moodle common problems

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Moodle Common Problems LEWIS CARR SOLUTIONS ENGINEER

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Page 1: Moodle common problems

Moodle

Common

Problems

LEWIS CARRSOLUTIONS ENGINEER

Page 2: Moodle common problems

2

What are the common problems?

The Gradebook Mobile AccessInadequate reporting

Poor user interface

Cumbersome Admin tasks Site is too Slow Moodle Training Scroll of Death

Login Problems Upgrade Issues Clutter and Confusion House-keeping

CLICK ON A BOX ABOVE

Server Outages Failed Backups Database Crashes Technical Support

Page 3: Moodle common problems

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Problem: The web service crashes, Moodle goes down. Admins constantly checking site is up.

Solutions: • Use www.uptimerobot to monitor server outages – get email or

text notifications to reduce downtime and produce reports• Then check web server logs to identify last action that crashed

the server• Disable the function or upgrade plugin/component

Server Outages

Problems

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Problem: Backups fail, courses skipped or often server hangs or crashes.

Solutions: • Courses over 2Gb fail on 32-bit PHP systems• Configure a separate 64 bit Linux web server for backups• Let the separate server do the heavy lifting and system crons• Increase the max_allowed packets on MySQL• Delete the Log table each year. (Reduce DB size)• Periodically remove the DB backup (Reduce DB size)

Failed Course Backups

Problems

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Problem: Database can crash or tables get corrupted. Restore is often in the form of an SQL dump taken the night before

Solutions: • Take scheduled daily backups at key times of day• Repair MyISAM tables by running table diagnostics• Configure a database replication server for real-time

synchronous backups• In event of failure, point config to replicated DB – no data loss

Database Crashes/Corruptions

Problems

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Problem: No in-house technical support to help with Moodle issues- IT department reluctant/busy/or lack Moodle skills

Solutions: • Use the Moodle forums, they are invaluable (www.moodle.org/forums)

• Use the Moodle Tracker to submit bugs and get official fixes (http://tracker.moodle.org)

• Use your JISC Regional support mailing lists• Use Twitter and follow useful Moodle people

Technical Support

Problems

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Problem: Overwhelming, awkward scrolling, cumbersome

Solutions: • Create a separate theme layout for reports and gradebook• Use 100% full page width to reduce inherit scrollbars• De-clutter the page by removing bulky headers and footers• Use filtering/categories and hide columns where necessary• Don’t grade directly in gradebook, grade at assignment level as

to avoid grade overrides and locking

The gradebook

Problems

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Problem: Theme does not support mobile access

Solutions: • Enable mobile device detection in Moodle• In theme selector, choose the mobile theme for mobile devices

(support for which may be dropped in favour of below)• Consider using a responsive theme such as Bootstrap (Moodle

2.4 onwards)

Mobile Access

Problems

Page 9: Moodle common problems

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Problem: Reports are confusing, clunky and do not show what I need

Solutions: • Create bookmarks to your most used reports• Where possible, Export report data and edit in Excel• Install the “Configurable Reports” block (requires SQL

knowledge to use)• Create report templates for the data you require using the

block above.

Inadequate Reporting

Problems

Page 10: Moodle common problems

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Problem: Moodle looks dated, clunky and boring

Solutions: • Download a new theme• “Essential” by Julian Ridden is an amazing configurable theme

built with Bootstrap and can be customised via a GUI so no coding needed

• Bootstrap Clean (in core Moodle 2.5) is also a great theme• Outsource theme development to a Moodle partner

Poor User Interface

Problems

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Problem: Creating user accounts, enrolling users, un-enrolling users, groups, adding teachers and roles.

Solutions: • Automate the process• Use enrolment plugins and connect to your MIS data• Use LDAP authentication for Single Sign-on and password

resets• Configure auto-grouping and add teachers via MIS

synchronisation

Cumbersome Admin Tasks

Problems

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Problem: Moodle runs slowly, concurrent users slow site down further, slow page refreshes, slow database calls, system hangs.

Solutions: • Tweak server for optimum Moodle performance• Install a PHP Accelerator such as APC or Xcache• Consider load balancing webserver and database server• Use Memcache for database caching• Allocate more dynamic resource (if virtual) and assign them in

PHP/Apache

Site is too slow

Problems

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Problem: Lack of resources, difficult to organise site wide training, time constraints, lack of interest.

Solutions: • Consider the Moodle MOOC course (learn.moodle.net)• Use Moodle Docs• Use Bath University Wiki Guide• Embed Tutorial videos from YouTube into your Moodle• Pact Publishing Books on many Moodle subjects

Moodle Training

Problems

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Problem: Large courses scroll indefinitely. Confusing for students and information overload

Solutions: • Consider using “show only sections” (2.3+)• Use the collapsible topics format• Use the grid course format• Use meta courses and link via labels

Scroll of Death

Problems

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Problem: Students forget passwords, teachers forget passwords, users get locked out of the system

Solutions: • Consider using LDAP and get IT Service desks to reset system

passwords, thus resetting Moodle passwords by default• Or Use email addresses and manual accounts and use the

forgotten password email function.• Use the information box on the login screen to convey useful

information, such as how to reset a password, where to get help, or link to your password recovery page if you have one.

Login Problems

Problems

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Upgrade Issues

Problems

Problem: Upgrades fail, custom plugins stop functioning, errors occur.

Solutions: • Backup database before upgrading• Backup site files before upgrading• Check all third party blocks have updated and supported

versions• ALWAYS upgrade via the command line, not via web page.• Backup during each upgrade stage & upgrade sequentially• NEVER jump stages or miss versions

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Problem: Too much on screen, “Icon Soup”, too many blocks, too many options

Solutions: • Disable blocks you don’t need – reduce the list• Disable any modules you don’t need – reduce the list• Change your icon set to something simpler• Use the new activity chooser• Set your theme to only add core blocks to new courses• Create custom sticky blocks with common links to help staff

and students – then hide the complicated bits

Clutter and confusion

Problems

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Problem: Cleaning up courses, removing users, deleting courses

Solutions: • Good MIS integration eases the burden (database enrolments)• LDAP Integration can snyc and remove old users• Use the course “Reset” option in the course settings to clean

up courses, wipe forums, reset assignments etc..• Run reports to find inactive courses and archive them• Devise a year-to-year roll over strategy keeping archived data

House-keeping

Problems