Tutorial Mahara 1.0 - About Mahrara - What is Mahara?
Aus Mahoodle
Mahara is an open source system, which focuses on the user and provides the possibility of creating e-portfolios, weblogs and CVs. It can be used to build social networks.
The term Mahara [mah-hah-rah; verb] originates from the Polynasian language Te Reo Māori (which is the language of the native New Zealanders, the Maori). It means "think" or "thought".
Inhaltsverzeichnis |
In general
Mahara can be used both for creating and managing e-portfolios and for buiding social networks. Users can create a ditgital resume (containing education, skills, ambitions, etc.), run one or more blogs, upload and manage files and stay in contact with other users. The user can also create his own groups within the community. The flexible view-concept allows the user to create different views of his profile and to open them only for certain users or groups. Therefore Mahara is much more than just a place to store data.
Mahara is an open source server based system and is subjected to the GNU GPL. As an open stand-alone-system it is predestined to be implemented in big virtual learning environements. Mahara's architecture is based on moodles modular structure. The collaboration with the moodle community focuses on Moodle Networks. The successfull introduction of an interface that allows the user to use both systems with only one login is the latest achivement.
Background
Historically speaking, there isn't much to say about Mahara. The project exists since the middle of 2006 and was initiated as a collaboration project among the Massey Univerity, Auckland University of Technology, Open Polytechnic of New Zealand and the Victoria University of Wellington. It is financed by the e-learning Collaborative Development Fund.
The further development is also ensured through the support of the New-Zealand Education Department.
Richard Wyles (Flexible Learning Networt) heads since July 2007 the development of Mahara in cooperation with the open source software specialist Catalst IT.
What can Mahara do? - some features
Views
An outstanding attribute compared to other e-portfolio systems is the fact that the user has the possibility of sharing only certain informations from his portfolio with other users. This access control can only work, if the different information are concentrated in certain views.
File Repository
To enable an efficient data management Mahara offers the possibility to create folders, upload files, label them and add specifications.
Blogs
Social Neworking
Mahara users can compile a list of friends who also use Mahara.
Resume Builder
Mahara's goal
One of the main goals taken into consideration while developing Mahara was the focus on the user. That makes Mahara different to other LMS, which focus on institutions. The combination between a modular structure and open source should help to pave the way to a simple integration into existing systems.
License
Mahara is an open source software under the GNU General Public License. This allows the user to copy Mahara, use it and modify it. If the user makes modification, he is required to allow the modified source code to be available to others, not to change or remove the original license and finally to allow the resulting work to be run under the same license.
links/ sources/ literature
| link | description |
|---|---|
| http://www.mahara.org | The software producer |
| http://demo.mahara.org | A demo for testing the functions may be found under this link. The login is given. |
Back to the Mahara-Tutorials
