I run a small number of half day extra-curricular (ie not integrated in an academic module) training courses using R and RStudio.
These are very popular and we have an upper limit of 25 participants. The courses include a two part introduction where students will use base R and will install another package (usually moments, psych or hmisc) for experience. This may be followed by one or both of Visualisation with ggplot2 and Data manipulation with the tidyverse.
We have until offered this either on our university desktop or on bring your own kit courses. Students much prefer the latter and it means we can run more courses (there is pressure on accomodation). But bring your own kit has problems with set up: disparate versions, idiosyncratic operating system issues, etc. It wastes time and causes frustration.
So instead I would like to try using RStudio Cloud. Suppose that RStudio could would increase the limit on the private spacest to 30 participants (to allow for instructors and TAs), I would create a space for each course and invite participants. However, this would I think entail inviting the participants for each course - having got an increase in the limit on invitees to private spaces - then deleting them at the end of each course to make room for the next bunch. Is this right? Would this be an appropriate use of RStudio Cloud? Is there a better solution that anyone can think of?
Sounds like a great use for Cloud - and your idea of re-using the same space for each cohort by removing the members at the end of the course will work fine - when you remove a member, any projects they created in the course space will be moved to their personal space (named "Your Workspace").
To increase the limit of members in a space, just try to add > 3 members, or > 5 projects to your space, and you'll get prompted to submit a request for more capacity. In the form that appears, describe what it is you'd like and how you'd like to use the space, and we'll get a support ticket and upgrade your account.
I have decided to go ahead with a bit of a trial. We have a small instiutional R Studio Server. I will select a couple of training cohorts and try out each system and compare the experience.
I recently used rstudio.cloud for a university workshop on deep learning in R. I had around 30 students, each of whom created an account and installed tidyverse and keras seamlessly. During the workshop we mixed the students coding and me giving them some code to explain and extend. It worked quite nicely.
The reason I liked this solution is that once we were done, each of students can login using their own account and go over the code again or use it as point of reference for other projects. Sort of an interactive course notebook they can bring with them, if you will
Hey Leon, all these sounds really cool! I googled "doing training using RStudio Cloud" and get to this page. I would love to give a try but am a little bit wondering how is it done? Do we create a project in space and give access to all the students? Does every student need to create an rstudio account to access it?
I prepare all my materials in a zipped file, which the students download. They then create their own cloud account and uploads the zip-file, which automatically unfolds. The approach is intentional as it will force the students to get familiar with the cloud setup and also, one the teaching is done, they will have their own account and can revisit the course materials.
Thank you Leon so much for your quick response! That indeed sounds a great approach. I haven't found where I can upload files to RStudio cloud... Can you upload a file from local computer? (I know I can start project using github repo, but as an alternative approach.)
