What's New - Winter 2026
UR Courses was last updated to Moodle 4.5.8 on January 2, 2026.
This latest update primarily included security patches and bug fixes from Moodle.
Recent changes
The following new features and changes were also included in this most recent update.
Click each image below for a larger view
Course email overview
The Course email overview has been updated and contains a new option for sorting the courses displayed.
Asynchronous Backups
Courses backups are now run as a background task, allowing instructors to continue working while their backup is created. A notification email will be sent once the course backup has been successfully created.
Assignment - Allowed attempts
Within the Assignment activity, Additional attempts are infrequently used, so this option has been moved to be an advanced setting. The Show more link in the submission settings will reveal this setting.
Kaltura Media player No transcript option
A new media player with the transcript option disabled is now available as an alternative to the default player. The new player can be selected by adjusting the embed settings when embedding media stored in My Media. Learn more
Kaltura Audio player
A new player has been configured for audio files stored on Kaltura. This player is now the default for audio embedded from My Media.
New features in Moodle 4.5
The following information is a summary of the new features and improvements within Moodle 4.5. These features have been available in UR Courses since May 2025.
Overall improvements
Click each image below for a larger view
Refined look
Activities and sections clearly defined.
Single section page
Focus on one section only in its own page.
New 'View' option
With edit mode enabled, instructors can click to 'view' a single section.
Custom sections
The Topics format is now referred to as Custom sections.
Activity icons
Updated activity icons use an accessible colour palette.
Subsections
Click each image below for a larger view
Add a section within a section
A new option allows instructors to create subsections within sections.
Organise content more efficiently
Expandable subsections can help students focus on additional or related information.
Quiz improvements
Click each image below for a larger view
Ordering question type
A new Ordering question type allows teachers to create questions with single words or sentences.
Reorder images
Images can also be rearranged to the correct order if using the HTML format option in the new Ordering question type.
Display last saved
Students can now see when their responses were last saved from within the Quiz navigation.
Section grading
Instructors can allocate grades to groups of questions in a quiz.
Regrade selected questions
Selected questions in a quiz can be regraded.
Assignment improvements
Click each image below for a larger view
Key actions at the top of the screen
Along with better filtering, key actions are now available without the need to scroll down.
Easy access to bulk actions
A sticky footer provides easy access to bulk actions in the assignment submissions grading page.
Grant attempts automatically
Instructors can set assignments to accept resubmissions automatically.
Forum enhancements
Click each image below for a larger view
Easily post to all groups
The Post a copy to all groups is now available directly on the screen when adding a forum post.
Notifications
Click each image below for a larger view
Assignment notifications
Students will now receive notifications for upcoming and overdue assignments.
Quiz opening notification
Students will receive a notification when a Quiz is about to open.
Manual enrolment
Students may now receive a welcome message when manually enrolled in a course.
TinyMCE
Click each image below for a larger view
Improved image handling
Image handling is more streamlined, giving a better user experience when using the new TinyMCE editor.
Content designer
Click each image below for a larger view
New Content Designer activity type
We are exploring a new Content Designer activity type. It is similar to the Book resource, but allows for additional completion options and animations, all within a more modern interface. It shares some similarity with interactive content such as Rise 360, and can include questions, H5P activities, and polls.
Course templates
Click each image below for a larger view
Help getting started
Course templates are being developed to help give you a starting point for your next course.
Moodle 4.5 was released on October 7, 2024. For more information, please visit the Moodle 4.5 release notes to learn more. As we moved from Moodle 4.3 to Moodle 4.5, you may also want to visit the Moodle 4.4 release notes for additional information that will be included in this update.
More information
Previously...
UR Courses was last upgraded to Moodle 4.5.6 for the Fall 2025 term. This update primarily included security patches and bug fixes.
What's next...
UR Courses has typically had one major upgrade annually, prior to the Spring/Summer term. For more information, find out What's next for UR Courses.
Where can I get help?
The Service Desk is your best point of contact for questions and assistance regarding UR Courses. They can be reached at 306-585-4685 or by email to service.desk@uregina.ca.