Chat and forum plugins for Moodle support synchronous and asynchronous discussions, uploading documents, rating students’ posts, assigning grades, private messages and so forth. This blog gives you the complete step by step guide to integrate Moodle with forums and chats.
Ways to plug in forums on Moodle
Forum blocks are also installed in the same as other plugins are installed. Here are the steps you should follow to integrate Forums with Moodle.
Before installing any forum plugin, you have to consider the purpose of using a forum block. For instance, plugins for K-12 teaching will be different from plugins for university students.
To install a plugin, you have to put its source code in an appropriate location in the Moodle installation directory and the administration page. You can deploy the source code either within Moodle or directly from the Moodle plugins directory or by uploading a zip file.
How to install directly from the Moodle plugins directory
- Log in to visit the administration page where you will find the “plugins” option, and then click the button “Install plugins from Moodle plugins directory”.
- Search for a plugin/forum block that serves the purpose of your requirements, and then click the install button. Confirm the installation request, and you will receive a notification of successful installation.
How to install by uploading a zip file
- Visit Moodle Plugins Directory to select your Moodle version, choose a plugin and then click the download button to get a zip file.
- Log in to land the administration page and click the option “Install Plugin”. Upload the zip file, and then you will receive a message of installation.
You can install it manually at the server too
Put the source code manually to the server file system if administration page is not able to deploy the source code. Establish the correct place for your forum. For example, if this is question types forum, the location will be /path/to/moodle/question/type/. If this is for activity modules, the correct place will be /path/to/moodle/mod/.
Visit Moodle Plugins Directory to select your Moodle version, choose a plugin and then click the download button to get a zip file. Copy or upload it your server. Follow the instructions one by one, and then visit the site administration page in settings and receive a notification of successful installation.
Once the forum block is installed, you can create forum discussion posts by turning editing on.
Ways to integrate chats on Moodle
Chat plugins make convenient for teachers and students to communicate. Below are the chat plugins that can be integrated with Moodle.
VM chat installation in Moodle
VM chat adds footer chat. To install this, follow these steps.
- First you need to install GetKey module in the local folder. You will open the file and place the VM chat folder in the local folder of Moodle.
- Visit your Moodle site. Click the VM chat to enable it. Log out and then log in again to see the footer chat bar.
Video chat installation
Video Chat is a Moodle block. You will follow the same steps to install this block that are required for other blocks. Once the block is installed, you are left with two options to get the work done.
- Turn editing on
- Add video chat block to your page
2 Way Video Chat
- Download the zip file and unzip it to your Moodle directory.
- Go to your administration Site. Click the menu to visit Site Administration and then Notification. Click the Upgrade button and then hit Continue button.