Understanding Complex Information Technology Solutions: A Case Study on Moodle

This book attempts the challenging task of unravelling the complexities of today’s web-based information technology solutions. To achieve this goal, the book provides a guided tour of one specific system, the Moodle learning management system. Using Moodle as the case study, key concepts of computer programming, data storage and databases, web technologies and networking are introduced, emphasising how these technologies work together to achieve the overall solution. The book also introduces the people and organisational contexts around a system like Moodle. It showcases the interrelationships between technologies and people in their varied roles as users, decision makers, developers or system maintainers. The book is directed at readers who are confident in using information technologies (such as browsing the Web) yet have limited understanding of how computers and information technology systems work. It uses informal language to explain complex contexts, supported by sketches and analogies. The book is not a Moodle book in the typical sense. It does not provide a user guide to Moodle, nor does it explain how to teach using Moodle. The book is aimed at readers with interest in understanding information technology solutions. Those readers will gain understanding of key technologies and concepts, transferable to many other systems. Readers with a strong interest in Moodle will gain a solid understanding of how Moodle works, preparing them for tasks that bridge the interface between users, organisations and developers. The author, Eva Heinrich, holds a Masters Degree in Computer Science, a PHD in Information Systems and a Doctorate in Education. She teaches computer science and information technology at Massey University, New Zealand, and conducts research into technology-supported learning and higher education. — ISBN13: 9798519837125