iLearn Insights now have the capability to make your emails visually appealing by adding bold, clickable links and different types of headings. You can also use iLearn Insights variables to add dynamic content to your emails to students with minimum effort and time.

I believe it’s time to move from text based emails toward visual emails as more visuals will allow students to comprehend information quickly and more efficiently.

‘Variables’ in iLearn Insights are a group of keywords that can dynamically fetch student data and/or modify part of email text to make an email personalised to the individual student. Depending on the context of an email a set of related variables can be found in ‘compose email’ page as shown in the following screenshot –

To use a variable in an email –

  1. Place cursor in the compose email text area where you want to add a variable.
  2. Select a variable from the variable list, which will copy the variable to the place where you have placed the cursor.

Some variables require to replace the default text with the intended text. Find below a list of all available iLearn Insights variables, context of use, and output to an email.

Student-related variables

To add first, last or full name of a student use {#FIRSTNAME#} , {#LASTNAME#} or {#FULLNAME#} respectively

Unit-related variables

To add unit code, clickable unit link or clickable unit guide link of an unit use {#UNITCODE#} , {#UNITTITLE#} or {#COURSE_UNIT_GUIDE_LINK#} respectively

To add most accessed activity list of a unit use {#MOST_ACCESSED_ACTIVITY_LIST#}

Zoom session related variable

To add Zoom link select Add Zoom link from the variable select box.

This will generate following code, where you just need to replace add_date_and_time with Zoom session date and time, and add_your_zoom_link_here with Zoom session link.

{#UNDERLINE_START#}{#HEADING_2_START#}Zoom access details{#HEADING_2_END#}{#UNDERLINE_END#}
{#HEADING_3_START#}Session date and time:{#HEADING_3_END#} {#BOLD_START#}add_date_and_time{#BOLD_END#}
{#HEADING_3_START#}Session link:{#HEADING_3_END#} {#ZOOM_LINK_START#}add_your_zoom_link_here{#ZOOM_LINK_END#}
{#HEADING_3_START#}Note: {#HEADING_3_END#}This session may be recorded and when recording a meeting, any chat, video or audio content may be recorded.

Student support-related variable

To add available support services for students use {#SUPPORTSERVICES#}

Activity-related variables

To add clickable activity title and due date of an activity use {#ACTIVITYTITLE#} and {#ACTIVITY_DUE_DATE_AND_TIME#} respectively

To add activity submissions number and activity participants number of an activity use {#ACTIVITY_SUBMISSIONS#} and {#ACTIVITY_PARTICIPANTS#} respectively

To send feedback to students who received a grade use {#STUDENTMARK_CLASSAVERAGE_HIGHESTMARK_GRAPH#}. Depending on the received grade students will receive one of the following –

Engagement related variable

To add unit engagement details for a students use –

{#LOGGED_INTO_THIS_UNIT_X_TIMES_IN_THE_LAST_7_DAYS#}
{#YOU_SUBMITTED_X_OUT_OF_X_ASSESSMENTS_ON_TIME_IN_THIS_UNIT#}

HTML variables

To add a clickable link replace add_your_link_here with the link {#LINK_START#}add_your_link_here{#LINK_END#}

Bold, Italic, Underline, Heading 1, Heading 2 and Heading 3 can be added in an email using following variables –

{#BOLD_START#}add_your_text_here{#BOLD_END#} {#ITALIC_START#}add_your_text_here{#ITALIC_END#} {#UNDERLINE_START#}add_your_text_here{#UNDERLINE_END#} {#HEADING_1_START#}add_your_text_here{#HEADING_1_END#} {#HEADING_2_START#}add_your_text_here{#HEADING_2_END#} {#HEADING_3_START#}add_your_text_here{#HEADING_3_END#}

Outcome of the above variables are shown below.

Posted by Shamim Joarder

Shamim Joarder has worked for various educational institutions since 2001. His eLearning journey began in 2009 working as an eLearning Project Manager at the University of Adelaide. Mr. Joarder currently works at Macquarie University, Sydney as Senior Learning Analytics Adviser, where he has designed and developed two unique learning analytic applications titled 'iLearn insights' and 'MyLearn'. He has also authored the book 'Moodle eLearning Course Design: A Flexible Approach'. Mr. Joarder received numerous accolades, including awarded silver at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2023 in Abu Dhabi under the Regional (Oceania) award category, 2022 ACODE and CAUDIT Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, and was a finalist in the 2022 AFR Higher Education Excellence Awards. His work was first recognised in Singapore at the ASCILITE 2019 conference by winning the ASCILITE award for innovation. He also won 2021 Vice Chancellor's Learning Innovation award at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

5 Comments

  1. […] Customise email subject or email body text as required. You can improve personalised student emails by using iLearn Insights ‘Variables’. […]

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  2. […] Improve personalised student emails by using iLearn Insights ‘Variables’ […]

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  3. […] Improve personalised student emails by using iLearn Insights ‘Variables’ […]

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  4. […] Improve personalised student emails by using iLearn Insights ‘Variables’ […]

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  5. […] within the compose email page. Further reading related to iLearn Insights variables can be found in Improve personalised student emails by using iLearn Insights ‘Variables article. (Initiative thanks to: Lisa Rohanek, Lecturer, Department of Marketing; Roneil Latchman, […]

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