[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":455},["ShallowReactive",2],{"navigation-docs_en":3,"/en/blog/microsoft-365-schools-posts_en":51,"/en/blog/microsoft-365-schools-surround-posts_en":444},[4],{"title":5,"path":6,"stem":7,"children":8,"page":25},"En","/en","en",[9],{"title":10,"path":11,"stem":12,"children":13,"page":25},"Docs","/en/docs","en/1.docs",[14,26],{"title":15,"path":16,"stem":17,"children":18,"icon":25},"Getting Started","/en/docs/getting-started","en/1.docs/1.getting-started/1.index",[19,21],{"title":20,"path":16,"stem":17,"children":-1},"Introduction",{"title":22,"path":23,"stem":24,"children":-1},"Migration Roadmap","/en/docs/getting-started/migration-fahrplan","en/1.docs/1.getting-started/2.migration-fahrplan",false,{"title":27,"path":28,"stem":29,"children":30,"page":25},"Technologies","/en/docs/technologies","en/1.docs/2.technologies",[31,35,39,43,47],{"title":32,"path":33,"stem":34,"children":-1},"Nextcloud","/en/docs/technologies/nextcloud","en/1.docs/2.technologies/1.nextcloud",{"title":36,"path":37,"stem":38,"children":-1},"Matrix / Element","/en/docs/technologies/matrix","en/1.docs/2.technologies/2.matrix",{"title":40,"path":41,"stem":42,"children":-1},"ONLYOFFICE","/en/docs/technologies/onlyoffice","en/1.docs/2.technologies/3.onlyoffice",{"title":44,"path":45,"stem":46,"children":-1},"Ubuntu Linux","/en/docs/technologies/ubuntu","en/1.docs/2.technologies/4.ubuntu",{"title":48,"path":49,"stem":50,"children":-1},"Keycloak","/en/docs/technologies/keycloak","en/1.docs/2.technologies/5.keycloak",{"id":52,"title":53,"authors":54,"badge":60,"body":62,"date":432,"description":433,"extension":434,"faq":435,"howto":435,"image":436,"meta":438,"navigation":439,"path":440,"seo":441,"stem":442,"__hash__":443},"posts_en/en/3.blog/8.microsoft-365-schools.md","Open Source in Schools – Which Solutions Exist and What Works Well",[55],{"name":56,"to":57,"avatar":58},"Michael Wolf","https://snowblue.de/about",{"src":59},"/michael.webp",{"label":61},"Open Source",{"type":63,"value":64,"toc":420},"minimark",[65,69,73,78,81,148,163,167,201,205,273,277,280,300,304,331,340,344,347,373,377,403,406,410,413],[66,67,53],"h1",{"id":68},"open-source-in-schools-which-solutions-exist-and-what-works-well",[70,71,72],"p",{},"Schools need digital tools these days: for assignments, files, chat and remote lessons. Alongside Microsoft 365, many German states and school authorities use their own platforms, often built on open-source software. It's a nice development – and it shows how ready for everyday use open software has become.",[74,75,77],"h2",{"id":76},"what-the-german-states-offer","What the German states offer",[70,79,80],{},"In Germany, education is a matter for the individual states. That's why almost every state has developed its own offerings. A few examples:",[82,83,84,100],"table",{},[85,86,87],"thead",{},[88,89,90,94,97],"tr",{},[91,92,93],"th",{},"State",[91,95,96],{},"Platform",[91,98,99],{},"In short",[101,102,103,115,126,137],"tbody",{},[88,104,105,109,112],{},[106,107,108],"td",{},"Bavaria",[106,110,111],{},"ByCS (BayernCloud Schule)",[106,113,114],{},"Learning platform, messenger and more",[88,116,117,120,123],{},[106,118,119],{},"North Rhine-Westphalia",[106,121,122],{},"LOGINEO NRW",[106,124,125],{},"Learning and work platform for schools",[88,127,128,131,134],{},[106,129,130],{},"Rhineland-Palatinate",[106,132,133],{},"Schulcampus RLP",[106,135,136],{},"Access to learning and communication services",[88,138,139,142,145],{},[106,140,141],{},"Hesse",[106,143,144],{},"Schulportal Hessen",[106,146,147],{},"Central platform for schools",[70,149,150,151,155,156,159,160,162],{},"Many of these use proven open-source building blocks like ",[152,153,154],"strong",{},"Moodle"," (learning platform), ",[152,157,158],{},"BigBlueButton"," (remote lessons) or ",[152,161,32],{}," (files). There are also commercial solutions like IServ, which many schools use.",[74,164,166],{"id":165},"why-open-source-suits-schools","Why open source suits schools",[168,169,170,177,183,189,195],"ul",{},[171,172,173,176],"li",{},[152,174,175],{},"Data in Europe:"," The platforms usually run in data centres in Germany.",[171,178,179,182],{},[152,180,181],{},"Predictable costs:"," No licence per pupil.",[171,184,185,188],{},[152,186,187],{},"Customisable:"," Schools and states can adapt the software to their needs.",[171,190,191,194],{},[152,192,193],{},"Learning effect:"," Kids learn that there's more than one big software ecosystem.",[171,196,197,200],{},[152,198,199],{},"Open formats:"," Work can easily be exported and reused.",[74,202,204],{"id":203},"typical-building-blocks-at-a-glance","Typical building blocks at a glance",[82,206,207,217],{},[85,208,209],{},[88,210,211,214],{},[91,212,213],{},"Task",[91,215,216],{},"Open-source solution",[101,218,219,226,234,242,250,257,265],{},[88,220,221,224],{},[106,222,223],{},"Files and folders",[106,225,32],{},[88,227,228,231],{},[106,229,230],{},"Office documents",[106,232,233],{},"ONLYOFFICE or Collabora",[88,235,236,239],{},[106,237,238],{},"Remote lessons",[106,240,241],{},"BigBlueButton or Jitsi",[88,243,244,247],{},[106,245,246],{},"Chat",[106,248,249],{},"Element (Matrix)",[88,251,252,255],{},[106,253,254],{},"Learning platform",[106,256,154],{},[88,258,259,262],{},[106,260,261],{},"Surveys",[106,263,264],{},"Nextcloud Forms",[88,266,267,270],{},[106,268,269],{},"Whiteboard",[106,271,272],{},"Excalidraw or the Nextcloud whiteboard",[74,274,276],{"id":275},"what-families-clubs-and-tutors-can-take-away","What families, clubs and tutors can take away",[70,278,279],{},"What works in schools works on a small scale too:",[168,281,282,288,294],{},[171,283,284,287],{},[152,285,286],{},"Families"," can keep photos, dates and documents in a shared Nextcloud.",[171,289,290,293],{},[152,291,292],{},"Clubs"," organise themselves with chat, calendar and file storage – without per-member licence fees.",[171,295,296,299],{},[152,297,298],{},"Tutors"," use video calls and shared folders for worksheets.",[74,301,303],{"id":302},"how-to-get-started","How to get started",[305,306,307,313,319,325],"ol",{},[171,308,309,312],{},[152,310,311],{},"Think about what you need:"," Files? Chat? Video calls?",[171,314,315,318],{},[152,316,317],{},"Start small:"," Begin with one building block, for example a shared Nextcloud.",[171,320,321,324],{},[152,322,323],{},"Bring everyone along:"," A short introduction helps everyone feel comfortable.",[171,326,327,330],{},[152,328,329],{},"Expand:"," If it goes well, add more tools.",[70,332,333,334,339],{},"If you'd rather learn a few basics at your own pace, have a look at my ",[335,336,338],"a",{"href":337},"/en/training","workshops",".",[74,341,343],{"id":342},"tips-for-parents","Tips for parents",[70,345,346],{},"You can borrow a few ideas from schools at home too:",[168,348,349,355,361,367],{},[171,350,351,354],{},[152,352,353],{},"Shared family calendar:"," With Nextcloud and CalDAV, parents' evenings, training and doctor's appointments show up on every phone.",[171,356,357,360],{},[152,358,359],{},"Share photos safely:"," Instead of sending pictures to big group chats, albums can be shared via a password-protected link.",[171,362,363,366],{},[152,364,365],{},"Open office programs:"," LibreOffice is free and perfectly fine for presentations, job applications and homework.",[171,368,369,372],{},[152,370,371],{},"Talking about data:"," Chat with your kids about which apps collect which data – no finger-wagging needed.",[74,374,376],{"id":375},"tips-for-clubs-and-tutors","Tips for clubs and tutors",[168,378,379,385,391,397],{},[171,380,381,384],{},[152,382,383],{},"One place for everything:"," Statutes, minutes and member lists in a shared Nextcloud folder with clear permissions.",[171,386,387,390],{},[152,388,389],{},"Chat for the committee:"," A Matrix room where arrangements don't get lost among private messages.",[171,392,393,396],{},[152,394,395],{},"Video calls without accounts:"," With Jitsi or BigBlueButton, a link is all it takes – participants don't need to install anything.",[171,398,399,402],{},[152,400,401],{},"Forms:"," Sign-ups and surveys can be created with Nextcloud Forms.",[70,404,405],{},"Because there's no per-person licence, this is especially attractive for clubs with many members.",[74,407,409],{"id":408},"conclusion","Conclusion",[70,411,412],{},"Many schools show how well open source works in everyday life. The nice thing: the same tools are available to you too – for your family, your club or your small office.",[70,414,415,416,339],{},"If you'd like to give it a try, I'm happy to help – ",[335,417,419],{"href":418},"/en/contact","just drop me a line",{"title":421,"searchDepth":422,"depth":422,"links":423},"",2,[424,425,426,427,428,429,430,431],{"id":76,"depth":422,"text":77},{"id":165,"depth":422,"text":166},{"id":203,"depth":422,"text":204},{"id":275,"depth":422,"text":276},{"id":302,"depth":422,"text":303},{"id":342,"depth":422,"text":343},{"id":375,"depth":422,"text":376},{"id":408,"depth":422,"text":409},"2026-01-28T00:00:00.000Z","Many German states offer their own learning platforms built on open source. An overview – and what families, clubs and tutors can learn from it.","md",null,{"src":437},"/img/blog/photo-1503676260728-1c00da094a0b.webp",{},true,"/en/blog/microsoft-365-schools",{"title":53,"description":433},"en/3.blog/8.microsoft-365-schools","TsaZ7I36XMc5y3VJNaiR6N-aqFgi4LhXORRQyFpKvZo",[445,450],{"title":446,"path":447,"stem":448,"description":449,"children":-1},"Nextcloud, OneDrive or SharePoint? A Friendly Comparison","/en/blog/nextcloud-vs-onedrive-sharepoint","en/3.blog/7.nextcloud-vs-onedrive-sharepoint","Three ways to share files as a team. What OneDrive, SharePoint and Nextcloud each do well and which one suits whom.",{"title":451,"path":452,"stem":453,"description":454,"children":-1},"Sending Data to the US – What the Schrems Rulings Mean","/en/blog/schrems-iii-cjeu-ruling","en/3.blog/9.schrems-iii-cjeu-ruling","Safe Harbor, Privacy Shield, Data Privacy Framework: a calm explanation of what the Schrems rulings are about and what you can take away from them.",1792720370766]