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Add a Web Link

This lesson covers the steps involved in adding a link to a web resource to your Moodle class. In the language of Moodle, you will be adding a URL resource. In these examples, the link is added to the class home page. It is also possible to insert links in web pages or documents, but that is not covered here.

Turn editing on

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Access your class and turn editing on.

Locate the week or section where you want to add the link

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Click the Add an activity or resource menu in the section of the class where the link will be added.

Scroll to the bottom of the list of activities and resources

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URL is the last item in the list.

Choose URL

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Click the radio button next to URL and then click the Add button.

Copy the link you want to add

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If you have not already copied the URL you are linking to, open it in a new window or tab and copy the URL from the address bar at the top of your browser window.

Fill in the URL form

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You must supply a Name (1), Description (2) and the URL (3). Other choices are optional.

Display Options

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Under Options, you can choose how the URL will be displayed. For this example, we will use the Automatic setting.

Save

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Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click Save and return to course.

What students will see

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Turn editing off to see how the new link will appear to students, then click the link to test it.

Automatic - Intermediate screen

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With the Automatic setting, students will see a page with the link and the description you have provided. If they click the link here, it will open in the current browser window.

Embed

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If you choose the Embed option, the link will be displayed on a page in your Moodle class. Your description will be shown at the bottom.

Open

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The Open option goes directly to the link. Your description is not displayed. This option takes students out of your Moodle class.

Display the URL in a pop-up

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If you choose the Pop-up option (1), a new window will open to display the URL. Click the Show advanced button (2) to set the size of the pop-up window.

Set the size of the pop-up window

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After you click the Show advanced button, width and height fields will be displayed. You can set the size of the window by specifying a width (1) and height (2) in pixels - click in each box and enter the number of pixels. Scroll to the bottom and save your work.

Display description

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If you set your links to open in pop-up windows, it is a good idea to let students know this is going to happen before they click on the link. Some students may have pop-up blockers which will prevent the window from opening. They may or may not be aware of these settings depending on whose computer they are using. To indicate that the link will open in a pop-up window, add that information to the Description (1) and check the Display description option (2) so the text will appear under the link on your class home page.

Updated description

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Here is what students will see with the updated description and Display description turned on.

URL displayed in Pop-up window

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When students click on the link, a new window opens and the URL is displayed.

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