I would like to use a different forum system of moodle but i don't know how to do it. So that I wanted to know how to integrate phpbb or Vbulletin in moodle?
Please help me Nichoune
Hi Duong,
I've a fair bit of experience with PhPBB and other forum software and I've played with Moodle for a little.
Moodle has a little way to go yet - it is usable but there are key things that must be implemented yet (e.g Conditional Activities). I've no doubt they will be. The upshot is that I will be repressing the forum activity offerred by Moodle and installing PhPBB separately. There are all sorts of management reasons for doing this not least because Moodle may change substantially come Version 2.0 and any high level of integration would then be compromised.
PhPBB is mature enough to standalone. If needed you can cross populate the database for usernames etc.
For the time being then I'd recommend keeping them separate.
Hi Bob,
When you say suppress the forum module, what do you mean? Does that mean you've turned it off for courses? If so, how do you give students the ability to chat? Do they have to leave the course page and log in to another system?
Kevin
When you say suppress the forum module, what do you mean? Does that mean you've turned it off for courses? If so, how do you give students the ability to chat? Do they have to leave the course page and log in to another system?
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Forums are great tools for developing/displaying higher order learning..but on a course by course basis there seem to be some quality issues. Too many forums seems to be a bad thing. After a couple of years the forum posts mature and a Unit/module leader is often better off forming "time released FAQ's" which are well aligned to (and tested against) learning outcomes. Also means less work for the guy ;).
This is undergarduate/postgrad incidently.
The main means of student communication nowadays seems to be texting over mobile phones. Given the choice of using ten fingers on a keyboard (high energy) or a single thumb (low energy) many prefer the latter.. I have seen students text each other across a lab because they didn't want to stand up..lol
This is a very interesting take. It sounds to me like you're saying that initially, it's a good thing to have back-and-forth in a class, but over a few years the best information surfaces and can be put in to FAQ's. At that point you discourage student posting and redirect them to read FAQ's. Furthermore, there exist other channels for students to communicate, e.g. IM on their cell phones. So in the end, forums on a Moodle course aren't necessary. Is my interpretation correct?
This is different from the way I see our courses working. We want to encourage students to dialogue. I would say that even if the best ideas surface over time, each group of students should go through the process of trying to discover them all over again. Basically I think students going through the process is the important part, not the collection of best practices.
Anyhow, this is all a theoretical aside (although I'd be happy if you wanted to continue the conversation). What I'm wondering is: in your model, do you disable forums in a course completely?
Thanks,
Kevin
This is different from the way I see our courses working. We want to encourage students to dialogue. I would say that even if the best ideas surface over time, each group of students should go through the process of trying to discover them all over again. Basically I think students going through the process is the important part, not the collection of best practices.
Anyhow, this is all a theoretical aside (although I'd be happy if you wanted to continue the conversation). What I'm wondering is: in your model, do you disable forums in a course completely?
Thanks,
Kevin
These are good points.
My problem is a little different. Very large classes (>200 students) and team teaching in laboratory sessions.
Quality is underpinned by fairness. Although I encourage dialogue - and strive to get my colleagues to do so - ultimately I have to ensure that all students get the same information at about the same time to keep the playing field level.
You've seen it - a group of students with two dynamic and inspiring "ring leaders". Two good students in a class can bring up the class average through asking pertinent questions. I simply use information/insight provided by good students to drive forward the class. The students are doing my job for me
The time release aspect is important. Its not just throw the stuff at them at the start. Key inormation is given when they are (hopefully) almost there or to provoke them into getting to the next idea in a more determined way.
This tends to lead to a linear path though courses - but
1] Students like this (other research shows this) and the feedback is good. The customer is always right????
2] Prescribed routes through courses tend to arise through quality processes and multiway teaching.
Anyway.. thats my take..
Hi Bob,
Thanks for your answer
You said "The upshot is that I will be repressing the forum activity offerred by Moodle and installing PhPBB separately", what do you mean? And how i can cross populate the database between database of Moodle and database of phpBB?
Do you know about Vbulletin? I you know it, in your opinion, which is better? You can give me some councils to choose between vbulletin and phpbb for my application, please
PS: I'm not good in English so i have some difficults but i do my best to use it
Nichoune
Thanks for your answer
You said "The upshot is that I will be repressing the forum activity offerred by Moodle and installing PhPBB separately", what do you mean? And how i can cross populate the database between database of Moodle and database of phpBB?
Do you know about Vbulletin? I you know it, in your opinion, which is better? You can give me some councils to choose between vbulletin and phpbb for my application, please
PS: I'm not good in English so i have some difficults but i do my best to use it
Nichoune
Hi,
To cross populate you need someone who knows a little about databases. There are different ways but simplying exporting the usernames/passwords from the phpbb to a file then importing into Moodle (or vice versa) is a reasonble a way forward.
PhPBB is opensource and well tested. On many webhosts you can install directly from the control panel - it's provided for free. This way I would prefer if you've little experience because occasionally PhPBB needs a security patch which need to be installed. Its easy to do but if your webhost does it for free (or gives you notice that it needs to be done) its better. There are many "hacks" - alterations to the code that extend the functionality (see phpbbhacks.com)- I use these but really you shouldn't need them
Vbulletin needs a licence fee of over $100 and a support contract of about $30/year. It offers the same things really but a lot of webmasters I know use it simply because it takes the stress out of updates etc. VBulletin tends to have a little more functionality as a standard.
There are many free themes for both and many services which allow you to get a Corporate theme for your board. 'Skinning' a theme is not too difficult - slightly harder than making a theme for Moodle.
You can transfer data between phPBB and Vbulletin. So a reasonable way forward is to install PhPBB- use it to see if its what you want then make a decision at that point. You will also have a better understanding of how PHPBB works and that maybe enough to give you confidence to use it.
In use these boards have a lot of power.They have been forcably "evolved" through the internet (built by 16 year olds FOR 16 year olds) and are both easy to use and very complete in thier prowess.
e.g: Setting passwords to forums, even topics, mass emails to groups, advanced editing functions, banning (for time periods eg. a few hours to infinite) , creating stickies, activity logs of individuals, IM systems, poll creation, word filters, hiding areas from some groups, pre-authorisation of avatars, users, signatures, uploading of files in predefined formats etc etc.
Virtually every permutation of what you might want. This comes at a price of needing to learn how to use it. Moodle is a pushover in this respect.
There are very full forums offering advice on PhPBB and Vbulletin. These boards are the main stay of the Internet. You can often get a response about an issue in minutes... and of course if you use the search function your problem has almost certainly been covered before.
Most important of all these boards DEFAULT TO A NON-SUBSCRIPTION TO THREAD status.....
Let us know how it goes on...
Hi Bob
Is this really such a big issue? As far as I can see in both 1.5.3 and 1.6 when a forum is set up the default is not to force subscriptions.
H
Most important of all these boards DEFAULT TO A NON-SUBSCRIPTION TO THREAD status.....
Is this really such a big issue? As far as I can see in both 1.5.3 and 1.6 when a forum is set up the default is not to force subscriptions.
H
Thank you very much Bob. I will try it 
Hi Bob,
I tried to install Moodle in my Pc but i have an error "Erreur lors de la création de la base de données. Impossible de créer la base de données avec les paramètres fournis". I don't know why? Can you help me, please.
I want install Moodle in Linux but i can't find the packages Moodle for linux
Thanks for your help
Nichoune
I tried to install Moodle in my Pc but i have an error "Erreur lors de la création de la base de données. Impossible de créer la base de données avec les paramètres fournis". I don't know why? Can you help me, please.
I want install Moodle in Linux but i can't find the packages Moodle for linux
Thanks for your help
Nichoune
I think you need to install a database programm on your pc. You need MYSQLinstalled which I thinkcomes with a Moodle package...
hello all
my website http://aqarspot.com is in Arabic language do i have to make other steps for integration