Using roles

Below are just a few creative examples of uses of roles and permissions in various settings.

Give a user forum moderator rights

How: Assign the role of non-editing teacher in the module context, via the “Locally assigned roles” link in the forum administration section of the Administration block.

  • Enables a user to edit or delete forum posts, split discussions and move discussions to other forums
  • See Forum moderator role for more details
  • Consider assigning this role to two users, and guiding them in learning to facilitate a forum together; for example, they can share the “coverage” of the forum on certain dates.

Enable a user to grade assignment submissions

How: Assign the role of non-editing teacher in the module context, via the “Locally assigned roles” link in the assignment administration section of the Administration block.

  • A form of peer assessment/evaluation
  • Similar use: Enable a user to grade essay questions in a quiz

Give a user the rights to approve database module entries

How: Assign the role of non-editing teacher in the module context, via the “Locally assigned roles” link in the database administration section of the Administration block.

  • Enables a user to approve, edit and delete database module entries
  • Similar use: Give a user the rights to approve glossary entries

Allow a user to clean up saved chat sessions

How: Assign the role of non-editing teacher in the module context, via the “Locally assigned roles” link in the chat administration section of the Administration block.

  • Allows a user to delete chat logs for conversations which don’t go anywhere
  • Allows a user to save chat logs for a longer period of time
  • Allows a user to put together group chat sessions

Create an archive forum

How: Override the user role in the module context, via the “Permissions” link in the forum administration section of the Settings block and remove the capabilities to start discussions and reply to posts

  • In an archived forum, users may no longer start new discussions, nor add replies, but may still read all the discussions
  • See Forum permissions for more details
  • Similar uses: Archive database, glossary or wiki

Enable users to rate forum posts

How: Override the user role in the module context, via the “Permissions” link in the forum administration section of the Administration block, and allow the capability to rate forum posts.

  • A formative assessment
  • Peer evaluation
  • See Forum permissions for more details
  • Similar uses: Enable users to rate database or glossary entries

Allow users to unenroll themselves from a course

How: Override the user role in the course context, via the “Permissions” link (Users > Permissions) in the Course administration area of the Administration block and allow the “Unenroll self from the course” capability.

  • Useful for taster courses, revision courses and any other courses which are optional
  • See Unenrollment for more details

Hide a block from guests

How: Override the guest role in the block context, via the “Permissions” link in the block header and prevent the capability to view blocks.

  • See Blocks FAQ for more details
  • Similar use: Hide a block from users

Give a user unlimited time to complete timed quizzes

How: Assign the role of quiz user with unlimited time in the course or module context (requires Quiz user with unlimited time role to be created by an administrator)

  • Useful for particular users who require extra time in exams
  • See Quiz user with unlimited time role for more details

Enable a user to create questions

How: Assign the role of question creator in the course context, via the” Permissions” link in the course administration area of the Administration block (requires Question creator role to be created by an administrator).

  • Enables a user to create questions which can later be used in quizzes
  • See Question creator role for more details

Warning: Capabilities with XSS risks associated to them are allowed for the role of question creator. Thus, this role should be assigned with care.

Assign a user the role of calendar editor

How: Assign the role of calendar editor in the course context, via the “Permissions” link in the calendar administration area of the Administration block (requires Calendar editor role to be created by an administrator).

  • Allows a user to add course events to the calendar
  • Useful for enabling school admin staff to add term dates etc. to the school calendar (when role assigned in the system context)
  • See Calendar editor role for more details

Provide temporary read-only access to a naughty user

How: Assign the role in the course or module context (requires “can not post data” role, with selected capabilities prohibited, to be created by an administrator)

  • Prevents a user from entering text anywhere whilst allowing read-only access

Provide temporary access to a Guest Speaker in a completely online class

How: Create a non-editing teaching role blocking access to everything but post to forum.

Steps to prevent guests from seeing confidential user information:

  1. Assign a guest role without access to grades and assignments.
  2. Only grant access to the guest for the minimal amount of time they need to be in the class.

Allow an administrator and instructor to see participants, but not a user

How: In a course, click on “Users” and then the “Permissions” link in the course administration area of the Settings block. Scroll down to view participants and select the prevent or prohibit button next to “Student”.

  • Allows instructors to see participants but not users.

Add a grader to a course

How: Enrol users via the Participants page (if you want to allow users to see the grader) or Other users (if not) to add your grader with the role of “Non-editing Teacher”.

  • The grader will be able to assign and change any grades in the class.
  • If you want to only allow the grader to grade certain quizzes and/or assignments, see Enable a user to grade assignment submissions.
  • If you want to only allow the grader to grade certain offline assignments, you can set up an assignment with no text entry and no file uploading. (See Offline activity assignment and Assignment_settings#Submission_types.)

See also

  • Assign roles