EJSApp
The EJSApp Set of Plugins
EJSApp are a set of plugins for Moodle that let you:
- To deploy applications written in Easy Java/Javascript Simulations (EjsS). Sisit the gitlab project of EjsS to get the latest version.
- To control user access to the deployed EjsS applications and distinguish between virtual labs (or simulations) and remote labs based on Java and/or Javascript.
- To personalize the simulations created with EjsS for each of your students.
- To backup and restore thanks to Moodle course backups.
- To use cloud storage for any data, image or state file created by the EjsS application.
- To create sessions for synchronous collaborative working with the Java applets created with Easy Java/Javascript Simulations.
- To manage and control the access to EjsS remote laboratories by means of a booking system that gets integrated into Moodle.
EJSApp Activity
The EJSApp activity plugin allows users to embedd Easy Java/Javascript Simulations (EJS) applications (such as simulations, virtual and remote laboratories) into a Moodle course. This plugin works with version 2.0 or higher of Moodle.
EJSApp plugin can be downloaded from Moodle Plugins Directory and from Github.
As with any customization, it is recommended that you have a good backup of your Moodle site before attempting to install contributed code. While those contributing code make every effort to provide the best code that they can, using contributed code nevertheless entails a certain degree of risk as contributed code is not as carefully reviewed and/or tested as the Moodle core code.
EJSApp is useful for adding simulations or remote laboratories into your Moodle courses, which is of especial interest for those of scientific or technical nature. More information about EjsS and EJSApp can be obtained at http://www.um.es/fem/EjsWiki/Main/UsingEJSWithMoodle.
Installation
If you download this plugin from github, you will need to change the folder's name to ejsapp. If you download it from Moodle.org, then you are fine.
This is a module plugin for Moodle so you should place the ejsapp folder in your /mod folder, inside your Moodle installation directory.
This module enhances its functionality when used along with the ejsappbooking module and/or the ejsapp_file_browser, the remlab_manager, the ejsapp_collab_session blocks and the osp repository plugin. You can find and download them at https://moodle.org/plugins/browse.php?list=set&id=27, in the plugins section in the Moodle.org webpage or at https://github.com/UNEDLabs.
- Settings - During the previous step you will come across the setting configuration page for the EJSApp plugin. Default values might be valid for you. However, read the description of each parameter there and change any value you want. The README.txt file that comes along with the EJSApp plugin has even more information about these parameters.
Configuration
When installing ejsapp for the first time, you will need to set six variables:
- certificate_path: This variable defines the absolute path to the trust certificate file, if you have one for signing your Java applets.
- certificate_password: This variable must contain the password of the trust certificate.
- "certificate_alias": This variable stores the alias given to your trust certificate.
If you are not sure what values you should be setting for these parameters, use the ones by default.
Languages
The EJSApp activity plugin is available in:
- English (en_utf8)
- Spanish (es_utf8)
If you would like to supply translations for other languages, please create an issue in the tracker and attach a zip file of the language files.
Related Plugins
The EJSApp activity plugin works autonomously and does not require any other plugin to be installed in your Moodle site. However, there are three more plugins (the EJSAppBooking activity plugin and the EJSAppFileBrowser and the EJSAppCollabSession block plugins) that add new features to the system and might enhance the use of your EjsS applications embedded into Moodle.
These additional plugins can also be downloaded from the EJSApp Set Webpage at Moodle Plugins Directory and from Github.
Contributor/Maintainer
The EJSApp activity plugin and the other three mentioned in the Related Plugins section are contributed and maintained by Luis de la Torre and Rubén Heradio, from the Spanish Open University (UNED).
EJSApp Remlab Manager
This plugin allows managing remote labs. EJSApp can be used to upload EjsS applications that connect to real equipment for remote laboratory practices. For this, the Remlab Manager block offers many nice options to configure the maximum time students can work with each lab, check if the lab equipment is alive, send notifications to teachers when the lab is off and much more.
Installation
This is a block plugin for Moodle so you should place the ejsapp_file_browser folder in your /blocks folder, inside you Moodle installation.
Dependencies
This module needs the ejsapp module to be of any use. It works with version 1.4 (or later) of EJSApp.
Contributor/Maintainer
The Remlab Manager block is contributed and maintained by Luis de la Torre, Rubén Heradio and Francisco José Calvillo, from the Spanish Open University (UNED).
EJSApp Booking System
This plugin allows adding a booking system to handle the connections to the remote laboratories developed using EjsS and added to a Moodle course using the ejsapp activity module.
Installation
This is a module plugin for Moodle so you should place the ejsappbooking folder in your /mod folder, inside you Moodle installation.
Dependencies
This module needs the ejsapp module to be of any use. It works with version 1.4 (or later) of EJSApp. It also requires the remlab_manager block.
Contributor/Maintainer
The EJSApp Booking System module is contributed and maintained by Luis de la Torre, Rubén Heradio and Francisco José Calvillo, from the Spanish Open University (UNED).
EJSApp File Browser
This plugin is a modification of the "Private Files" block of Moodle and lets Java applets, created with Easy Java Simulations (EJS) and added to a Moodle course by means of the ejsapp module activity, to store data files saved from these applets. It also includes a little AJAX feature that let users to refresh their files block without refreshing the entire page.
Installation
This is a block plugin for Moodle so you should place the ejsapp_file_browser folder in your /blocks folder, inside you Moodle installation.
Dependencies
This module needs the ejsapp module to be of any use. It works with version 1.3 (or later) of EJSApp.
Contributor/Maintainer
The EJSApp file browser block is contributed and maintained by Luis de la Torre and Rubén Heradio, from the Spanish Open University (UNED).
EJSApp Collab Sessions
This plugin lets you to create sessions for synchronous collaborative work with Java applets created with Easy Java Simulations (EJS) and added to a Moodle course by means of the ejsapp activity module.
Installation
This is a block plugin for Moodle so you should place the ejsapp_file_browser folder in your /blocks folder, inside you Moodle installation.
Dependencies
This module needs the ejsapp module to be of any use. It works with version 1.3 (or later) of EJSApp.
Contributor/Maintainer
The EJSApp collaborative sessions block is contributed and maintained by Luis de la Torre and Rubén Heradio, from the Spanish Open University (UNED).
OSP Repository
This plugin lets you download any Easy Java (and Javascript) Simulations (EJS) application stored in the vast OSP-Compadre collection (http://www.compadre.org/osp) directly from your Moodle.
Installation
This is a repository plugin for Moodle so you should place the osp folder in your /repository folder, inside you Moodle installation.
Dependencies
This module DOES NOT need the ejsapp module. That being said, when used in combination with the EJSApp plugin, you will be able not only to access, search and download these applications but also to add them automatically to your Moodle courses as activities. Javascript simulations from the OSP library are only accesible with OSP 1.1 version of this plugin and only get well embedded when EJSApp 1.6 or superior is used.
Contributor/Maintainer
The OSP repository plugin is contributed and maintained by Luis de la Torre and Rubén Heradio, from the Spanish Open University (UNED).
Video tutorials
What is EJSApp?
A general vision of the EJSApp plugins and the ideas behind them.
EJSApp: core plugins
Presenting the EJSApp activity module and the EJSApp File Browser block.
Collaborative Web-labs
Presenting the EJSApp Collab Session block and the synchronous collaborative experimental sessions feature of EJS.
(Activate the subtitles!)
Remote Labs and the EJSApp Booking System
Keys for configuring your EjsS applications in Moodle as remote laboratories and using the EJSApp booking system.
What is UNEDLabs?
A general view of UNEDLabs; a Moodle web portal of collaborative, virtual and remote laboratories.
Easy Java Simulations (EJS) and the ComPADRE library
A brief description about EjsS and how to find and access hundreds of EjsS applications for free from the Open Source Physics (OSP) collection at the ComPADRE library.
See also
EJSApp Set Moodle modules webpage: https://moodle.org/plugins/browse.php?list=set&id=27
EJSApp UNEDLabs Github repository: https://github.com/organizations/UNEDLabs
EJSApp Moodle forum discussion: https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=217163
UNILabs webpage (a Moodle site hosting a network of virtual and remote laboratories based on EjsS and EJSApp): http://unilabs.dia.uned.es/
Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/UNEDLabs
EJSApp tutorial: http://www.um.es/fem/EjsWiki/Main/UsingEJSWithMoodle
EjsS webpage: http://www.um.es/fem/EjsWiki/ and https://gitlab.com/ejsS/tool
