A Moodle Forum can be used as a social space for students to get to know each other, to discuss course content or reading materials, or as a place for students to ask questions about the class for all to see.


Watch a Video of the Steps Below


1. Click the Turn editing on button




2. Click the text + Add an activity or resource in any Module of the course.




3. Click on Forum.




4. Type a name for the Forum in the Forum name field.


5. Enter any instructions in the Description field.


Under the General heading, there is a place to enter the Forum Name and Description



6. Select the Forum type in the dropdown menu. The two most common types are:

  • Standard forum for general use: this functions as a classic forum. Students can add new topics (posts) and reply to the posts of others.

  • Q and A forum: the Instructor must post an initial topic (the Question) to which students must reply with their Answer. Students cannot see any other posts until they submit their reply and wait 30 minutes.

  • Read more about other forum types.


The forum types are A single simple discussion, each person posts one discussion, Q and A forum, Standard forum displayed in a blog-like format, and Standard forum for general use.



7. Click the Availability heading to select important dates:

  • Due date: This date automatically appears in the forum details and course calendar.

  • Cut-off date: This date does not appear to students. This represents the date after which no student will be allowed to add topic posts or make replies.


Availability has a due date and a cut-off date with a date and time selector if enabled



8. To change the Group mode, click the Common module settings heading.


9. If the course uses Groups, use the Group Mode dropdown menu to select the desired setting:

  • No groups: all students can see and respond to each other's posts. Use this setting if your course does not contain groups.

  • Visible groups: all students can see each other's posts, but only students in the same group can reply to one another.

  • Separate groups: Only students within a group can see and respond to each other's posts.


When using Visible or Separate Groups, make sure to add yourself into each Group to be able to reply to students' posts.


Group mode has the following options: No groups, separate groups, and visible groups.



10. To change the Subscription mode, click the Subscription and tracking heading.


11. Select one of the four options in the Subscription mode dropdown menu:

  • Optional subscription: Participants can choose whether to be subscribed

  • Forced subscription: Everyone is subscribed and cannot unsubscribe

  • Auto subscription:  Everyone is subscribed initially but can choose to unsubscribe at any time

  • Subscription disabled: Subscriptions are not allowed.


The subscription and tracking options are Optional subscription, Forced subscription, auto subscription, and subscription disabled



12. Read the Grade a Forum instructions if this forum will be graded.




13. When done, click the red Save and return to course or Save and display buttons.


Save and return to course button or save and display button



Return to the Forum main resource page for more information on other topics.