Staff Configuration
This feature is part of Moodle Workplace™, which is available through Moodle Certified Partners and Service Providers only.
My programs and courses catalogue settings
The My programs and courses catalogue settings determine how programs and courses are shown on the My courses pages. Its configuration is located at Site administration > General > My courses > My programs and courses catalogue settings:
The following parameters are available:
- Show days left until the program is due: Amount of days from which users will see a small reminder (Due in X days) next to the program name. For example, if set to 14, the reminder will be visible during the 14 days before the program reaches its due date. Set to 0 to disable this functionality.
- Show days left for courses: Amount of days from which users will see a small reminder (X days left) next to the course name. For example, if set to 14, the reminder will be visible during the 14 days before the course reaches its conclusion date. In the case of many different conclusion dates, the system will evaluate which one is the next closest one. Set to 0 to disable this functionality.
- Show course category in course cards: If ticked, the course category will be shown in course cards on the Dashboard, My courses, and some blocks that contain course-related information.
- Show course dates in course modal: If ticked, the course dates will be visible in the course modal and in the course information tab.
- Display course info modal: The setting determines for which users the course info modal window is shown: Options are Display for everybody (default), Display only during guest access and for students, and Never display.
- Display program cover page: The setting determines for which users the program cover page is shown: Options are Display for everybody (default), Display only for non-admin users, and Never display.
- Default sort order: The default sort order in the My Courses page. Options are Sort by name, Sort by conclusion date (default), and Sort by last accessed.
Default start (home) page
For new installations, Dashboard is the default start page for logged in users. An administrator can change the default home page in Administration > Site administration > Appearance > Navigation to My courses if needed.
If 'User preference' is selected as default start page, each user needs to set the desired page – Home, My courses or Dashboard – under User menu > Preferences > User account > Start page. Once selected, Moodle will remember which page to present them each time they log on.
Course cards look & feel
There are two ways the look & feel of course cards can be modified:
- Select an image in the course settings
- Specify the course card colours
A critical aspect is the creation of optimal images for Moodle courses. Course creators can follow the recommendations below to make sure images display correctly and load efficiently.
1. Choose the right type of image
- Whenever possible, select images with a horizontal layout (landscape images). Portrait images are more likely to be cropped in unexpected ways and may not display well in course cards or banners.
- If the image has a clear focal point, such as a group of people or a main object, make sure that the important elements are not too close to the edges. Images are often cropped automatically, so content near the borders may get cut off.
- Pattern or abstract images work very well. Since they do not rely on a specific focal point, you do not need to worry as much about cropping or framing.
2. Adjust the image size
Resize it to an appropriate pixel size. Around 500 pixels (wide) is usually sufficient for course card images.
Keep in mind: You can reduce the size of a large image without losing quality, but you cannot enlarge a small image without losing quality. For best results, always start with a large, high resolution image and then scale it down.
3. Optimize the file size
Save the image in a lightweight format:
- JPG – best for photos or images depicting real scenes, as it preserves detail efficiently
- PNG – better for graphics, diagrams, or images with text, since JPG can introduce blurriness in these cases
Adjust the compression level to make the file as small as possible without a noticeable loss in quality. As a general guideline:
- Between 100 KB and 200 KB is an acceptable file size
- Smaller is even better, as long as the image still looks good
Optimized images help courses load faster and provide a smoother experience for learners.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that course images look clean, load quickly, and display correctly across Moodle.
