Moodle is a free, open-source studying administration system (LMS) that has been utilized in increased schooling for greater than 15 years. You’ll be able to set up it on any operating system and permit college students to create their very own programs and assignments.
This text overviews Moodle’s intensive options and offers you an thought of whether or not it’s the fitting instructional platform for you.
Desk of Contents:
- Moodle Themes
- Moodle Mobile
- Moodle eLearning Support Standards
- Moodle and Interoperability
- The Moodle Pedagogical Approach
- Moodle Deployment
- FAQs
Moodle Overview and Historical past
Moodle was developed by the Open Supply Studying Basis (OSLF) and is now maintained by Moodle Pty Ltd. The OSLF was based in 1999 as a non-profit group to assist the event of open-source studying instruments. In 2001, Moodle turned an official undertaking of the OSLF and has since been utilized in over 40 international locations worldwide.
Advantages of Utilizing Moodle
Moodle has many helpful options like those who permit you to:
- Create a number of sections for completely different subjects on a single web page and assign completely different roles to them. This fashion, you may management what the customers of your website are allowed to see primarily based on their function;
- Simply add photos, movies, and audio information to your pages utilizing the drag-and-drop function;
- Make use of themes that make your website look extra interesting to your viewers;
- Present suggestions by surveys or boards so you may perceive how college students really feel in regards to the course materials;
- Create dwell chat periods with different people who find themselves collaborating in the identical programs as you;
- Share info with others by way of e mail or any social media websites like Fb;
- Join Moodle with Google Apps for Schooling makes it straightforward for lecturers and directors to share information between faculties with out having to fret about sustaining separate methods;
- Use group discussions the place all members of a gaggle can take part;
- View statistics relating to scholar participation (whole variety of responses);
- Assign duties/quizzes/exams utilizing a easy drag-and-drop interface;
- Create polls utilizing Sure/No questions.
Moodle Plugins
Moodle plugins are software program elements you may add to Moodle and improve its efficiency. They permit you to lengthen the in-built functionalities in varied methods and customise the LMS based on your wants.
What’s a plugin?
A plugin is an software that runs on high of Moodle, permitting you so as to add further options or performance. It’s like having an extension in your browser: it provides new options with out altering how the core works.
The distinction with plugins for Moodle is that they don’t want any extra set up steps – as soon as configured, they’re accessible from inside the primary website (similar to WordPress or Joomla extensions).
What can Moodle plugins do?
Moodle plugins have varied functions, from including new options to creating your website safer. Listed below are some examples:
- Create a quiz to check your college students’ information of a specific topic
- Enable customers to create quizzes and exams with questions that different college students or lecturers can grade
- Add further performance to Moodle’s grade e book (e.g., enable customers to report grades by way of e mail)
You’ll be able to have a choose between lots of of specialised plugins by the Moodle Plugin Directory.
Moodle Themes
Moodle themes can be found in varied kinds and can be utilized to create a constant look throughout all programs. You can too use the templates to alter the look of a person course or present a singular design for every course inside your group.
Some themes have extra options, comparable to dwell preview, which lets you take a look at modifications earlier than they take impact in your website.
Moodle Cell
In 2003, Moodle was awarded a $1 million grant from Google to develop its cell model to be used on cell telephones and PDAs. This model, known as Moodle Cell, went dwell in 2005 with greater than 100 languages supported at launch.
Since then, it has been downloaded over 1 million instances and has change into one of the in style free LMSs out there at this time.
Moodle Cell permits you to entry your Moodle course on the go, utilizing your smartphone or pill. You can too use it as an alternative choice to a desktop pc for accessing and enhancing content material.
Moodle eLearning Help Requirements
When it comess to the event of eLearning programs, requirements must be a precedence. Not solely they will enhance the standard of your programs, however in addition they make your whole program extra interesting to college students.
So far as eLearning platforms go, Moodle checks a whole lot of containers.
- An Open Supply Initiative
- IMS LTI™ Licensed
- SCORM-ADL compliant
- Open Badges
- WCAG 2.1 Degree AA
Moodle and Interoperability
Moodle has been designed by the Open Supply Initiative (OSI), which suggests it’s free for anybody to make use of and modify as they want.
Moodle’s interoperability assist between varied platforms is among the predominant components behind its recognition amongst researchers. Because it’s freely out there, there are not any restrictions on what you are able to do with the LMS. This implies you don’t should pay for licenses or purchase costly {hardware} simply because your analysis requires it.
The Moodle platform flaunts some well-established options that make it excellent for analysis initiatives. For instance, you may create custom-made person profiles and assign roles to customers for various ranges of entry to content material and performance. This implies you may tailor the Moodle expertise to satisfy your wants with out worrying about how a lot time college students spend on the location or whether or not they’re utilizing it accurately.
A spread of instruments permits you to create customized scripts that run mechanically when college students log into their accounts. They might present useful suggestions on how college students are performing at school.
The Moodle Pedagogical Method
The pedagogical method of the Moodle LMS relies on an interactive mannequin that allows college students to actively take part of their studying course of by collaborative work and self-assessment. This method facilitates the event of crucial considering expertise vital for lifelong studying {and professional} progress.
Moodle’s design is simple to make use of and accessible on any gadget. It permits lecturers to simply create programs and focus extra on instructing than administrative duties.
Moodle Deployment
Moodle Deployment is a course of that permits you to set up Moodle on your own VPS server. The set up course of could be automated in order that the deployment turns into an built-in a part of your hosting service.
You can too select to put in Moodle and deploy it utilizing our in-built system.
ScalaHosting offers skilled 1-on-1 assist for Moodle customers who worth safety, uptime, and trouble-free operations for his or her college students and lecturers.
Contact our team for more details on how a managed cloud server and intuitive dashboard can improve your Moodle expertise.
FAQs
Q: Why can’t I take advantage of Moodle plugins?
A: There are specific internet hosting companies, comparable to MoodleCloud, that stop you from including plugins. They’ve a set of plugins that include the service by default to maintain it easy for his or her customers. For extra flexibility, you would need to change your hosting provider.
Q: How do I begin utilizing Moodle?
A: Attempt a demo of Moodle to see the way it works and expertise its options by visiting the Moodle Sandbox. If you wish to use Moodle straight away in your personal web site, you may obtain and use MoodleCloud free for 45 days. Lastly, in the event you’re able to launch a fully-featured website, obtain a duplicate and set up in in your pc or server.
Q: Can I take advantage of Moodle if I don’t have technical pc expertise?
A: Some technical information is vital to put in Moodle manually, however the platform is usually very user-friendly. There are many tutorials and guides that can assist you set all the things up and be taught extra in regards to the LMS. Moreover, you will discover video demonstrations and tutorial articles for the extra technically demanding duties.
