Moodle

Moodle is an open-source learning management system (LMS), i.e. a platform designed to host e-learning courses and asynchronous collaboration.

Moodle allows creating learning spaces, accessible either for a defined group of users, or to the public. Within these rooms, several resources and activities can be provided (see “Features”).


Moodle is very helpful to support asynchronous collaboration, and can be used in combination with any kind of online event, such as virtual workshops, group meetings, webinars , by providing documents in advance, as a place to store documentation afterwards, or to allow (asynchronous) communication and collaboration before or after the event.

 

Suitable for

web-based training, classroom training, lectures, group meetings, blended learning.

Features

Moodle distinguishes between Resources (e.g. learning materials) and Activities (e.g. communication tools). To create resources and activities, manager access to the room is required.

Resources are, for example:

  • Labels / pages (texts and other multimedia elements like images, videos, links, etc., included via a regular editor)
  • Files
  • Links
  • Galleries
  • Folders (where you can store several files)
  • Web-Based Trainings (WBT)

Activities include:

  • Chats
  • Discussion Forums
  • Quizzes
  • Surveys
  • Assignments (i.e. participants can submit their work to be reviewed by a teacher/facilitator)
  • And many more

Number of participants

Unlimited.

Participants need to be registered on the platform. Then they can either enroll in a course/room (you can provide an enrolment key to a selected group or allow anyone to enroll), or you as a manager can enroll them manually.

Limitations

Moodle is designed for asynchronous collaboration. It is not a tool to run live events, even though it can very well be combined with such (see above). It is also not primarily a tool for document sharing.

User considerations and troubleshooting

Moodle provides a broad range of features with various options. The best way to get to know it is to try it out yourself.

PRACTICAL TIPS

is the official website (https://moodle.org/), especially the documentation area (https://docs.moodle.org/39/en/Main_page)

e.g. on Youtube. Here are some suggested links as a start:

What is Moodle?
This is an explanation of what Moodle is and how it can be used from a trainer’s point of view.
https://youtu.be/3ORsUGVNxGs

Activity Chooser
This shows how to add basic resources and activities to a Moodle room.
https://youtu.be/etQxL7vLZQo

For each kind of activity or resource, further comprehensive tutorials can be found.

and has become one of the most common – if not THE most common – LMS worldwide. As a result, the online community is huge, and answers to almost all questions can be found online.

REFERENCE PERSON

Heike Koch

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