Installing Moodle Add Ons & Plug Ins - 41 views
started by Robert Blomeyer on 22 Nov 08
started by Robert Blomeyer on 22 Nov 08
started by Robert Blomeyer on 22 Nov 08
The easiest way to get into installing Moodle Mods is to first create an identity for yourself on the Moodle Support Forums and then figure out how to find your way around.
To help you get started, here's a link that will lead you to the "front door," where you'll have the option to sign up and create your identity.
http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=45780
Then it should let you in and take you to the forum thread about installing Moodle "Mods." If not, return here and follow the link in a second time. This time you'll be able to get in with your new identity.
The first posting that answers the question gives most arcane secret to installing Moodle Mods.
Most Moodle Mods are Zipped files that will unpack into a folder on your hard drive somewhere. The majority of them will have a TXT file in the folder unpacking the ZIP creates that contains detailed instructions to guide your installation.
The one prerequisite for all Moodle Mod installations is that you've got to be the Sysop for your Moodle site and have write access to all the folders inside the Moodle installation.
If you can't do that directly (like on a hosted Linux site), talk to your host's sysop about setting up a DEV folder that you can mount on your Windows or Mac desktop remotely, that will give you write access to your own Moodle installation.
They'll do it because it will save them a lot of trouble every time you want to install a new Mod,
I hope this information helps you get started.
Bob Blomeyer (BobBl)
Thanks for the reminder,
Miguel
Robert Blomeyer wrote:
> David:
>
> The easiest way to get into installing Moodle Mods is to first create an identity for yourself on the Moodle Support Forums and then figure out how to find your way around.
>
> To help you get started, here's a link that will lead you to the "front door," where you'll have the option to sign up and create your identity.
>
> http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=45780
>
> Then it should let you in and take you to the forum thread about installing Moodle "Mods." If not, return here and follow the link in a second time. This time you'll be able to get in with your new identity.
>
> The first posting that answers the question gives most arcane secret to installing Moodle Mods.
>
> Most Moodle Mods are Zipped files that will unpack into a folder on your hard drive somewhere. The majority of them will have a TXT file in the folder unpacking the ZIP creates that contains detailed instructions to guide your installation.
>
> The one prerequisite for all Moodle Mod installations is that you've got to be the Sysop for your Moodle site and have write access to all the folders inside the Moodle installation.
>
> If you can't do that directly (like on a hosted Linux site), talk to your host's sysop about setting up a DEV folder that you can mount on your Windows or Mac desktop remotely, that will give you write access to your own Moodle installation.
>
> They'll do it because it will save them a lot of trouble every time you want to install a new Mod,
>
> I hope this information helps you get started.
>
> Bob Blomeyer (BobBl)
Ah yes. If it could only be made that simple.
Unfortunately PHP based online environments don't work quite that way. But Moodle offers other substantial benefits that make learning how to install mods & "do it yourself" well worthwhile.
Fir instance, that "Survey" Mod you're about to install is a real gem. It supports developing customizable surveys that are every bit as professional and powerful as survey tools you would pay bucks to get as web-based tools.
And it has two very well written README files that provide complete instructions for how to both install and use this wonderful research tool.
(Open the two README's using the Windows Wordpad tool. It's easier to read that way and prints out nicely.)
You'll be so pumped after you successfully install your first Moodle Mod that it can get to be habit forming. Don't let that happen because then you'll never get any course development done.
Figure out what the basic capacities are that you need for supporting what you plan to teach, and read the reviews of all the different Mods that do more or less the same thing.
Pick ones that apparently have good reputations among Moodle users and favor those that provide the best free support. via correspondence with developers in the Moodle forums.
If you plan on adding a synchronous Online Classroom, give DimDim a try. It's integration into Moodle is seamless.
The free version of DimDim that's currently available has all the basic functionality of commercial products and you can use it without cost with groups of up to 19 students plus the instructor. (20 max.)
The latest revision has even added a dial in phone number that you and your students can use to handle voice interaction; instead of using the sometimes tricky VOIP feature. Just remember that it can't mix dial-in voice and VOIP. You have to do it one way or the other.
We're not using DimDim ourselves, But when course participants ask if the "XXXXXXXX" Classroom can be made available for them to use after the course is over,I have no hesitation to recommend they try a DimDim account as the best available no-cost alternative .
BobBl
Miguel guhlin wrote:
> Bob, it's a shame Moodle hasn't implemented a way to just type in the URL of a mod.zip file and then install it from that point, as do other web 2.0 apps! I'll keep my fingers crossed!
>
> Thanks for the reminder,
> Miguel
>
>
> Robert Blomeyer wrote:
> > David:
> >
> > The easiest way to get into installing Moodle Mods is to first create an identity for yourself on the Moodle Support Forums and then figure out how to find your way around.
> >
> > To help you get started, here's a link that will lead you to the "front door," where you'll have the option to sign up and create your identity.
> >
> > http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=45780
> >
> > Then it should let you in and take you to the forum thread about installing Moodle "Mods." If not, return here and follow the link in a second time. This time you'll be able to get in with your new identity.
> >
> > The first posting that answers the question gives most arcane secret to installing Moodle Mods.
> >
> > Most Moodle Mods are Zipped files that will unpack into a folder on your hard drive somewhere. The majority of them will have a TXT file in the folder unpacking the ZIP creates that contains detailed instructions to guide your installation.
> >
> > The one prerequisite for all Moodle Mod installations is that you've got to be the Sysop for your Moodle site and have write access to all the folders inside the Moodle installation.
> >
> > If you can't do that directly (like on a hosted Linux site), talk to your host's sysop about setting up a DEV folder that you can mount on your Windows or Mac desktop remotely, that will give you write access to your own Moodle installation.
> >
> > They'll do it because it will save them a lot of trouble every time you want to install a new Mod,
> >
> > I hope this information helps you get started.
> >
> > Bob Blomeyer (BobBl)