# Learning, Technology and Collaboration

## Archive for the ‘Mahara’ Category

### How to add Mathematical Notation to Mahara 1.3.3

Posted on: March 6, 2011

I have tried other mathematical plugins for TinyMCE but none of them worked. Today I tried MathJax and it was so easy to integrate it to Mahara.

MathJax is an open source JavaScript display engine for mathematics that works in all modern browsers. You can use TeX, LaTeX, MathML and other formats.

I am going to show you how to add MathJax to Mahara.

Download MathJax-Font-Update.zip as well. You may not need this in future. This fonts are for Firefox 3.6.13.

You need to unzip it and transfer following directories to mahara/js directory.
– config
– extensions
– fonts
– jax
– MathJax.js

Open mahara/lib/web.php and around line 219 add $javascript_array[] =$jsroot . ‘MathJax.js’; as following.

 else { $javascript_array[] =$jsroot . 'MochiKit/Packed.js'; $javascript_array[] =$jsroot . 'MathJax.js'; } 

That’s it.
In Mahara, create a view and drag a textbox and enter the following.

When $$a \ne 0$$, there are two solutions to $$ax^2 + bx + c = 0$$ and they are$$x = {-b \pm \sqrt{b^2-4ac} \over 2a}.$$

You should be able to see mathematical notation!

Sample 1

### Conclusion

MathJax is easy to install. Only drawback I can think of is that MathJax does not use flash nor graphical input, so you have to learn these formats to input. I am not so familiar with these notations and I have to learn them.

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### Some ideas about how to use eportfolio Mahara.

Posted on: February 20, 2011

Mahara is an open source e-portfolio system with a flexible display framework. Mahara is user centred environment with a permissions framework that enables different views of an e-portfolio to be easily managed. Mahara also features a weblog, resume builder and social networking system, connecting users and creating online learner communities.

This eportfolio can be used in different ways in different levels.
1. Students can create own learning log.
2. For IB Science, Group 4 project can be done.
3. Can be used as class notebook?

If you have any more ideas, please add them in the comment.