Moodle is an open source course management system that is also parlayed as a learning management system or a virtual learning environment. In reality Moodle is a content management system writtne in PHP which has all of the functionality if many PHP online collaboration and development tools available in open source.
The Moodle platform creates a community of users that can communicate with its various levels of citizenry using email, forums, blogs, task managers, chat rooms, and online educational routines. For the educational community, Moodle offers a fully integrated platform that lets administrators and teaches communicate and manage course activities among themselves and to the students who take online courses through the Moodle network.
This platform can be used within a school or within an entire school district to manage courses and activities across multiple locations in a central location. The platforms allows members to communicate with each other using either email, forums, or chat which in turn increases productivity through mutual collaboration while extending courses to students that can be worked on independently within a classroom atmosphere.
After a few weeks of using Moodle, an open-source and therefore free VLE, it finally took over from WebCT and we all breathed a sigh of utter relief. To entirely misquote Steve Jobs, using Moodle really is like drinking a glass of ice cold water in the dark depths of Hell.
Moodle vs. Blackboard Learning Management System: An Evaluation – Moodle is the industry-leading, open source learning management system and it is gradually taking marketshare from Blackboard due to its scalability, dramatic cost savings, and robust features.