MoodleDocs - User contributions [en]

Moodle Wishlist

2011-02-01T00:27:16Z

Hinkelman:

This page is a brainstorm about a complete rewrite/refactor for Moodle 3.0.

Please add your ideas! They don't need to be consistent yet, just make sure your ideas are here to be boiled down later on.

Think Big!

===One type of plugin===

All plugins/modules could be subclassed from one plugin class, making installation easier and simplifying the API a lot.

===Look at new framework===

Possibly base Moodle 3.0 on new existing frameworks? Ruby on Rails? Drupal?

==== Drupal ====
There's an interesting discussion in the Language Teaching Course:
[http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=83963 How can Moodle be more of a social networking site?] with some links to the [http://groups.drupal.org/drupal-education Drupal in Education User Group]. --[[User:Frank Ralf|Frank Ralf]] 14:27, 18 January 2009 (CST)

(I started a section about [[User_talk:Frank_Ralf#What_Moodle_could_learn_from_Drupal|What Moodle could learn from Drupal]] on my User talk page. --[[User:Frank Ralf|Frank Ralf]] 06:35, 21 January 2009 (CST))

There are some activities in the Drupal community regarding better interoperability and integration of Moodle and Drupal, see [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=121859 Drupal Quiz module - data exchange with other LMSes] and [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=119857 Moodle integration with Drupal]. --[[User:Frank Ralf|Frank Ralf]] 08:10, 10 June 2009 (UTC)

==== Zend Framework ====
How about [http://framework.zend.com/ZendFramework ZendFramework]? It's open source, of course, runs on PHP, already has a pretty cool API with a well stocked service library, and the coders are working closely with Google, Adobe and Microsoft, among others, to produce some really high quality code. One feature I particularly like is that the main bulk of the PHP code is outside the public HTML directory. Since version 1.7 It also offers pretty good support for Flash Remoting (AMF0 and AMF3) making it especially easy to create integrated RIA frameworks. [http://framework.zend.com/about/components Check here] to see what you get "out of the box". It looks like they've already done most of the hard work for you.

=== Moodlets===

Individual-independent-activities backup/restore + metadata - Eloy

=== Support for alternate interfaces, mobile interfaces ===

Optimized for tablet computing: iPad, others
Completely flash-based interface? Designed for offline clients?

=== Integrated category/taxonomy system ===

Putting together the "course categories", "tags" into a generic taxonomy system.

=== Save the 1970-2038 limitation ===

Those UNIX timestamps are [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=101984 pretty limited].

=== Translation framework ===
Drupal uses [http://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/gettext.html GNU gettext].po files for providing translations which is a very robust and well understood format.

=== Use PHP 5.3 Native Power ===
Like : PDO, SPL, Namespace, Intl, Phar...
(Zend Framework 2 use it)

=== Make a replica Moodle ===
1 Moodle library, 100 Moodle platforms, just adding plugins and themes.

=== Built for Teacher-to-teacher Content Sharing ===

Drag-and-drop courses and course items from Moodle Hubs

=== Learn from LAMS and Dokeos ===

Integrated authoring system
Drag-and-drop sequential scenario-building

=== Invent something crazily new ===
3-line ideas are welcome here:
* participation reward systems
*

User talk:Don Hinkelman

2009-04-23T09:05:11Z

Hinkelman:

If you want to ask a question, you would do better posting in an appropriate forum, e.g. http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=746. Blocks should be backed up and restored.

Thank you for your comment, Tim. Actually, it is not appropriate to post this in forums for a few reasons. Right now, we need this following line added in the Backup and Restore FAQ:

"Standard blocks usually are backed up except for HTML blocks (you must copy them manually to the new course)."

I read through all of Backup and Restore Docs and found no mention of this. So I think this would go well in Section 5: What is not contained in Backup. Best regards, --[[User:Don Hinkelman|Don Hinkelman]] 02:08, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

:I am pretty sure you are wrong - I remember fixing a bug where any URLs in HTML blocks were not rewritten when restoring to a different site. I can't think why it would be inappropriate to post something in the forums if it is OK to post here. If you are unsure about something, post in the forum to learn the answer, then add definitive information to the docs. I don't see how adding speculation to the docs helps anyone?--[[User:Tim Hunt|Tim Hunt]] 03:27, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

:Yes, I was wrong. Very sorry about that. The reason posting in forums is not always useful is because they are often ignored. See: http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=118083 Second, I was sooo sure, that my information was definitive. I had three people telling me that for over a year. I try to encourage users to post questions or subtitles of sections in the Docs pages I am responsible for. It really helps me understand what is missing from them. Cheers, --[[User:Don Hinkelman|Don Hinkelman]] 09:04, 23 April 2009 (UTC)

User talk:Don Hinkelman

2009-04-23T09:04:27Z

Hinkelman:

If you want to ask a question, you would do better posting in an appropriate forum, e.g. http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=746. Blocks should be backed up and restored.

Thank you for your comment, Tim. Actually, it is not appropriate to post this in forums for a few reasons. Right now, we need this following line added in the Backup and Restore FAQ:

"Standard blocks usually are backed up except for HTML blocks (you must copy them manually to the new course)."

I read through all of Backup and Restore Docs and found no mention of this. So I think this would go well in Section 5: What is not contained in Backup. Best regards, --[[User:Don Hinkelman|Don Hinkelman]] 02:08, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

:I am pretty sure you are wrong - I remember fixing a bug where any URLs in HTML blocks were not rewritten when restoring to a different site. I can't think why it would be inappropriate to post something in the forums if it is OK to post here. If you are unsure about something, post in the forum to learn the answer, then add definitive information to the docs. I don't see how adding speculation to the docs helps anyone?--[[User:Tim Hunt|Tim Hunt]] 03:27, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

:Yes, I was wrong. Very sorry about that. The reason posting in forums is not always useful is because they are often ignored. See: http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=118083 Second, I was sooo sure, that my information was definitive. I had three people telling me that for over a year. I try to encourage users to post questions or subtitles of sections in the Docs pages I am responsible for. It really helps me understand what is missing from them. Cheers, Don
--[[User:Don Hinkelman|Don Hinkelman]] 09:04, 23 April 2009 (UTC)

User talk:Don Hinkelman

2009-04-21T02:10:37Z

Hinkelman:

User talk:Don Hinkelman

2009-04-21T02:09:44Z

Hinkelman:

User talk:Don Hinkelman

2009-04-21T02:08:41Z

Hinkelman:

HTML editor 2.0

2008-04-18T20:44:31Z

Hinkelman: /* Features */

This page details the specification of the HTML editor in Moodle 2.0.
== What we want ==
Ticket MDL-11113 discusses most issues.
=== Requirements ===
* Integration - With Moodle (smileys, different formats, etc.) with a minimum of changes, cleaning up current code as much as possible
* Compatibility - With web browsers (mostly FF, IE, Safari, Opera)
* Standard - Outputs valid XHTML code
* Accessibility - Is it 100% keyboard accessible? Is it usable in JAWS? Etc.
* Configurability - Possibility to make it show different options and buttons according to the user, the context, etc.

=== Features ===
Some features that should be evaluated:
* Handling of Word documents
* HTML code direct editing
* Highlighting (not text background color, with "set-on" operation--Word style)
* Image uploading
* Mathematical formulas/equation editing
* Possible to turn it on and off on demand (on the page) without losing (modified) content
* Right-to-left text input
* Smileys (has to be possible to use the Moodle list of smileys)
* Special characters
* Tables
* Themeable (possible to make a theme that fits with Moodle's)

=== Wishes ===
* Make it possible to change to a different editor (provided someone comes up with the necessary code to "plug it" in Moodle)
* Possible to run many instances on the same page (see MDL-11101 in tracker)
* Fix [http://tracker.moodle.org/secure/IssueNavigator.jspa?reset=true&pid=10011&resolution=-1&component=10070&sorter/field=summary&sorter/order=ASC&sorter/field=resolution&sorter/order=ASC&sorter/field=status&sorter/order=ASC&sorter/field=priority&sorter/order=DESC all the bugs] related to the HTML editor
== Possibilities and evaluation ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_WYSIWYG_HTML_editors Comparison of WYSIWYG HTML editors on Wikipedia]
* [http://tinymce.moxiecode.com/ TinyMCE]: [http://wiki.moxiecode.com/index.php/TinyMCE:Compatibility Compatibility], [http://wiki.moxiecode.com/index.php/TinyMCE:Index Documentation], [http://tinymce.moxiecode.com/example_full.php?example=true Demo]
* [http://www.fckeditor.net/ FCKeditor]: [http://docs.fckeditor.net/FCKeditor_3.x/Design_and_Architecture/Browsers_Compatibility Compatibility] [http://docs.fckeditor.net/ Documentation], [http://www.fckeditor.net/demo Demo]
* [http://xinha.webfactional.com/ Xinha]: [http://xinha.webfactional.com/wiki/Documentation Documentation], [http://xinha.webfactional.com/wiki/Examples Demo]
* [http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/editor/ Yahoo RTE]: [http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/docs/module_editor.html Documentation], [http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/examples/editor/index.html Demo],
As of 16 April 2008, the preference goes to TinyMCE.
== Links to forum discussions, tracker, docs, etc. ==
* [http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-11113 MDL-11113 - Get a fully working HTML editor in Moodle]
* [[Moodle-specific_customisations_to_the_HTML_editor]]
* [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=88382 Using Moodle - General developer forum: TinyMCE3 Integration]
* [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=93475 Using Moodle - General developer forum: XINHA has started to support Opera and Safari]
* [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=76912 Using Moodle - General developer forum: What is the current position with the HTML editor?]

HTML editor 2.0

2008-04-18T20:29:31Z

Hinkelman: /* Features */

This page details the specification of the HTML editor in Moodle 2.0.
== What we want ==
Ticket MDL-11113 discusses most issues.
=== Requirements ===
* Integration - With Moodle (smileys, different formats, etc.) with a minimum of changes, cleaning up current code as much as possible
* Compatibility - With web browsers (mostly FF, IE, Safari, Opera)
* Standard - Outputs valid XHTML code
* Accessibility - Is it 100% keyboard accessible? Is it usable in JAWS? Etc.
* Configurability - Possibility to make it show different options and buttons according to the user, the context, etc.

=== Features ===
Some features that should be evaluated:
* Handling of Word documents
* HTML code direct editing
* Highlighting (in addition to text background color)
* Image uploading
* Mathematical formulas/equation editing
* Possible to turn it on and off on demand (on the page) without losing (modified) content
* Right-to-left text input
* Smileys (has to be possible to use the Moodle list of smileys)
* Special characters
* Tables
* Themeable (possible to make a theme that fits with Moodle's)

=== Wishes ===
* Make it possible to change to a different editor (provided someone comes up with the necessary code to "plug it" in Moodle)
* Possible to run many instances on the same page (see MDL-11101 in tracker)
* Fix [http://tracker.moodle.org/secure/IssueNavigator.jspa?reset=true&pid=10011&resolution=-1&component=10070&sorter/field=summary&sorter/order=ASC&sorter/field=resolution&sorter/order=ASC&sorter/field=status&sorter/order=ASC&sorter/field=priority&sorter/order=DESC all the bugs] related to the HTML editor
== Possibilities and evaluation ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_WYSIWYG_HTML_editors Comparison of WYSIWYG HTML editors on Wikipedia]
* [http://tinymce.moxiecode.com/ TinyMCE]: [http://wiki.moxiecode.com/index.php/TinyMCE:Compatibility Compatibility], [http://wiki.moxiecode.com/index.php/TinyMCE:Index Documentation], [http://tinymce.moxiecode.com/example_full.php?example=true Demo]
* [http://www.fckeditor.net/ FCKeditor]: [http://docs.fckeditor.net/FCKeditor_3.x/Design_and_Architecture/Browsers_Compatibility Compatibility] [http://docs.fckeditor.net/ Documentation], [http://www.fckeditor.net/demo Demo]
* [http://xinha.webfactional.com/ Xinha]: [http://xinha.webfactional.com/wiki/Documentation Documentation], [http://xinha.webfactional.com/wiki/Examples Demo]
* [http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/editor/ Yahoo RTE]: [http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/docs/module_editor.html Documentation], [http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/examples/editor/index.html Demo],
As of 16 April 2008, the preference goes to TinyMCE.
== Links to forum discussions, tracker, docs, etc. ==
* [http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-11113 MDL-11113 - Get a fully working HTML editor in Moodle]
* [[Moodle-specific_customisations_to_the_HTML_editor]]
* [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=88382 Using Moodle - General developer forum: TinyMCE3 Integration]
* [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=93475 Using Moodle - General developer forum: XINHA has started to support Opera and Safari]
* [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=76912 Using Moodle - General developer forum: What is the current position with the HTML editor?]

Roles

2006-05-15T11:18:32Z

Hinkelman: /* Community Ratings */

'''Roles and capabilities''' are planned to be included in Moodle 1.7. For now, we have some basic ideas of how to implement such a structure in Moodle.

''Please note that none of the following is finalised.''

==Definitions==

By roles, we mean an identifier of the user's status, for example, teacher, student and forum moderator are examples of roles.

A capability is a permission to access some particular Moodle feature. Capabilities are associated with roles. For example, ''can_read_forum_post'' is a capability.

==The existing system==

Currently in Moodle, we have a fixed set of roles i.e. primary admin, admins, course creators, editing teachers, non-editing teachers, students, and guests. For each role, the capability or actions that they can performed are fixed. For example, the role student allows the user to submit an assignment, but doesn't allow the user to browse/edit other users' work. By using this setup we limit ourselves to a rather rigid set of capabilities for each role. If we want, say a particular student or group to be able to mark assignments in a particular course, we can't do that without giving these users teacher privileges.

==The new roles and capability system==

The new system will allow authorized users to define an arbitrary number of roles. Each role can have a customizable set of capabilities in every context. A context can be the whole Moodle site, a course, or a module instance, e.g. quiz 5 in 'Introduction to Photography'. An authorized user will be able to assign an arbitrary number of roles to each user. Since the capabilities in each role could be different, there could be conflict in capabilities. This is resolved by giving roles different 'priorities'. For example, to prevent a naughty student from posting, one could assign him a 'naughty student' role that does not allow him to post. This role should have a priority higher than that of a normal 'student' role.

To facilitate exceptional cases in roles and capabilities, we can use exception rules. For example, we can specify a rule saying that all students are able to mark/read other students' assignment in this particular course. Note that such rules need to have a priority as well. The capability of a user, in any context is then resolved by finding the highest priority role/rule.

==The plan==

There are a few major things that need to be done. Here's a list (in no particular order):

#Identify permissions required for site/course/each module.
#Define the database structure for storing roles and capabilities.
#Recode the whole of Moodle, including all modules to support the new structure. Instead of using <code>isteacher()</code> or <code>isstudent()</code> we should be using <code>has_capabity($capability, $instanceid)</code> etc.
#Add storage of capabilities for each module. Can be done either in a file, e.g. db/capability.xml, or as a sql file that gets installed to a central db whenever this module is installed. Either way, what do we do when we need to upgrade these capabilities? Some capabilities might needs refining/splitting later on. How do we control the 'version' of a capability?
#Consider interface issues, especially how to manage conflicting role/exception rules.
#Upon logging in, we should use a cache to store capability, down to module level. How should that be structured?
#Consider the impact on backup/restore.

==Scenarios==

This section is for brainstorming some example roles that we would like to support:

===Parent===
''Please add text here...''

===Manager===
''Please add text here...''

===Weekly Seminar Leader===
''In a university seminar, typically 8-15 students in their 3rd/4th year, each student is responsible for leading one topic in a study series. I ask each student to research 5-10 resources, then give a powerpoint presentation to the other students. This is followed by an in-class discussion and then online homework. The homework involves some fun quiz questions and then some reflective journal questions. I ask each seminar leader to prepare the quiz questions and journal questions as well as their presentation. To do that, I would like to assign activity-making/authoring roles to the student--either for a short period, or for duration of the whole course. Thus "Allow Quiz Authoring Role" or "Allow Assignment Authoring Role" at the course level or, if possible, even the Topic level (in a topic or week format course) would be important.''

===Mentor/Mentee===
''Please add text here...''

===Community-Designed Rating Criteria===
''The gradebook tends to be the domain of the teacher. What if community/peer ratings/marks could also be entered there? What if peer assessment criteria could be designed by the students, not just the teacher?''

==See also==

*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=38788 Roles and Permissions architecture] forum discussion

[[Category:Future]]

Roles

2006-05-15T11:17:44Z

Hinkelman: /* Scenarios */

'''Roles and capabilities''' are planned to be included in Moodle 1.7. For now, we have some basic ideas of how to implement such a structure in Moodle.

''Please note that none of the following is finalised.''

==Definitions==

By roles, we mean an identifier of the user's status, for example, teacher, student and forum moderator are examples of roles.

A capability is a permission to access some particular Moodle feature. Capabilities are associated with roles. For example, ''can_read_forum_post'' is a capability.

==The existing system==

Currently in Moodle, we have a fixed set of roles i.e. primary admin, admins, course creators, editing teachers, non-editing teachers, students, and guests. For each role, the capability or actions that they can performed are fixed. For example, the role student allows the user to submit an assignment, but doesn't allow the user to browse/edit other users' work. By using this setup we limit ourselves to a rather rigid set of capabilities for each role. If we want, say a particular student or group to be able to mark assignments in a particular course, we can't do that without giving these users teacher privileges.

==The new roles and capability system==

The new system will allow authorized users to define an arbitrary number of roles. Each role can have a customizable set of capabilities in every context. A context can be the whole Moodle site, a course, or a module instance, e.g. quiz 5 in 'Introduction to Photography'. An authorized user will be able to assign an arbitrary number of roles to each user. Since the capabilities in each role could be different, there could be conflict in capabilities. This is resolved by giving roles different 'priorities'. For example, to prevent a naughty student from posting, one could assign him a 'naughty student' role that does not allow him to post. This role should have a priority higher than that of a normal 'student' role.

To facilitate exceptional cases in roles and capabilities, we can use exception rules. For example, we can specify a rule saying that all students are able to mark/read other students' assignment in this particular course. Note that such rules need to have a priority as well. The capability of a user, in any context is then resolved by finding the highest priority role/rule.

==The plan==

There are a few major things that need to be done. Here's a list (in no particular order):

#Identify permissions required for site/course/each module.
#Define the database structure for storing roles and capabilities.
#Recode the whole of Moodle, including all modules to support the new structure. Instead of using <code>isteacher()</code> or <code>isstudent()</code> we should be using <code>has_capabity($capability, $instanceid)</code> etc.
#Add storage of capabilities for each module. Can be done either in a file, e.g. db/capability.xml, or as a sql file that gets installed to a central db whenever this module is installed. Either way, what do we do when we need to upgrade these capabilities? Some capabilities might needs refining/splitting later on. How do we control the 'version' of a capability?
#Consider interface issues, especially how to manage conflicting role/exception rules.
#Upon logging in, we should use a cache to store capability, down to module level. How should that be structured?
#Consider the impact on backup/restore.

==Scenarios==

This section is for brainstorming some example roles that we would like to support:

===Parent===
''Please add text here...''

===Manager===
''Please add text here...''

===Weekly Seminar Leader===
''In a university seminar, typically 8-15 students in their 3rd/4th year, each student is responsible for leading one topic in a study series. I ask each student to research 5-10 resources, then give a powerpoint presentation to the other students. This is followed by an in-class discussion and then online homework. The homework involves some fun quiz questions and then some reflective journal questions. I ask each seminar leader to prepare the quiz questions and journal questions as well as their presentation. To do that, I would like to assign activity-making/authoring roles to the student--either for a short period, or for duration of the whole course. Thus "Allow Quiz Authoring Role" or "Allow Assignment Authoring Role" at the course level or, if possible, even the Topic level (in a topic or week format course) would be important.''

===Mentor/Mentee===
''Please add text here...''

===Community Ratings===
''The gradebook tends to be the domain of the teacher. What if community/peer ratings/marks could also be entered there? What if peer assessment criteria could be designed by the students, not just the teacher?''

==See also==

*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=38788 Roles and Permissions architecture] forum discussion

[[Category:Future]]

Roles

2006-05-15T11:11:17Z

Hinkelman: /* Scenarios */

'''Roles and capabilities''' are planned to be included in Moodle 1.7. For now, we have some basic ideas of how to implement such a structure in Moodle.

''Please note that none of the following is finalised.''

==Definitions==

By roles, we mean an identifier of the user's status, for example, teacher, student and forum moderator are examples of roles.

A capability is a permission to access some particular Moodle feature. Capabilities are associated with roles. For example, ''can_read_forum_post'' is a capability.

==The existing system==

Currently in Moodle, we have a fixed set of roles i.e. primary admin, admins, course creators, editing teachers, non-editing teachers, students, and guests. For each role, the capability or actions that they can performed are fixed. For example, the role student allows the user to submit an assignment, but doesn't allow the user to browse/edit other users' work. By using this setup we limit ourselves to a rather rigid set of capabilities for each role. If we want, say a particular student or group to be able to mark assignments in a particular course, we can't do that without giving these users teacher privileges.

==The new roles and capability system==

The new system will allow authorized users to define an arbitrary number of roles. Each role can have a customizable set of capabilities in every context. A context can be the whole Moodle site, a course, or a module instance, e.g. quiz 5 in 'Introduction to Photography'. An authorized user will be able to assign an arbitrary number of roles to each user. Since the capabilities in each role could be different, there could be conflict in capabilities. This is resolved by giving roles different 'priorities'. For example, to prevent a naughty student from posting, one could assign him a 'naughty student' role that does not allow him to post. This role should have a priority higher than that of a normal 'student' role.

To facilitate exceptional cases in roles and capabilities, we can use exception rules. For example, we can specify a rule saying that all students are able to mark/read other students' assignment in this particular course. Note that such rules need to have a priority as well. The capability of a user, in any context is then resolved by finding the highest priority role/rule.

==The plan==

There are a few major things that need to be done. Here's a list (in no particular order):

#Identify permissions required for site/course/each module.
#Define the database structure for storing roles and capabilities.
#Recode the whole of Moodle, including all modules to support the new structure. Instead of using <code>isteacher()</code> or <code>isstudent()</code> we should be using <code>has_capabity($capability, $instanceid)</code> etc.
#Add storage of capabilities for each module. Can be done either in a file, e.g. db/capability.xml, or as a sql file that gets installed to a central db whenever this module is installed. Either way, what do we do when we need to upgrade these capabilities? Some capabilities might needs refining/splitting later on. How do we control the 'version' of a capability?
#Consider interface issues, especially how to manage conflicting role/exception rules.
#Upon logging in, we should use a cache to store capability, down to module level. How should that be structured?
#Consider the impact on backup/restore.

==Scenarios==

This section is for brainstorming some example roles that we would like to support:

===Parent===
''Please add text here...''

===Manager===
''Please add text here...''

===Seminar Leader===
''In a university seminar, typically 8-15 students in their 3rd/4th year, each student is responsible for leading one topic in a study series. I ask each student to research 5-10 resources, then give a powerpoint presentation to the other students. This is followed by an in-class discussion and then online homework. The homework involves some fun quiz questions and then some reflective journal questions. I ask each seminar leader to prepare the quiz questions and journal questions as well as their presentation. To do that, I would like to assign activity-making/authoring roles to the student--either for a short period, or for duration of the whole course. Thus "Allow Quiz Authoring Role" or "Allow Assignment Authoring Role" at the course level or even the Topic level (in a topic or week format course) would be important.''

==See also==

*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=38788 Roles and Permissions architecture] forum discussion

[[Category:Future]]