Sending an email to participants via E-mail course element

FELIX 20-060

What you need to know

Communication with participants:
The "E-Mail" module allows, depending on the settings, communication in all directions (lecturers to students, students to lecturers, students to students). The prerequisite is that the respective persons are part of the course (course participants or group members). This is achieved by a booking method (see Helpcard 10-030), by an enrollment (see Helpcard 30-010), or by directly enrolling students via the Members management (see Helpcard 20-020).

The modules "Forum" (Helpcard 30-050) and/or "Messages" (Helpcard 30-060) offer an alternative method of communication.
You can also send emails to groups/individuals or several persons via the Members management (see Helpcard 20-050). The emails are sent to the email addresses associated with the user account.

What you have to do

  1. Under "Administration" (top left) in your course, click on "Course editor".

    • The course editor will open.

  2. At the top under "Insert course elements" select "E-mail" under "Administration and Organization". Alternatively, you can use the "Quick-Add" search function.

    • The new course element is created below the last element selected in the course structure. Its position can be changed by drag & drop.

  3. To rename the course element, enter the title that is displayed in the course in the "Title" field. If necessary, abbreviate the title in the "Title in course menu" field.
    "Save" your entries.

    • The "Title in course menu" is displayed on the left side of the structure. Since the structure is fixed to a certain width, a maximum of 25 characters is recommended.

    • Under "Insert additional information" you can enter e.g. learning objectives and instructions for learners.

    • The "Visibility" and "Access" tabs allow you to control visibility and access if required, e.g. make access group- or date-dependent. If learners should not have access to the email module, you can block it in the visibility for learners (see Helpcard 30-000).

  4. Under the "Recipient" tab, define who should receive the emails. Click on "Distribution to participants" if the course participants are supposed to receive the emails and select whether "All participants", "All participants of the course" or "All participants of the selected groups" should receive the emails.

  5. The emails that are sent via the learning platform show the learning platform as sender. Therefore, it is best to choose a subject (e.g. course title; or better still, the variable $coursename) to mark the email as belonging to this course.

    • Tip: Enter variables in the "Recipient" tab in the email subject line or the email text.
      For example, it is recommended to enter the variable $coursename or $courseurl in the subject line.
      Advantage: If you copy the course, the course title/course url in the email element will be adapted to the respective new title/new URL.
      Other variables you can use:
      $firstname (first name of the sender)
      $lastname (last name of the sender)
      $username (username of the sender)
      $email (email address of the sender)
      $coursedescription (reference to the description of the course on the info page)

  6. Save your entry and click on the red cross at the top right to close the course editor. To publish the change, select the "Yes, automatically" option.

    • You will see the new element in the course view.

  7. Click on the course element.

    • In the window that opens, you can enter the message, attach a file and send the email.

    • Emails sent from the learning platform are not stored there. Therefore, select the checkbox "Copy to sender" to be able to save the email in your mailbox.

Problems or questions?

ZLL | Learning Services
Your contact for innovative teaching

FU C1.10 | VS C1.01 | TUT A3.04

Contact us at the following number 07723 920 1382 or log a support request under "FELIX" at servicedesk.hs-furtwangen.de.