diff --git a/cohort/edit.php b/cohort/edit.php
index 5fc63b6fccb..250fd164e3e 100644
--- a/cohort/edit.php
+++ b/cohort/edit.php
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ if ($id) {
     if ($context->contextlevel != CONTEXT_COURSECAT and $context->contextlevel != CONTEXT_SYSTEM) {
         print_error('invalidcontext');
     }
-    $cohort = new object();
+    $cohort = new stdClass();
     $cohort->id          = 0;
     $cohort->contextid   = $context->id;
     $cohort->name        = '';
diff --git a/cohort/lib.php b/cohort/lib.php
index 1b89be32a4d..9a084eb63b7 100644
--- a/cohort/lib.php
+++ b/cohort/lib.php
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ function cohort_delete_category($category) {
  */
 function cohort_add_member($cohortid, $userid) {
     global $DB;
-    $record = new object();
+    $record = new stdClass();
     $record->cohortid  = $cohortid;
     $record->userid    = $userid;
     $record->timeadded = time();
diff --git a/comment/lib.php b/comment/lib.php
index cce87d4420c..61036304d99 100644
--- a/comment/lib.php
+++ b/comment/lib.php
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ EOD;
         $candelete = has_capability('moodle/comment:delete', $this->context);
         $rs = $DB->get_recordset_sql($sql, $params, $start, $CFG->commentsperpage);
         foreach ($rs as $u) {
-            $c = new object();
+            $c = new stdClass();
             $c->id          = $u->cid;
             $c->content     = $u->ccontent;
             $c->format      = $u->cformat;
diff --git a/course/format/topics/format.php b/course/format/topics/format.php
index b40ecaaea1f..be93c5d8f84 100644
--- a/course/format/topics/format.php
+++ b/course/format/topics/format.php
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ if ($thissection->summary or $thissection->sequence or $PAGE->user_is_editing())
 
     $coursecontext = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, $course->id);
     $summarytext = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($thissection->summary, 'pluginfile.php', $coursecontext->id, 'course', 'section', $thissection->id);
-    $summaryformatoptions = new object();
+    $summaryformatoptions = new stdClass();
     $summaryformatoptions->noclean = true;
     echo format_text($summarytext, $thissection->summaryformat, $summaryformatoptions);
 
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ while ($section <= $course->numsections) {
             if ($thissection->summary) {
                 $coursecontext = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, $course->id);
                 $summarytext = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($thissection->summary, 'pluginfile.php', $coursecontext->id, 'course', 'section', $thissection->id);
-                $summaryformatoptions = new object();
+                $summaryformatoptions = new stdClass();
                 $summaryformatoptions->noclean = true;
                 echo format_text($summarytext, $thissection->summaryformat, $summaryformatoptions);
             } else {
diff --git a/course/format/weeks/format.php b/course/format/weeks/format.php
index 470f0532206..472725a5463 100644
--- a/course/format/weeks/format.php
+++ b/course/format/weeks/format.php
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
 
         $coursecontext = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, $course->id);
         $summarytext = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($thissection->summary, 'pluginfile.php', $coursecontext->id, 'course', 'section', $thissection->id);
-        $summaryformatoptions = new object();
+        $summaryformatoptions = new stdClass();
         $summaryformatoptions->noclean = true;
         echo format_text($summarytext, $thissection->summaryformat, $summaryformatoptions);
 
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
                 echo '<div class="summary">';
                 $coursecontext = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, $course->id);
                 $summarytext = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($thissection->summary, 'pluginfile.php', $coursecontext->id, 'course', 'section', $thissection->id);
-                $summaryformatoptions = new object();
+                $summaryformatoptions = new stdClass();
                 $summaryformatoptions->noclean = true;
                 echo format_text($summarytext, $thissection->summaryformat, $summaryformatoptions);
 
diff --git a/course/import/groups/index.php b/course/import/groups/index.php
index eb5d373a40f..789163329dd 100755
--- a/course/import/groups/index.php
+++ b/course/import/groups/index.php
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ die;
 
     while (!feof ($fp)) {
 
-        $newgroup = new object();//to make Martin happy
+        $newgroup = new stdClass();//to make Martin happy
         foreach ($optionalDefaults as $key => $value) {
             $newgroup->$key = current_language(); //defaults to current language
         }
diff --git a/course/index.php b/course/index.php
index afdcf7efb0c..b1998ef8fa6 100644
--- a/course/index.php
+++ b/course/index.php
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ if (!empty($delete) and confirm_sesskey()) {
 /// Create a default category if necessary
 if (!$categories = get_categories()) {    /// No category yet!
     // Try and make one
-    $tempcat = new object();
+    $tempcat = new stdClass();
     $tempcat->name = get_string('miscellaneous');
     $tempcat->id = $DB->insert_record('course_categories', $tempcat);
     $tempcat->context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSECAT, $tempcat->id);
diff --git a/course/lib.php b/course/lib.php
index 8a68ed40a65..506b93e0301 100644
--- a/course/lib.php
+++ b/course/lib.php
@@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@ function course_set_display($courseid, $display=0) {
     } else if ($DB->record_exists("course_display", array("userid" => $USER->id, "course"=>$courseid))) {
         $DB->set_field("course_display", "display", $display, array("userid"=>$USER->id, "course"=>$courseid));
     } else {
-        $record = new object();
+        $record = new stdClass();
         $record->userid = $USER->id;
         $record->course = $courseid;
         $record->display = $display;
@@ -1270,7 +1270,7 @@ function print_section($course, $section, $mods, $modnamesused, $absolute=false,
         $initialised = true;
     }
 
-    $labelformatoptions = new object();
+    $labelformatoptions = new stdClass();
     $labelformatoptions->noclean = true;
 
 /// Casting $course->modinfo to string prevents one notice when the field is null
@@ -2514,7 +2514,7 @@ function get_course_section($section, $courseid) {
     if ($cw = $DB->get_record("course_sections", array("section"=>$section, "course"=>$courseid))) {
         return $cw;
     }
-    $cw = new object();
+    $cw = new stdClass();
     $cw->course   = $courseid;
     $cw->section  = $section;
     $cw->summary  = "";
@@ -3062,7 +3062,7 @@ function update_restricted_mods($course, $mods) {
         if ($mod == 0) {
             continue; // this is the 'allow none' option
         }
-        $am = new object();
+        $am = new stdClass();
         $am->course = $course->id;
         $am->module = $mod;
         $DB->insert_record('course_allowed_modules',$am);
@@ -3519,7 +3519,7 @@ function create_course($data, $editoroptions = NULL) {
     // Setup the blocks
     blocks_add_default_course_blocks($course);
 
-    $section = new object();
+    $section = new stdClass();
     $section->course        = $course->id;   // Create a default section.
     $section->section       = 0;
     $section->summaryformat = FORMAT_HTML;
@@ -3920,7 +3920,7 @@ class course_request {
 
         $this->delete();
 
-        $a = new object();
+        $a = new stdClass();
         $a->name = $course->fullname;
         $a->url = $CFG->wwwroot.'/course/view.php?id=' . $course->id;
         $this->notify($user, $USER, 'courserequestapproved', get_string('courseapprovedsubject'), get_string('courseapprovedemail2', 'moodle', $a));
@@ -3961,7 +3961,7 @@ class course_request {
      * @param string $message
      */
     protected function notify($touser, $fromuser, $name='courserequested', $subject, $message) {
-        $eventdata = new object();
+        $eventdata = new stdClass();
         $eventdata->modulename        = 'moodle';
         $eventdata->component         = 'course';
         $eventdata->name              = $name;
diff --git a/course/mod.php b/course/mod.php
index 2d9b6b3c437..062760f08ba 100644
--- a/course/mod.php
+++ b/course/mod.php
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ if (!empty($add)) {
     }
 
     // Trigger a mod_deleted event with information about this module.
-    $eventdata = new object();
+    $eventdata = new stdClass();
     $eventdata->modulename = $cm->modname;
     $eventdata->cmid       = $cm->id;
     $eventdata->courseid   = $course->id;
diff --git a/course/modedit.php b/course/modedit.php
index 4b5583891d3..36dd26596d1 100644
--- a/course/modedit.php
+++ b/course/modedit.php
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ if (!empty($add)) {
 
     $cm = null;
 
-    $data = new object();
+    $data = new stdClass();
     $data->section          = $section;  // The section number itself - relative!!! (section column in course_sections)
     $data->visible          = $cw->visible;
     $data->course           = $course->id;
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ if (!empty($add)) {
     $fullmodulename = get_string('modulename', $module->name);
 
     if ($data->section && $course->format != 'site') {
-        $heading = new object();
+        $heading = new stdClass();
         $heading->what = $fullmodulename;
         $heading->to   = $sectionname;
         $pageheading = get_string('addinganewto', 'moodle', $heading);
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ if (!empty($add)) {
     $fullmodulename = get_string('modulename', $module->name);
 
     if ($data->section && $course->format != 'site') {
-        $heading = new object();
+        $heading = new stdClass();
         $heading->what = $fullmodulename;
         $heading->in   = $sectionname;
         $pageheading = get_string('updatingain', 'moodle', $heading);
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ if ($mform->is_cancelled()) {
         }
 
         // Trigger mod_updated event with information about this module.
-        $eventdata = new object();
+        $eventdata = new stdClass();
         $eventdata->modulename = $fromform->modulename;
         $eventdata->name       = $fromform->name;
         $eventdata->cmid       = $fromform->coursemodule;
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ if ($mform->is_cancelled()) {
         }
 
         // first add course_module record because we need the context
-        $newcm = new object();
+        $newcm = new stdClass();
         $newcm->course           = $course->id;
         $newcm->module           = $fromform->module;
         $newcm->instance         = 0; // not known yet, will be updated later (this is similar to restore code)
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ if ($mform->is_cancelled()) {
         }
 
         // Trigger mod_created event with information about this module.
-        $eventdata = new object();
+        $eventdata = new stdClass();
         $eventdata->modulename = $fromform->modulename;
         $eventdata->name       = $fromform->name;
         $eventdata->cmid       = $fromform->coursemodule;
diff --git a/course/moodleform_mod.php b/course/moodleform_mod.php
index 7956c9e7eb4..591da0e3972 100644
--- a/course/moodleform_mod.php
+++ b/course/moodleform_mod.php
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ abstract class moodleform_mod extends moodleform {
     protected function init_features() {
         global $CFG;
 
-        $this->_features = new object();
+        $this->_features = new stdClass();
         $this->_features->groups            = plugin_supports('mod', $this->_modname, FEATURE_GROUPS, true);
         $this->_features->groupings         = plugin_supports('mod', $this->_modname, FEATURE_GROUPINGS, false);
         $this->_features->groupmembersonly  = (!empty($CFG->enablegroupmembersonly) and plugin_supports('mod', $this->_modname, FEATURE_GROUPMEMBERSONLY, false));
diff --git a/course/recent.php b/course/recent.php
index 7c8b7d97723..134cce0e07b 100644
--- a/course/recent.php
+++ b/course/recent.php
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ if (!isguestuser() and !empty($USER->lastcourseaccess[$COURSE->id])) {
     }
 }
 
-$param = new object();
+$param = new stdClass();
 $param->user   = 0;
 $param->modid  = 'all';
 $param->group  = 0;
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ $index = 0;
 
 foreach ($sections as $section) {
 
-    $activity = new object();
+    $activity = new stdClass();
     $activity->type = 'section';
     if ($section->section > 0) {
         $activity->name = get_section_name($course, $section);
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ foreach ($sections as $section) {
             $get_recent_mod_activity = $cm->modname."_get_recent_mod_activity";
 
             if (function_exists($get_recent_mod_activity)) {
-                $activity = new object();
+                $activity = new stdClass();
                 $activity->type    = 'activity';
                 $activity->cmid    = $cmid;
                 $activities[$index++] = $activity;
diff --git a/course/report/completion/index.php b/course/report/completion/index.php
index ff26f2cc05a..382bcfdb520 100644
--- a/course/report/completion/index.php
+++ b/course/report/completion/index.php
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ foreach ($progress as $user) {
 
         $describe = get_string('completion-alt-auto-'.$completiontype, 'completion');
 
-        $a = new Object();
+        $a = new stdClass();
         $a->state    = $describe;
         $a->date     = $is_complete ? userdate($criteria_completion->timecompleted) : '';
         $a->user     = fullname($user);
diff --git a/course/report/log/lib.php b/course/report/log/lib.php
index 2b49f9f1fd9..e12de536482 100644
--- a/course/report/log/lib.php
+++ b/course/report/log/lib.php
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ function print_mnet_log_selector_form($hostid, $course, $selecteduser=0, $select
         $courses[$course->id] = $course->fullname . ((empty($course->category)) ? ' ('.get_string('site').') ' : '');
         echo html_writer::select($courses,"id",$course->id, false);
         if (has_capability('coursereport/log:view', $sitecontext)) {
-            $a = new object();
+            $a = new stdClass();
             $a->url = "$CFG->wwwroot/course/report/log/index.php?chooselog=0&group=$selectedgroup&user=$selecteduser"
                 ."&id=$course->id&date=$selecteddate&modid=$selectedactivity&showcourses=1&showusers=$showusers";
             print_string('logtoomanycourses','moodle',$a);
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ function print_log_selector_form($course, $selecteduser=0, $selecteddate='today'
         $courses[$course->id] = $course->fullname . (($course->id == SITEID) ? ' ('.get_string('site').') ' : '');
         echo html_writer::select($courses,"id",$course->id, false);
         if (has_capability('coursereport/log:view', $sitecontext)) {
-            $a = new object();
+            $a = new stdClass();
             $a->url = "$CFG->wwwroot/course/report/log/index.php?chooselog=0&group=$selectedgroup&user=$selecteduser"
                 ."&id=$course->id&date=$selecteddate&modid=$selectedactivity&showcourses=1&showusers=$showusers";
             print_string('logtoomanycourses','moodle',$a);
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ function print_log_selector_form($course, $selecteduser=0, $selecteddate='today'
             $users[0] = get_string('allparticipants');
         }
         echo html_writer::select($users, "user", $selecteduser, false);
-        $a = new object();
+        $a = new stdClass();
         $a->url = "$CFG->wwwroot/course/report/log/index.php?chooselog=0&group=$selectedgroup&user=$selecteduser"
             ."&id=$course->id&date=$selecteddate&modid=$selectedactivity&showusers=1&showcourses=$showcourses";
         print_string('logtoomanyusers','moodle',$a);
diff --git a/course/rest.php b/course/rest.php
index 5cf6d7e94b3..df8c613e885 100644
--- a/course/rest.php
+++ b/course/rest.php
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ switch($requestmethod) {
             case 'course':
                 switch($field) {
                     case 'marker':
-                        $newcourse = new object;
+                        $newcourse = new stdClass();
                         $newcourse->id = $course->id;
                         $newcourse->marker = $value;
                         $DB->update_record('course', $newcourse);