The short link to this page:
http://bit.ly/maelt_moodle4students
One important aspect of using any web-based tool is the Help provided. Most Help screens and instruction manuals are so well-written that a page like the one you are reading now need not exist. Read the instructions and advice that Moodle provides.
Help is provided by clicking on the yellow question mark icons, when available. Sometimes it is helpful help. There are many fields for which Moodle does not provide help.
Also, read the instructions that the instructors write. If they are not clear, let them know. We are mostly happy to edit them for clarity's sake. Some instructors provide a Forum for such Help.
There are many ways to get around in a Moodle course. Near the top right of each page, there are breadcrumbs which are supposed to tell you the route you took to get to the current page. Remember Hansel and Gretel? Well, Moodle's breadcrumbs are just about as helpful, ie.e. NOT.
The Sections themselves can be scrolled through. Alternatively, some courses have numerical or named Section hyperlinks which appear in a block to the left or right of the main Sections.
Your profile
The information you provide applies to all the Moodle courses you are enrolled in on any particular Moodle site. In keeping with a collaborative learning environment, you should provide your real name and a useful picture.
Sections
A section is one of the central areas, usually headed with the date or title. A Section typically contains information, instructions, links, and activities.
Each section can be isolated by clicking on the small square in the right margin. This allows you to work with just that section, and saves you a lot of scrolling. You can jump to other sections by choosing the desired one from the "jump to" at the bottom of the screen. To show all the sections again, click on the double small square.
On the left and right of central sections, there are various blocks. On the left are typically Participants, Activities, Administration, Search Forums. On the right you'll typically find Latest News, Upcoming Events, Recent Activity. Course creators have a great deal of flexibility with blocks so they are likely to be positioned differently, and different ones appear.
Show and hide blocks: Each one has a small plus sign in the top right. Click that to show and hide it.
Administration block
This is typically on the left and contains Grades and Profile
As soon as any activity is graded, the result will appear in your grade book.
Click on the Profile icon, or your login name at the top right of most screens, to go to your profile from where you can edit it, see messages and change your password. The tabs across the top each have their own content regarding your work within this course.
People block
Click on Participants to see the list of people enrolled in the course and some information about them. Click on a name to see even more. And send an individual a message.
Activities block
Click on any of the activity types in this block and you'll arrive at list of those that in this course. The summary information that appears beside them is rarely seen anywhere else in Moodle.
From your Personal Profile, you can create your own blog entries. Your blog is not specific to a course, so be aware that people in other courses can read it too, which may or may not be important to you. Your teacher might request blogging as a writing-reflection task.
Remember that blog entries are available in reverse chronological order. They have a full HTML editor which allows you to include smileys, pictures, videos, format text how you want. And you should tag your entries, as this is the only way of relating one to another. And relating them to other people's entries as well. For more on tagging, see Web 2.0.