Moodle Quick Start Instructions for Faculty

Follow this quick start guide for the essentials of building your course site and sharing it with students. See the tutorial, What is Moodle?, for more detailed information.

 

Step 1: Turn editing on to add/update your course content

Turn editing on. To start building your course enable edit mode via the toggle in the upper left corner. Once editing is on, you can add and update your course. Some of the most common edits are listed below.

Illustration of Moodle edit mode toggle in the upper right corner

 

Edit your course intro and section headings

By default, your course is set to a weekly format, automatically giving you sections named with dates of each week. (You can change the course format, as noted below.) These section names show up on the course navigation menus. You can edit these heading to better describe each section and to include information about that section. For example, you can add the objective or assignments for that section.

Click on the three-dot options menu to the right of the Moodle item and select  Edit week (or ⚙ Edit topic or ⚙ Edit section).
illustration showing where to edit settings for weeks and topics

 

Add syllabus, readings, etc

Drag and drop files from your drive to the desired week or topic area. You can also add files, as well as web links, images, quizzes, discussion forums, and other resources and activities via the add an activity or resource button.

illustration of "add an activity or resource" button

 

Adjust item names

You can use the pencil-shaped quick edit icon to rename your file.

illustration of pencil edit icon next to Moodle activity or resource

 

Move items

When you mouse over an item, you will see an up/down arrow to show that you can drag and drop an item up or down the page.

illustration showing the arrows for moving sections or items

You can also move items via the move option on the three-dot menu on the right side of each item. This option is best if you want to move the item a good distance up or down the page.
illustration of move option, available via the three-dot men on each item.

Step 2: Check how your course looks to students

Switch your role to view your course as your students see it. Click on your icon (often a picture of yourself) next to your name in the upper right corner of your browser window. Select Switch role to…  and select a student role to view your course as the students see it.

Illustration of Moodle's "switch role to.." option

 

Step 3: Make your course visible to students!

Once your course is ready for students, you need to make your course visible.

  1. Select the Settings option from the menu under your course name.
  2. Toggle Course visibility to Show.
    Illustration of moodle course setting and show/hide option
  3. Scroll down and click the Save button.
     

Note about Course Format

Your course was created using the Weekly Format. This format provides a different section for each week and highlights the current week. By default, it also puts the dates for each week at the top of each section.

If you prefer, you can use a different format.  Select course Settings, as you do when you make your course visible. You’ll find this option in the Course Format section of the course settings page.

illustration of course format options in course settings