Module 6: Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Time: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Duration: 45 minutes
Delivery style: Presentation, checklist review, and discussion

What You Will Be Able to Do

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

• Describe routine Moodle maintenance tasks.
• Understand what should be monitored.
• Identify common Moodle technical issues.
• Use a basic troubleshooting workflow.
• Know when to escalate a problem.

Topic Files

• Routine Maintenance Checklist
• Monitoring
• Common Issues
• Troubleshooting Workflow

Hands-On Notes for You

• Do not jump directly to solutions.
• Emphasize asking good questions before changing settings.
• Show how one symptom may have multiple possible causes.
• Protect user data and avoid sharing sensitive screenshots.
• Use simple case studies for discussion.

Real-World Examples

• A login issue affects only users from one faculty. The cause may be related to an external directory group or SSO rule rather than Moodle itself.
• A course backup fails only for one course. The course may contain very large files or an activity with problematic data.
• A teacher says Moodle is down, but only one activity is failing. Scope analysis prevents unnecessary server-level troubleshooting.
• Students report missing grades, but the teacher has hidden the grade item from students.

Demo Ideas

• Show Moodle logs for a test course or user.
• Show scheduled task status.
• Demonstrate checking whether a course is hidden.
• Demonstrate checking a user’s enrolment and role.
• Show where debugging can be enabled in a training environment, but warn not to leave detailed debugging enabled on production unless required and controlled.

Key Takeaway Summary

• Maintenance is preventive work that reduces incidents.
• Monitoring should cover Moodle, server resources, database, cron, email, authentication, and integrations.
• Troubleshooting should be structured and evidence-based.
• Documenting incidents helps prevent repeated problems.

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