A new operating system based on the Moodle version 4.x was installed on the STAR-NET Learning Management System in the end of November 2022. With the new operating system, universities have gained new opportunities for developing and conducting lectures, training courses and other events. This can improve the quality of courses and the effectiveness of their use.

The webinar was held on February 2, 2023 and was dedicated to the features of the new operating system and its capabilities. 24 representatives of universities-members participated in the webinar. The webinar also discussed some technical and organizational issues of using the platform, including the redesign of the platform interface and the structure of organizing and presenting information.

The new version of the operating system has a more intuitive interface that simplifies the development and editing of courses and helps students navigate the learning material more easily. In the new version, a teacher can easily resize sections on course pages and reduce the amount of visible information on the screen, and thereby focus on specific pieces of content. The system now remembers the most frequently used items, making it easy for users to find the right section of information, course, or assignment. A search function is now available on any page throughout the content of the platform.

There is a new ability sending notifications to platform users and/or students of a specific course about new or updated content via the Moodle mobile application and email automatically.
A special discussion at the webinar was devoted to the BigBlueButton module, which is now incorporated into the new operating system. The BigBlueButton module is intended for conducting various online events such as lectures, seminars, conferences, discussions, etc. The BigBlueButton module has all the standard features like most online services such as Zoom, Webex and others have. In addition, this module allows to:
• organize and conduct online events by any user of the platform with the status of teacher or higher;
• create independent virtual groups among participants for practical exercises;
• conduct online surveys among participants, including anonymous ones;
• record online sessions for later playback.

Summing up, one can say that the STAR-NET Learning Management System continues to improve and to become a more functional and effective educational tool.

The webinar video recording and presentation are posted on the STAR-NET learning management platform and are available to all registered users at the following link:
http://lms.star-net.online/course/view.php?id=129