[ARCHIVED] Allow a single student to avoid requirements/prerequisites of a module?

[sdavick]

We have our modules set with requirements that won't allow the students to move from one to the next without completing certain assignments. Each module is set with the previous module as a prerequisite. One of our students has had an extended absence and we need to allow her to jump in where the rest of the students are and come back later to complete the modules she missed.

Is there a way to make this possible? How can we give her access to modules that have prerequisites she hasn't fulfilled? Can we override the prerequisites for a single student?

[tross]

Modules don't have a way to change for a single student.   If all the other students are in the module, you could remove the prerequisite on that module so the student can start.  As soon as the student starts the module you can set it again and not force the refresh so they can continue.  

[kblack]

This is the third question in less than a week regarding allowing early access to Modules for specific cases/students.  Earlier ones this week were posted on March 8 and on March 10.  There's clearly a need for something like this, and given that a previous Feature Idea is now in Cold Storage (a private group that I have not tried to join), it may be time to come up with another one.  I could volunteer, but it may be a better opportunity for someone who is actively teaching (I am not at the moment) and has seen some case examples to come up with good wording for this.   @sdavick ‌,  @djenkins2 ‌, or  @trobb ‌--any volunteers?    As I mentioned on one of the other threads, between differentiated assignments and Mastery Paths, I would think something like this is "do-able."   But I realize from doing a little (very little) programming myself that saying something is do-able and actually trying to program it are two entirely different things!

[tom_gibbons · Accepted solution]

There's kind of a way. 

IF the module completion requirements are all assignment based (submit to..., score at least a...), try this: 

1. Excuse the student from all of the module requirements for the prerequisite modules by typing EX in for the grade for each assignment in the gradebook. 
2. Delete the EX grade for each assignment. This will make it clear that the student still needs to complete the assignments, and will open quizzes back up for submission. 

I tested this in a course with one of my dummy accounts, and it worked. I was only working with completion requirements in a single module to unlock one other module--no chain of dependencies. But, it may be worth testing to see if it works on a more complex system of modules. 

I'm going to guess that this is probably unintended system behavior, but as long as you're willing to monitor it, you should never hesitate to exploit a bug that adds functionality!

[tom_gibbons]

It's not entirely stable with "view" and "mark as done" items in the mix. And may not be entirely stable with other use behaviors. But it's a tiny possibility. 

[kmeeusen]

Nice elegant solution  @tom_gibbons 

I'm adding this puppy to my toolbox!

KLM

[eliams]

Ditto.. @kmeeusen ‌

[kona]

 @tom_gibbons ‌, based on this awesome idea I did a bit of testing and playing around and wrote up the results here - Bypassing Requirements/Prerequisitse. Overall this is a most excellent work around!!

[tom_gibbons]

Awesome! Thanks for doing more testing,  @kona ! I'll be interested to see if you found more stability around View and Mark as Done requirements, or if you tested longer chains of modules depending on each other. They were things I didn't really have time to dig into when I was first poking at this. 

Collaboration is the bees knees!

[kona]

With the view and mark done it had to be done (by the student) either before the Instructor did the EX and cleared it out or between when the Instructor did the EX and cleared it out. If the Instructor cleared it out before they had met the non-graded requirements then the next module wouldn't open.

Otherwise, yes, it works on longer chains of modules as well! You just have to watch if you have non-graded required content and if content needs to be done in order (that's a crazy wildcard that still works, but takes a little more finessing with the order of doing things).

[kona]

Here is the updated link to Bypassing Requirements/Prerequisites 

[lglen2]

Unfortunately, this link is no longer valid.

[adarsh]

We had a similar situation come up except in my case we had a student who had started in a certain instance of a course and had then been moved to a different instance of the same course (due to change in status or some such Registrar tomfoolery). She had completed the first week of the course in the previous course instance and was now stuck from progressing further than Week 1 in the second instance of the course because she would need to take four practice quizzes again and score sufficiently on them in order to move forward. While the solution recommended by @tom_gibbons is a great solution, it should be noted that if the completion requirements for the module require the student to score at least a certain grade on a PRACTICE quiz - you are out of luck. Since Practice quizzes don't appear on the gradebook, there is no way to override this function by assigning them a grade. 

[sdavick]

We were successfully able to use the above suggestions. Thank you so much for your help!

[momsadvice]

There is an option I tested in my sandbox for a PRACTICE quiz when you have the Module set to require the student to score at least a certain grade to move on to the next module item. The trick is to assign the Practice quiz to each student individually...literally click on each student's name to add them to the Practice Quiz in the Assign To area.  You will see each student's name and not Everyone. For the students who are not able to complete the Practice quiz or are not required to be assigned to take it, simply don't add them or click the X next to their name to remove them from the Assign To area. This will remove the Practice quiz for those students who are not assigned from the Module and will not have the requirement as they will not show or have the Practice quiz showing in their module.