UMOnline Faculty Support
Updates
Canvas has been selected as the next LMS for UM and the entire MUS. UMOnline and IT are working collaboratively on the implementation planning and rollout of Canvas at UM. There is now a website up on the IT Project website to provide information to the campus community about the Canvas rollout. Currently, this site consists of some Frequently Asked Questions, but will eventually have more specific information about timelines, training, course migration, etc. as details become available. Please check this Canvas Project Website for information and updates. We will also continue to use campus communications delivered via email to share updates as needed.
Moodle will continue to be used throughout the spring and summer semesters. Please use the resources below for continued support with Moodle.
Reminders
- By default, courses are not visible to students. Be sure to make your course visible to students once it is ready. (Click the “gear” button for the administration menu, choose Edit Settings, change the Visibility setting to “Show” and then click “Save and display”).
- UMOnline suggests that you make your course visible prior to the start of the semester so students can get familiar with your Moodle site, read the syllabus, and do any preparations to be ready on day one.
- Look through the Instructor Checklist to see if you have included essential items in your course shell/syllabus.
- Ally (
), a new tool in Moodle, automatically checks the accessibility of content and provides guidance on how to make your content as accessible as possible. It also generates alternative formats for learners, such as audio and PDF files. Please read about Ally and watch the short videos to learn more about how this tool works for both faculty and students.
Learning Management System Information
The University of Montana, Montana Tech, Helena College, the University of Montana Western and the Montana Digital Academy use a version of Moodle provided and hosted by Open LMS. UMOnline is committed to working with our partners and the extended educational community to provide an effective and robust online learning solution that meets the needs of students, faculty, staff and administration. Our version of Moodle is generally updated twice a year.
We are currently running Moodle version 4.1.
Common Questions
Since 2021, all courses will automatically have a Moodle shell. Login to Moodle with your NetID and you should see your courses listed under My Courses. If you do not see your desired course, check in your dashboard. The dashboard can be accessed by selecting the Dashboard link in the Navigation block or by selecting your name in the upper right, then Dashboard.
Option 1: Fill out the Moodle Help request form. Select “Import Course Content” from the Request Type dropdown menu.
Option 2: Contact the IT Help Desk by phone at 406-243-4359. Please have your course names, numbers and CRNs ready.
Option 3: If the previous course is still available to you, you can also copy the content yourself using the Import feature in Moodle. Watch this short import video for the simple steps.
Option 1: Fill out the Moodle Help request form. Select “Moodle Course Shell Merge” from the Request Type dropdown menu.
Option 2: Contact the IT Help Desk by phone at 406-243-4359. Please have your course names, numbers and CRNs ready and be prepared to indicate which course will be the main shell.
Option 1: Fill out the Moodle Help request form. Select “Remove Course/Take Offline” from the Request Type dropdown menu.
Option 2: Contact the IT Help Desk by phone at 406-243-4359. Please have the course names, numbers, and CRNs that you would like to remove ready.
Option 1: Fill out the Moodle Help request form. Select “Access Previous Course” from the Request Type dropdown menu.
Option 2: Contact the IT Help Desk by phone at 406-243-4359. Please have the course names, numbers, and CRNs that you would like access to ready.
Self-enroll in the self-paced Moodle Basics for Faculty tutorial that provides step-by-step instructions for using Moodle features and other related tools.
Self-enroll in the UMOnline Course Development Tutorial to get an overview of how to prepare a course for online delivery. Then schedule an office hour with an instructional designer for one-on-one support. The Office of Organizational Learning and Development (OOLD) also has a collection of supports related to distance teaching.
Sign up for an office hour with an instructional designer for one-on-one support or email UMOnlineIDs@umontana.edu and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. Many Moodle questions can be answered in the Moodle Basics for Faculty online tutorial, which is presented in sections that can be accessed in any order. The Office of Organizational Learning and Development (OOLD) also has a collection of supports related to pedagogy for distance teaching.