WizIQ Block
Today’s review Module is the Moodle 2.0 Activity Module: WizIQ Live Class. This module provides the seamless integration between Moodle 2.0 and the WizIQ platform.
Background
This module for Moodle is created and maintained by WizIQ themselves. It was first created back in March 2008 for Moodle 1.7 and has been updated for Moodle 2.0. Unlike most plugins this has two parts; an activity and a block which provide different access to features.
As I am about to use this module when doing a presentation at the SUNY Moodlemoot I decided to give it a run out.
For this test I used the trial version of which provides 1 room for 10 people and space for 3 recordings. If you need more then you get the subscription.
What does it do?
This is a comprehensive plugin that provides multiple options for the integration including:
- Room creation and management
- Subscription Management
- File Management
This plugin also adds the activity into the course calendar with a link to show the class details.
The integration provides a full single sign on for teachers and students however does not provide customisation of roles.
Is it simple to install?
To download the module files you need to sign up for a 30-day trial. This at first seems a barrier however when you download the plugin it is pre-configured with your settings which is a novel approach and helps avoid some of the common mistakes when setting up modules.
As the module is managed by WizIQ themselves, you register/download the module on the http://org.wiziq.com/moodle/ site. This enables them to preconfigure the settings for you. Once downloaded the zip file contains blocks and mod folders which both need to be respectively uploaded to your Moodle site.
The plugins entry page links to the Registration page for download.
When upgrading through the notifications page, I got no errors and it just installed. There was some new global settings which should be considered however the account details are preconfigured and un-editable.
You also get a constant reminder of the status of your account in case you need to upgrade. This is handy so you dont run out of recording spaces when needed:
The block works and seems to be a copy of the upcoming activities block, as it shows any activities including my adobe connect test session and a test quiz. I am not sure if it is intentional or not.
I wasn’t sure how to upload content in the activity or block and couldn’t find anything to explain.
Is there documentation for it?
The plug-ins page has a simple overview on the module and links to a detailed Moodle Docs page for this module. This covers the introduction to the plugin, features, installation, aquick tutorial for teachers and support information.
There is a link to the discussion about the plugin which has feedback from the developers.
The README has clear instructions for installation and some other information about help language files which i think is out of date, and when I did a simple check I found that the block isn’t supporting multiple languages.
Is it easy for the teacher/admin to use?
It was quite straight forward to add a class activity after installation. Adding a class gave the following options screen which enables a user to choose the type of class, its scheduling times (including right now option), its duration and whether you want audio and video or just audio:
One thing I liked most here was the schedule for now option. The recordings are also on by default in case anyone forgets, I am sure this will save many a grey hair.
The teacher can also easily manage the classes that they have setup too by accessing the list of classes to simply edit or delete.
Is it easy for the learner/student to use?
Like the Adobe Connect Pro module, this actually creates a calendar entry for the course so that it appears in the upcoming events / calendar for the student. This helps the student and the teacher for monitoring their calendar. The student can then easily access the WizIQ system without having to log in twice.
Does it do what it promises?
Yes. This is a solid integration which reduces the complexity of setup by pre-configuring the plugin on download. It has some nice features including content management, strong single sign on and the nice create class page. However there are some minor issues with langauges, inline help, block and and the lack of somewhere to upload content which would be nice to see addressed.
Stars: 3 out of 5 stars for this block.
**Standard Reminder**
These reviews check out the plugin for usability not for security. If you are considering installing any module on your site you should also check that is secure and does not impact the server performance.
You must be logged in to post a comment.