Moodle servers
There are actually five separate Moodle environments and each is tailored to handling specific course and enrolment types.
Main Moodle
This server is closely integrated with SITS which creates all the modules and programme sites, as well as the corresponding enrolments which are performed by programme administrators. All users must have a University ID, and this includes external examiners and overseas tutors who are usually allocated limited associate accounts by Human Resources. Courses on the main Moodle server do not support the self-enrolment method that is available on other servers. Nominated programme administrators can crosslist modules (and programmes) into a parent site, as well as creating Learning Spaces. Therefore use this server for credit bearing courses for current students.
This server is integrated with SITS to create all the eligible modules according to each exam diet, together with the corresponding student enrolments. Staff enrolments are a duplicate of main Moodle modules but only those from SITS and not from the Additional Enrolments block. After each exam diet the student logins are disabled and the courses hidden, and so the Exams server is not designed for providing students with feedback. All users must have a University ID, and this includes external examiners who are usually allocated limited associate accounts by Human Resources. Courses on Moodle Exams do not support the self-enrolment method that is available on other servers.
Moodle Community
This server is not integrated with SITS and so all courses are created by the Learning Technology Support team by request using this short Unidesk form. Anyone with a University ID can log into the server, and staff enrolled as a Teacher on a course can enrol any colleagues as Teachers on the course. Teachers can enrol any current students either manually, or via a self-enrol method where an additional security layer can be implemented using an ‘enrolment key’.
External users can be given Moodle Community accounts by adding a spreadsheet to the Unidesk form Please ensure your spreadsheet is saved as a .csv file and contains the following information only and no additional or irrelevant fields.
Tip: Avoid special characters in field information like quotes or other commas. Test a file with only one record before a large upload.
Tip: You can use a spread sheet program to create the file with the required columns and fields. Then save the file as “CSV (comma delimited)”. These files can be opened with simple text editors (e.g., Notepad++) for verification.
The ‘course short name’ can be found along the breadcrumb trail at the top of your Moodle course.
Once an account has been created this will enable external users to login to the Community server and access any course they have an enrolment for.
They will receive an automated email with a link to the server and instructions to change their password, and so Community accounts are usually created when the course is ready. Therefore use this server when the user details are known and access to the course is to be controlled by the Teacher.
Open Moodle
This server is not integrated with SITS and so all courses are created by the Learning Technology Support team on request. Anyone with a University ID can log into the server, and staff enrolled as a Teacher on a course can enrol any colleagues as Teachers on the course. Teachers can enrol any current students either manually, or via a self-enrol method and an additional security layer can be implemented using an ‘enrolment key’.
Allow anyone external to the University can create their own account based on their personal email address, and they receive an automated email with a link to the server and instructions to change their password. Once logged in they can access any course that supports the self-enrol method if they know the enrolment key. Therefore use this server when the user details are not known and access to the course is less controlled than on the Community server.
Staff Training
This server is not integrated with SITS and courses can be created by any member of staff in the Sandboxes category. If you do not see the ‘Add a new course’ button then contact the Learning Technology Support team who can alter your permissions. Staff enrolled as a Teacher on a course can enrol any colleagues as Teachers on the course, therefore use this server for developing new courses that are to backed up and restored to the main Moodle server.