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Creating a Glossary Activity

Learn how to create a collaborative vocabulary resource.

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to provide step-by-step instructions for creating a glossary activity in Moodle.

Procedure

  1. Make sure editing in on.

    Button labeled Edit mode

  2. Click the plus sign in the appropriate place in your course. Then click Activity or resource.

    Plus sign icon and link to activity chooser.

  3. Select the Glossary tile in the Activity Chooser.

    Glossary tile in Activity Chooser.

  4. Name your activity, add content or instructions to the description box (optional), and check the Display description on course page box (optional).

    Description box with Literary Terms typed in the title line.

  5. Select the Glossary type.

    Dropdown menu with Main glossary option selected.

  6. Choose your criteria for the entries

    Several options for entries such as Approved by default with a Yes or No dropdown box across from each option

  7. Adjust the glossary’s appearance, e.g., decide how many entries you want to display per page or if you want an encyclopedia format instead of a simple dictionary style format.

    Appearance section in activity settings.

  8. Set other assignment criteria as you normally would.

    List of sections in activity settings.

  9. Save your changes.

    Save buttons.

  10. The activity will display on the course page.

    Glossary activity called Literary terms on course page.

  11. After clicking the assignment link, students can add a word by clicking the Add entry button.

    Button labeled Add entry

  12. Students can then add to the glossary based on your instructions, e.g., add an image, use the term in a sentence....

    Glossary entry for Kafkaesque with image of Franz Kafka.

  13. Save changes.

    Button labeled Save changes

  14. The glossary word is displayed when the first letter of the word is clicked.

    Index for glossary activity with Kafkaesque term selected.

  15. All words that have been added are displayed when the student selects ALL at the end of the alphabet.

    List of glossary terms starting with Irony.

  16. If comments are allowed in the activity settings, students can respond to glossary posts.

    Allow comments on entries set to Yes.

    Text box for adding a comment with a Save comment link.

  17. The name, date, and time of the commenter will be displayed in the glossary under the entry.

    Example of irony posted on June 1, 2026, at 8:08 AM.

  18. Students can print the glossary by clicking the three dots on the right side of the screen. Comments are not included in the print job.

    Dropdown menu for printing or exporting glossary entries.

    Note:

    When you copy a course, the glossary entries are not imported. This is because the activity is designed to allow for student participation. If you have added your own entries and wish to retain them, select the Export option in the original course and Export entries to file. In your new course, the glossary activity will be empty. Select Import entries and upload the file of terms from your computer.

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