Enrollment key

1 Why use an enrollment key?

2 Setting an enrollment key within a course

3 Setting a group enrollment key

4 Admin settings

4.1 Making an enrollment key required in every course

4.2 Using the password policy for enrollment keys

4.3 Giving users a hint of the enrollment key

5 Tips and Tricks

6 See also

• Why use an enrollment key?

  

  Self enrollment with keyholder role set

  A course enrollment (or enrollment) key is one method of restricting Self-enrollment to a smaller group. The default setting is not to set a key and allow anyone to enroll themselves into the course.

  An enrollment key is often used as a simple method of having someone else besides the instructor determine if a particular user can self-enroll in the course. The idea is that one or more people will supply the course key to authorized people. Sometimes this distribution is private email, snail mail, on the phone or even verbally in a face to face meetings such as a class or counselor’s office. Alternatively, a Keyholder role may be created and assigned, then the text ‘You should have received this enrollment key from…’ will be displayed when a user attempts to enroll.

  Setting an enrollment key within a course

  

  Editing the self-enrollment method

  1. In the course administration block, click Users > Enrollment methods
  2. Make sure self-enrollment is enabled (has its eye open) and then click the edit icon on the right.
  3. Add your enrollment key in the box provided. (Click Unmask to see what you are typing.)
  4. Click the ‘Save changes’ button.

  

  Adding an enrollment key

  Setting a group enrollment key

  • It is possible also to enroll users into the course and also directly into groups by use of a group enrollment key.
  • To do this, you first need to add the course enrollment key as in the section above.
    • If you do not set a master course enrollment key for the course, then anyone can enroll without a key and users will not be put into groups.
    • Users in groups do not need to know the master course enrollment key, only their own group enrollment key.
    • Users not in a group can use the master course enrollment key as usual
  • Change the setting Use group enrollment keys to Yes
  • Save the changes and then in the Course administration settings, click Groups>Create groups
  • Add an enrollment key to the group. This will be the key they type in to access the course. (The course enrollment key is simply there to keep others out)

  Note: Be careful not to use the same enrollment key for more than one group! A warning message will appear ‘This enrollment key is already used for another group.’

  Admin settings

  Making an enrollment key required in every course

  • By default, enrollment keys are not set. However, if the administrator wants to ensure all instructors set enrollment keys then this can be forced in Administration>Site Administration>Plugins>Enrollments> Self-enrollment This means that self-enrollment settings will not “stick” until the instructor adds an enrollment key. NOTE: It does NOT provide a site-wide enrollment key.

  Using the password policy for enrollment keys

  • To ensure that instructors use secure keys that follow your LMS’s password policy, check the box in Administration>Site Administration>Plugins>Enrollments> Self-enrollment

  Giving users a hint of the enrollment key

  • By default, for security reasons, LMS will not give any clues as to what the enrollment key is. Checking the box in Administration>Site Administration>Plugins>Enrollments> Self-enrollment will provide the first letter of the enrollment key if needed.

  Tips and Tricks

  • If the enrollment key for a course “gets out” and unwanted people self enroll:
    • Change the key. Currently enrolled users will not need the key again.
    • Unenroll the unwanted users via Enrolled_users in the course administration block.
  • Changing or placing a key does not impact currently enrolled users, nor does it impact users who may also be enrolled by an enrollment plugin.
  • Guests may (optionally) be required to supply the enrollment key (as specified on the Course Settings page). They will be required to supply the code every time they enter the course.
  • The “No” or “Date range” options in the “Course available” setting effectively disables the enrollment key feature, even if it is set.

  See also

  • Keyholder role