Using Moodle is more than just a how-to manual; each chapter includes suggestions, case studies, and best practices for using Moodle effectively. It also exposes little-known but powerful hacks for the more technically savvy users.

According to the authors, applying Moodle's tools opens up new possibilities for learning that simply weren't possible a few years ago. For example, instructors can use the online environment for content delivery and save course time for discussion, questions, and problem solving. "While Moodle's install base will continue to grow, the way Moodle is used will also continue to change", notes Cole. "As more instructors become comfortable with the basics, I hope we'll see more creative uses to help us learn how to effectively use Moodle's capabilities to enhance learning. I hope the examples and stories inspire teachers to use it to supplement their teaching."

Using Moodle, Second Edition, is part of the O'Reilly Community Press series, which spurs the development of interesting technologies by making online documentation available in print. Key players in technical communities create and edit the content of O'Reilly Community Press titles, and O'Reilly manufactures and distributes the books. Each book reflects the knowledge and voice of the community that has created it.

Author Jason Cole is currently the academic technology manager at San Francisco State University, where he's responsible for managing a Blackboard implementation that has over 15,000 users. A member of the Moodle community, he has developed a student-data integration tool for the system and has contributed to discussions regarding a document management system and object model for version 2.0.

Co-author Helen Foster is the documentation steward for moodle.org, the largest Moodle site at more than 300,000 users. She is a facilitator for the Using Moodle course, which provides free 24-hour support for users worldwide.