Using roles

Give a student forum moderator rights

How: Assign the role of non-editing teacher in the module context, via the "Locally assigned roles" tab in the editing activity page (default role settings)

• Enables a user to edit or delete forum posts, split discussions and move discussions to other forums
• See Forum moderator role for more details
• Consider assigning this role to two students, and guiding them in learning to facilitate a forum together; for example, they can share the "coverage" of the Forum on certain dates.

Guide: How to give a student forum moderator rights PDF, ODT

Enable a student to grade assignment submissions

How: Assign the role of non-editing teacher in the module context, via the "Locally assigned roles" tab in the editing activity page (default role settings)

• A form of peer assessment/evaluation
• Similar use: Enable a student to grade essay questions in a quiz

Give a student the rights to approve database module entries

How: Assign the role of non-editing teacher in the module context, via the "Locally assigned roles" tab in the editing activity page (default role settings)

• Enables a user to approve, edit and delete database module entries
• Similar use: Give a student the rights to approve glossary entries

Guide: How to give a student rights to approve database entries PDF, ODT

Allow a student to clean up saved chat sessions

How: Assign the role of non-editing teacher in the module context, via the "Locally assigned roles" tab in the editing activity page (default role settings)

• Allows a user to delete chat logs for conversations which don't go anywhere

Create an archive forum

How: Override the student role in the module context, via the "Override permissions" tab in the editing activity page, and set the capabilities to start discussions and reply to posts to 'prevent' (requires teachers to be able to override permissions)

• In an archive forum, students may no longer start new discussions, nor add replies, but may still read all the discussions
• See Forum permissions for more details
• Similar uses: Archive database, glossary or wiki

Guide: How to create an archive forum PDF, ODT

Enable students to rate forum posts

How: Override the student role in the module context, via the "Override permissions" tab in the editing activity page, and allow the capability to rate forum posts (requires teachers to be able to override permissions)

• A formative assessment
• Peer evaluation
• See Forum permissions for more details
• Similar uses: Enable students to rate database or glossary entries

Allow students to unenrol themselves from a course

How: Override the student role in the course context, via the Assign roles link in course administration block and the "Override permissions tab", and allow the unassign own roles capability (requires teachers to be able to override permissions)

• Useful for taster courses, revision courses and any other courses which are optional
• See Unenrolment for more details

Guide: How to allow students to unenrol themselves from a course PDF, ODT

Hide a block from guests

How: Override the guest role in the block context, via the Assign roles link in course block and the "Override permissions tab", and prevent the capability to view blocks (requires teachers to be able to override permissions)

• See Block permissions for more details
• Similar use: Hide a block from students

Give a student unlimited time to complete timed quizzes

How: Assign the role of quiz user with unlimited time in the course or module context (requires Quiz user with unlimited time role to be created by an administrator)

• Useful for particular students who require extra time in exams
• See Quiz user with unlimited time role for more details

Enable a student to create questions

How: Assign the role of question creator in the course context, via the Assign roles link in course administration block (requires Question creator role to be created by an administrator)

• Enables a student to create questions which can later be used in quizzes
• See Question creator role for more details

Guide: How to enable students to create questions PDF, ODT

Warning: Capabilities with XSS risks associated to them are allowed for the role of question creator. Thus, this role should be assigned with care.

Assign a student the role of calendar editor

How: Assign the role of calendar editor in the course context, via the Assign roles link in course administration block (requires Calendar editor role to be created by an administrator)

• Allows a user to add course events to the calendar
• Useful for enabling school admin staff to add term dates etc. to the school calendar (when role assigned in the system context)
• See Calendar editor role for more details

Provide temporary read-only access to a naughty student

How: Assign the role in the course or module context (requires 'can not post data' role, with selected capabilities prohibited, to be created by an administrator)

• Prevents a user from entering text anywhere whilst allowing read-only access

Provide temporary access to a Guest Speaker in a completely online class

How: Create a non-editing teaching role blocking access to everything but post to forum.

Steps to prevent guests from seeing confidential student information:

1.) Assign a guest role without access to grades and assignments.
2.) Only grant access to the guest for the minimal amount of time they need to be in the class.

See also

• Using Moodle 10 Useful Things a Teacher Can do with Roles? forum discussion