The columns on each side of a Moodle page contain Blocks. The Navigation and Administration blocks are required, but others are optional. New Moodle courses start out with a set of default blocks. You can add additional blocks, remove blocks, or rearrange the blocks in the sidebars.
(click to enlarge)
How Blocks Work
- Most blocks update themselves automatically with information about the course.
For example, blocks such as Calendar and Upcoming events update themselves as date-based activities are added to the course. - Which blocks are displayed depends on your location in Moodle.
For example, not all blocks displayed on your course homepage are displayed when viewing an assignment or forum page. - Which blocks you see can also depend on your Role in the course.
For example, Teachers may see blocks (such as Quickmail) that Students don't see.
Add a Block
- In the menu bar at the top of your course page, select Turn editing on (green pencil icon
). Editing icons and links will appear. - If your Navigation tray is collapsed, select the Navigation tray toggle (hamburger menu
, top left). The Navigation tray will expand. - Scroll down to the bottom of the Navigation tray and select Add a block (
). A list of available blocks will open. - Select a block to add. Note: There can only be one instance of most blocks in a course. Depending on which blocks are already used in your course, the list will change to show only available blocks.
- The page will re-load and your new block will be added at the bottom of the right column.
Move a Block
You can move a block to rearrange the order in which your blocks are arranged in the sidebars.
- In the menu bar at the top of your course page, click Turn editing on (green pencil icon
, top right). - Click the Move icon (
) at the top right of the block. Drag the block to its desired location in the right column in your course. A shadow of the block will appear to show its resulting location if you drop it.
Remove a Block
- In the menu bar at the top of your course page, click Turn editing on (green pencil icon
). Editing icons and links will appear. - Find the block you wish to remove, and click the Actions menu (
). From the drop-down menu, select Delete (
). A Confirmation page will open asking, "Are you sure you want to remove this block titled..." - On the Confirmation Page, click Yes. The page will refresh and the block will be removed from the course.
Note: You can re-add a removed block; however, you may need to reconfigure any settings made. See Add a block (above). To preserve all settings, you can hide the block instead (see below).
Hide/Show a Block from/to Students
To hide a block from student view without removing it from your course:
- On your course page, click Turn editing on (green pencil icon
, top right). - On the block you wish to hide from students, click the Actions (
) icon, and from the drop-down menu, select
Hide [name of block]. The course page will refresh with the block minimized and greyed-out to indicate it is not visible to students. - To make a hidden block visible to students, repeat the above steps, and from the Actions (
) menu, select
Show [name of block].