Moodle facts for kids
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| Original author(s) | Martin Dougiamas |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Martin Dougiamas Moodle HQ Moodle Community |
| Initial release | 20 August 2002 |
| Stable release |
5.0.1
 / 9 June 2025 |
| Written in | PHP |
| Type | Course management system |
| License | GPLv3+ |
Moodle (pronounced MOO-dəl) is a special kind of computer program. It's a free and open-source system that helps people learn online. Think of it as a digital classroom or a learning website.
Moodle is used by schools, universities, and even workplaces. It helps them create online courses. It's great for learning from home or mixing online lessons with regular classroom teaching. You can also add extra tools and features to Moodle.
Contents
What is Moodle?
Moodle was created by a person named Martin Dougiamas. He wanted to help teachers make online courses. He also wanted to make it easy for students to work together and share ideas. The very first version of Moodle came out on August 20, 2002. It's still being improved and updated today!
A company in Australia called Moodle HQ leads the Moodle project. They get help from many Moodle Partner companies around the world. These partners support Moodle's growth. Also, many people from the open-source community help make Moodle better.
Moodle is a platform that helps move learning online. It has many features that are now common in online learning systems. These include a calendar to keep track of assignments. It also has a gradebook to see your scores.
You can make Moodle look and feel just how you like it. There are different designs called graphical themes. You can also add extra tools called plugins. Moodle works well on phones and tablets too. There's even a Moodle mobile app you can download. You can find it on Google Play, the App Store, F-Droid, and the Windows Phone Store.
How Moodle Works with Other Learning Tools
Moodle can connect with other online learning tools. This means it can use different types of learning materials. Here are some ways it does this:
- SCORM: This is a way for online learning content to "talk" to Moodle. It helps Moodle understand how you're doing in a course. Moodle works with SCORM 1.2.
- AICC: This is another way Moodle can use learning materials made outside of Moodle.
- IMS Common Cartridge: Moodle can bring in whole courses that are packaged in this way. You can also export Moodle lessons as IMS Content Packages.
- LTI: This lets Moodle connect with other learning apps. These apps might be hosted somewhere else. Moodle can use these apps as an "External Tool."
Getting Moodle Ready to Use
People can download Moodle and put it on a Web server. This is like a special computer that stores websites. Moodle works with many different types of servers. It also works with different database systems. These systems help Moodle store information.
There are also easy ways to install Moodle. You can find ready-to-use versions for Microsoft Windows and Mac computers. There are also tools that can install Moodle for you with just a few clicks.
Moodle Partners are companies that offer special services. They can help you set up Moodle. They also offer training and help you create content. These partners help support the Moodle project.
Moodle and Other Systems
Moodle can run on many different computer systems. This includes Unix, Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, and MacOS. It works on any system that supports PHP and a database.
Moodle can also bring in information from other learning systems. For example, you can import quizzes or whole courses from systems like Blackboard.
In the past, a company called Blackboard bought some companies that used Moodle's software. But Moodle has always stayed an open-source project. This means its code is free for anyone to use and change.
How Moodle Started
The Idea Behind Moodle
Martin Dougiamas created the first version of Moodle. He studied both computer science and education. He wanted to create a learning system that helped people learn together. He believed that learning happens best when people build knowledge together. This idea is called "social constructionism."
What the Name Means
The name Moodle is actually an acronym. It stands for modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment. When it first started, the "m" also stood for "Martin's," after Martin Dougiamas. The name was also chosen because it sounds like "tinkering" or "being creative." It also helped that the website name was available!
Moodle's Growth
Moodle has been growing and changing since 1999. It has been translated into over 100 different languages. This means people in many countries can use it. Schools and organizations can use as many Moodle servers as they need. They don't have to pay extra fees for licenses.
Moodle Conferences
MoodleMoot is a special conference for people who use Moodle. It's a place to learn more about Moodle. People share their experiences and discuss new ideas for online learning. They also help decide what new features Moodle should have. MoodleMoots happen all over the world. In 2020, many of these conferences became online events.
Who Uses Moodle?
Moodle is very popular in Europe, Latin America, and Oceania.
In the U.S., Moodle is one of the top learning systems used by colleges. In 2021, Moodle was used by 21% of colleges. Other popular systems include Canvas and Blackboard. The Open University in the UK uses Moodle for its 200,000 students. The UK government also uses Moodle for its Civil Service Learning platform. This platform helps half a million employees learn new skills.
See also
In Spanish: Moodle para niños
- Educational technology
- Student Information System
- Learning management system
- Online learning community
- List of learning management systems
- List of free and open-source software packages
