Moodle External Tool Configuration

Setting up Moodle is the starting point for integrating Acreditta into your online learning environment. As an administrator, this first step will allow you to enable the necessary capabilities in Moodle for the effective management and issuance of digital credentials. Below we will explore how to carry out this setup easily and efficiently.

1. Service configuration:

• Log in to Moodle with an administrator user
• Enter the option ‘Site administration’
• Login to ‘Server/ Server’
• Look in the submenu for the option ‘Web service/ Web services’ and enter External services

• Click on ‘Add’ to create a new service
• In the countryside ‘Name’ assign the name of your preference that you will assign to the external service and the short name.
• Activate the option ‘Enabled’ and click on ‘Save changes’

In the new window that will open, click ‘Add functions/ Add functions’

• Add function: core_course_get_courses
• Add function: core_enrol_get_enrolled_users
• Add function: gradereport_user_get_grade_items
• Add function: core_completion_get_activities_completion_status
• Add function: core_completion_get_course_completion_status

2. Token configuration:

• Login to ‘Site administration’ and click ‘Server/ Server’
• Look in the web services submenu for the option ‘Manage tokens’
• Create a new token by clicking ‘Create token’

• Select a user who has administrative privileges
• In the countryside ‘Service/ Services’ select the service created above
• Make sure the date box is unchecked
• Click on ‘Save changes’

Copy the code in a safe place, as it must be entered in the field tokenAuthMoodle When adding the external tool in Acreditta and depending on the version of Moodle, you may not be able to consult it again.

3. Moodle external tool configuration

• Enter the option ‘Site administration’ and click ‘Extensions/Plugins’
• Find the submenu Activity modules’ and enter the option ‘Manage Tool’

• Click on ‘Configure the tool manually’

On this page we are going to fill out the form as follows:

Display the menu Services:

• In the first option select ‘Use this service for grade sync only’
• In the next field click ‘Use this service to retrieve member information as per privacy settings’
• In the countryside ‘Tool settings’ Choose ‘Use this service’

Display the menu Privacy/Privacy:

• In the countryside ‘Share the user’s name with the tool/Share launcher’s name with tool’ select option ‘Always’
• In the field selector ‘Share email with the tool/Share launcher’s name with tool’ select option ‘Always’
• In the countryside ‘Accept grades from the tool’ click ‘Always’
• Activate the option ‘Force SSL/ Force SSL’
• Save changes to finish the configuration.

• You will be redirected to the list of external tools. (In some instances of Moodle 3.9 you will need to go to Plugins > Activity Modules > External Tools > LTI Tools)
• Look for the newly created tool on the screen.
• Click on “See details” Settings (4-line icon or magnifying glass)

• Make sure you take note of the data that will appear in the window, as you will need it when setting up the Acreditta external tool in the following steps.

4. Enable the ‘Publish as LTI tool’ functionality

• Enter the option ‘Site administration’ and click ‘Extensions/Plugins’
• Find the submenu ‘Authentication/ Authentication’ and enter the option ‘Manage authentication’
• Enable the option ‘LTI’ clicking on the eye.

• Return to option ‘Site administration’ and click ‘Extensions/Plugins’
• Find the submenu ‘Registrations or Enrolments/ Enrolments’ and enter ‘Manage enrolment plugins’

• Enable the option ‘Publish as LTI tool’

• Return to option ‘Site administration’ and click ‘General’ (‘Extensions/Plugins’ in Moodle 3.9)
• Find the submenu Security’ and select ‘HTTP security/ HTTP security’
• Check the box ‘Allow frame embedding’
• Click the button ‘Save Changes’ at the end of the page.

5. Review additional settings

The following settings are usually already configured by default in Moodle, however they should be reviewed in case they have been changed for any reason in the past.

• Navigate to Site Administration -> Server -> Web Services -> External Services from there enable the following fields Enable web services (enablewebservices) y Enable web services for mobile devices (enablemobilewebservice) go to the bottom of the page and click on ‘Save Changes’.
• Navigate to Site Administration -> Server -> Web Services -> Manage Protocols enable the following fields from the eye icon REST protocol go to the bottom of the page and click on ‘Save Changes’.
• Navigate to Site Administration -> Users -> Permission -> Define roles edit the field Authenticated user from the pencil icon. On this screen, look for the option Use REST protocol webservice/rest:use and check Enable, go to the bottom of the page and click on ‘Save Changes’.