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Moodle E-Learning Course Development - Third Edition: RAW
Moodle E-Learning Course Development - Third Edition: RAW

Moodle E-Learning Course Development - Third Edition: RAW: A complete guide to create and develop engaging e-learning courses with Moodle

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Profile Icon William Rice Profile Icon Susan Smith Nash
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Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.4 (5 Ratings)
Paperback Jun 2015 404 pages 1st Edition
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Arrow left icon
Profile Icon William Rice Profile Icon Susan Smith Nash
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€18.99 per month
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.4 (5 Ratings)
Paperback Jun 2015 404 pages 1st Edition
eBook
€8.99 €29.99
Paperback
€36.99
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Free Trial
Renews at €18.99p/m
eBook
€8.99 €29.99
Paperback
€36.99
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Moodle E-Learning Course Development - Third Edition: RAW

Chapter 2. Installing Moodle

Even if you don't install Moodle yourself, you should skim this chapter for information that will be helpful to you as a course manager and creator. That is because the choices made during Moodle's installation can affect how the system works for people who create, teach, and take courses on that system.

Installing Moodle consists of:

  1. Obtaining space and rights on a web server that has the capabilities needed to run Moodle.
  2. Creating the subdomains and/or directories needed for Moodle and its data.
  3. Getting and unpacking Moodle, and uploading it to your web server.
  4. Creating the data directory.
  5. Creating the Moodle database.
  6. Activating the installation routine and specifying settings for your Moodle site.
  7. Selecting front page settings.

Each of these is covered in the following sections.

Installation step 1 – the web server

Moodle is run from a web server. You upload or place Moodle in your directory on the server. Usually, the server is someone's computer. If you're a teacher, or are in the corporate world, your institution might have their own web server. If you're an individual or have a small business, you will probably buy web-hosting services from another company. In either case, we are assuming that you have an account on a web server that offers Apache, PHP, and MySQL.

If you must install your own Apache web server and MySQL software, the easiest way to do so is to use another open source tool — XAMPP from http://www.apachefriends.org. Apache Friends is a non-profit project to promote the Apache web server. XAMPP is an easy, all-in-one installer that installs Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl. It is available for Linux, Windows, Mac, and Solaris. If you would like to create a test environment for Moodle, then installing XAMPP onto your computer...

Installation step 2 – subdomain or subdirectory?

A subdomain is a Web address that exists under your web address, and acts like an independent site. For example, my website is www.williamrice.com. This is a standard website, not a Moodle site. I could have a subdomain, http://www.moodle.williamrice.com, to hold a Moodle site. This subdomain would be like an independent site. However, it exists on the same server, under the same account, and they both count towards the disk space and the bandwidth that I use.

In this example, Moodle is installed in the subdomain http://www.moodle.williamrice.com.

Using a subdomain offers me several advantages. Having a site to test updates and add-ons may be helpful if uninterrupted service is important to you. Later, you'll see how easy it is to copy a Moodle installation to a different location, change a few settings, and have it work. If you want to do this, make sure the hosting service you choose allows subdomains.

If you want to keep things...

Installation step 3 – getting and unpacking Moodle

Get Moodle from the official website, http://www.moodle.org/. Go to the Download Moodle page and select the version and format that you need.

Choosing a Moodle version

For a new installation, the latest stable branch is usually your best choice. The last build information tells you when it was last updated with a bug-fix or a patch. This is usually irrelevant to you; the version number determines which features you get, not the build time.

For a production server, do not use the standalone packages mentioned before. They are insecure, because they are meant for use by a Moodle developer for experimentation and development. To make the development of a site easier and faster, security settings that would slow down development have been turned off by default. Standalone packages are a good choice if you want to experiment or develop a Moodle site on your local (non-networked) computer.

For a production site, instead of the standalone packages...

Installation step 4 – the Moodle data directory

When you run the Moodle install script, the installer asks you to specify a directory in which to store the course material. This is the Moodle data directory. It holds material that is uploaded to the courses. You will need to have this directory created before you run the install script. That is what you will do in this step.

For security, the Moodle data directory should be outside the main Moodle directory. For example, suppose you are creating a learning site called www.williamrice.com/learn. You will install Moodle into /learn, and create the Moodle data directory somewhere outside of /learn.

Preferably, you will put the data directory somewhere that is not accessible over the Web. For example, on my hosting service, anything put into the directory /public_html is served over the Web. Anything outside of that directory cannot be seen over the Web as shown in the following screenshot:

Installation step 4 – the Moodle data directory

You should check with your hosting service&apos...

Installation step 5 – creating the Moodle database and user

While the Moodle data directory stores files uploaded by students and some larger files, the Moodle database stores most of the information in your Moodle site. By default, the installer uses the database name moodle and the username moodleuser. Using these default settings gives any hacker a head start on breaking your site. When creating your database, change these to something less common. At least make the hackers guess the name of your database and the database username.

You should also choose a strong password for the Moodle database user. The following are some recommendations for strong passwords:

  • Include at least one number, one symbol, one uppercase letter, and one lowercase letter
  • Make the password at least 12 characters long
  • Avoid repetition, dictionary words, letter or number sequences, and anything based on biographical information about yourself

You will need to create the Moodle database and the database user...

Installation step 1 – the web server


Moodle is run from a web server. You upload or place Moodle in your directory on the server. Usually, the server is someone's computer. If you're a teacher, or are in the corporate world, your institution might have their own web server. If you're an individual or have a small business, you will probably buy web-hosting services from another company. In either case, we are assuming that you have an account on a web server that offers Apache, PHP, and MySQL.

If you must install your own Apache web server and MySQL software, the easiest way to do so is to use another open source tool — XAMPP from http://www.apachefriends.org. Apache Friends is a non-profit project to promote the Apache web server. XAMPP is an easy, all-in-one installer that installs Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl. It is available for Linux, Windows, Mac, and Solaris. If you would like to create a test environment for Moodle, then installing XAMPP onto your computer will install the web server...

Installation step 2 – subdomain or subdirectory?


A subdomain is a Web address that exists under your web address, and acts like an independent site. For example, my website is www.williamrice.com. This is a standard website, not a Moodle site. I could have a subdomain, http://www.moodle.williamrice.com, to hold a Moodle site. This subdomain would be like an independent site. However, it exists on the same server, under the same account, and they both count towards the disk space and the bandwidth that I use.

In this example, Moodle is installed in the subdomain http://www.moodle.williamrice.com.

Using a subdomain offers me several advantages. Having a site to test updates and add-ons may be helpful if uninterrupted service is important to you. Later, you'll see how easy it is to copy a Moodle installation to a different location, change a few settings, and have it work. If you want to do this, make sure the hosting service you choose allows subdomains.

If you want to keep things simpler, you...

Installation step 3 – getting and unpacking Moodle


Get Moodle from the official website, http://www.moodle.org/. Go to the Download Moodle page and select the version and format that you need.

Choosing a Moodle version

For a new installation, the latest stable branch is usually your best choice. The last build information tells you when it was last updated with a bug-fix or a patch. This is usually irrelevant to you; the version number determines which features you get, not the build time.

For a production server, do not use the standalone packages mentioned before. They are insecure, because they are meant for use by a Moodle developer for experimentation and development. To make the development of a site easier and faster, security settings that would slow down development have been turned off by default. Standalone packages are a good choice if you want to experiment or develop a Moodle site on your local (non-networked) computer.

For a production site, instead of the standalone packages...

Installation step 4 – the Moodle data directory


When you run the Moodle install script, the installer asks you to specify a directory in which to store the course material. This is the Moodle data directory. It holds material that is uploaded to the courses. You will need to have this directory created before you run the install script. That is what you will do in this step.

For security, the Moodle data directory should be outside the main Moodle directory. For example, suppose you are creating a learning site called www.williamrice.com/learn. You will install Moodle into /learn, and create the Moodle data directory somewhere outside of /learn.

Preferably, you will put the data directory somewhere that is not accessible over the Web. For example, on my hosting service, anything put into the directory /public_html is served over the Web. Anything outside of that directory cannot be seen over the Web as shown in the following screenshot:

You should check with your hosting service's technical...

Installation step 5 – creating the Moodle database and user


While the Moodle data directory stores files uploaded by students and some larger files, the Moodle database stores most of the information in your Moodle site. By default, the installer uses the database name moodle and the username moodleuser. Using these default settings gives any hacker a head start on breaking your site. When creating your database, change these to something less common. At least make the hackers guess the name of your database and the database username.

You should also choose a strong password for the Moodle database user. The following are some recommendations for strong passwords:

  • Include at least one number, one symbol, one uppercase letter, and one lowercase letter

  • Make the password at least 12 characters long

  • Avoid repetition, dictionary words, letter or number sequences, and anything based on biographical information about yourself

You will need to create the Moodle database and the database user before you...

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Description

This book is for anyone who wants to get the best out of Moodle. Experienced Moodle users will find powerful insights into developing successful educational courses.

Who is this book for?

This book is for anyone who wants to get the best out of Moodle. Experienced Moodle users will find powerful insights into developing successful educational courses.

What you will learn

  • Understand what Moodle can do, how it compares to other elearning packages, and how it can support your teaching strategies
  • Build an interactive elearning course
  • Install the Moodle software on your own computer or a server, and navigate your way around it
  • Gain experience in creating different kinds of courses, from teambuilding group exercises, to individual courses that a student can work on at home
  • Manage students so that you can ensure that the right students are going to the right classes
  • Understand, use, and customize roles
  • Monitor how learners interact with your site using site statistics
  • Add multimedia content to your site

Product Details

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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Jun 25, 2015
Length: 404 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781782163343
Vendor :
Moodle
Tools :

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Product Details

Publication date : Jun 25, 2015
Length: 404 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781782163343
Vendor :
Moodle
Tools :

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Table of Contents

15 Chapters
1. A Guided Tour of Moodle Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Installing Moodle Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Configuring Your Site Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Creating Categories and Courses Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Resources, Activities, and Conditional Access Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Adding Resources Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Adding Assignments, Lessons, Feedback, and Choices Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Evaluating Students with Quizzes Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Getting Social with Chats and Forums Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Collaborating with Wikis and Glossaries Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
11. Running a Workshop Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
12. Groups and Cohorts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
13. Extending Your Course by Adding Blocks Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
14. Features for Teachers Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.4
(5 Ratings)
5 star 80%
4 star 0%
3 star 0%
2 star 20%
1 star 0%
Sajid Merchant May 31, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Tells everything about moodle course development, good book to start moodle elearning website.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Laura Apolo Nov 05, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Having been through numerous books, trying to find the right one that explains Moodle in a simple and clear way, I'm delighted to have found this one. This book, unlike all others I've read, offers an explanation of moodle's architecture that is easy to understand. It also outlines how configuration can be used to change the learning (and teaching) experience. Reading through it has made me feel not only more confident but excited about playing and experimenting with the various settings and plug ins, to create engaging learning experiences. A great book and highly recommended if you are a course manager, teacher or administrator.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
KSJ Jan 11, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
great book
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Amazon Customer Jul 06, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
I've written computer textbooks for decades so it takes quite a bit to get five stars from me. What I appreciate about Rice's book is that he explains the things you do not find in the help already available with Moodle. He also clearly gives his reasons for the choices he makes and why you might want to make other choices. The flow of the book can be used as a guide to develop your first Moodle site. Well done. Thank you for the work you put into the book Mr. Rice.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
tj Apr 16, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon 2
Way out of date. Several versions behind current build. Almost useless.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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