Forum permissions

Template:Forums Template:Moodle 1.7Roles and capabilities in Moodle 1.7 onwards allows the possibility of specific students being given permission to moderate a forum. This page will show some of the potentials in the context of a forum.

Common overrides

Overrides give temporary (contextual) permissions in a forum. Here are some common ones.

No discussions, but replies are allowed

An override may be used to set up a forum in which only teachers are to be allowed to start new discussions.

1. Access the Assign roles page via the Roles tab in editing forum page, then follow the "Override roles" link. (In Moodle 1.9 onwards, click the "Override permissions" tab in the editing forum page.)
2. Select the Student role.
3. Set the capability mod/forum:startdiscussion to prevent.
4. Click the "Save changes" button.

Note: By default, only administrators are able to override permissions. Instructions on enabling teachers to override permissions can be found in Override permissions.

No discussions, no replies

An override may be used to close/archive a forum so that students may no longer start new discussions, nor add replies, but may still read all the discussions.

1. Access the Assign roles page via the Roles tab in editing forum page, then follow the "Override roles" link. (In Moodle 1.9 onwards, click the "Override permissions" tab in the editing forum page.)
2. Select the Student role.
3. Set the capabilities mod/forum:startdiscussion and mod/forum:replypost to prevent.
4. Click the "Save changes" button.

Note: By default, only administrators are able to override permissions. Instructions on enabling teachers to override permissions can be found in Override permissions.

Enabling students to rate posts

By default, only admins and teachers can rate posts. An override may be used to enable students to rate posts.

1. Access the Assign roles page via the Roles tab in editing forum page, then follow the "Override roles" link. (In Moodle 1.9 onwards, click the "Override permissions" tab in the editing forum page.)
2. Select the Student role.
3. Set the capability mod/forum:rate to allow.
4. Click the "Save changes" button.

Overview of Forum overrides

By default, only administrators are able to override permissions. Instructions on enabling teachers to override permissions can be found in Override permissions. We have show a screen shot for reference below.

Tweaking the role of student in a forum

Forum capabilities

Here are the specific field names that impact forum permissions.

• mod/forum:addnews (from 1.8 onwards)
• mod/forum:createattachment
• mod/forum:deleteanypost
• mod/forum:deleteownpost
• mod/forum:editanypost
• mod/forum:managesubscriptions
• mod/forum:movediscussions
• mod/forum:rate
• mod/forum:replynews (from 1.8 onwards)
• mod/forum:replypost (from 1.8 onwards)
• mod/forum:splitdiscussions
• mod/forum:startdiscussion
• mod/forum:throttlingapplies
• mod/forum:viewanyrating
• mod/forum:viewdiscussion
• mod/forum:viewhiddentimedposts
• mod/forum:viewqandawithoutposting
• mod/forum:viewrating
• mod/forum:viewsubscribers
• mod/forum:initialsubscriptions (from 1.8 onwards)

See also

• Forum moderator role
• Video tutorial showing how to enable students to rate posts in a particular forum

Using Moodle forum discussions:

• Role names showing next to posting photos
• Not allowing students to create new topic
• Allowing some users to create new topics in the Site News forum on the Front Page