |
Journal | Journals are assigned writing exercises that only the authoring student, the Teacher, and the student's Parent or other Observer can access. |
Peer Assessment | Peer Assessments allow students to evaluate their peers' performance using a rubric provided by the Teacher. |
Practice Questions (formerly Homework) | Practice Questions are gradable, question-based activities that use questions created by the Teacher or linked question banks. This activity is similar to assessments. Unlike assessments, students can submit, review, and retake each question one at a time. For instant feedback, this activity should only contain automatically graded questions. |
Survey | Link to surveys built using external tools like SurveyMonkey. |
Wiki | Wikis allow users to create collaborative writing exercises which can be edited by the Teacher and all students in a course. All members can also see a history of revisions and who made them. |
Project | Projects allow users to quickly and easily create robust and organized project activities. Users can automatically include a Discussion, Blog, Wiki, or Journal, as well as add additional components. |
Rich-Text Activity | This activity type is best suited for delivering information. It allows course authors to create activities using a rich text editor. By default, this item is not gradable. Users can make it gradable using the activity editor. |
Embed Code | Embed Code to create an activity using HTML; most often, these are HTML snippets provided by other sites. By default, this item is not gradable; users can make it gradable using the activity editor. |
Website Link | Link to websites for students. By default, this item is not gradable; users can make it gradable using the activity editor. |