Getting Started with Moodle on Azure: A Guide for Administrators and Teachers

Moodle is a powerful, open-source Learning Management System (LMS) designed to help educators and nonprofits deliver online training and courses efficiently. If your nonprofit has deployed Moodle on Azure, this guide will walk you through the platform’s key features, helping administrators and teachers set up, manage, and deliver engaging learning experiences.

(See Moodle on Azure: A Budget-Friendly LMS for Nonprofits | Microsoft Community Hub for more information on deployment)

1. Understanding Moodle’s Role-Based Access

Moodle uses role-based permissions to ensure users have the appropriate level of access. The most common roles are:

• Administrator – Manages the entire Moodle platform, including system settings, user accounts, and integrations.
• Teacher – Creates and manages courses, assignments, and student progress.
• Student – Enrolls in courses, participates in discussions, and completes learning activities.

Each role has specific permissions that can be customized based on your organization’s needs.

2. Setting Up Your Moodle Site (For Administrators)

Once Moodle is deployed on Azure, administrators need to configure the platform before teachers and students can begin using it. 

Key Setup Steps:

✅ Log in as an Administrator – Use your admin credentials to access the Moodle dashboard.

✅ Customize Site Settings – Go to Site Administration > General to update your nonprofit’s branding, language, and time zone.

(there are two places you can find Site Administration, in the hamburger menu or the menu displayed on top of the screen)

The categories below are all under General; payment, mobile settings and more are also found here

✅ Enable Microsoft 365 Integration – The integration can happen with the Microsoft 365 Plugin which enables more features. However, OAuth services can occur without the plugin. In order to enable OAuth 2.0 client, first register a new application by using App registrations in the Azure Portal.

Follow this documentation for detailed guidance - OAuth 2 Microsoft service

Input the details (client ID, Client secret, application ID, and service base URL) obtained within the setup within the Server-> OAuth 2 Services screen in Moodle. 

Select Microsoft, once on screen

✅ Create User Accounts – Add teachers and students manually or bulk upload using a CSV file.
✅ Set Up Course Categories – Organize courses by topics or departments under Site Administration > Courses > Manage Categories.

3. Creating and Managing Courses (For Teachers)

Once the platform is set up, teachers can start building courses and adding learning materials.

Steps to Create a Course:

1️⃣ Navigate to “Course Management” – Click on Site Administration > Courses > Add a New Course.
2️⃣ Enter Course Details – Define the course name, description, format (e.g., weekly, topics-based), and enrollment settings.
3️⃣ Add Learning Resources – Upload PDFs, videos, presentations, or link to Microsoft OneDrive files.
4️⃣ Create Assignments & Quizzes – Use Moodle’s built-in quiz engine to add multiple-choice, essay, or interactive assignments.
5️⃣ Set Up Discussion Forums – Encourage student engagement through structured Q&A forums or peer discussions.
6️⃣ Track Student Progress – Use Moodle’s gradebook and reporting tools to monitor learner performance.

see some of the activity or resources available below, this does not include the various plug-ins that are also available to install onto the platform

4. Enhancing the Learning Experience

To create a dynamic and interactive learning experience, teachers can use the following Moodle features:

🔹 Gamification – Add badges and certificates to motivate students.
🔹 Live Sessions with Microsoft Teams – Integrate Moodle with Microsoft Teams for virtual classrooms.
🔹 Automated Notifications – Set up email reminders for assignment deadlines.
🔹 Analytics & Reporting – Use Moodle’s dashboard or integrate with Power BI for advanced learning insights.

5. Managing Users and Security (For Administrators)

Keeping Moodle secure and well-managed is crucial. Administrators should:

🔹 Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for added security.
🔹 Set up automatic backups using Azure Storage to prevent data loss.
🔹 Control user permissions to restrict access to sensitive information.
🔹 Regularly update Moodle plugins to ensure compatibility and security.

Conclusion: Empowering Nonprofits with Moodle on Azure

Moodle provides a flexible, cost-effective learning solution for nonprofits looking to deliver training programs. Whether you're an administrator setting up the platform or a teacher designing courses, Moodle’s customization, scalability, and Microsoft 365 integrations make it an excellent choice for nonprofit training initiatives.

🚀 Ready to get started? Explore Moodle’s features today and start building impactful learning experiences!