If your instructor requires you to use Internet Explorer for your class, you could use Internet Explorer 8 after clicking the “Compatibility View” button.  By placing the IE 8 browser in compatibility mode you will force the browser to behave as an IE 7 version while working in Moodle.  This is important so you can view all content, assignments, forum text boxes, etc.  Moodle users have been reporting multiple incompatibility issues with Internet Explorer 9, so we are advising that users switch to Firefox instead.

You should also be aware that two other popular browsers, Safari and Chrome, are not recommended for use with our current version of Moodle.  Users have reported multiple issues with forum editor tools, Wiris equation editor, display errors, and quizzes.  Once again, Firefox for Windows or Mac should be the browser of choice.  Click the Firefox logo above to download and install.

To avoid this possibility, when you are in the process of typing a long forum reply or essay and believe you may be close to three hours with no server activity, it’s a really good idea to highlight and copy your text before you request Moodle to save your work.  Either that or type any long responses in another program like Notepad or TextEdit first, and then copy and paste that text into the Moodle text editor.  To prepare for a big essay test, you could also take the extra step of first logging out and back into Moodle, so you’re sure that you have a fresh session to work with.

A favorite tool here in eLearning is Jing, which is free screenshot and screencasting software for PC and Mac. You can use Jing to take a quick picture of your screen, or part of it, or make a video of the issue you’re having to show us the steps you’re taking and what is happening with your computer. Creating a Jing account gives you 2GB of free storage space, making it easy to share your screenshots and screencasts by just pasting a link directly into Tech Ticket. Although our use is mainly for tech support (we might send you a link to show you how to fix a problem, for instance) you could also use this program for special class projects. Watch this video from the creators of Jing, to see if it might be useful to you.

For more details about downloading, installing, and using Jing, be sure to check out “Add Zing with Jing!“, posted by Clark’s techie librarian, Kitty Mackey.

If you decide to download and install Jing, it is available here:

Free Jing from TechSmith

If Jing isn’t for you, a basic screenshot is another way to capture an issue you’re having and that is easily done with the utility programs that come with most operating systems. Since they’re images, they may not paste into some forms such as our current Tech Ticket, but a way around that is to use your “flash drive in the cloud”, as mentioned in our post about Dropbox or use another free image storage service like Flickr. If you have never taken a screenshot, this simple video will show you how:

You can manage this by turning off the pop-up blocker in your browser and all pop-up blockers on any additional Yahoo, Google, or other third party toolbars that you may have added.  However, if you find pop-up ads too annoying to allow, you might choose instead to make an exception for Clark’s Moodle site.  Directions for the recommended Moodle browsers are below.  Find your browser version in the list and either turn off the pop-up blocker or allow an exception for Moodle.

Disable Pop-up Blocker in FireFox (PC)
•    Open FireFox
•    Select Tools, then Options
•    Select Content tab
•    Uncheck the box next to Block pop-up windows to turn it off OR leave your pop-up blocker on and make Clark’s Moodle site an exception by clicking the Exception button, enter moodle.clark.edu and click Allow
•    Click OK

Disable Pop-up Blocker in FireFox (Mac)
•    Open FireFox
•    Select Firefox, then Preferences
•    Select Content tab
•    Uncheck the box next to Block pop-up windows to turn it off OR leave your pop-up blocker on and make Clark’s Moodle site an exception by clicking the Exception button, enter moodle.clark.edu and click Allow

Disable Pop-up Blocker in IE7
•    Open Internet Explorer 7
•    Select Tools
•    Select Pop-up Blocker
•    Ensure that the Pop-up Blocker is turned off OR leave it on and make Clark’s Moodle site an exception by selecting Pop-up Blocker Settings, enter moodle.clark.edu, click Add and Close

Disable Other Pop-up Blockers
If the pop up windows are still not working, check the settings of the following applications:
•    Norton Security
•    Personal Firewall (e.g. ZoneAlarm, Norton)
•    Google browser toolbar
•    Yahoo browser toolbar
•    Alexa Toolbar
•    Pop-Up Blocker
•    Pop-Up Sweeper
•    Pop-Up Agent
•    Pop-Up Terminator
•    Pop-Up Destroyer
•    Pop-Up Stopper
•    Stop Zilla

If your instructor requires you to use Internet Explorer for your class, Internet Explorer 7 is compatible with our current version of Moodle.  Internet Explorer 8 is not fully compatible, but users can click the “Compatibility View” button to improve the situation.  By placing the IE 8 browser in compatibility mode you will force the browser to behave as an IE 7 version while working in Moodle.  This is important so you can view all content, such as assignments, forum text boxes, etc.  Moodle users have also been reporting multiple incompatibility issues with Internet Explorer 9, so we are advising that users not upgrade to this browser yet or switch to Firefox instead.

Users should also be aware that two other popular browsers, Safari and Chrome, are not recommended for use with our current version of Moodle and some users have reported various display issues with discussion forums and quizzes.  Once again, Firefox for Windows or Mac should be the browser of choice.

If you’re using AOL or NetZero as your ISP, you’ll find that Moodle does not support their web browsers.  When trying to view various pages or content, you may get error messages such as “Navigation Canceled” or “Page Not Found,” due to this incompatibility.  Qwest also had a specialized version of Internet Explorer which can cause certain items or tables to not display.  To remedy the situation, you’ll need to download and install Firefox (for PC or Mac).  After you’ve installed the new browser, you’ll need to connect to your ISP as you normally would, then minimize that browser and open Firefox to access your online courses.