Hello Instructors Using Moodle,

All instructors with Moodle accounts are receiving this email.  If you do not use your account or would like to have it deleted and have your email removed from this list, please let me know by replying to this email.  If you want to hear some terrific news, read on.
  
I have added three new and exciting features to Moodle this afternoon.  Instructors throughout the world have been asking for new features to enhance their online experience for themselves and their students.  They wanted:

#1  The ability to upload a file BACK to their students after it has been graded.

#2  The ability to email specific students (or groups of students) in their classes without making a news forum announcement post that goes to every student or without messaging students within Moodle one-at-a-time.

#3  A better, more intuitive course navigation system than the existing Administrative block provides.

You now have access to solutions for all three of these.

For those who want to experiment immediately, here is the short story for each tool.

#1  A new assignment type called Upload & Review has been added.  It allows a student to upload any single file AND it allows the instructor to upload any single file BACK to the student.  

No more adding attachments to your Groupwise emails to get files/papers BACK to students.  Now, you can do it all from within Moodle.  You can start using this type of assignment right away.  You can even change existing assignments from Upload a File to Upload & Review.  It will keep the student submitted files and will now allow you to upload any file BACK to them.

#2  A new BLOCK called Quickmail can be added to your course page.  ONLY you, the instructor will see it.  It is really self explanatory.  You will see a list of your students with checkboxes next to their names.  Check ALL or check only the ones you want to send an email to.

Students cannot use this feature, although they can certainly continue to Send Messages to one another with the existing Messaging feature in Moodle.

#3  A new BLOCK called Course Menu can be added to your course page.  It has everything the existing Administration menu has, so I've chosen to remove the Administration block and use the Course Menu block instead.  

Since this change will be seen by students, you should look at it first and see if it suits your needs.  I believe it is more intuitive and may also allow you to remove the Activities block, and maybe even the Calendar and People blocks (if you are currently using any of these blocks), giving your course homepage a cleaner and simpler look.

That's all for now.  
I'd be glad to go over any of these new updates with you.  Feel free to contact me.

Joe Escobar
Faculty Webmaster
Moodle Administrator

P.S.
I do have a couple more features to share with you, but will do so towards the end of the term, as they are tested and become more relevant to your work.  For a teaser, one feature allows you to easily change the open and closing dates of all activities within your course from a single webpage.  The other feature the long awaited spelling checker which you and your students can use as you compose your Moodle assignments and webpages.