Inserting a notifications course element - sending a message automatically

FELIX 30-060

What you need to know

With the Notifications element you can send messages to your students. The course element is pre-configured so that students automatically subscribe to it when they first click on it. This means that as soon as you enter a new message, an email notification is sent to the subscribers or participants registered in the course. The subscription remains active until you delete the course element, students unsubscribe from your course, or students deactivate their subscription directly under Notifications or under "Personal tools" (subscriptions).

What you have to do

  1. In your course, click on "Course editor" under "Administration" (top left).

    • The course editor will open.

  2. Activate the course element in the course structure (left) in which the new element is to be inserted.
    Under "Insert course elements" (above) in the category "Administration and Organization" select the element "Notifications". Alternatively, you can use the "Quick-Add" search function.

    • You can also move the element later by dragging and dropping.

  3. To rename the course element, in the "Title" field enter the title you want to be displayed in the course. If necessary, abbreviate the title in the "Title in course menu" field. "Save" your entries.

    • The "Title in course menu" will be displayed in the menu on the left. Since the menu has a fixed width, a maximum of 25 characters is recommended.

    • Under "Insert additional information" below, you can enter, for example, learning objectives and instructions for learners.

    • Under "Visibility" and "Access" you can regulate the visibility and access to the block if required, e.g. depending on the group or date (see Helpcard 30-000).

    • If you want to enable students to write messages themselves and also manage them if necessary, you must also activate the "Participants" option under "Notification configuration" in the "User rights" area.

  4. Click on the red cross (top right) to close the course editor. Select the "Publish automatically" option to publish the change.

    • The new element is not displayed in the course view until it has been published.

  5. Click on "Notifications" in the course view and compose a message with "Create new message".
    In the window that opens, enter a subject and the message.

    • If you want to attach a file to the message, click on "Select file".

    • In the "Publication" area, you can use "Individual date" to publish the message at a later date.
      In the course view, the message is then marked "Scheduled" for the owner.
      Participants will only see it after the publication date.

  6. Click on "Next".

    • The "Create message" window opens.

  7. Select "Subscription & e-mail" if you want to send the notification by email in addition to the bulk notification.

  8. Leave the "Email to recipients" setting at "All course members" if you only want to inform the participants on the member list.
    If you also want to send emails to subscribers who are not members of the course, you must select the option "Individual recipients" and all corresponding "Recipients (groups)".
    Then click on "Finish".

    • The created message is displayed as a notification in the course element.
      The subscribed students receive an email with the information that there is a new message in the respective course, but without the message content.
      If "Subscription & e-mail" is selected, the selected recipient group will also receive an email with the message content.

    • Edit or delete the message using the buttons below the message.

    • Create a new message for important changes, as no further email is triggered when editing!

Problems or questions?