Moodle roles

This refers to Moodle 4.1 from December 2023 onwards.  

Descriptions of different roles in Moodle

There are a number of roles which can be given to people in Moodle.

The commonest are Student (for learners and participants) and Editing Teacher (for module convenors and contributors).

Roles in individual modules (enrolment is per module)

Student

A distinct role for students and learners in modules and participants in communities.

With this role you can:

• View but not amend Resources in a module e.g. PDF, PowerPoint and Word documents, URLs etc.
• View participation and contribute to but not amend Activities in a module e.g. Turnitin and Moodle assignments, Choice and Forums etc.
• View your own grades (if allowed by the Editing Teacher).

Students are not able to view Turnitin assignments in archived modules. Please remember to download your assignments and feedback at the end of each academic year.

A staff member can be a student in one module (e.g., a training module) and an editing teacher in another.

Observer

A non-participating role which is useful to allow colleagues, e.g., in your School, to see your module.

With this role you can:

• View resources and activities in a module e.g. PDF, PowerPoint and Word documents, but not participate (e.g., cannot post in a forum).
• Cannot see hidden resources and activities or modules that are hidden from students.

This role can also be set up at Category level (so someone can be an Observer across all modules in a particular category, e.g., a School).

Editing Teacher

This is the normal role for staff. With this role you can

• Enrol other users onto a module as an Editing Teacher, Editor, Teacher, Observer or Student.
• Upload new and amend the settings of Resources in a module e.g. PDF, PowerPoint and Word documents, URLs etc.
• Create new and amend Activities in a module e.g. Turnitin and Moodle assignments, Choice and Forums etc.
• Add new and amend the settings of Blocks.
• Hide and delete Resources, Activities and Blocks.
• Amend the role of and delete Enrolled users.
• View all Grades, mark assignments with comments, export and import grades and assignments.

In Archived modules read-only permissions are applied - no editing of the module is possible, enrolment isn't possible. Editing teachers and teachers can still see assignments.

Teacher

This role is often given to tutors and teaching assistants who need to be able to mark student work or see student activity, but not add or edit items.

With this role you can:

• View but NOT amend Resources in a module e.g. PDF, PowerPoint and Word documents, URLs etc.
• View hidden resources and activities (Note that this is specific to Moodle.Nottingham).
• View and participate in but NOT amend Activities in a module e.g. Turnitin and Moodle assignments, Choice and Forums etc.
• Enrol users onto a module as a Teacher or Student.

This role can also be set up at Category level (so someone can be a Teacher and able to see, add and edit marks across all modules in a particular category, e.g., a School).

In Archived modules read-only permissions are applied - enrolment isn't possible. Editing teachers and teachers can still see assignments.

Editor

This role is given more rarely than Teacher. It is occasionally given to those who help in uploading material and designing courses.

(Many of the individuals who support teaching in this way have the School Support role so that they can assist across a range of modules so do not need the Editor role as well.)

With this role you can:

• Enrol users onto a module as an Editor, Teacher or Student.
• Cannot view Gradebook, grade assignments with comments or export and import grades and assignments.
• Add and edit resources and activities.

In Archived modules read-only permissions are applied - no editing of the module is possible, enrolment isn't possible.

Roles in groups of modules across a category

Such as a whole School or Faculty or a subcategory, for example, Year 1.

Teacher

This role is often given to tutors, teaching assistants, and assessment co-ordinators who need to be able to mark student work or see student activity, but not add or edit items.

With this role you can:

• See, add and edit marks across all modules in a particular category, e.g., a School).
• Send Announcements.
• View but not amend Resources in a module e.g. PDF, PowerPoint and Word documents, URLs etc.
• View hidden resources and activities (Note that this is specific to Moodle.Nottingham).
• View and participate in but NOT amend Activities in a module e.g. see but not add or edit Turnitin and Moodle assignments, Choice and Forums etc.
• Enrol users onto a module as a Teacher or Student.
• Mark assignments, see marks and feedback and download assignments and administration files.

School Support

This is a role - only available at Category level - given usually to administration staff in a school. It involves extra training and close liaison with the Moodle Team. Please contact learning-technologies@nottingham.ac.uk if you feel you should have this role.

With this role you can

• act as editing teacher on all the modules in a particular category, e.g., a School.

Category Manager

This is a role - only at Category level - with several responsibilities and permissions given to one or two administrative staff or academics per school. It involves extra training and close liaison with the Moodle Team. Please contact learning-technologies@nottingham.ac.uk if you feel you should have this role.

With this role you can:

• Act as an editing teacher across all modules in a particular category (such as a school).
• Edit categories and names of modules.
• Create new modules and subcategories within the category applied plus move or delete.
• Create metamodules (parent modules):  How to understand metamodules (parent modules) - if you teach modules with the same content).

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