Skip to main content
Print this chapterPrint this chapter

Adding resources

URL

The URL module allows you to add a web link to anything that is freely available online as a course resource. You can copy and paste the URL of a particular web page, or you can use the file picker to choose a link from a repository such as Flickr, YouTube or Wikimedia (depending on which repositories are enabled for the site).

To add a URL, switch editing on, go to your course’s homepage and click on the + Add an activity or resource button.

This will give you a screen full of options. Click on the URL icon to open the New URL page.

Enter the name for the URL and a short description of it in the Name and Description fields, and then paste the URL in the External URL field. If you click on the Appearance arrow, there are further options in the Display drop-down for you to choose how the link is displayed. We recommend that you use Open as the preferred display option.

  • Automatic: When learners click on the link, an intermediate page appears. They can then click through to the actual link.
  • Embed: The linked site will appear in a small scrolling area on your course’s homepage. This means that your learner won’t be navigating away from your course and will also be able to see the content of the other website.
  • Open: The link opens directly in your learner’s browser in the same window, which means that unless they use the browser’s Back button they will be navigating away from your course. (An intermediate page may display in some cases). It is therefore a good idea to put some help text in the Description field suggesting that they hold down the Ctrl key while clicking on the link, which will open the link in a new tab in their browser.
  • In pop-up (do not use): The link opens in a new browser window. In general, pop-up windows are considered user-hostile because they don’t always work well with accessibility software. It is only appropriate to use a pop-up window if the page you are linking to is specially designed to be used as a pop-up tool and has no navigation of its own except a Close this window button. 

Will your learners need to visit this this URL in order to complete your course? Make sure that the Completion conditions are correct.

Click on Save and display to see your URL in its own page.