Adding instructions with the web page resource

The other key (resource) feature of Moodle, which can be used to build up the structure of the course, is the web page (element) resource. This is accessed by choosing the Compose a web page in the drop-down resource list, which is part of resources, as shown in the following screenshot:

The nature of this should be quite self-explanatory as it presents a basic HTML editor for composing instructions or extra research material. However, the other great advantage is that once it has been composed, it becomes part of the system's database, and as such, can then be searched as with any other data. This is not possible with pre-formatted files, such as word-processed documents, though obviously they are convenient as they can be downloaded.

Since it is a web-based resource, it means that pictures and links can be embedded and the HTML features such as color coding can be used as well. In addition, if the auto-linking feature of Moodle has been enabled, any word that appears in this web page, that is, also in a glossary, will be linked. This is obviously an advantage in a jargon-rich subject such as design technology; it helps reinforce the student's grasp of the key terms. This will be shown in more detail in Chapter 5, Assessing Student Progress.