Choice allows you to ask a question in the Moodle course room with predefined response choices (one or more response options).
The results can be shown immediately, later in the course room, or can remain anonymous for each individual.

For the scheduling of (consulting hours) appointments, you can alternatively use “Scheduler” (more elaborate but with more possibilities).

Create a list of topics and decide how many students may choose the same topic.
Your students choose independently. See the list of students with their respective topics at a glance.

1. Switch on the edit mode in the upper right corner.
2. Click on “Add an activity or resource”, the dialog box opens.
3. Select the “Choice” option.
4. set the following settings:

• Choice name (mandatory field)

Is the name that will be displayed on the course page and is mandatory to fill in.

• Description

Here you explain the purpose of your choice. The description should include the question you want the course participants to response on. Furthermore, you can state as information:

• whether responses will be anonymous or by name
• whether results will be published
• whether indicated responses can be withdrawn

• Display mode

Options to choose: horizontal or vertical.
Note: For longer lists (many choice options) the vertical display is recommended.

• Allow choice to be updated.

Select “Yes” allows participants to change their response choices. If “No” is selected, only one choice will be allowed.

• Allow more than one choice to be selected

Select “Yes” participants can select more than one option. If “No” is selected, only one choice is possible.

• Limit the number of responses allowed

With the option “Limit the number of responses allowed” you can define how many participants are allowed to choose a selection option.
Example: A topic is to be worked on by two students. Set the “Limit” to 2.

• Option 1: Enter the text for the first selection option here.
• Limit 1: Enter how often “Option 1” may be selected.
• Option 2 (and more…): Define more options.

You need more selection options? Click on the “Add 3 field(s) to form” button.

• Publish Results: Whether and when to show results to students.
• Privacy of results: Only available if results are shown. Either results with or without names.
• Show column for unanswered: “Yes” shows an additional column with participants who have not yet responsed.
• Include responses from inactive/suspended users: (probably doesn't apply)

.

Click on “Choice”, you will see the view that your students also receive. With one exception: you will see the number of responses (so far zero). Click on the text “Show X responses” to see an overview of the responses. Click on the buttons at the bottom of the page to save e.g. an Excel spreadsheet with the result of the responses locally.

The “Reset course” function can be used to selectively reset individual activities (without deregistering users).

To do this, select the option “Delete all responses” (only visible if there are responses in the course room). Check again in the overview which elements will be reset.

Documentation and explanatory video at moodle.org, "Choice activity"