Setting up forms in ePortfolio

Forms are pages created by an institution, department, or course designer that collect information from users. When you create a form you specify what fields it includes, what type of information each field collects, and whether a field is required. When users fill out a form it becomes an artifact in their ePortfolio which they can share, edit, and add to collections, presentations, and learning objectives. Users can fill out a form multiple times and they can allow others to comment on or evaluate their entries. Because forms are structured, they provide scaffolding and guidance.

You create forms in Learning Environment, not in the ePortfolio tool. Create organization-wide forms in the ePortfolio area of the Admin Tools widget. Create course forms from the Course Administration area for a specific course.

Note  Forms are not course-specific. When you share a form with individuals in your course they can use it in other courses and repurpose it as desired.

Table of contents

1. Access the area for managing course forms
2. Parts of a form
3. Set up a form
4. Add a system field
5. Add a custom field
6. Add a separator between fields
7. Reorder fields
8. Edit a field

 

Use case scenarios

• Create a form for users working on long-term research projects. Include fields such as: Project Name, Description, Timeline, Requirements, and Project Plan. Require users to submit their completed form to a dropbox folder for a graduate studies course on Long-term Research Projects.
• Create a form for recording work history information that users might want to include in resumes. Include fields such as: Employer Name, Supervisor, Contact Information, Period of Employment, Job Description, Accreditations, and Skills Development. Also include areas to attach Work Samples, Employment Evaluations and Letters of Reference.
• Create a form that provides scaffolding and guidance to users who want to self-evaluate an artifact or presentation. Include areas to reflect on learning and personal goals, and a rubric to ensure consistent assessment. End the form with an area to associate the related item.

Access the area for managing course forms

1. Open a course.
2. Do one of the following:
   • Click Edit Course on the navbar and then click Forms.
   • Under the Site Resources heading, click Forms in the Course Administration widget.

Parts of a form

There are two areas to complete when creating a form: form details and form content. The details area contains the name and description of the form and which courses have access to it. The content area contains the actual fields users fill out.

The content area of a form can contain two types of fields: system fields and custom fields.

System fields automatically populate with data from a user’s profile. Some typical system fields include:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Email
• Picture
• Address

Custom fields allow users to fill in content. You define what type of information users enter in a custom field and whether it is required.

There are 12 custom field options:

• Drop-down List  Creates a drop-down list of options that users can choose between. Use this option or a radio button when you want users to choose only one option from a predetermined list.

• Tip  It is good practice to make the default value descriptive text rather than one of the options. For example, -- Select a file type -- or -- Choose an action --.

• Radio Button List  Creates a set of radio buttons that users select one option from. Use this option or a drop-down list when you want users to choose only one option from a predetermined list.
• Check Box List  Creates a set of check box items that users can select options from. Use this option when you want users to choose one or more options from a predetermined list.
• Text Input - Simple Text  Creates a standard text field for entering text. You determine how many characters the text field accepts. You can also provide default text or instructions to help guide users’ responses.
• Text Input - Formatted Text  Creates a text field that uses the HTML Editor. Formatted text fields allow you to use graphics, tables, links, and other functionality available in the HTML Editor.
• Numeric Input  Creates a field that only accepts numeric data. You can specify whether to allow decimals and negatives.

• Note  If the input contains numeric characters as well as symbols or text, use a simple text field instead. For example, for phone numbers or product numbers, use a simple text field and provide examples such as (555) 555-5555 or 1264-AX100.

• Date and Time Input  Creates a standard date selector and calendar for selecting a date and/or time.
• Information  Provides a rich text field for adding a content area to a form. A content area provides information to users rather than collecting it. For example, you could provide text instructions, a graph, or an image.
• File Upload  Creates Add a File and Record Audio buttons and dialogs for each. You can specify what types of files users can upload and the maximum file size allowed.
• Rubric Evaluation  Allows you to insert a rubric created in Learning Environment. Use this option to gather consistent feedback from users. For example, create a peer evaluation form that includes a rubric with the appropriate assessment options.
• ePortfolio Item Link  Creates an Add button and dialog that lets users associate the form with an item in their ePortfolio. You can restrict what types of items a user can link the form to. For example, if you have a form for reflecting on or evaluating a presentation, require that users link to the presentation in the form.

• Note  When you follow a link in a form, you have the same permissions for the item as you do for the form, even if the permissions differ from your normal permissions for the item.

• Org Unit  Creates a drop-down list of org units limited to a user's enrollments. You can define what type of org units display in the drop-down list (for example, Course, Group, Semester, etc). Use this field if you want to tie form data to an org unit.

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Creating a form

Set up a form

1. On the Manage Forms page, click New Form.
2. Enter a Name and Description.
3. If you are creating a form for a department (or other org unit type above a course in your organization's hierarchy) and you only want to share the form with specific courses (or other child org units) below the department rather than all child org units:
   1. Clear the Current Org Unit check box.
   2. Click Add Org Units.
   3. Select the org units you want to share the form with.
   4. Click Insert.
4. Click Save.

Note  You can only share forms with org units below the org unit you are working from in your organization's hierarchy; therefore, you cannot share forms created in a course because its the lowest org unit level you can create forms in.

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Add a system field

1. Click Add System Field.
2. Select the Field Name you want to add.
3. Click Add.

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Add a custom field

1. Click Add Custom Field.
2. Enter a Field Name.
3. Select the Make this a required field check box if you want to make this field a requirement.
4. Choose the Data Type for the field.
5. Fill in additional information based on the data type.
6. Click Save.

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Add a separator between fields

1. Click Add Separator.
2. Give the separator a Name.
3. Select Show name on separator if you want the name to appear as a heading.
4. Click Save.

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Reorder fields

1. Click Reorder Fields.
2. Select a new position for a field using the Sort Order drop-down list beside its name. The positions of other fields adjust accordingly.
3. Click Save.

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Edit a field

Note  You can only edit custom fields.

1. Click the Edit icon beside the field’s name on the Edit Form Contents page.
2. Make your changes.
3. Click Save.

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See Also

• Creating artifacts