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Module 4: Performance and Optimization Overview

Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Duration: 60 minutes
Delivery style: Presentation, examples, and discussion

What You Will Be Able to Do

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

  • Identify common reasons Moodle becomes slow.
  • Understand basic server resource concepts.
  • Explain the purpose of caching in simple terms.
  • Recognize database factors that affect performance.
  • List basic optimization strategies suitable for administrators.

Topic Files

Hands-On Notes for You

  • Keep performance discussion introductory.
  • Do not attempt advanced database tuning in this course.
  • Use simple cause-and-effect examples.
  • Explain that performance planning should consider peak events, such as online exams.
  • Document normal baseline performance.

Real-World Examples

  • During final exams, 2,000 students start a quiz at the same time. The site becomes slow because the number of concurrent requests exceeds normal daily usage.
  • A course page contains many large images, embedded videos, and dozens of activities. Students experience slow loading even though the server is healthy.
  • Cron has not run for several days. Scheduled tasks accumulate, and when cron resumes, the server experiences a temporary spike.
  • A new plugin was installed and site performance became worse. The support team reviews recent changes and plugin behavior.

Demo Ideas

  • Show Moodle performance-related administration pages, such as caching configuration and scheduled tasks.
  • Demonstrate “Purge all caches” in a safe environment and explain when to use it.
  • Show a sample monitoring dashboard or server resource graph.
  • Show how a heavy course page differs from a well-organized course page.
  • Review a sample incident timeline showing traffic spike and server response.

Key Takeaway Summary

  • Moodle performance depends on application, server, database, storage, network, plugins, and usage patterns.
  • Cache helps reduce repeated work.
  • Database health is critical.
  • Course design can affect user experience.
  • Administrators should troubleshoot performance using evidence, not guesswork.