EDUPRO ACADEMY
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EDUPRO ACADEMY TRAINING MANUAL
Foundations to Mastery: Moodle for Zimsec Teachers
(Form 1–6)
Module 2
Building Your
Course Structure
Turn an empty Moodle course into an organised digital classroom — built on Moodle 4.5
Estimated time: 45–60 minutes • Audience: Form 1–6 Zimsec teachers who have completed Module 1 • Platform: Moodle
4.5
Edupro Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd | [Link] | info@[Link] | Harare, Zimbabwe | Academy:
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F O U N DAT I O N S TO M A S T E RY: M O O D L E F O R Z I M S E C T E AC H E R S
Module 2 — Building Your Course
Structure
E D U P RO ACA D E M Y
Module 2: Building Your
Course Structure Now that you can log in and find your way around, it's time to
shape your course. This module shows you how to turn an
empty Moodle course into clear, well-organised topics your
students can follow with ease.
IN THIS MODULE
1. Introduction
2. Turning Editing On Why Course Structure Matters
3. Choosing a Course Format A well-structured course helps students find what they need without
confusion — past papers in one place, this week's notes in another, and
4. Adding & Renaming Sections
a clear sense of where they are in the syllabus. Good structure also
5. Course Settings & Summary saves you time, because everything has an obvious "home" before you
start adding files and activities in later modules.
6. Organising Your Content
7. Wrap-Up Checklist
What You Will Learn
FULL COURSE
Turn editing on and off in a course Choose the right course format for
Module 1: Getting Started your subject
▶ Module 2: Course Structure
Module 3: Files, Pages & Links Add, rename and reorder course Set a course summary, image and
Module 4: Forums & Messaging sections visibility
Module 5: Assignments & Gradebook
Module 6: Quizzes & Progress Move and organise sections with Plan a section layout that matches
drag-and-drop your ZIMSEC syllabus
What You Need
• Teacher access to at least one Moodle course (ask your administrator
if you don't have one yet)
• Your ZIMSEC syllabus or scheme of work, to help plan your topics
• Module 1 completed — you should already be comfortable logging in
and navigating Moodle
GOOD TO KN OW
This manual is based on Moodle 4.5. Course formats and the editing
toggle look and behave the same across most Edupro-supported schools.
Edupro Academy Edupro Academy — [Link] • Page 1 of this module
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SECTION 2
Turning Editing On
E D U P RO ACA D E M Y Before you can add, rename or move anything in a course, you need to
switch on editing mode.
Module 2: Building Your
Course Structure 1. Open your course from the Dashboard or via My courses.
2. Find the "Edit mode" toggle at the top right of the course page (next
to your name).
IN THIS MODULE
3. Click the toggle to switch it on. The page will reload with edit icons,
1. Introduction
"Add" links and drag handles visible next to every section and item.
2. Turning Editing On
4. When you're done editing, click the toggle again to switch editing off
3. Choosing a Course Format — this gives you a clean, student-style view of the course.
4. Adding & Renaming Sections
≡ Form 4 Mathematics Edit mode: ON ⬤ ☺ Mrs Moyo
5. Course Settings & Summary
6. Organising Your Content
7. Wrap-Up Checklist Topic 1: Algebra Basics [Edit ▾] [+ Add an activity or resource]
Drag to reorder • Click the pencil icon to rename
FULL COURSE
Module 1: Getting Started
Illustration — Edit mode toggle and section edit controls
▶ Module 2: Course Structure
Module 3: Files, Pages & Links TIP
Module 4: Forums & Messaging Only teachers and administrators see the Edit mode toggle — students
always see the clean, "view-only" version of the course, regardless of
Module 5: Assignments & Gradebook
your setting.
Module 6: Quizzes & Progress
REMEMBER
Always switch editing off once you've finished a session — it reduces the
chance of accidentally moving or deleting content while scrolling.
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SECTION 3
Choosing a Course Format
E D U P RO ACA D E M Y The course format decides how your content is divided. You set this once
in Settings → Course basics → Course format, and can change it later
Module 2: Building Your
if needed.
Course Structure
Format Best For How It Works
Topics Most ZIMSEC subjects Content grouped by topic/chapter
IN THIS MODULE
— ideal for following a syllabus
1. Introduction
Weekly Subjects taught in a strict One section per week, with
2. Turning Editing On weekly sequence automatic dates
3. Choosing a Course Format
Social Discussion-based or co- Built around a single forum rather
curricular courses than sections
4. Adding & Renaming Sections
5. Course Settings & Summary Single A course built around one No sections — just one main
activity quiz/resource only activity
6. Organising Your Content
7. Wrap-Up Checklist
RECOMMENDED FOR ZIMSEC TEAC HERS
Use the Topics format. It maps naturally onto a syllabus structure (e.g.
FULL COURSE
Topic 1: Algebra, Topic 2: Geometry) and gives you full control over
Module 1: Getting Started section order.
▶ Module 2: Course Structure
Module 3: Files, Pages & Links Setting the Format
Module 4: Forums & Messaging 1. From your course, open the Settings gear icon (top right) → Edit
Module 5: Assignments & Gradebook settings.
Module 6: Quizzes & Progress
2. Scroll to Course format and choose Topics format.
3. Set the Number of sections to match your syllabus topics (you can
always add more later).
4. Click Save and display.
≡ Edit course settings ☺ Mrs Moyo
Course format: Topics format ▾
Number of sections: 10
Course layout: Show all sections on one page ▾
SAVE AND DISPLAY
Illustration — Course format settings
Edupro Academy — [Link]
SECTION 4
Adding & Renaming Sections
E D U P RO ACA D E M Y With Topics format and editing on, each section represents one topic in
your syllabus.
Module 2: Building Your
Course Structure
Renaming a Section
1. Click the pencil (edit) icon next to the default section name (e.g.
"Topic 1").
IN THIS MODULE
1. Introduction 2. Type your topic name, e.g. "Topic 1: Algebraic Expressions."
2. Turning Editing On 3. Press Enter or click outside the box to save.
3. Choosing a Course Format
Adding More Sections
4. Adding & Renaming Sections
1. Scroll to the bottom of the course page.
5. Course Settings & Summary
2. Click "Add topics" (or set a higher number of sections in course
6. Organising Your Content settings).
7. Wrap-Up Checklist 3. Choose how many sections to add, then confirm.
FULL COURSE ≡ Form 4 Mathematics Edit mode: ON ☺ Mrs Moyo
Module 1: Getting Started
▶ Module 2: Course Structure
Module 3: Files, Pages & Links Topic 1: Algebraic Expressions ✎
Module 4: Forums & Messaging 3 resources
Module 5: Assignments & Gradebook
Module 6: Quizzes & Progress
Topic 2: Linear Equations ✎
Empty — add content next
+ Add topics
Illustration — Renaming and adding sections
PL ANNIN G TIP
Before you start, list your syllabus topics on paper first (e.g. from your
scheme of work) — then create one section per topic in the order you'll
teach them.
Edupro Academy — [Link]
Edupro Academy
[Link]
© Edupro Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd
SECTION 5
Course Settings & Summary
E D U P RO ACA D E M Y A few extra settings make your course look professional and help
students find the right course quickly.
Module 2: Building Your
Course Structure
Setting Where Why It Matters
Course full Settings → Course Shown in search results and course
name basics lists
IN THIS MODULE
1. Introduction Course short Settings → Course Used internally — keep it short, e.g.
name basics "F4MATHS-2026"
2. Turning Editing On
Course Settings → A short description shown on the
3. Choosing a Course Format summary Description course catalogue
4. Adding & Renaming Sections
Course image Settings → Makes your course recognisable on
Description the Dashboard
5. Course Settings & Summary
6. Organising Your Content Course Settings → Course Hide a course while you're still
visibility basics building it
7. Wrap-Up Checklist
1. Open Settings from your course.
FULL COURSE
2. Fill in the Course summary — a sentence or two describing the
Module 1: Getting Started
course and form level.
▶ Module 2: Course Structure
Module 3: Files, Pages & Links 3. Under Course image, upload a relevant image (e.g. subject-related
artwork).
Module 4: Forums & Messaging
Module 5: Assignments & Gradebook 4. Set Course visibility to Hide while you're still building, then switch to
Module 6: Quizzes & Progress Show once it's ready for students.
5. Click Save and display.
GOOD PRACTICE
Keep courses hidden until you've added at least your first topic's content
— this avoids confusing students with an empty course.
Edupro Academy — [Link]
Edupro Academy
[Link]
© Edupro Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd
SECTION 6
Organising Your Content
E D U P RO ACA D E M Y Once you have several sections, you can reorder or hide them to keep
the course tidy as the term progresses.
Module 2: Building Your
Course Structure • Reorder sections: with editing on, click and hold the drag handle (⠿)
next to a section, then drag it up or down.
• Hide a section: click the section's Edit ▾ menu → Hide. Useful for
IN THIS MODULE topics you haven't taught yet.
1. Introduction
• Highlight the current topic: use Edit ▾ → Highlight on the topic
you're currently teaching, so students always see "this week" clearly.
2. Turning Editing On
• Move an item between sections: drag any file or activity using its
3. Choosing a Course Format handle, or use Move from its own Edit ▾ menu.
4. Adding & Renaming Sections
≡ Form 4 Mathematics Edit mode: ON ☺ Mrs Moyo
5. Course Settings & Summary
6. Organising Your Content
7. Wrap-Up Checklist ⠿ Topic 2: Linear Equations ★ Highlighted
Currently teaching
FULL COURSE
Module 1: Getting Started
▶ Module 2: Course Structure ⠿ Topic 3: Quadratic Equations Hidden
Not yet visible to students
Module 3: Files, Pages & Links
Module 4: Forums & Messaging
Module 5: Assignments & Gradebook
Illustration — Drag handles, highlighting and hiding sections
Module 6: Quizzes & Progress
Wrap-Up Checklist
✓ I can turn editing mode on and off
✓ I have set my course format to Topics
✓ I have renamed my sections to match my syllabus
✓ I have added a course summary and image
✓ I know how to reorder, hide and highlight sections
NEXT UP
Module 3: Adding Resources – Files, Pages & Links — available now
on Edupro Academy at [Link].
Edupro Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd • [Link] • info@[Link] • Harare, Zimbabwe
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