Learn to Use Moodle..! - By Prof. Akshay D. Lahe

Moodle is learning platform through which teachers, admins and students can interact & assess using single and secure system. Using Moodle, we can create personalized Learning Environments. I am going to give all that is needed to design a learning environment and module by module description of how we can create, manage and operate effectively and create a Teaching-Learning Environment for students.
Moodle offers you flexibility of what you have to include and how you have to assess your students. You will learn the whole concept of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and who can use Moodle and how can Moodle be used efficiently. I have learnt all in a Workshop of Spoken Tutorial Project (http://spoken-tutorial.org). I am giving step by step instructions in a summary type rather than to include long detailed Book wise manner to help understand the use and operations of Moodle.

Overview of Moodle

Learning Outcomes: Students are able to understand the concept of LMS and brief

introduction to Moodle as an LMS and who can use Moodle and its features and requirements to install Moodle.

Learning Management System(LMS): create, manage and deliver any eLearning content

Create and edit content
Give access to students
Grade their submissions

MOODLE: responsive, free and open source software

- Used globally by educational institutes

- Security control keeps data safe and protected

- Provide detailed documentation which is easy to use

- Active user community and forum

- Features helps both teachers and students

- Feature rich and plug ins

- Easy to navigate on all devices

- Detailed reports on activity and participation at course and site level

- Helps in collaborative and personalized learning (forums, peer assessments, group management, learning paths, etc)

Use: educational institutes, Businesses, Hospitals for training programs and eLearning institutions

Software Requirement: Apache Web-server, Database, PHP

Hardware Requirement: Disk space(5GB), 1 to 2 GHz Processor, 512 or 1GB Memory (MIN)

Moodle 3.3 stable version : Apache 2.x or higher; MariaDB 5.5.30 +; PHP 5.4.4 +

Two Parts: 1. Site Admin 2. Teachers

Moodle Site Administrators:

- Install Moodle on server

- Create course categories as per institute guidelines

- Manage courses and user accounts for multiple courses

Getting Ready for Moodle Installation

Learning Outcome: Learners are able to install prerequisites required to install Moodle, Check for packages on localhost, Setup a Database and create a new user.

Web Server Distribution: apache, MariaDB and PHP

Adding User and Creating Database (phpMyAdmin)

Rules and Naming Conventions : Database name (Create 1^st) and username need not be same

Installing Moodle on Local Server

Prerequisite: 1. XAMPP running 2. A database set up with username

1. Launch Xampp (http://127.0.0.1) -> PHPInfo -> ctlr + F (document_root = /opt/lamp/htdocs or /bar/www)

2. Download MOODLE from Official website

3. Unzip the moodle zip file

4. /opt/lamp/htdocs will have a moodle folder

5. Change permission using chmod 777 moodle/

6. http://127.0.0.1/moodle

7. Moodle Installation page (configuration)

8. Language -> paths page (web address, moodle directory, data directory) -> databasae driver(MariaDB) -> Database Settings (DB Host, DB name, DB user, DB password) -> Terms & Conditions -> Checks -> Admin Configuration (username, auth. method, password, other admin details ) -> Front Page Settings (site names (full and Short), summary, time zone, Self-Registration, No-reply address, ) -> ready to use

9. On front page of moodle

Admin dashboard

Learning Outcome: Learners are able to navigate to different blocks on admins dashboard, edit admins profile page and edit different preferences like calendar.

Open moodle site with XAMPP running

Log in using admin username and password

1. Admin Dashboad

a. Main Content Column

b. Blocks column (Blocks are item that serve a specific purpose or information; shortcuts to critical parts of course, ex. Private files, online users, latest badges, course overview – timeline & courses, etc.)

2. Navigation Menu (site home, calendar, private files, site administration)

3. Notification icon

4. Message icon

5. User Menu ( dashboard, profile, grades, messages, preferences, log out, switch role)

Profile:

- User details,

- Miscellaneous (Blog entries, notes, forum posts, forum discussion, learning plans, etc)

- Reports (logs, online reports, browser sessions, grades overview, grades,etc)

- Login Activity

Edit Profile

1. General (username, auth. Method, city, country, timezone, description etc.)

2. User Picture

3. Additional Names

4. Interests

5. Optional (institution, department, mobile phone, address, ids, etc)

Preferences

- User Accounts (edit profile, change password, preferred language, forum preferences, editor preferences, course preferences, calendar preferences, message preferences, notification preferences)

- Roles (users role assignments, permissions, check permissions)

- Blogs (blog preferences, external blogs, register an external blog)

- Badges (manage badges, badge preferences, backpack settings)

- Take Away of the Day:

Learners should be able to Install MOODLE on local server and create a user and database. Learner should be able to navigate through Admin dashboard with understanding of various terms and can edit profile, set different types of preference and manage blocks.

1. Take Away of the Day:

Learners should be able to add a block to front page at certain location on page, delete blocks, setup front page for guest logins and logged-in users and also able to create a course category and subcategories and perform various actions on categories like sorting, moving, deleting and hiding.

Learners are able to create a course and perform actions like edit, move, delete, hide on courses and to add a new user and edit the users profile and also upload or add users in bulk.

2. Blocks in Admin's Dashboard

Blocks in Admin's Dashboard:

· Blocks serve a specific purpose or information

· Blocks are found on all pages of Moodle

· Blocks contain content which people will see when they login

Click on Navigation Menu-> Customize this page -> Add a block in Navigation Menu -> select type of Block (messages, comments, HTML, etc) -> by default added to rightmost column -> HTML Block (click on Gear icon) -> Click on Configure block ->

1. Block settings 2. Where this block appears 3. On this page

-Block title - default region - visible

-content - default weight (-ve high priority) - region -weight

Move blocks using dragging and dropping

Delete Blocks: (click on gear icon & delete blocks)

Customize Front Page:

Navigation Menu -> Site Administration -> Front Page Settings ->

Full site Name, Short site name, Front Page summary,

Front page Items (boxes)

Front page items when logged in

3. Categories in Moodle

Moodle Admin Dashboard -> site administration -> courses tab -> manage courses and category

Course and Category Management:

Course categories: organize courses for the site users (default category for new Moodle site is Miscellaneous)

· Organize courses by campus or dept.

· Good to have descriptive names for clarity

Content Region divided into two columns (left: Course Categories Right: Miscellaneous)

-> viewing -> course categories

-> viewing -> courses -> select category

-> viewing -> course categories and courses

-> Create New Category

- parent category (mathematics)

- Category name

- Category Id no.

- Description

-> Create a New Sub Category

- parent category (mathematics)

- category name (1st year math)

Category icons (eye: hidden category, arrow: move up/down, setting gear: edit, create new subcategory, Sort x4 options, delete, assign roles, check permissions, number: no. of courses )

Sorting

Move Selected categories to

4. Courses in Moodle

Admins dashboard -> site administration -> courses tab -> manage courses & Categories

Create New Course:

Under Category Mathematics -> Create new course

1. General ( full name, short name, category, visibility, start date and end date(enable), ID no.)

2. Description (course summary, course summary files-jpg,png,gif allowed by default )

3. Course Format (4 options: single activity, social format, topics format, weekly format; no. of sections, hidden sections, course layout )

4. Appearance (force lang., no. of announcement, etc)

5. Files & Uploads

6. Completion tracking

7. Groups

8. Role renaming

9. Tags

-> save -> redirected to enrolled users page

Go to course created:

There are five topics as given

Gear icon: edit setting, course completion, import, publish , restore, backup, filters, etc

-> Edit Settings

Course icons (eye: hidden category, arrow: move up/down, setting gear: edit)

Move courses Selected categories/subcategories

5. Users in Moodle

Add a New User:

Admin Dashboard -> navigation menu -> site administration -> Add a new User

- username, new password, first name, last name, email, email display, city, country, timezone, Description

- user picture

- additional names

- interests

- Optional

User icons (delete: delete all user data, eye: suspend the user (inactive), edit)

Main system admin cannot be deleted or suspended

Create Users in Bulk (one Go): upload a file with certain data in a particular format(csv)

- Username, password, firstname, lastname, email [5 are mandatory], institution, dept., phone1, address, course1, role1,)

Go to site administration -> users tab -> in accounts , upload users -> upload file ->

1. preview of users

2. Setting:

Upload Type:

- add new only, skip existing user

- add all, append number to username if needed

- add new and update existing users

- update existing users only

New user Password

Existing user details

Existing user password

Force password change

3. Default Values (Email display, City, Id no.)

Status of uploaded user results

View and verify added users:

Site administration -> users tab -> browse list of users

Takeaway

6. User Roles in Moodle:

Check created courses:

Admin Dashboard -> course and category page

Check Users & edit User:

Site administration -> users tab ->ACCOUNTS -> browse list of users -> select user and edit profile ->

Set User as Admin:

Site administration -> users tab -> PERMISSIONs -> Site Administrators

1. Main Admin

2. Potential Users

<-ADD, REMOVE->, SET MAIN ADMIN Buttons

Set a User as Teacher/Student:

Site administration -> Courses tab -> Manage Courses and Categories -> Click on course

-> Enrolled Users

Enroll the Student/Teacher: click on Enroll Users -> Assign Role (student or Teacher or manager), Enrollment Options -> ENROLL the user as TEACHER

Removing Roles:

Click on trash icon in Roles Columns and remove

Assign Role Icon

Editing User Enrollment: (gear Icon)

Status: active/suspend, enrollment start, enrollment ends enrollment created

7. Plugins in Moodle

Plugins: add-on tools that add special features to an existing software

In browser: https://moodle.org/plguins/

1. Search plugin (attendance)

2. Description(prerequisite), version, reviews, stats,

3. Versions -> download

4. Login to moodle -> Admin Dashboard

5. Site administrator -> plugins tab -> install plugins

6. Two ways:

a. Install plugin from zip file

b. Install plugins from MOODLE plugins directory

7. Install plugin from ZIP file

a. Choose file

b. Upload file

c. Install

d. ERROR (right permission to directory – sudo chmod 777 /jlafjd/mod)

8. Plugins check Page

9. Upgrade moodle database now -> continue

10. New Settings Page -> save changes

Check if plugin installed successfully or not?

Site administration -> plugins tab -> plugins overview -> Additional Plugins

Use Attendance Plugin

Site administration -> courses tab -> manage courses and categories -> click on course -> VIEW TAB

View tab -> gear icon -> turn editing on -> add an activity or resource -> attendance

Adding new attendance: General (description) , Grade ( Type- scale & point, Scale, Max. Grade,), etc

New Page -> Status Set TAB -> (P, L, E, A ) add or delete these

-> Add Session TAB ( type, date, time, description ) Multiple sessions (repeat on , repeat every, repeat until) Student Recording - > ADD

-> icons (take attendance, edit, delete)

Take Attendance Icon

1. Teachers Dashboard in Moodle

Admin should assign teacher a new, blank course with teacher privileges'.

Uses of Moodle for Teacher:

1. Upload teaching learning resource

2. Manage collection of multimedia e resources like files and videos

3. External Resources like web, open educational, embed youtube/vimeo videos

4. Administer Test like QUIZ and Assignment

5. Collaborative Content like Wiki and Glossary

6. Track students’ Progress

7. Interact with students (synchronously and asynchronous )

Structure of Course

1. 1^st Password change -> continue

2. Teacher Dashboard (3 Columns)

a. Navigation Menu

b. Main Course Overview with timeline and courses tab

c. Blocks Column

3. Course Tab (in Progress, Future, Past)

4. Nav. Menu ( calendar, private files, my courses)

5. Quick access Icon ( notification , messages)

6. User Menu (profile, grades, messages, preferences, log out)

7. Profile:

a. User Details (edit Profile)

b. Course details

c. Miscellaneous (blog entries, forum posts, discussion, Learning plans)

d. Reports (browse sessions, grades overview)

e. Login Activity

8. Edit Profile (preferences/user account/edit profile)

a. General (name, mail, country, timezone, description, email display)

b. User Picture

c. Additional Names

d. Interests

e. Optional (phone , dept, institute, etc)

9. Preferences

a. User Accounts (edit profile, change password, preferred language, forum preference, editor preference, course pref., calendar pref., message pref. , notification pref.,)

b. Blogs (blog pref., External blogs, register an external blog)

c. Badges ( mange badges, badge pref., backpack settings)

10. Calendar Preference:

a. Time display format(12/24 hour), first day of week (mon), max. upcoming events(10), upcoming events lookahead (3 Weeks), Remember filter settings (yes/no))

11. Add a TOPIC

a. Click on choice of course

b. Gear icon -> turn editing on

c. Edit Topic one (pencil icon)

d. Edit -> edit topic

e. Summary of topic (section name, summary)

12. Logout of Moodle

2. Course Administration in Moodle

Login with Teacher credentials

1. Click on Course

2. Gear icon -> edit settings

3. EDIT COURSE SETTINGS

a. General (Course full name, short name, course category, Course visibility, Course start date and end date, Course ID number)

b. Description (course summary & Course Summary Files)

c. Course Format (

i. format: topic format, single activity format, social format, weekly format

ii. Hidden Sections: are shown in collapse form or completely invisible,

iii. course layout: show all sections on one page or show one section per page

d. Appearance (Force Lang., No. of announcements (5), show grade-block to students(yes/no), show activity reports (yes/no))

e. Files and Uploads (max upload size (128MB))

f. Completion tracking (enable completion tracking(yes/no))

g. Groups (group mode, force group mode, default grouping)

h. Role renaming (your word for manger/teacher/non-teaching/student/guest/authenticated user/authenticated user on frontpage)

i. Tags (tags, )

4. Gear icon -> turn editing on

5. Announcements -> Edit Setting (forum name, description, display description on course page, forum type, etc)

6. Click on Announcement -> add a new topic ->

a. New Discussion topic (subject & Message, discussion subscription, attachment, pinned, send forum post notification, )

b. Display Period (display start and end) -> Enable

c. Tags

7. Add a page with detailed syllabus

a. Add activity or resource

b. Choose page and add

c. Adding a new page

i. General (name , Description)

ii. Content (Page content)

iii. Appearance

iv. Common module settings

v. Restrict access

vi. Activity completion

vii. Tags

viii. Competencies

8. Student View of Course and page

3. Formatting Course Material in Moodle:

Go to certain Course

Adding Resources:

Gear icon -> turn editing on

Bottom right -> Add an Activity or Resource ( book, file, folder, content package, label, page, url, etc)

1. Add a new Page: [general (name, description), Content (page content -> FORMAT TEXT-> heading, hyperlink, break link, Add Image, Bold, Italic, Add Media, Manage Files: create folder ,equation editor, insert character, insert table, clear formatting, undo and redo, ACCESSIBILITY: Accessibility check and screen reader; code view(embed) ]

Uploading and editing resources in Moodle

Go to certain Course

Adding Resources: (URL & BOOK)

Gear icon -> turn editing on

Bottom right -> Add an Activity or Resource -> select URL Resource

One can add links to online resources (documents, online videos, wiki pages, open educational resources, etc.)

1. General (name, external URL, Description, Display description on course page )

2. Appearance (Display: automatic, embed, Open, In Pop-Up; width and height)

3. URL Variables

4. Common module settings

5. Restrict Access

6. Activity Completion (completion tracking (3): students can manually mark the activity as completed or Do not indicate activity completion or show activity as complete when conditions are met; Require view, Expect completed on)

7. Tags

8. Competencies

Bottom right -> Add an Activity or Resource -> select BOOK Resource

1. General (name , description)

2. Appearance ( chapter formatting (numbers, none, bullets, indent), style of navigation (images, TOC only, Text ; custom titles checkbox ))

3. Common Module settings

4. Restrict Access (access restrictions (NONE by default)-> add restriction

a. Activity completion (detailed syllabus, course outcome, lecture notes, reference material, evolutes of basic curves); (must be marked complete)

b. Date

c. Grade

d. User profile

e. Restriction set

5. Activity completion

6. Tags

7. Competencies

Add chapters and Sub-Chapters

Chapter titles, subchapter, content,

ICONS below Table of Contents (gear(edit), delete, eye, Plus(add))

Resource Options=> edit setting, move right, hide, duplicate, assign roles, delete)

4. Forums and Assignments in Moodle:

Go to certain Course

Adding Resources: (FORUM & ASSIGNMENT)

Gear icon -> turn editing on

Bottom right -> Add an Activity or Resource -> select FORUM Resource

1. General (forum name, Description, Display description on course page,

a. forum type:

i. A single simple discussion,

ii. Each person posts one discussion,

iii. Q and A forum,

iv. Standard forum displayed in blog like format,

v. standard forum for general use)

2. Attachments and Word count

3. Subscription and tracking

4. Discussion locking, etc

Add new topic:

5. Subject, messages

6. Attachments, display period, tags

AS A STUDENT: => ADD A NEW TOPIC or DISCUSS THIS TOPIC

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adding Resources: (FORUM & ASSIGNMENT)

Gear icon -> turn editing on

Bottom right -> Add an Activity or Resource -> select ASSIGNMENT Resource

1. General (Assignment Name, Description, Additional files,

2. Availability (allow submission from, due data, cut-off date, remind me to grade by)

3. Submission Types (submission types (online text or file submission), word limit, max. no. of uploaded files, max. submission size(128MB), accepted file types)

4. Feedback types ( types (comments, offline grading worksheet, feedback files), comment inline,)

5. Submission Settings (Require students click submit button (No/yes), require that students accept submission statement(no/yes), attempts reopened (never), max. attempts)

6. Group submission settings

7. Notifications

8. Grade (Type (point), scale, max. grade(100), grading method, Grade category, grade to pass, blind marking, user marking workflow, use marking allocation)

9. Common module settings

10. Restrict access

11. Activity completion

12. Tags

13. competencies

14. Question Bank in Moodle:

Go to certain course

Gear icon -> click on more -> course administration : QUESTION BANK -> Categories

Add Question Categories:

1. Add category (parent category, name, category info.) -> Add Category

Create a New Question:

1. Questions tab -> create a new question ->

2. select type to add(mcq, True/false, essay, numerical, short ans., matching, etc.) -> add

3. General (Category, q. name, q. text) Default mark(1), General feedback, One or multiple answers, shuffle the choices, no. of choices)

4. Answers (choice 1, grade, feedback, )

5. Combined feedback

6. Multiple tries (penalty for each incorrect try(33.33%), Hint 1, Hint 1 Options, )

7. Tags

ICONS (next to question title: edit, duplicate, preview, delete)

5. Quiz in Moodle:

Go to certain course

Gear icon -> turn editing on -> Add an activity or Resource -> QUIZ

1. General (name, description, )

2. Timing ( open the quiz, close the quiz, time limit, when time expires, submission grace period)

3. Grade (Grade category, grade to pass, attempts allowed, grading method, )

4. Layout (new page : every question / every 2 questions, etc)

5. Question behavior (shuffle within questions, how questions behave (derred feedback, etc)

6. Review options

7. Appearance

8. Extra restrictions on attempts

9. Overall feedback (grade boundary, feedback, )

10. Common module settings

11. Restrict access

12. Activity completion (completion tracking (do not indicate activity completion, students can manually mark activity as completed, show activity as complete when conditions are met; require view, require grade, require passing grade, expect completed on)

13. Tags

14. Competence

Eedit Quiz:

1. Pencil icon ->

2. Shuffle checkbox

3. Add -> Icon: preview and delete

a. a new question or

b. from question bank or

c. a random question ( stds will see diff. set of questions)

i. using existing category

ii. using new category

d. new section

4. preview button on gear icon on quiz

5. -> START ATTEMPT

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