This refers to Moodle 4.1 from December 2023 onwards

The Moodle Workshop is a peer assessment tool that enables students to review each other’s work. Editing Teachers can set up criteria that the students must follow about how to provide feedback: for example, students might be required to provide comments or complete rubrics for other students' submissions. 

Please note: Workshop can be set up to be anonymous for students (so that they do not know which other students are reviewing their word). This setting  requires a permission change,  so please contact learning-technologies@nottingham.ac.uk to set this up.


Setting up the Workshop

  1. Log into Moodle and access your Moodle page. Use the toggle button (top right) to turn on Edit mode.

    Edit mode off
    Edit mode toggle switch off

    Edit mode on
    Edit mode on

  2. In the section/topic in which you would like to add the workshop activity, click on + Add an activity or resource.
  3.  In the pop-up window select the Workshop activity.

    Activity picker with workshop activity highlighted

  4.  In the Workshop settings page, in the General section, enter the Workshop name . In the Description enter an explanation of the assessment. For example, enter details about what file type students should submit and the date that they should submit by.

    The General settings showing Workshop name and example Description
  5. In the Grading settings select the appropriate:
    1. Grading strategy from the following options.
      • 'Accumulative grading': A score is given based on set criteria.
      • 'Comments': Students are able to write comments based on themes set by the academic but no score is given.
      • 'Number of errors': Comments are enabled with a yes/no assessment provided based on feedback.
      • 'Rubric': Score provided via a rubric.
    2. Grade for submission: This is the mark given to the student for submitting. If no mark is to be awarded then set this to 0.
    3. Submission grade to pass: If you use activity or module completion in your Moodle page then you can set a grade to pass.
    4. Grade for assessment: Allocate a mark that will be given for someone who completes a review. If no mark is to be awarded then set this to 0.
    5. Assessment grade to pass: Works the same as Submission grade to pass except that it is relevant to the assessment aspect of the Workshop activity (ie the completion of a review of another student's work).
    6. Decimal places in grades: Set the decimal places of the marks given.

      Grading settings

  6. The Submission settings section provides guidance on what the students need to submit and how to submit. Complete the Instructions for submission text box with information about when you want the students to submit by and what will happen to the assignment when they submit, so that your students are aware of the process. 

    Submission settings showing instructions or submission, submission types, maximum number of attachments, types, size and option to allow late submissions

    Maximum number of submission attachments: This option allows you to choose how many files can be uploaded as part of a submission.

    Submission attachment allowed file types: Enter the file types you wish to allow to be submitted. Use a comma between separate file types. If you do not want to restrict file types, then leave this blank.

    Maximum overall feedback attachment size: Leave as maximum upload limit of 250mb

    Late submissions: Check this box if you want to allow students to submit after the deadline for submitting or during the assessment phase.

  7. In the Assessment settings, Instructions for assessment text box, provide instructions for students for how to complete the peer review . For example, you may want them to answer questions or you may expect them to download the submission and add comments in Microsoft Word.

    Assessment settings showing instructions for assessment and self assessment option

    Use self-assessment: If this box is checked, the students may be allocated their own submission to assess.
    Feedback box showing mode, maximum number of attachments and Conclusion boxes
  8. In the Overall feedback mode drop down menu select from the following options.
    1. 'Disabled': No feedback allowed.
    2. 'Enabled and optional': Feedback is available but is not required.
    3. 'Enabled and required': Student is required to write feedback.

      Number of overall feedback attachments: You can select up to seven attachments that students can upload as part of the reviewing process. This feature should be enabled (one should be fine) if you want your students to download an assignment and add comments onto and then upload it with feedback.

      Menu showing Feedback attachment allowed file types and size

      Feedback attachment allowed file type and Maximum overall feedback attachment size: These will be enabled if you select the previous option. It is recommend that you leave the default settings.
      Conclusion: This textbox is for overall feedback about the peer assessment activity and will be seen by all students once they are able to access their feedback.
      example conclusion text in the conclusion text box alerting students that the activity is complete and that  they can now access the feedback

  9.  In the Example submissions section if you check the Use examples box then you can submit an example submission, which students can practice with to see how the activity works.If the Use examples checkbox is ticked then the Mode of examples assessment dropdown menu provides you with the following options:
    1. 'Assessment of example submission is voluntary': Students do not have to provide feedback for the example submission.
    2. 'Examples must be assessed before own submission': Feedback for the example submission must be done before the peer assessment.
    3. 'Examples are available after own submission and must be assessed before peer assessment': Students must perform their self-assessment  before they can access examples and they must provide feedback for the example submission before they can carry out the peer assessment.

      Example submissions menu showing options summarised in the text

  10. In the Availability section you can enable dates and times that submissions and peer assessment can take place from.
    Open for submissions from: When students can submit their assignments.
    Submissions deadline: The deadline for submissions.
    Switch to the next phase after the submissions deadline: Check this box if you want to automatically switch to the (peer) assessment phase. If this option is checked then scheduled allocation method must be selected.
    N.B. It is still recommend that you manually change phases so that you are aware of the current stage of the peer assessment activity.
    Open for assessment from: When students can begin peer assessing the submission allocated to them.
    Deadline for assessment: The deadline by which the peer marking must be completed.
    Screen showing availability dates

  11.  Common module settings and Restrict access can be left as default settings. Press Save and display to move onto the Phase stages. 

Workshop Phases 

The Workshop Phases allow you to control the workflow of the peer assessment activity. 

Once you have created and saved the settings of the Workshop, the activity will move into a set of phases.

  • Setup phase
  • Submission phase
  • Assessment phase
  • Grading evaluation phase
  • Closed

The current phase is always in green.

The phase options will differ depending on what was selected in the Workshop settings. Once you move to the next phase you cannot always go back to a previous one, depending which stage you are at.

Each phase of the setup screen is shown

The green ticks in the phase indicate that this part of the phase is complete.

Green tick

The grey ticks indicate that you can add information.

Grey tick

Any red cross means a task needs to be completed. 

Red cross

The Description you wrote in the settings will appear below and be visible to students.

Setup phase

In the Setup phase you will have a chance to review some of the options you would have encountered in the settings of the Workshop. 

First phase shown with workshop description

  • Set the workshop description: This is related to the Description section in the Workshop settings.
  • Provide instructions for submission: This is related to the Instructions for submission section in the Workshop settings.
  • Edit assessment formThis section is where you write the criteria for students to comment about. What you see here depends on what you chose in the Workshop 'Grading strategy' options earlier). 
    When you have completed editing the assessment form, press 'Save and close'. The Edit assessment form option will now have a green tick next to it.

When you have completed the Setup phase, select the Switch to the next phase link. This will then move to the Submission phase and allow students to submit (if the date/time settings allow them to).

Switch to the Submission phase by clicking either Switch to the next phase or Switch to the submission phase.

Switch to next phase link

submission phase link

When switching to Submission phase you will receive a confirmation pop-up. Press the 'Continue' button. 

Confirmation pop up for switching to the next phase

Submission Phase

In the Submission phase you will be able to set up the allocation of the peer assessment and students will now be able to upload their submission.

Recommendation: It is highly recommended that you contact your students to inform them that they are now able to submit and also include any deadline dates. 

Showing submission phase summary

  • Allocate submissionsThis allows you to select how the peer marking allocation will be distributed. The scheduled allocation is recommend if you have checked the box for  Switch to the next phase after the submissions deadline in the Workshop settings. 

Select the Manual allocation option to manually allocate which student reviews which other student. 

Manual Allocations

In this page you can assign reviewers to participants using the 'Add reviewer' dropdown menu.

You can also select the participants' reviewees by using the 'Add reviewee' dropdown menu.

Manual allocation screen showing add reviewer and add reviewee options highlighted

Random Allocation

If you select the Random allocation option you can select the number of reviews that each submission will receive. ‘1 per reviewer’ is the most commonly used option.

You can remove current allocation by selecting the relevant checkbox.

The Participants can assess without having submitted anything check box can be used if you have participants who are reviewing but not submitting.

Random allocation settings


Scheduled Allocation


Scheduled allocation delays the allocation process until the submission deadline has passed. This is the recommended if you have enabled a deadline date/time for submissions.

Check the Enable scheduled allocation checkbox to activate this option.

Schedule allocation settings

  • Current status: informs you if this option has been enabled.
  • Allocation settings: enables you to set further options. 
  • Number of reviews: Allows you to select how many submissions need to be reviewed, it is likely that ‘1 per reviewer’ will be the most appropriate.
  • Remove current allocations and Participants can assess without having submitted anything: are the same as for Random allocation.

To confirm your settings, press the 'Save changes' button. To return back to the Workshop phase settings click the link to Workshop beneath the activity title on the Moodle page. 


When you have completed the Submission phase then you can click on Switch to the next phase link. This will then move to the Assessment phase and allow students to undertake their peer reviewing activities.

Switch to the Assessment phase by clicking either Switch to the next phase or Switch to the assessment phase.

N.B. If you checked the box for "Switch to the next phase after the submissions deadline" in the Workshop settings the switch to Assessment phase will occur automatically after the submission deadline, as requested.

Switch to the next phase

When switching to Assessment Phase you will receive a confirmation pop-up. Press the 'Continue' button. 

Confirmation pop up for switching to the next phase (assessment)


Assessment phase

This phase is where students will undertake the peer reviewing process.

Assessment phase


Recommendation: It is highly recommended that you contact your students to inform them when the peer review exercise becomes available and to remind them how long they have to complete the task.

In the Assessment phase you will see the list of students that submitted and who has provided peer assessment.  If you want to read the feedback that a student has received, click on the score within the Grades received column. If you want to see the feedback that the student gave, click on the score within the Grades given column.

Workshop grades report showing how to view feedback


If you are ready to move to the next phase then click Switch to the next phase or  Grading evaluation phase.


When switching to Assessment Phase you will receive a confirmation pop-up. Press the 'Continue' button. 

Pop up confirmation that you want to switch to the Grading evaluation phase

Grading evaluation phase

This phase is related to the allocation of marks if you have allowed this in the Workshop settings. 


grading evaluation phase

  • Calculate submission grades: If a score was enabled for submission of an assignment you will be able to review it in this section.
  • Calculate assessment grades: If a score was enabled for peer assessment you will be able to review it in this section.
  • Provide a conclusion of the activityThis is overall feedback to all students. It is also worth explaining that to access their feedback they need to click on the title of their submission within 'Your submission' when they go into the Workshop activity. What appears here is what you entered into the Conclusion text box in the Workshop activity setup.

Closed phase

In the Closed phase the Workshop activity is now complete. In this phase students can access the feedback provided to them by their peers.

Recommendation: It is recommended that you contact your students to inform them that they are now able to access their feedback. 

If students provided feedback by downloading submissions and annotating them, then explain that the feedback will need to be downloaded. 

Closed phase

The Workshop activity is now complete.