Some overall design features

Moodle is a course management system (CMS) - a software package designed to help educators easily create quality online courses. Such e-learning systems are sometimes also called Learning Management Systems (LMS) or Virtual Learning Environments (VLE)

Some general features that would interest a system administrator:

  • Moodle runs without modification on Unix, Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, Netware and any other system that supports PHP (which includes almost every webhosting provider).
  • Moodle is designed in a modular way, and allows a great deal of flexibility to add (and remove) functionality at many leveles.
  • Moodle upgrades very easily from one version to the next - it has an internal system to upgrade it's own databases and repair itself over time.
  • Moodle requires only one database (and can share it with other applications if necessary).
  • Moodle includes comprehensive database abstraction that supports many major brands of database.
  • Emphasis on strong security throughout. Forms are all checked, data validated, cookies encrypted etc


Some other features that would interest an educator.
  • Moodle promotes a social constructionist pedagogy (which includes collaboration, activity-based learning, critical reflection, etc)
  • Moodle is suitable for 100% online classes as well as supplementing face-to-face learning
  • Moodle has a simple, lightweight, efficient, compatible, low-tech browser interface
  • Course listings show descriptions for every course on the server, including accessibility to guests.
  • Courses can be categorised and searched - one Moodle site can support thousands of courses
  • Most text entry areas (resources, forum postings, journal entries etc) can be edited using a capable, embedded WYSIWYG HTML editor
Last modified: Tuesday, 25 October 2011, 3:31 PM