There are two parts to this module: an activity module and a block. The block, when it works, provides links to feedback activities, but this functionality is redundant due to the fact that such links already appear on the central section and in the Activities list. Copy the mod/feedback/ directory from the zip file to the /moodle/mod/ directory. After copying, visit the Notifications page and the activity module should be installed.

Once installed, you will be presented with the module's global settings. There is a global setting that, if changed, will allow students to provide feedback that is not associated with their identity at all (total anonymity). If you wish to prevent students from providing feedback as multiple persons, you will want to leave this setting as it is. There is still a level of anonymity with this setting off, however. The system maintains the identity of the Feedback survey participant, but does not provide this in the results. This is the normal level of anonymity and is the recommended default. Even if you make no change, save the settings, or you will be asked to do so each time you return to the Notifications page in future.

When installed, start by creating a Feedback activity. You can create one by selecting Feedback from the Add an activity... menu. Before you can start creating survey questions, you must set the configuration settings for the Feedback survey.

The configuration begins with typical name and description settings. The name is used as the link text for the activity. The description appears before the survey is started. Keep in mind that there is also a chance later to add text that will appear after the survey has been completed.

Below these General settings are some settings specific to the instance of the Feedback activity:

The Timing settings allow the teacher to specify a time period during which the Feedback survey is open.

Under Feedback options, the first setting controls whether or not student names are collected with their responses. If you are collecting data for research, you will likely want to keep the survey anonymous for ethical reasons. Students are informed about whether the Feedback survey is anonymous or not, and they may be more likely to provide answers (and perhaps more honest answers) if the survey is anonymous.

You can choose to show the analysis of results to students after they complete the Feedback survey or when they return to the activity later. This is achieved by changing the second setting to Yes. Consider that showing the results to early submitters may present an unclear picture of what the final results will be like. You might want to set this initially to No then allow viewing later in the survey, or after the Feedback survey is closed. If students are able to view the results and then resubmit, this may bias their subsequent responses.

If a teacher wishes to remain informed of when students complete a Feedback survey they can set the option labeled Send e-mail notification to Yes.

Students can be allowed to resubmit their answers (overriding previous responses if the global setting does not require total anonymity).

After a student has completed the Feedback survey, a page is displayed to them. A message can be specified for that page, with a URL for a continue button, if that is needed.

There are the common group and visibility settings at the end of the configuration page.

Once the module configuration is complete and saved, a page showing the Feedback survey is displayed.

To add questions to the Feedback survey, click on the Edit questions tab. There are a variety of question types that allow for both open-ended, qualitative questions, and definitive, quantitative questions.

Labels can be inserted to provide information or group questions together. The questions can be broken over multiple pages by adding page-breaks between questions.

The information needed to specify a question differs for each question type. To create a Likert scale question, use the multiple-choice question type and allow only a single response.

As questions are added, a preview is created.

When the questions are finalized, students can begin responding. As they do, their individual responses and an overall analysis of responses are available from the Show responses and Analysis tabs respectively. The Analysis tab is particularly informative:

Responses to multiple-choice questions are presented in chart form. Text responses are collected together. From this view, responses can be exported as an Excel spreadsheet for further analysis.

As well as asking students about their attitudes towards teaching in a course, the Feedback module can be used to collect all kinds of information from students. Here are some ideas: