Lingel Learning Celebrates 4th Consecutive Win as Moodle Certified Partner of the Year

Lingel Learning Celebrates 4th Consecutive Win as Moodle Certified Partner of the Year

We are excited to share that Lingel Learning has once again been recognized as the Moodle Certified Partner of the Year for 2024! This prestigious award marks our fourth consecutive win, a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering excellence in the eLearning space and supporting our clients with outstanding Moodle-based solutions.

As a long-standing Moodle Certified Partner, we are proud to be part of an exceptional global community that shares our passion for providing innovative, flexible, and learner-centered platforms. Over the years, our team has worked closely with educational institutions, corporations, and government organizations to implement tailored Moodle solutions that meet their unique training and learning needs. Receiving this award for the fourth time reaffirms our dedication to staying at the forefront of educational technology.

What This Award Means to Us

Winning the Moodle Certified Partner of the Year award for four consecutive years is a significant achievement for Lingel Learning. It reflects the hard work, passion, and expertise that our team pours into every project. Whether we’re designing intuitive user experiences, creating custom plugins, or providing ongoing support, our focus is always on empowering educators and learners.

We couldn’t have reached this milestone without the trust of our clients and partners. Your collaboration has been essential in pushing us to continuously innovate and improve. We’re especially proud of the impact our solutions have had on learning outcomes and engagement across various sectors, including education, corporate training, and not-for-profit organizations.

Why Lingel Learning?

At Lingel Learning, we believe in the transformative power of education. Our approach goes beyond technology — we take the time to understand the goals and challenges of each client, delivering solutions that align with their needs. As a Moodle Certified Partner, we are held to the highest standards of technical expertise, support, and customer satisfaction, ensuring that our clients receive the best possible eLearning experience.

We offer a full range of services, including:

  • Hosting: Secure and reliable hosting options designed to support scalability and performance.
  • Moodle development: Custom plugins, themes, and integrations tailored to your organization.
  • Training: Comprehensive training for administrators and educators to make the most of Moodle’s powerful features.
  • Support: Dedicated technical support to ensure seamless operation and user experience.

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate our fourth consecutive award, we are energized and excited about the future. The eLearning landscape continues to evolve, and we are committed to driving innovation in Moodle solutions to meet the changing needs of educators and learners. With new features, advancements in user experience, and a deeper focus on personalisation, we’re confident that the best is yet to come.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey so far. We look forward to continuing to provide world-class eLearning solutions and empowering more organisations to achieve their learning and development goals.
Here’s to another year of innovation and success!

MoodleMoot Australia 2024

MoodleMoot Australia 2024

Get Ready for the Learning Experience of the Year: Lingel Learning at MoodleMoot Australia 2024!

Lingel Learning is thrilled to announce our participation in MoodleMoot Melbourne, Australia 26-27 November! This year’s event, set to take place in vibrant Melbourne, promises an engaging lineup of sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities for anyone passionate about online learning and Moodle’s latest innovations.

At MoodleMoot Australia, you’ll experience hands-on sessions and in-depth discussions on maximizing the power of Moodle to elevate learning. Whether you’re a teacher, admin, or developer, the Moot is a chance to explore new strategies, discover solutions to common challenges, and get inspired by the latest advancements in e-learning.

Lingel Learning with the MoodleHQ team

Our team at Lingel Learning is excited to connect with fellow educators, share insights, and showcase how our customized solutions are empowering organizations to deliver exceptional learning experiences. Don’t miss the opportunity to expand your Moodle expertise and take away actionable insights that will impact your learning programs.

We can’t wait to see you there! Follow us for updates and be sure to stop by and say hello. Let’s make MoodleMoot Australia 2024 an unforgettable event!

First Steps to Take When Improving Moodle Performance

First Steps to Take When Improving Moodle Performance

Improving the performance of a Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) is critical for enhancing user experience and ensuring efficient and smooth operation. If you’re looking to boost your Moodle’s performance, here are the initial steps you should consider:

1. Assess Current Performance

Before making any changes, it’s essential to understand where your Moodle stands in terms of performance. Tools such as GTmetrix, Pingdom, or Google PageSpeed Insights can provide insights into how your site performs and pinpoint areas that need improvement.

2. Review Hosting Environment

The server on which your Moodle is hosted plays a significant role in its performance. Review your current hosting plan and server resources such as CPU, memory, and disk space. Consider upgrading to a more robust hosting solution if the current one doesn’t meet Moodle’s requirements or your user load.

3. Optimise Database Settings

The database is a critical component of Moodle’s performance. Ensure that your database is configured correctly:

  • Use a dedicated database server if possible.
  • Optimise the database by regular maintenance practices like cleaning up old logs, and repairing or indexing the database.

4. Enable Caching

Moodle supports several caching options that can significantly improve performance by reducing database load:

  • Install and configure a site-wide caching service like Redis or Memcached.
  • Fine-tune the cache stores settings in Moodle to optimise performance for your specific use case.

5. Review Installed Plugins

Plugins can extend Moodle’s functionality but can also impact performance:

  • Audit installed plugins and remove or disable those that are not necessary.
  • Update all plugins to their latest versions to take advantage of performance improvements.

6. Implement Content Delivery Network (CDN)

Using a CDN can greatly enhance the speed of content delivery, especially if you have users dispersed geographically:

  • Static files like images, JavaScript, and CSS loaded from a CDN can reduce the load on your server and speed up loading times for users.

7. Optimise File System Storage

How Moodle stores and retrieves files can impact performance:

  • Consider settings for file system paths, and make sure that the server’s file system is not a bottleneck.
  • Ensure adequate I/O capacity if you’re hosting large amounts of multimedia content.

8. Configure HTTP Accelerators

HTTP Accelerators like Varnish can be used to cache static content and even dynamic content at the web server level, reducing the load on Moodle’s PHP rendering system.

9. Adjust PHP and Web Server Settings

Optimising your PHP configuration can have a notable impact on Moodle’s performance:

  • Increase memory limits as appropriate.
  • Use the latest PHP version for improved performance and security.
  • Configure your web server (Apache, Nginx) settings for optimal performance based on your server’s resources and expected traffic.

10. Monitor and Continue to Optimise

Performance optimisation is an ongoing process:

  • Continuously monitor the performance using tools like New Relic or similar.
  • Regularly review system logs for any errors or warnings that could indicate performance issues.
  • Stay updated with new releases and patches from Moodle and apply them as appropriate.

By taking these initial steps, you can significantly improve the performance of your Moodle LMS, providing a better experience for users and ensuring the system can handle future growth and demands efficiently.

11 Essential Strategies to Turbocharge Your Moodle Performance

11 Essential Strategies to Turbocharge Your Moodle Performance

Moodle, as a widely used Learning Management System (LMS), plays a pivotal role in the e-learning landscape. Ensuring that Moodle runs efficiently is crucial for providing an optimal learning experience. Slow page loads and lagging performance not only hamper the user experience but can also impact the learning process. This article delves into proven strategies to improve Moodle performance, ensuring that your e-learning platform is both fast and reliable.

Understanding Moodle Performance

Moodle’s performance can be influenced by various factors ranging from hosting solutions to the specific configuration of your Moodle installation. Understanding what affects performance is the first step in optimising your Moodle site. By analysing key aspects such as server response time, page load speed, and resource utilisation, you can start to identify areas for improvement.

The Importance of Speed and Reliability

Speed and reliability are not just about user satisfaction; they are also about ensuring that learners have uninterrupted access to educational resources. Slow performance can lead to disengagement and frustration, directly impacting the effectiveness of your e-learning programs.

Tools for Assessing Moodle Speed

Before embarking on optimisation, it’s crucial to assess your current performance. Tools like GTmetrix, Pingdom, and Google PageSpeed Insights can provide valuable insights into your Moodle site’s performance, highlighting areas that need attention.

Identifying Common Performance Bottlenecks

Common bottlenecks such as unoptimised images, excessive plugin usage, and inadequate hosting solutions can drastically reduce your Moodle site’s performance. Identifying these bottlenecks is a prerequisite for targeted optimisation.

Choosing the Right Hosting Solution

The foundation of Moodle performance lies in your choice of hosting. Options range from shared hosting to dedicated servers or even cloud solutions. Understanding the pros and cons of each can guide you to the best choice for your specific needs.

Server Specifications for Optimal Performance

Your server’s specifications directly impact Moodle’s performance. Key factors include RAM, CPU performance, and disk speed. Ensuring that your server is adequately equipped to handle your Moodle site’s demands is crucial.

Essential Configuration Settings

Moodle comes with various configuration settings that can be tweaked for performance. From memory limits to session handling, understanding and adjusting these settings can lead to significant performance gains.

Cache Management Strategies

Effective cache management is vital for Moodle performance. Utilising caching can dramatically reduce load times by storing frequently accessed data for quick retrieval.

Database Optimisation Techniques

The database is at the heart of Moodle’s performance. Regular maintenance, such as cleaning up old data and optimising database tables, can ensure that your database runs efficiently.

Regular Maintenance and Monitoring

Ongoing maintenance and monitoring are crucial for sustaining optimal performance. Regular updates, backups, and performance monitoring can help you maintain a stable and fast Moodle environment.

File Storage and Organisation Methods

How you store and organise files in Moodle can affect performance. Efficient file handling strategies, such as proper file storage solutions and organisation, can enhance access speed and reliability.

Using CDN for Enhanced Media Delivery

Content Delivery Networks (CDN) can significantly improve the delivery of media content on your Moodle site. By distributing content across multiple servers, CDNs can reduce load times and bandwidth usage.

Selecting Performance-Oriented Themes

The theme you choose for your Moodle site can affect its performance. Opting for lightweight, well-coded themes can ensure that your site remains fast and responsive.

Managing and Updating Plugins

Plugins add functionality to Moodle but can also impact performance. Regularly reviewing and updating your plugins, and removing unnecessary ones, can prevent performance issues.

Minimising HTTP Requests

Reducing the number of HTTP requests your Moodle site makes can drastically improve performance. Techniques include using sprite sheets for images and combining CSS and JavaScript files.

Optimising Images and Multimedia Content

Large image and multimedia files can slow down your Moodle site. Optimising these files by compressing them or using appropriate formats can significantly improve load times.

Implementing Lazy Loading

Lazy loading is a technique that loads images and other content only when they are needed. This can significantly improve initial page load times and enhance the user experience.

Utilising Browser Caching

Leveraging browser caching can make your Moodle pages load faster for repeat visitors. By storing certain parts of your pages locally in the user’s browser, you can reduce loading times on subsequent visits.

Setting Up Monitoring Tools

Monitoring tools can provide real-time insights into your Moodle site’s performance. They help in identifying issues promptly, allowing for immediate action to rectify any problems.

Routine Performance Checks and Updates

Regularly checking your Moodle site’s performance and applying updates is essential. This ensures that you are running the most efficient version of Moodle and that any known issues are addressed.

FAQs

  1. What are the first steps to take when improving Moodle performance?
  2. How does hosting affect Moodle’s performance?
  3. Can the choice of plugins significantly impact Moodle’s speed?
  4. What are the best practices for database maintenance in Moodle?
  5. How often should I perform performance checks on my Moodle site?
  6. Are there any specific server configurations that are best for Moodle?

Improving Moodle’s performance is a continuous process that involves monitoring, tweaking, and updating various aspects of your e-learning platform. By implementing the strategies outlined in this article, you can ensure that your Moodle site provides a fast, reliable, and engaging learning experience for your users.

Moodle SCORM Activity Settings

Moodle SCORM Activity Settings

This blog post aims to assist users to better understand the new improvements made to the activity completion settings for SCORM packages in Moodle 4.1 when compared to Moodle 3.9.

Throughout this article, we will use Moodle 3.9 as a baseline example and compare how these same activity completion settings function in Moodle 4.1 for SCORM packages.

Let’s begin by setting up a SCORM activity in Moodle 3.9 with the following activity completion criteria defined:

SCORM activity in Moodle 3.9

In this example, for the activity to be marked complete for the user, they are required to:

  • View the activity
  • Require status
    • Achieve Completed status
    • Or, Require all scos to return completion status

Note: Based on the criteria defined above, in Moodle 3.9 and below, users must satisfy both the View activity criteria, and require one of the selected statuses (Completed, or Require all scos to return completion status) for the Require status criteria to be satisfied.

View activity criteria

Now let’s have our test user attempt the SCORM package:

    Attempt the SCORM package

    The user has achieved a ‘Passed’ status on the SCORM attempt and will have the SCORM activity module marked complete on their course page:

    Passed SCORM package

    This activity was marked complete because they satisfied the “View activity” and “Require all scos to return completion status” criteria. In summary, as long as one of the Require status criteria is met, it will satisfy the entire condition.

    Now let’s attempt the above process in Moodle 4.1 to demonstrate the improvements and how they function differently from Moodle 3.9.

    With the SCORM package activity completion setup identically to Moodle 3.9 above, here is how the SCORM package will appear for our students on the course page:

    SCORM package activity completion setup

    You will notice that the first difference is that the individual activity completion criteria are displayed to users on the course page.

    Let’s have our user attempt this SCORM package:

    users attempt this SCORM package

    The activity will appear as follows for the user on the course page:

    SCORM activity on course page

    Despite the package returning a ‘Passed’ status similar to Moodle 3.9, the activity is not marked complete for this student. Even though the packages are setup identically in Moodle 3.9 and Moodle 4.1, the package calculates activity completion differently in Moodle 4.1. In this updated version of Moodle, the activity completion criteria requires the student to satisfy ALL the criteria defined. In this scenario, the user is required to:

    • View the activity
    • Require the completion status (Complete the activity)
    • Require all scos to return completion status. (Do all parts of this activity)

    In summary, for the Require Status completion criteria to be marked complete, the user is required to satisfy both the nested conditions (Complete the activity and Do all parts of this activity) for it to be met. Comparing this to Moodle 3.9, the user was only required to satisfy one of the nested conditions.

    If you find that the activity completion requirements are no longer being met in your updated site we advise updating these settings for the SCORM activity by selecting only one of the choices for ‘passed’, ‘complete’ or ‘require all scos to return completion status’. You can apply this by:

     

    • creating a new SCORM activity and hiding/restricting the old one,
    • creating a new version of the course using the backup and restore functionality, updating the SCORM activity completion settings and enrolling new users into the updated version moving forward
    • unlocking the activity completion requirements and updating the current settings. If choosing to unlock the activity completion requirements, it is important to consider the implications of the loss of data by performing this action. 

    Integrate external learning activities within Moodle using the External Portfolio Plugin

    Integrate external learning activities within Moodle using the External Portfolio Plugin

    What is the External Portfolio Plugin

    The External Portfolio plugin provides trainees with the opportunity to upload evidence and details of previously completed learning activities conducted outside of Moodle. This plugin is a great solution for administrators aiming to integrate external learning activities into your Moodle learning environment. With this plugin, site administrators have the ability to create and manage pre-defined learning areas, to which trainees will submit evidence for it to be validated and graded by their trainers. Furthermore, site administrators can specify the maximum grade that trainers can assign to a learning activity, and the allowed upload file types for trainees uploading evidence.

    Student (trainee) perspective

    Students can access the External Activities page from their profile pages. By navigating to the Learning activities page, students are able to view all the learning areas created by their markers:

    Moodle External Activities page

    This page provides students with a visual representation of any learning area submissions, grades, and statuses associated with them. Furthermore, the table displays the submission and grading dates for each learning area.

    Upload new learning activities

    Students can upload new learning activities by specifying the following attributes:

    • Learning area: The learning area that this learning activity is being created for.
    • Learning activity name: The name of the learning activity.
    • Learning activity description: The description of the learning activity.
    • Completion date: The date on which the learning activity was completed (no future dates are allowed).
    • Completion evidence: Upload an evidence file providing proof that the learning activity was completed. The upload file must meet the accepted file types specified by the site administrator within the plugin settings.

    Marker (trainer) perspective

    Similar to students, by default site administrators can access the External Activities page from their profile page. Administrators (and users with permission) will be shown the Marking dashboard page instead of the Learning dashboard displayed to students.

    Upload new learning activities

    Marking dashboard

    The marking dashboard page allows administrators to manage learning areas, perform grading, and accept or reject submissions made by students.

    Learning activity summary

    Feedback can be assigned to valid submissions with a specified grade. The maximum grade available for submissions is defined at the plugin settings level set by the site administrator.

    Maximum grade

    The plugin also provides markers with the ability to provide Rejection feedback for student submissions.

    Moodle Rejection feedback