Moodle API

This guide provides an overview of how to interact with the Moodle API, including how to access, use, and integrate Moodle data in studies.

Note

This documentation is meant for researchers and non-developers. If you’re a developer working with the backend or extending RPC functionality, refer to the Moodle API technical guide.

Overview

The Moodle API enables authorized users to connect to a Moodle Instance and access course-related data. Researchers typically use this functionality to:

  • Import student submissions for annotation or evaluation

  • Distribute study results or feedback

  • Import user data

Note

We recommend obtaining approval from your research ethics committee before importing user data, as these may include personally identifiable information (PII).

Setting Up the Moodle API

To use the Moodle API, you will need access credentials and permissions configured in your Moodle instance.

You will need:

  • API Key: Issued by your Moodle system administrator. It must grant access to course and user data relevant to your study.

  • API URL: The base URL of your Moodle instance (e.g., https://your-moodle-instance.edu).

  • Course ID: The numeric identifier for the Moodle course you’re working with. This is visible in the course URL as a segment like id=123.

  • Assignment ID: If you’re importing submissions, you’ll also need the specific assignment ID, which appears similarly in the assignment URL.

  • Sufficient Permissions: The Moodle account used must be enrolled in the course as a teacher or non-editing teacher to access submissions and user data.

Note

You can find course and assignment IDs by opening the respective pages in Moodle and checking the URL (e.g., .../course/view.php?id=123). If you’re unsure about your API key or access level, contact your Moodle administrator. For system administrators: see Administrator configuration for detailed instructions on configuring Moodle to enable API access.

Setting Up the Moodle Integration in CARE

To configure Moodle API access in the CARE platform:

  1. Go to Settings in the sidebar

  2. Select the RPC panel and then click on moodleAPI

  3. Enter the following:

    • rpc.moodleAPI.apiKey – your API key from the Moodle admin

    • rpc.moodleAPI.apiUrl – the base URL of your Moodle instance

    • rpc.moodleAPI.courseID – the course ID where you are assigned as a tutor or teacher

Note

The Moodle account used must have proper permissions for the course. If you’re unsure, ask your Moodle administrator for help.

Using Moodle with the CARE Platform

Importing Users

Before using this feature, make sure Moodle API access is configured as described in Setting Up the Moodle API.

User data can be imported from Moodle using the course ID:

  1. In the Dashboard navigate to Users > Import via Moodle

  2. CARE will match users by email address

CARE handles three scenarios:

  • New users are created if not found

  • Duplicate users are merged based on email match

  • Conflicts (e.g., mismatched emails) require manual correction

Warning

Never delete a user with an extId unless you are certain it won’t be needed. This could prevent future updates or synchronization.

Tip

If a user’s email in CARE differs from Moodle, edit it manually to allow a match. Avoid duplicates.

The CARE platform integrates directly with Moodle to help manage studies. Researchers typically use the following workflows:

Importing Submissions from Moodle

To collect assignment submissions:

  1. In Moodle, create an assignment. See Assignment creation for detailed configuration instructions.

  2. In CARE:

    • In the Dashboard go to Submissions

    • Choose Import via Moodle

    • Provide the correct course and assignment IDs

Study Creation with Imported Submissions

To create a study using either imported submissions or documents:

Single Assignment

  1. In the Dashboard go to Studies > Add Single Assignment

  2. Choose a template or start from scratch.

    If you don’t have a template yet, you can create one in two ways:

    Option 1 - From an existing study:

    • In the Dashboard, go to Studies

    • Click on Add to create a new study

    • Define the workflow and settings as needed

    • After saving, your study will appear in the list

    • Click on Save as template to reuse this setup in future studies

    Option 2 - Directly create a template:

    • In the Dashboard, go to Studies

    • Click on Saved Templates

    • Click on Create Template in the modal

    • Define the workflow and settings directly as a template

  3. Choose the assignment type:

    • Documents: Select from documents for the assignment

    • Submissions: Select from imported Moodle or manually added submissions

  4. Select the specific document or submission you want to include in the assignment

  5. Assign reviewers and finalize setup

Bulk Assignments

For creating multiple assignments at once:

  1. In the Dashboard go to Studies > Add Bulk Assignments

  2. Select a study template (required)

  3. Choose the assignment type: Documents or Submissions

  4. Select multiple documents or submissions from the table

  5. Choose reviewers from the user list. You can filter reviewers by:

    • Users with documents

    • Users from the selected documents/submissions

  6. Configure distribution mode:

    • Role-based selection: Define how many reviews each role should perform per document/submission

    • Reviewer-based selection: Distribute the selected documents/submissions among specific reviewers

  7. Review and confirm the assignment details

Note

When using submissions, CARE automatically associates the primary document from each submission with the first workflow step.

Publishing Feedback

After analysis or review, you may want to send feedback to students:

  1. Close your study in CARE.

    To do this, go to the Studies section in the Dashboard, locate your study in the list, and click the Close Study button.

  2. In the Dashboard, go to Submissions and click on Publish Reviews

  3. Select the corresponding session and assignment

  4. Use the Upload to Moodle option

Warning

Feedback can only be published to users with a valid extId (external ID from Moodle). Missing IDs must be corrected via user re-import.

Assignment Configuration in Moodle

Before configuring assignments, ensure your Moodle instance is set up correctly. See Setting Up the Moodle API.

Depending on the task, configure assignments as follows:

For collecting submissions:

  • Submission type: File submissions

  • Feedback type: Feedback comments

  • Submit button: No

  • Submission statement: Yes

For publishing feedback (no file uploads):

  • Submission type: None

  • Feedback type: Feedback comments (Inline: No)

  • Grade type: None

  • Completion conditions: None

Choose clear and descriptive assignment names for easier tracking in CARE.

Further Reading

For official and technical resources, consult:

These references can provide additional context for permissions, supported functions, and integration behavior when needed.