Martin Dougiamas

... and of course using the database.

The usual method in Moodle is to use forms that submit to a script that turns the data into an object and you use insert_record() to store it in the database as a record. Later, you get_record() from the database and it's given to you as an object.

Cool way to avoid writing a new filter!

Not sure about your problem, but try adding _utf8 to your new lang folder names, and make sure you don't have a 'langlist' defined in the admin menus.

Er, Marc, if you read this thread it was about why Moodle's wiki wasn't being used for docs.moodle.org, not the other way around.

I really like Mediawiki, and I too would like to see Moodle's wiki be as easy and powerful. So would the Spanish team who are working on a new wiki, no doubt.

You can't simply write off the extra features of groups, grading etc, though. Those were all added after much feedback over the years from Moodlers who needed those features.

Perhaps a Wave module will make all this moot in future.

Mediawiki is designed to be out in the open, on the web, used by thousands of people collaboratively editing many thousands of pages.

Moodle's wiki is designed to be used inside a learning management system as part of courses, and includes functionality for groups, grading and so on. It's meant for smaller numbers of pages.

That's why we don't use the Moodle wiki for our documentation.

The first and simplest thing I can tell you is: ask some good questions, one that require thinking to answer. You've done that here already

My second simple tip is to look for any opportunity where your students can contribute by building something. Again, this discussion is an example, but you could also start a wiki page with some structuring headings and ask people to help build it up as a reference.

This may be useful: http://docs.moodle.org/en/Pedagogy