ObjectivesMoodle is an online learning environment where instructors & their students interact.

In this workshop you will learn:

1. Configure system requirements.2. Access Moodle.3. Become familiar with the interface

• Main menus and tools• How to use common tools

Configure system requirements

System Requirements

You must use a computer or mobile device with Internet access and a web browser that Blackboard supports, for example Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Internet Explorer 9.

You will need to verify that your browser’s:✓ Cookies are enabled.✓ JavaScript is enabled✓ Pop-up blocker is disabled.✓ Java Runtime Environment installed (JRE).

Access• Launch a web browser (for example Firefox)• Navigate to my.utep.edu and login using your UTEP username and

password.

Top Menu

Moodle’s Top Menu is divided into six different tabs:

• Home• My Courses• My Dashboard• Community• ePortfolio• Analytics

We are going to focus on Home, My Courses, and My Dashboard as these are the ones you will be using most often.

Your Moodle homepage includes some helpful tools that will allow you to stay on top of your coursesNews: This feature allows you to see announcements that have been made by all of your instructors. Upcoming Events: If an instructor has placed an item in your course Calendar, you will be able to see those items here. Messages: Any emails you have received via the Moodle Messages system will be listed here.

Top Menu: Home

Top Menu: My Courses

Clicking on the downward-pointing arrow in the My Courses icon will allow you to see a list of all of your active courses.Just like the See All link next to My Courses on the Homepage, the All Courses option under the My Courses menu opens a page with all your Active Courses. It might look something like this:

Top Menu: My Dashboard

The My Dashboard icon has several important class planning and communication tools that we need to explore

The Profile option opens the profile page where your information including Country, City/town, Gender, Course profiles, First and Last access will be displayed

The Calendar option opens the main calendar page where one can check for upcoming events. This tool will include items from all of your active courses, but you can choose to view only one course

The Messages icon opens the Messages page where one can send private messages to contacts

The Badges option opens a page that contains all Badges you have been awarded

The Private files option opens a file repository where you can upload and store files

The Logout option logs you out the system.

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Finally, it is helpful to note that no matter what page you are on in Moodle, some helpful links are always available at the bottom. These links include technical support.

Course Home Page

Each course will have a Home Page. Instructors have full control over the layout of these pages.

Notice that the course is organized in two main areas: content area and blocks

• The content area is where all course material will be presented.

• Blocks are collections of links that provide links to helpful tools in Moodle.

Course Home Page: Navigation BlockThe Navigation block appears on every page of the site• It contains an expanding tree menu which

includes – My home: a direct link to My Courses– Site home: links to Moodle Homepage – Site pages: links to Site blogs, Site

badges, Notes, Tags, and Calendar – My profile: quick links allowing a user

to view their profile, forum posts, blogs and messages as well as manage their private files

– Current course: links to current course home page

– My mail: links to your Inbox, Starred, Drafts, Sent and Composing a message

– My courses: a link to the listing all courses, active and archived (same as My Courses)

Course Home Page: Administration Block

Under the Administration block you will find Course administration

– Grades: you can view the gradebook and any grades your instructor has posted

The My profile settings menu allows you to Edit your profile, access Security keys, and a faster link to your Blogs and Badges

Communication Tools

Most courses will have an Announcements area near the top of the content area where you will find any announcements posted by your instructor.This area may or may not include other communication tools, such as a chat area, a Help! area, and/or a Technical Support area. This is dependent on the preferences of the instructor. Make sure to get familiar with these tools at the beginning of the class.

Moodle Message Options

Moodle offers two locations for sending messages.

Location 1: Top menu>>My Dashboard

The following page will allow you to choose the Contacts source, which includes a list of your courses.

Location 1: Top menu>>My Dashboard Continued

After choosing your Contacts (i.e. the class) source, a list of people enrolled in the course will appear. Simply click on the name of the person you want to contact in order to initiate a message.

A message editor would look like this.

Moodle Mail Options

Location 2: In-Course>>Navigation Block

The My Mail folder located in your Navigation block expands, providing several options.

Location 2: In-Course>>Navigation Block

After choosing Compose, you will be taken to a page to draft your email.

First, you must Add recipients from the list of people enrolled in the course.

Choose To next to the name(s) of the people to whom you want to send the email, and then click Apply.

Instructional Content

Your instructors will present content to you using a few different tools

The page module enables a teacher to create a web page resource using the text editor. A page can display text, images, sound, video, web links and embedded code, such as Google maps.

The book module enables a teacher to create a multi-page resource in a book-like format, with chapters and subchapters. Books can contain media files as well as text and are useful for displaying lengthy passages of information which can be broken down into sections.

The file module enables a teacher to provide a file as a course resource. Where possible, the file will be displayed within the course interface; otherwise students will be prompted to download it.

The URL module enables a teacher to provide a web link as a course resource. Anything that is freely available online, such as documents or images, can be linked to.

AssignmentsClick on the name of your assignment, and a page like the one below will appear. Here your instructor will post instructions for the assignment, due date, grading scale, etc. Next, click Edit submission. An area to upload and/or type your submission will appear.

Tests

To take a quiz or test, click on the name of the test from the content page, click begin, and a similar page as this one will appear.

Tests ContinuedOnce you have completed the test, you have two options. If you have finished with time left, you can Return to attempt to review and revise your answers. If you are finished, click Submit all and finish.

Moodle > Gradebook• The Gradebook tool allows you to see grades for assignments,

quizzes, papers, etc. Depending on the instructor’s setting, this tool might display the grade, the points possible, the class average, and more.

• To access the Gradebook tool, click Grades in the Administration block.

Extended Moodle HelpMoodle Docs are a great place to find support. There you will find links to help you understand the various tools you encounter in greater depth.

Contact us

Questions?

Visit the Technology Support Center in Library Room 300 for hands-on assistance

Contact the Help Desk at 747-5257