Adding text and media effectively is essential for creating engaging and accessible course content. In this section, we’ll explain the best practices for preparing and uploading text and media files to Moodle, based on research and experience in digital learning design.

Why preparation matters

Our analysis shows that students often experience frustration when content is poorly formatted or media files are too large to load quickly. Preparing your text and media before uploading ensures a smoother learning experience, better accessibility, and improved engagement.

Preparing text content

Before adding text to Moodle, keep these principles in mind:

• Structure your content: Use headings and short paragraphs to make information easy to scan.
• Keep it clean: Avoid copying directly from Word or PDFs – use Paste as Plain Text to prevent broken formatting.
• Accessibility first: Write in clear language and add descriptive alt text for any embedded images.

Preparing media files

Media can enhance learning, but only if it’s optimized:

• Compress images: Keep them under 1MB without losing clarity (JPEG or PNG recommended).
• Optimize videos: Use MP4 format and aim for under 100MB. Add captions or transcripts for accessibility.
• Name files clearly: Use descriptive names like Video_3_-_Using_the_Library_Search_and_Your_Library_Guide.mp4 instead of video1.mp4.

Uploading to Moodle

When adding text and media, choose the right resource type:

• Page: For formatted text and embedded media.
• File: For downloadable documents or PDFs.
• Label: For short text or images within a section.
• URL: For linking external resources.

Whenever possible, embed media rather than attaching files. Use the Moodle editor’s media button or HTML embed code for videos hosted on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.

Accessibility tip: Provide alternatives

Why: Students with hearing or visual impairments rely on captions, transcripts, and alt text.
Action: Always include captions for videos and descriptive alt text for images.

Considering the course index

When adding text or media, use the Title in course index option. This title appears in the navigation drawer, which many students use to move through the course. Keep titles short, clear, and consistent – consider numbering if you have multiple items in a section.

Checklist:

• Text is structured and accessible.
• Media files are optimized and named properly.
• Captions and alt text are included.
• Content tested on multiple devices.
• Titles in course index are clear and concise.