maandag 2 december 2019

MoodleBox


LAMP
Moodle is an excellent e-learning environment. The software is open source. Free, open  and completely controlled by the admin. However installing Moodle is a bit complicated and time consuming. Apart from a complete web server, a database must be installed too. You need a complete LAMP sever(Linux, Apache, Mysql and Php) . For small e-learning project it is also overkill.

MOODLE IN A PI
The solution for small project, fast and easy install in Moodlebox, running on RaspberryPi.
Download the image and flash it on an sd-card of minimal 32 GB. You have various options to connect to the service. Over Ethernet, when RaspberryPi is connected to a LAN; access from outside, from the internet is also possible, using a domain name and port forwarding. Moodlebox creates its own wireless network, so user can also log in using WiFi. Connecting with an app is the last possibility. The guides for setting up all these different connection is strait forward and easy to use.

CONNECTIONS
For me the most interesting advantage is the scale: a small RaspberryPi that could be used in almost any classroom or computer-lab, and is directly- over LAN or WiFi - accessible. My number of students/journalist in a training is now more than 20, that number can easily handled by the Pi.

EXCEL BASICS
Let's take an example. Excel skills are a prerequisite for data journalism. However you don't want to start from scratch. It is better when the participants have worked a bit with Excel; exactly here is the e-learning environment needed. As preparation  for the training they start at the Moodlebox with the Excel course.