About Moodle FAQ

PLEASE NOTE: Teacher FAQ is currently being (heavily) edited and updated (23 - 25 Nov 2010). You can check Teaching and Learning with Moodle course for answers to many of the common questions asked by educators.

General

Below is a list of the most general questions many educators have about Moodle. For questions relating to a specific Moodle tool (eg. Forum, Wiki, Assignment ...) and its use, please refer to the FAQ pages for each.

Starting with Moodle

What is Moodle?

• Moodle is a learning management system (LMS, also called VLE), explained here, expanded with examples.

How do I start using Moodle?

• You can download your own copy and install it on your server. If you would like to see how Moodle works (with examples) and play with it, you can check the School Demo site.

Where do I get it (from)?

• You can download Moodle in a variety of packages and install it yourself or have a Moodle Partner do it for you.

Do I have to be really good with technology to use Moodle?

• To use Moodle, you only need the basic web browsing skills. To install it you need a little more savvy but guidance is provided.

What age of learners and educational settings is Moodle most appropriate for?

• Moodle can be and is successfully used from early years of primary schools (example from New Zealand) across many places where people learn.

Is Moodle just for online learning?

• It can be. However, in most cases Moodle is used to support and combine face-to-face interaction with e-learning, m-learning and other forms of learning.

Are there any provisions in Moodle for people with disabilities?

• Certainly. Moodle supports many assistive technologies such as screen-readers, screen-magnifiers, alternative mouse and key use, disabling of AJAX and Javascript, and more. See and join discussion at Accessibility forum.

Basic Moodle jargon

What is a Course?

• Course is a basic unit of Moodle. It is an online space for community of people with different roles to create and combine learning activities and resources to suit their purpose.

What is a Category?

• Category is a grouping of courses by a certain criteria (eg. Science; Junior School; External Studies; Staff Area ...).

What is an Activity?

• In activities, the course participants get to 'do' something (post or reply in a Forum, vote in Choice, answer in Quiz, add to Database ...). More, third-party activity modules can be added to the standard activities in Moodle.

What is a Resource?

• Resource is a part of a course. Resources are usually added by teachers or other members with greater capabilities to edit course. Resources are mostly documents, media, webpages, links, labels and IMS packages.

What is a Block?

• Blocks are 'widgets' that can be put on pages in Moodle. They help users get to useful and commonly used items and information quickly.

What is a Plugin?

• Plugin is an optional extra component which can add functionality to your Moodle. Some standard Moodle plugins need to be turned on by Moodle Administrator, many more can be downloaded from the Modules and Plugins database.

What is a Filter?

• Filter processes text displayed in Moodle and does something to it. For example, Multimedia filter automatically turns a YouTube link to a video that plays directly in Moodle.

What is a Section?

• Section is an area within a course that hold activities and resources. This is a generic term that covers weeks and topics.

What is a Role?

• Role in Moodle refers to capability of users to edit courses. Roles can be defined, renamed and changed at different levels, from the entire site to single activity.

Navigation and settings

How do I login to Moodle?

• Go to the right URL (address) of the Moodle site, login with your username and password, or enter as a Guest (if allowed). Most Moodle sites will have a link to set up a new account or request forgotten details of your existing one.

How do I get around Moodle?

• Moodle has a navigation bar in the header (and optionally footer) of the page that shows the location of the current page within the site structure. In Moodle 2.0, you can use the Navigation block (which you can 'dock' on the side of the page), from which you can go directly to any part of Moodle you have access to.

How do I edit things?

• By clicking 'Turn editing on' button or edit icon. In Moodle 2.0, use the Settings block to edit items. Please note that editing things in Moodle depends on your editing capabilities. For example, as a Guest, you can't edit anything (default setting) as Admin you can whatever you like.

Who can create and edit activities and other things in courses?

• Whoever has the editing capability. Usually, it is the Teacher who creates and edits courses and activities within courses, but this role can be changed, re-named (eg. Facilitator) and given to other people too.

Security

• How secure is Moodle?
• Can Moodle get hacked into and student data stolen?
• What if I did something wrong and accidentally broke it - could it be easily fixed?
• Is my student data safe on a cheap or free webhost?
• Can I track and search what people do and post in Moodle?
• Can I backup Moodle so I don't lose things?

Technical

• Do I need my own server to run Moodle?
• Do I have to install Moodle myself?
• Can I customise a theme and make it about our school?
• Does it matter what computer type or browser I use for Moodle?
• Can you use Moodle from anywhere?
• Can access to Moodle be restricted to just our school?
• Can I access Moodle from a mobile device?
• I've come from a school that used a different VLE/LMS Can I move my stuff over to Moodle?
• I spotted a bug in the system. What do I do?

Cost

• How much does it cost to download and use Moodle?
• How much does it cost to run Moodle?
• How much does it cost to have Moodle hosted?

Getting help

• Is there an official support desk for Moodle?
• What do I do if I am stuck?
• Are there any good tutorials around?
• How do I get better at using Moodle?
• What if I have a specific question about a tool, where can I find out more?
• How can I suggest improvements and put forward what I would like to see in Moodle?
• Where can I get training on the best use of Moodle in my teaching & learning so I am not dependent on my ICT team at school?

Examples

• Are there any good examples of Moodle use I can see?
• How do I share ideas and learn from other educators using Moodle?
• Are there any good sources for shared courses?
• Is there any support for K-12 particularly using activities?

Students

• How long does it take students to learn to use Moodle?
• What do my students need to know before using Moodle?
• Do students have to be online all the time to use Moodle?

Learning with Moodle - pedagogy

• What is the best way to use Moodle?
• Are there any teaching DO’s and DON’Ts?
• Can Moodle be used in different subject (say maths, languages, art, media, science...)?
• How can I use Moodle to stimulate students think harder and ask good questions?
• How can I communicate with students by using Moodle?
• How can we share resources with Moodle?
• How can Moodle help people collaborate?
• How do I grade in Moodle?
• Can students do self and peer assessment type tasks with Moodle?
• Is 'social constructionist' approach necessary when using Moodle?