This page provides a quick introduction to Moodle in the Cloud, a Learning Management System (LMS) at UMass Amherst used to deliver course content and host online learning activities.
Log In and Log Out of Moodle
- In your web browser, navigate to Moodle:
- For Summer and Fall 2021 and forward, go to https://umass.moonami.com/.
- In the Login block, click Log in with NetID. (The login button is at the top-right corner of a large screen, but on your phone, you may have to scroll down to find it.) The UMass Amherst Web Login page opens.
Note: Do not bookmark the Web Login page. To bookmark Moodle, use umass.moonami.com. - Enter your NetID and password and select the login arrow or press enter/return on your keyboard. You should see your name and Moodle avatar in the user menu at the top-right corner of the page.
- In the user menu at the top-right corner of the page, click Log out to log out of Moodle.
Note: Be sure to quit your browser after you log out, especially if you are using a public or shared computer. This ensures that no one else can access your Moodle account.
Find Your Courses
Once you have logged in, look in the My Courses in the Tabbed Navigation section for links to the courses in which you are enrolled. Here you will navigate to your courses via the new The Course Index which offers navigation through the sections and content within your Moodle course. Navigating to grades and other courses has been moved to the tabbed navigation at the top of the course page.
The Navigation bar is available throughout Moodle. Alternatively, on the Moodle Home page, the My courses block (on the right on a computer, or toward the bottom of the page on a smaller device) shows links to your current courses. You can also link to your courses from your Dashboard; in the My Courses tab, select Dashboard.
If you log in and do not find a link to your course:
- The course may not yet be open to students, so be sure to check again after the first day of class, or ask your instructor.
- Not all classes use Moodle. Check your course schedule in SPIRE
Dashboard
From the Navigation tray, select Dashboards to go to a personal homepage for all your courses. Select any course title to open the course. This page also allows you to quickly navigate to new assignments.
You can customize your Dashboard and add additional Blocks, such as the Moodle Calendar, to help you stay organized. Click Customize this page (top right) to add or hide blocks on your Dashboard.
To know more about dashboards and customization click this link (Dashboards)
Course Layouts
On a computer
On a laptop or desktop computer, the Navigation Block is used to provide navigation links when using the Classic theme or a custom theme based on Classic.
The Sections in the center column is where your instructor posts information about the course, and provides links to resources and activities such as assignments you'll be doing in Moodle. This main course content may be organized by week or by topic. Depending on how your instructor set up the course, Sections may expand and collapse when you select the Section name, or Sections may always stay open.
Blocks appear on the right side when there is adequate screen space., or on a narrow screen, Blocks move below the column of Sections. You can use Blocks to navigate within your course, see upcoming assignments, see a calendar, link to library resources, and more, depending on what your instructor has added to the course.
For information on course structures and navigating courses follow the link to this article: Course homepage - MoodleDocs
Tips on Submitting Work
- Submit assignments on time. It is possible for instructors to close assignments at deadlines. Consult the course syllabus for your instructor's policy on submitting late assignments.
- Look for a confirmation screen to make sure your assignment is submitted. (This might look different depending on the kind of assignment.)
- Know which file formats your instructor will accept (.pdf and .doc are usually preferred).
View Grades
From the User menu, you can access grades once activities have been graded and released to students. Click the name of the course you wish to view grades for. For more information, see View Grades and Track Your Progress in Moodle. Some activities, such as Assignments, also display released grades on the activity page.
Get More Help
- Get in touch with the IT Service Desk