Create engaging and interactive content in Moodle with H5P

Create engaging and interactive content in Moodle with H5P

by | Jun 12, 2023 | LMS, Moodle

What is H5P?

H5P allows you to create rich HTML5 content within your Moodle LMS. H5P content can be easily shared, re-used, and embedded into various pages and sites across the internet. You should consider utilizing H5P activities if you strive to create more interactive, responsive, mobile-friendly content. H5P is a free and open-source technology that allows you to create immersive courses for your students.

Add H5P content to LMS

Ensure that you have the H5P activity plugin installed on your site before proceeding. You can find documentation for the H5P plugin by visiting: https://moodle.org/plugins/mod_hvp.

You can find examples and preset H5P content types to add to your LMS by navigating to: https://h5p.org/content-types-and-applications

Select a content type that you wish to use. You can click the Reuse button in the bottom left of the H5P content type. You will then be prompted to download the (.h5p) file.

Reuse Button

Within your Moodle LMS, navigate to your Content Bank. On this page click the Upload button and drag and drop the H5P file you downloaded earlier. After the file has been uploaded, you can choose to edit the H5P content to your preference.

Moodle Content Bank

For example, the accordion H5P content type allows you to edit the accordion panel titles and body text.

Accordion H5P content type

The H5P activity will now be available within your content bank. You can also choose to add additional pre-defined Moodle H5P content types via the add button:

H5P activity in the Moodle content bank

Add H5P activity to a course

H5P activities can be added to the course similar to other activities and resources.

Moodle H5P activity

When setting up the H5P activity, you can provide an Activity name, optional description, and package file. You can select the H5P file from the content bank that we created earlier.

Moodle File Picker

With H5P activities, you can also define additional attributes:

H5P activities (define additional attributes)
  • Allow download: Whether the user is allowed to download the file H5P package.
  • Embed button: Whether the H5P package is allowed to be embedded.
  • Copyright button: Display the copyright button.

What else can H5P do?

H5P content is not just restricted to course modules, it can be used in a variety of ways. In your text editor, you can find the H5P button. Afterwards, you can click the Browse repositories button to select the H5P package you modified earlier within the content bank.

Text Editor

For example, you may want to add the H5P content to a course label. Try adding some interactive H5P content to your course page via the label resource.

Add H5P content to a course label

H5P content can also be added to page resources: 

Add H5P content to page resources

H5P activities can also be added to HTML Moodle blocks.

Add H5P activities to HTML Moodle blocks

H5P can be used in a variety of ways. You are not just restricted to the H5P activity. The next time you are using Moodle, be on the lookout for the H5P button within the text editor. We are positive that H5P will help make your course stand out to your students.

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Best practices for maintaining and upgrading your Moodle LMS

Best practices for maintaining and upgrading your Moodle LMS

by | May 7, 2023 | LMS

In this article, we will be discussing the best practices for maintaining and upgrading your Moodle LMS. As an administrator, It’s important to keep your site and its plugins up to date to ensure integrity, security, and compliance.

Please refer to Moodle’s Official Documentation for detailed information.

Maintaining your Moodle LMS

It’s a good idea to periodically check the System status report available by visiting:
Site administration > Reports > System status

Moodle System Status

This overall report provides information on the status of the server environment requirements, upgrade requirements, cron execution frequency, number of failed tasks, and whether the ad-hoc task queue is empty.

The administrators should frequently check the ‘Notifications’ page found by visiting:
Site administration > Notifications

This page will display notifications/errors of interest to the site administrator. Administrators can check for available plugin updates and download newer versions of Moodle if available.

Moodle version available

Before upgrading your Moodle LMS version

It is recommended that you test the upgraded Moodle version on a staging site (copy of the production site) to ensure it is working properly.

Check that your server meets all the requirements for the new Moodle version (eg. Moodle 4.1):
Site administration > Server > Environment

Note: Moodle 4.1 can only be upgraded from Moodle 3.9 or later. For previous versions, upgrade to Moodle 3.9 first.

It’s recommended that Moodle LMS administrations put their site into maintenance mode to prevent non-administrative users from logging in. This is to prevent user access during version upgrades. Users will be informed of the ‘Maintenance Mode’ status when visiting your Moodle LMS.

Backup site data

In addition to backing up your Moodle LMS, you should also back up the following areas:

  • Moodle software
  • Uploaded files (eg. server/moodledata)
  • Moodle database (eg. MySQL database dump)

Upgrading your Moodle LMS version

The latest release of Moodle can be downloaded by visiting:
https://download.moodle.org

You can follow the instructions outlined in Moodle’s upgrading documentation.

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What is Single-Sign-On and how does it work with Moodle?

What is Single-Sign-On and how does it work with Moodle?

by | Feb 28, 2023 | LMS, Moodle

What are authentication methods

Within Moodle, there are numerous ways to authenticate users into your site. These are often referred to as Authentication methods. You can set and view the current authentication methods for your site by navigating to:

Site administration > Plugins > Authentication > Manage authentication

Moodle Authentication-Plugins

You can disable specific authentication methods or move their order within the list of priorities. The table will also display the number of users that are using this authentication method to log into your site.

What is single-sign-on?

Single-sign-on is a service that allows a user to log into multiple websites and software with a single identity. For example, you may be familiar with using your Google account to log into multiple websites. This service is beneficial due to its simplicity, and not requiring the user to memorize multiple login credentials for various sites.

The SAML2 and OpenID are two popular single-sign-on plugins used within the Moodle community.

SAML2

The SAML2 plugin is a great choice because all the setting configuration is done within Moodle. This means that you do not need to perform any additional installs or utilize any extra applications. You can install the plugin and ensure that you have enabled it within the Manage authentication page. You may access the SAML2 settings from this page or follow the instructions below.

Access SAML2 settings page:
Site administration > Plugins > Authentication > SAML2

Moodle SAML2 settings

For more information on the SAML2 authentication plugin please refer to:
https://moodle.org/plugins/auth_saml2

OpenID Connect

The OpenID authentication plugin provides the single-sign-on functionality by utilizing configurable identity providers. These include the Azure Active Directory which is included in the Microsoft 365 suite of plugins. This plugin allows users to log into Moodle with their Microsoft 365 account. Users with the existing Moodle accounts can be switched over to this authentication type. In addition, new users can log in with this plugin and have a new Moodle account created for them.

Please ensure that you have enabled the plugin on the Manage authentication page. You can access the settings for OpenID Connect by clicking the settings link or alternatively by following the instructions below.

Access OpenID Connect settings page:
Site administration > Plugins > Authentication > OpenID Connect

Moodle Open ID Connect

For more information on the Moodle legacy OAuth2 authentication, plugin please refer to:
https://docs.moodle.org/400/en/OAuth_2_authentication

For more information on Google’s OAuth2 authentication plugin, please refer to:
https://moodle.org/plugins/auth_googleoauth2

Setting a user’s authentication method

A user’s authentication method can be updated or defined when the user account is created or when the user profile is edited.

Moodle user's authentication method

For example, users who have the OpenID Connect authentication method may log into your Moodle site by clicking the OpenID Connect button on the login page.

Moodle OpenID Connect authentication
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7 ways you can make your Moodle courses more interactive

7 ways you can make your Moodle courses more interactive

by | Jan 31, 2023 | e-learning, LMS, Moodle

Making Moodle courses more interactive is a great way to engage students and increase their participation and retention. Here are some tips and tricks to help you make your Moodle courses more interactive: 

Use multimedia

Moodle allows you to add multimedia elements such as videos, images, and audio to your courses. By incorporating these elements, you can make your courses more engaging and interactive. For example, you can use videos to introduce new concepts, images to illustrate key points, and audio to provide audio instructions. You can also use screen recording tools to create interactive video tutorials that can be used to guide students through a particular process or concept.

Use multimedia

Use forums and discussion boards

Moodle has built-in forums and discussion boards that allow students to interact with each other and with the teacher. These tools can be used to facilitate discussions, ask questions, and provide feedback. By creating open-ended questions or discussions, you can encourage students to express their opinions and share their thoughts. You can also use these tools to create peer-review assignments, where students can provide feedback on each other’s work.

Moodle forums & discussion boards

Use quizzes and assessments

Moodle has a variety of quizzes and assessments that can be used to test students’ knowledge and understanding. These tools can be used to provide immediate feedback and to encourage students to participate more actively in the course. You can also use these tools to create interactive quizzes, where students can get immediate feedback on their answers and see explanations for the correct answers.

Moodle quizzes and assessments

Advanced Reporting

Moodle provides a great selection of reports for both administrators and teachers to conduct their e-learning. Despite this wide array of reports, some administrators and teachers may require additional reports that provide their organisations with advanced information. With Virtual Slate, our interactive dashboards allow you to report against your courses, activities, and users and view detailed reports.

Dashboards

Use collaborative tools

Moodle has a variety of collaborative tools such as wikis, blogs, and group assignments that allow students to work together on projects and assignments. These tools can be used to encourage collaboration and teamwork among students. By creating group projects, you can foster a sense of community among students, and give them opportunities to learn from each other.

Moodle Collaborative tools

Use gamification techniques

Gamification is the use of game elements and design techniques in non-game contexts. You can use gamification techniques to make your Moodle courses more interactive and engaging by incorporating elements such as points, badges, and leaderboards. By making learning feel like a game, students will be more motivated to participate and engage with the course material.

Moodle Badges and Gamification

Use feedback and analytics

Moodle has built-in analytics and feedback tools that allow you to track student progress and engagement. These tools can be used to identify areas where students are struggling and to adjust your teaching methods accordingly. By using these tools, you can get a better sense of what’s working and what’s not, and make changes to your courses to make them more interactive and effective.

Feedback and analytics

Incorporating these tips and tricks into your Moodle courses can help to make them more interactive and engaging for your students. However, it’s important to remember that every class and every student is different, so it may take some experimentation to find the best approach for your specific situation. Don’t be afraid to ask for student feedback, and be open to adjusting your approach as needed. With the right strategies in place, you can create an interactive and engaging learning experience that will help your students to succeed.

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2022 Award Winner – Moodle Certified Partner of the Year – APAC (2nd time in a row)

2022 Award Winner – Moodle Certified Partner of the Year – APAC (2nd time in a row)

by | Dec 9, 2022 | LMS

Lingel Learning is proud to announce we are the winners of ‘Moodle Certified Partner of the Year 2022 – Asia Pacific region (APAC) for the 2nd year in a row’. We have been continually working with our customers (from startups to enterprise level) to deliver excellent and award winning (no pun intended 😉) solutions.

Over the past couple of years we have been working on products that help new customers to get up and running in e-learning with ease as well as helping already established online learning organisations improve and automate their offerings.

Our Products:

Moodle Certified Partner of the Year – Asia Pacific region (APAC)

Established in 2011, Lingel Learning has prided itself on its commitment to Moodle. With offices in Canada and Australia, we continue to deliver exceptional services to our clients across a range of industries such as Corporate, Government, Education and Not-for-profit.

Lingel Learning offer its clients the benefit of using Moodle’s latest and greatest features along with enrolmart and the Virtual Slate framework that comes bundled with advanced plugins, integrations, and user-friendly dashboards.

We are looking forward to the new year and helping our clients get the most out of their learning management systems.

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    Grading options in Moodle

    Grading options in Moodle

    by | Sep 21, 2022 | LMS

    In Moodle, there are multiple ways to grade your student(s) work. Some popular activities that are commonly used to grade student work are the Assignment and Quiz activities. You may already be familiar with these activity types, however, today we will focus our attention on the various grading options when working with these activities.

    It is important to mention that not all activities and resources within Moodle support grade settings. Activities and resources within Moodle will have their own grade settings that associate with them. For example, when adding a new assignment activity to your course, the following grade options are available:

    Grades
    • Grade: Select the grade type that will be used (none, scale, point). You must also provide a Maximum grade value for the assignment activity when using the point grade type. If you decide to use the scale grade type, then you must specify the scale to be used for grading.
    • Grading method: Choose the advanced grading method that will be used to assess student work (simple direct grading, marking guide, rubric). Set this value to simple direct grading to disable advanced grading methods. Otherwise, select the advanced grading method you would like to use.
    • Grade category: The grade category that the activity grade will be placed in within the gradebook.
      Grade to pass: Specify the minimum grade required in order to pass the activity. This value is used when assessing activity and course completion.

    • Grade to pass:  Specify the minimum grade required in order to pass the activity. This value is used when assessing activity and course completion.

    • Anonymous submissions: Specify whether student identity is hidden from the grader/markers.
      Hide grader identity from students: Specify whether grader/marker identity is hidden from the students.
      Use marking workflow: If enabled, the marks will go through a series of workflow stages before the grades are released to students. This allows for multiple rounds of marking and students will all receive marks at the same time.

    • Hide grader identity from students: Specify whether grader/marker identity is hidden from the students.
    • Use marking workflow: If enabled, the marks will go through a series of workflow stages before the grades are released to students. This allows for multiple rounds of marking and students will all receive marks at the same time.

    Advanced grading methods:

    When setting up the assignment activity, you can choose to use Advanced Grading Methods. To do so, you can click the Rubric or Marking guide over the simple direct grading methods.

    When working with the Rubric method, you will be required to define a rubric that will be used by graders to assess the student’s grade, based on criteria plotted against levels of achievement. Each level is assigned a numeric grade which is then used to calculate a sum of all criteria grades.

    Here is an example shown of a rubric grading method. In this scenario, the student received a 2/2 in Grammer, ½ in Research, and 2/2 in the Syntax criteria levels. This results in a total grade of ⅚ (83.33%) in the gradebook for the assignment activity.

    rubric grading method

    The marking guide advanced grading method allows teachers to provide comments and grades for each criterion. For example, here is an example shown of an assignment activity that utilizes the marking guide advanced grading method. There are 2 criteria defined, one for Research, and one for Grammar. In the image below, the user has obtained a 2/2 in research, and ½ in grammar. This results in a ¾ and final activity grade of 75% within the gradebook.

    Moodle marking guide advanced grading method

    Quiz grading methods:

    With the quiz activity, you can specify the number of attempts allowed. Depending on your requirements, you can specify the maximum number of times a user can attempt a specific quiz.

    When setting up the quiz activity, you can select from the following grading methods:

    Moodle grading methods
    • Highest grade: the highest grade from all user attempts.
    • Average grade: the average grade from all user attempts.
    • First attempt: the grade from the user’s first attempt.
    • Last attempt: the grade from the user’s last attempt.