diff --git a/admin/user.php b/admin/user.php
index 5abb3b02594..97f1abba147 100644
--- a/admin/user.php
+++ b/admin/user.php
@@ -167,11 +167,11 @@
         } else {
             $columndir = $dir == "ASC" ? "DESC":"ASC";
             if ($column == "lastaccess") {
-                $columnicon = $dir == "ASC" ? "up":"down";
+                $columnicon = ($dir == "ASC") ? "sort_desc" : "sort_asc";
             } else {
-                $columnicon = $dir == "ASC" ? "down":"up";
+                $columnicon = ($dir == "ASC") ? "sort_asc" : "sort_desc";
             }
-            $columnicon = " <img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/' . $columnicon) . "\" alt=\"\" />";
+            $columnicon = "<img class='iconsort' src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/' . $columnicon) . "\" alt=\"\" />";
 
         }
         $$column = "<a href=\"user.php?sort=$column&amp;dir=$columndir\">".$string[$column]."</a>$columnicon";
diff --git a/course/format/renderer.php b/course/format/renderer.php
index 1856c624fb4..befde23c15a 100644
--- a/course/format/renderer.php
+++ b/course/format/renderer.php
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ abstract class format_section_renderer_base extends plugin_renderer_base {
                 $strmoveup = get_string('moveup');
 
                 $controls[] = html_writer::link($url,
-                    html_writer::empty_tag('img', array('src' => $this->output->pix_url('t/up'),
+                    html_writer::empty_tag('img', array('src' => $this->output->pix_url('i/up'),
                     'class' => 'icon up', 'alt' => $strmoveup)),
                     array('title' => $strmoveup, 'class' => 'moveup'));
             }
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ abstract class format_section_renderer_base extends plugin_renderer_base {
                 $strmovedown =  get_string('movedown');
 
                 $controls[] = html_writer::link($url,
-                    html_writer::empty_tag('img', array('src' => $this->output->pix_url('t/down'),
+                    html_writer::empty_tag('img', array('src' => $this->output->pix_url('i/down'),
                     'class' => 'icon down', 'alt' => $strmovedown)),
                     array('title' => $strmovedown, 'class' => 'movedown'));
             }
diff --git a/enrol/renderer.php b/enrol/renderer.php
index aa718541a50..05e43f513f9 100644
--- a/enrol/renderer.php
+++ b/enrol/renderer.php
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ class course_enrolment_table extends html_table implements renderable {
                     } else {
                         $link = html_writer::link(new moodle_url($url, array(self::SORTVAR=>$n)), $fields[$name][$n]);
                         if ($this->sort == $n) {
-                            $link .= ' '.html_writer::link(new moodle_url($url, array(self::SORTVAR=>$n, self::SORTDIRECTIONVAR=>$this->get_field_sort_direction($n))), $this->get_direction_icon($output, $n));
+                            $link .= html_writer::link(new moodle_url($url, array(self::SORTVAR=>$n, self::SORTDIRECTIONVAR=>$this->get_field_sort_direction($n))), $this->get_direction_icon($output, $n));
                         }
                         $bits[] = html_writer::tag('span', $link, array('class'=>'subheading_'.$n));
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ class course_enrolment_table extends html_table implements renderable {
                 } else {
                     $newlabel  = html_writer::link(new moodle_url($url, array(self::SORTVAR=>$name)), $fields[$name]);
                     if ($this->sort == $name) {
-                        $newlabel .= ' '.html_writer::link(new moodle_url($url, array(self::SORTVAR=>$name, self::SORTDIRECTIONVAR=>$this->get_field_sort_direction($name))), $this->get_direction_icon($output, $name));
+                        $newlabel .= html_writer::link(new moodle_url($url, array(self::SORTVAR=>$name, self::SORTDIRECTIONVAR=>$this->get_field_sort_direction($name))), $this->get_direction_icon($output, $name));
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -633,9 +633,11 @@ class course_enrolment_table extends html_table implements renderable {
             $direction = $this->sortdirection;
         }
         if ($direction === 'ASC') {
-            return html_writer::empty_tag('img', array('alt'=>'', 'src'=>$output->pix_url('t/down')));
+            return html_writer::empty_tag('img', array('alt' => '', 'class' => 'iconsort',
+                'src' => $output->pix_url('t/sort_asc')));
         } else {
-            return html_writer::empty_tag('img', array('alt'=>'', 'src'=>$output->pix_url('t/up')));
+            return html_writer::empty_tag('img', array('alt' => '', 'class' => 'iconsort',
+                'src' => $output->pix_url('t/sort_desc')));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/adminlib.php b/lib/adminlib.php
index e5b47608348..2eca4892bd6 100644
--- a/lib/adminlib.php
+++ b/lib/adminlib.php
@@ -5075,16 +5075,16 @@ class admin_setting_manageenrols extends admin_setting {
                 if ($updowncount > 1) {
                     $aurl = new moodle_url($url, array('action'=>'up', 'enrol'=>$enrol));
                     $updown .= "<a href=\"$aurl\">";
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up') . "\" alt=\"$strup\" /></a>&nbsp;";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up') . "\" alt=\"$strup\" class=\"iconsmall\" /></a>&nbsp;";
                 } else {
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"icon\" alt=\"\" />&nbsp;";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"iconsmall\" alt=\"\" />&nbsp;";
                 }
                 if ($updowncount < $enrolcount) {
                     $aurl = new moodle_url($url, array('action'=>'down', 'enrol'=>$enrol));
                     $updown .= "<a href=\"$aurl\">";
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down') . "\" alt=\"$strdown\" /></a>";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down') . "\" alt=\"$strdown\" class=\"iconsmall\" /></a>";
                 } else {
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"icon\" alt=\"\" />";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"iconsmall\" alt=\"\" />";
                 }
                 ++$updowncount;
             }
@@ -5606,17 +5606,17 @@ class admin_setting_manageauths extends admin_setting {
             if ($enabled) {
                 if ($updowncount > 1) {
                     $updown .= "<a href=\"$url&amp;action=up&amp;auth=$auth\">";
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up') . "\" alt=\"up\" /></a>&nbsp;";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up') . "\" alt=\"up\" class=\"iconsmall\" /></a>&nbsp;";
                 }
                 else {
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"icon\" alt=\"\" />&nbsp;";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"iconsmall\" alt=\"\" />&nbsp;";
                 }
                 if ($updowncount < $authcount) {
                     $updown .= "<a href=\"$url&amp;action=down&amp;auth=$auth\">";
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down') . "\" alt=\"down\" /></a>";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down') . "\" alt=\"down\" class=\"iconsmall\" /></a>";
                 }
                 else {
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"icon\" alt=\"\" />";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"iconsmall\" alt=\"\" />";
                 }
                 ++ $updowncount;
             }
@@ -5773,17 +5773,17 @@ class admin_setting_manageeditors extends admin_setting {
             if ($enabled) {
                 if ($updowncount > 1) {
                     $updown .= "<a href=\"$url&amp;action=up&amp;editor=$editor\">";
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up') . "\" alt=\"up\" /></a>&nbsp;";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up') . "\" alt=\"up\" class=\"iconsmall\" /></a>&nbsp;";
                 }
                 else {
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"icon\" alt=\"\" />&nbsp;";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"iconsmall\" alt=\"\" />&nbsp;";
                 }
                 if ($updowncount < $editorcount) {
                     $updown .= "<a href=\"$url&amp;action=down&amp;editor=$editor\">";
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down') . "\" alt=\"down\" /></a>";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down') . "\" alt=\"down\" class=\"iconsmall\" /></a>";
                 }
                 else {
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"icon\" alt=\"\" />";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('spacer') . "\" class=\"iconsmall\" alt=\"\" />";
                 }
                 ++ $updowncount;
             }
@@ -6000,7 +6000,7 @@ class admin_setting_manageformats extends admin_setting {
 
         $cnt = 0;
         $defaultformat = get_config('moodlecourse', 'format');
-        $spacer = $OUTPUT->pix_icon('spacer', '', 'moodle', array('class' => 'icon'));
+        $spacer = $OUTPUT->pix_icon('spacer', '', 'moodle', array('class' => 'iconsmall'));
         foreach ($formats as $format) {
             $url = new moodle_url('/admin/courseformats.php',
                     array('sesskey' => sesskey(), 'format' => $format->name));
@@ -6021,13 +6021,13 @@ class admin_setting_manageformats extends admin_setting {
             $updown = '';
             if ($cnt) {
                 $updown .= html_writer::link($url->out(false, array('action' => 'up')),
-                    $OUTPUT->pix_icon('t/up', $txt->up, 'moodle')). '&nbsp;';
+                    $OUTPUT->pix_icon('t/up', $txt->up, 'moodle', array('class' => 'iconsmall'))). '';
             } else {
                 $updown .= $spacer;
             }
             if ($cnt < count($formats) - 1) {
                 $updown .= '&nbsp;'.html_writer::link($url->out(false, array('action' => 'down')),
-                    $OUTPUT->pix_icon('t/down', $txt->down, 'moodle'));
+                    $OUTPUT->pix_icon('t/down', $txt->down, 'moodle', array('class' => 'iconsmall')));
             } else {
                 $updown .= $spacer;
             }
@@ -6862,18 +6862,19 @@ class admin_setting_managerepository extends admin_setting {
 
                 // Display up/down link
                 $updown = '';
-                $spacer = $OUTPUT->spacer(array('height'=>15, 'width'=>15)); // should be done with CSS instead
+                // Should be done with CSS instead.
+                $spacer = $OUTPUT->spacer(array('height' => 15, 'width' => 15, 'class' => 'smallicon'));
 
                 if ($updowncount > 1) {
                     $updown .= "<a href=\"$this->baseurl&amp;action=moveup&amp;repos=".$typename."\">";
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up') . "\" alt=\"up\" /></a>&nbsp;";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up') . "\" alt=\"up\" class=\"iconsmall\" /></a>&nbsp;";
                 }
                 else {
                     $updown .= $spacer;
                 }
                 if ($updowncount < $totalinstances) {
                     $updown .= "<a href=\"$this->baseurl&amp;action=movedown&amp;repos=".$typename."\">";
-                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down') . "\" alt=\"down\" /></a>";
+                    $updown .= "<img src=\"" . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down') . "\" alt=\"down\" class=\"iconsmall\" /></a>";
                 }
                 else {
                     $updown .= $spacer;
diff --git a/lib/tablelib.php b/lib/tablelib.php
index 4281232a854..bfb9df96d83 100644
--- a/lib/tablelib.php
+++ b/lib/tablelib.php
@@ -1153,10 +1153,10 @@ class flexible_table {
 
         if ($order == SORT_ASC) {
             return html_writer::empty_tag('img',
-                    array('src' => $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down'), 'alt' => get_string('asc')));
+                    array('src' => $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/sort_asc'), 'alt' => get_string('asc'), 'class' => 'iconsort'));
         } else {
             return html_writer::empty_tag('img',
-                    array('src' => $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up'), 'alt' => get_string('desc')));
+                    array('src' => $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/sort_desc'), 'alt' => get_string('desc'), 'class' => 'iconsort'));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/mod/quiz/styles.css b/mod/quiz/styles.css
index 482a8eeafbb..021a2efb6f2 100644
--- a/mod/quiz/styles.css
+++ b/mod/quiz/styles.css
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ table#categoryquestions {width: 100%;overflow: hidden;table-layout: fixed;}
 #categoryquestions .iconcol {width: 15px;text-align: center;padding: 0;}
 #categoryquestions .checkbox {width: 19px;text-align: center;padding: 0;}
 #categoryquestions .qtype {text-align: center;}
-#categoryquestions .qtype {width: 24px;padding: 0;}
+#categoryquestions .qtype {width: 28px;padding: 0;}
 #categoryquestions .questiontext p {margin: 0;}
 
 #page-mod-quiz-edit div.quizcontents {float:left;width:70%;display:block;clear:left;}
diff --git a/mod/workshop/renderer.php b/mod/workshop/renderer.php
index f5e22f73174..3b67672e590 100644
--- a/mod/workshop/renderer.php
+++ b/mod/workshop/renderer.php
@@ -898,12 +898,14 @@ class mod_workshop_renderer extends plugin_renderer_base {
             if ($sortby !== $sortid or $sorthow !== 'ASC') {
                 $url = new moodle_url($PAGE->url);
                 $url->params(array('sortby' => $sortid, 'sorthow' => 'ASC'));
-                $out .= $this->output->action_icon($url, new pix_icon('t/up', get_string('sortasc', 'workshop')), null, array('class' => 'sort asc'));
+                $out .= $this->output->action_icon($url, new pix_icon('t/sort_asc', get_string('sortasc', 'workshop')),
+                    null, array('class' => 'iconsort sort asc'));
             }
             if ($sortby !== $sortid or $sorthow !== 'DESC') {
                 $url = new moodle_url($PAGE->url);
                 $url->params(array('sortby' => $sortid, 'sorthow' => 'DESC'));
-                $out .= $this->output->action_icon($url, new pix_icon('t/down', get_string('sortdesc', 'workshop')), null, array('class' => 'sort desc'));
+                $out .= $this->output->action_icon($url, new pix_icon('t/sort_desc', get_string('sortdesc', 'workshop')),
+                    null, array('class' => 'iconsort sort desc'));
             }
         }
         return $out;
diff --git a/question/editlib.php b/question/editlib.php
index 4df64128a8c..db535e34444 100644
--- a/question/editlib.php
+++ b/question/editlib.php
@@ -251,9 +251,9 @@ abstract class question_bank_column_base {
     protected function get_sort_icon($reverse) {
         global $OUTPUT;
         if ($reverse) {
-            return ' <img src="' . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/up') . '" alt="' . get_string('desc') . '" />';
+            return $OUTPUT->pix_icon('t/sort_desc', get_string('desc'), '', array('class' => 'iconsort'));
         } else {
-            return ' <img src="' . $OUTPUT->pix_url('t/down') . '" alt="' . get_string('asc') . '" />';
+            return $OUTPUT->pix_icon('t/sort_asc', get_string('asc'), '', array('class' => 'iconsort'));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/theme/base/style/core.css b/theme/base/style/core.css
index a7b16b40693..2ec93415a4f 100644
--- a/theme/base/style/core.css
+++ b/theme/base/style/core.css
@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ img.icon {height:16px;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:16px;padding: 2px 6px 2px
 img.iconsmall {height:12px;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:middle;width:12px;}
 img.iconhelp, .helplink img {height:16px; padding-left:3px;vertical-align:middle;width:16px;}
 img.iconlarge {height: 24px; width: 24px; vertical-align:middle;}
+img.iconsort { vertical-align: text-bottom; padding-left: .3em; margin-bottom: .15em;}
+.dir-rtl img.iconsort { padding-right: .3em; padding-left: 0;}
 img.icontoggle {height:17px;vertical-align:middle;width:50px;}
 img.iconkbhelp {height:17px;width:49px;}
 .categorybox .category {font-size:1.2em;font-weight:bold;}
diff --git a/theme/upgrade.txt b/theme/upgrade.txt
index ce15db20614..f5240713ae8 100644
--- a/theme/upgrade.txt
+++ b/theme/upgrade.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ optional changes:
 * new icons i/export and i/import (sized 16x16). Previously export and import actions used i/backup and i/restore.
 * new icon i/assignroles (sized 16x16), to prevent the use of i/roles which is 12x12.
 * new icon i/switchrole (sized 16x16), was previously using i/roles. Now is a copy of the new i/assignroles icon.
+* new icons t/sort_asc, t/sort_desc to use for ordering in table headers.
+* new class 'iconsort' for icons used for ordering in table headers.
 
 === 2.3 ===