Course Companion: Overview Guide (Moodle version)

Overview

Course Companion from Coursensu helps course educators and course editors review, improve, and design engaging learning experiences. It combines AI-powered insights with practical tools, all embedded directly in Moodle.

Course Companion is available to course editors when editing mode is turned on. It provides both contextual tools (next to activities and resources) and a dedicated block with additional features.

Requirements

Before using Course Companion, make sure:

• A site administrator has installed the plugin and any required dependencies.
• You have a Coursensu account, either through organisational single sign-on or direct login.
• You have added the Course Companion block to your Moodle course.
• You are in editing mode.

👉 New users get a one-month trial to explore all features.

Features

1. Review Tools (course-level)

At the top of your Moodle course, three review tools appear once editing is enabled:

• Simulate Feedback
  • Choose a predefined persona (e.g. target learner, team member, stakeholder) or create custom personas in your Coursensu admin panel.
  • Get a short report highlighting strengths, opportunities, and improvements.
• Outcome Alignment
  • Add learning outcomes, goals, or competencies.
  • Check how well course activities align with them.
  • Each outcome is scored from 1 (low evidence) to 5 (high evidence).
• Content Checker
  • Evaluate your course against ~20 quality criteria.
  • Get visual scores and detailed mini reports.
  • Save reports to work on later.

2. Per-Activity Tools (within course content)

Next to each Moodle resource or activity, you’ll see tailored options:

• New Advice
  • Get instant, activity-specific suggestions from an AI learning designer.
• File Conversion
  • Turn files (e.g. PDFs) into Moodle activities (pages, forums, quizzes, assignments).
  • Improve accessibility by converting static files into active learning experiences.
• Assessment Check
  • Analyse quizzes and assignments for composition, feedback quality, and structure.
  • Receive suggestions to improve learner experience.
• Suggest Next
  • Generate recommendations for the next activity/resource in a section.
  • Preview and insert the suggestion (added as hidden by default).
• From Template
  • Add templates created in Coursensu Learning Designer.
  • Templates may include best practices, standardised designs, or fill-the-gap content.

3. Course Companion Block (side block in Moodle)

Once the Course Companion block is added and you’re logged in, a wider set of tools becomes available:

• Assistant Live Chat
  • Ask questions about your Moodle course, activities, or Coursensu tools.
  • Provides suggestions and explanations but does not act on learner data.

• Accessibility Improvements
  • Automatically check content against WCAG accessibility guidelines.
  • Suggest fixes and generate alt text for images.

• Saved Suggestions
  • Stores all advice you’ve chosen to keep for later action.

• Assessment Review
  • Shortcut to quiz/assignment review features.

• Document Converter
  • Upload or select files to convert into interactive Moodle activities.

• Learning Outcome Alignment
  • Shortcut to outcome alignment tools.

• Course & Content Templates
  • Shortcut to template insertion.

• Past Chats
  • Review previous Assistant Live Chat conversations.

• Apply It For Me (Changes Log)
  • Track AI-suggested changes that you allowed the system to apply for you.

• Weekly Insights (optional)
  • Opt in for personalised course improvement tips by email.

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Access and Setup

1. Ask your Moodle administrator to install Course Companion and add required plugins.
2. Add the Course Companion block to your course.
3. Turn editing on.
4. Log in with your Coursensu account (via SSO or direct login).

FAQs

Q: Who can use Course Companion?
Only course editors and educators with Moodle editing rights.

Q: Can learners see Course Companion?
No. It’s currently hidden from learners (optional learner-facing features are in development).

Q: Does the Assistant Live Chat read learner submissions or logs?
No. It only uses course structure and activity data, not learner content.

Q: Can I create my own personas for feedback simulation?
Yes, custom personas can be added via the Coursensu admin panel.

Q: What happens when I convert a file or add a suggested activity?
New activities are added as hidden, so you can review and publish them when ready.

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