DEVELOPMENT OF OFFLINE LEARNING MEDIA REPOSITORY FOR UT-AKSES INDONESIA PROGRAM

Abstract

Today, the repository is a potentially rich source of useful information, data, images, and research results. Open source software helps primarily in lowering initial and ongoing costs, eliminating vendor lock-in and allowing for greater application flexibility. The main advantage of open source software is that it is generally free to use like DSpace applications. DSpace is an open source software platform for storing, managing and distributing collections in digital format. The DSpace application supports creating digital archives that are more permanent and shareable than analog archives. DSpace can support a wide variety of artifacts, including learning media. The need for learning media by Universitas Terbuka (UT) students who live in remote parts of Indonesia who do not have reliable internet access have difficulty accessing UT Online is urgently needed. This condition creates a huge digital divide compared to their urban counterparts. For this reason, it is necessary to have support services and one of them is through the UT-AKSES program. This program provides a local server design for a wireless network system named "UT-AKSES" based on offline repository learning media. Offline Internet servers have two (2) main functions to serve the student learning process and support offline Internet network operations. The SSH, DHCP, and DNS servers are used to perform offline Internet network operations. Apache Web Server, Moodle e-Learning, Kiwix, and file sharing for online libraries to aid the student learning process. Kiwix is used to make Wikipedia accessible offline for students. Two major system requirements, namely, performance and affordability, are critical for remote students for Offline Internet operations. Following the desired performance sequence, the Internet server design can use Raspberry Pi 3 or 4, mini pc, or personal computer to serve 100 students. The project also discovered the most feasible service in term of budget, capacity and the reliability services. The compared budget for the server ranges from Rp. 700,000 to 8 million with the wifi-coverage ranges from 10 meters to 2 km. The mini PC seems to become affordable and reliable choice to be implemented for upscaling digital literacy and access for UT students in Internet blank spot areas.