Details
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Type:
Improvement
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Status:
Open
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Priority:
Major
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Resolution: Unresolved
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Affects Version/s: 1.6
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Fix Version/s: None
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Component/s: Administration, Enrolments
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Labels:None
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Environment:Moodle 1.8
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Affected Branches:MOODLE_16_STABLE
Description
Currently, students are required to input user ID, password, last name, first name, e-mail, city, and a message. All but the last appear on the user account list, and most appear on the gradebook. However, at most colleges/universities, students are administered by a student ID number. This is the one piece of information that needs to be available for searching, gradebook sorting, and accurate user account administration.
Non-English speaking students (I use Moodle for TESL in Japan) frequently put their surnames in the "first name" field. When they write their name in the local script, the sorting algorithm sorts the names wrong. Student IDs would solve this.
I am aware that there is a similar field buried deep in the user profile. To see it we have to open each single user profile, and we cannot see it, nor can we sort by it in the gradebook or course participant list.
Those admins/teachers who like the status quo can simply refrain from setting student ID as a required/sortable field.
I completely agree with implementing these options, especially the "required"-flag for fields which Moodle does not need in order to function properly. I would just look at it from another angle and advocate the possibilty of reducing the number of required fields to a strict minimum. At our institution, for example, the place of residence is often unknown and usually irrelevant, forcing us to enter false and/or useless information.
I would, however, add that those fields which which a moodle user absolutely needs to use the platform (user ID, password, and e-mail) will probably have to remain mandatory. This may not only be of importance for the learner, but also necessary to allow Moodle to function properly.
But I guess that the whole issue should be viewed in connection with issue http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-778 anyway and may be treated in this connection.