E-learning and LMS blog articles

Moodle HQ have this week released their latest major version - 3.1.

This new version includes lots of new features - as well as numerous fixes and improvements - plus the added benefit of long-term support for the next 3 years. Here are some of the key features in this release:

• Support for Competency Based Education (CBE). This is one of Moodle's headline features, which now centrally stores information about what learners know, and what they are still yet to learn. Administrators can create learning plan templates and apply them to individuals or to entire cohorts of students. Competency frameworks can be constructed within Moodle, or, with a plug in, imported from external sources.
• Assignment grading interface is now smoother. All grading tools are on one screen and there is now the ability to annotate over student submissions regardless of their file type.
• Easy retrieval of deleted files.
• Improved tagging and course editing.
• Greater usability for students.
• Enhancements to several activities (e.g. forum, workshop and lesson).

Choose from the below options for more information on the key features for all users, administrators and teachers.

All users

	Bulk download files in a zipped folder - Students can now download multiple files in a zipped file.
	Search facility - Search all courses you have access to and quickly find that important resource using the Global search facility.
	Message others more efficiently - The message button is now next to the user's picture, so it is now much easier to send messages.
	Easily link to forum posts - There is now a permalink feature which makes it easy to share useful forum posts.

Administrators

	Competency frameworks - Create competency frameworks for use throughout the site.
	Learning plan templates - Create learning plan templates and apply them to individuals or whole cohorts.
	Global search - Let your staff and students search the site by enabling Global search.
	Assignment file conversion - Teachers can annotate directly on uploaded submissions of different file types.
	Search the file system repository - If you’ve enabled a 'File system repository' on your server for FTP uploading, your teachers can now search the folders in that repository.
	Lesson default settings - Make setting up a Lesson simpler for teachers by reviewing the default and advanced settings.
	Tagging enhancements - Tags can now be combined, grouped into collections and certain tag areas disabled.

Teachers

	Competencies - Moodle 3.1 now fully supports Competency based education.
	Assignment grading - Grading Assignment submissions has got smoother with all elements on one screen and the ability to annotate over student submissions of different file types.
	Download selected assignments - Select which assignments you want to download for offline viewing from a new option in the menu.
	Easily restore deleted content - The new Recycle bin means you no longer need worry about losing accidentally deleted course items or courses, as it's now possible easily to restore them.
	Pinned forum discussions - Important forum posts can now be pinned to the top of your list, making them more visible to your students.
	Workshop enhancements - When setting up a workshop, you can now specify the types of file you want students to submit or not. Students may also now deleted their own submissions.
	Share activities on your site - The "Publish as LTI" tool allows remote users to access selected courses and activities on your site. Grades are sent back to the remote system.
	Tag course activities - Course activities and resources may now be tagged, making it simpler to find related content.
	Easier section editing - Change section titles without leaving the page, speeding up your course creation.
	Search metalinked courses - Search for meta linked courses and add them together in one step.

Want to know more? for the full release notes click here.