Moodle Help Guide

Moodle will be upgraded to version 4.3 on August 20, 2024. 

Moodle will be unavailable August 20th, then will relaunch in the new version.

What will change?

• The look and feel will be more modern
• Some navigation will move
• Course content and activity blocks will be in collapsible menus that can be reordered with drag and drop
• Icons for activities and other tools have been updated

What will remain?

• All course sites currently in Moodle
• Course content, including material added to fall 2024 courses up until 4 a.m. August 20th
• Integrated tools like Gradescope, Kaltura, and H5P

What support will be available to adjust to this change?

• Individual appointments with Ed Tech staff available weekdays during business hours before and after the upgrade. 
• Live drop-in support via Zoom August 22, 23, and 30 10 a.m.-12 p.m., and September 3-6 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 
• Live drop-in support in person in the Media Teaching Area at the MEWS the first 3 days of classes: September 4-6, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 
• Email edtech@mtholyoke.edu with questions; expect to receive a reply within 1 business day.
• Ed Tech's Support Calendar is also available.

1. Why now?
   Because of security vulnerabilities in the College's current version of Moodle, our Moodle-hosting vendor is requiring an update to Moodle. We recognize that changes to Moodle close to the start of the semester are disruptive, but this timing is necessary to avoid the alternative: a mid-semester upgrade.
    
2. Can I preview what the new version will be like?
   There is a live sandbox of version 4.3 where anyone can log in as an instructor and experiment with a test course. Use username: teacher and password: sandbox. This is a blank, "out of the box" site which resets frequently, so you can experiment with it all you like, but changes will be erased upon reset, and it does not have any of our customizations. 
    
3. Is the "new Moodle" the decision of the recent project to evaluate our LMS options for the future? 
   The process of selecting an LMS for Mount Holyoke’s long term future is still underway, and communication about the platform beyond the coming academic year will be forthcoming.  
    
4. Do I need to wait until August 20th to start building my Fall 2024 course sites?
   No need to wait! Content will migrate to the new version in the same structure it appears in the current version. Activities and files and other material you add before the migration will be retained.