Virtual & On-Campus Summer University July 3 rd to September 30 th 2007 Learning the Open Source way: the FLOSS approach

Virtual & On-Campus Summer University July 3 rd to September 30 th 2007

What is it about and where it takes place Learning the open source way – the floss approach The Summer University is a 12 week open access session With the objective of developing a toolkit on ‘Learning the Open Source Way’ Conducted as a joint event with Ubuntu Education Taking place at the following virtual spaces: http://www.flosscom.net http://launchpad.net/flosscom http://wiki.ubuntu.com/flosscom http://launchpad.net/~flosscomteam

What is it about and where it takes place

Learning the open source way – the floss approach

The Summer University is a 12 week open access session

With the objective of developing a toolkit on ‘Learning the Open Source Way’

Conducted as a joint event with Ubuntu Education

Taking place at the following virtual spaces:

http://www.flosscom.net

http://launchpad.net/flosscom

http://wiki.ubuntu.com/flosscom

http://launchpad.net/~flosscomteam

Summer University Objectives: The On-Campus and Virtual Summer University aims to: Analyse the effectiveness of a FLOSS-like learning community in educational settings Together with all involved stakeholders (flosse posse, students, teachers, etc.) Through virtual interaction within a FLOSS-like environment, and supported by on-campus activities To use the results of the different summer university's activities and outcomes to feed them into a toolkit on “Learning the open source way” The toolkit should enable educator and student to apply open source principles in education Learning the open source way – the floss approach

Summer University Objectives:

The On-Campus and Virtual Summer University aims to:

Analyse the effectiveness of a FLOSS-like learning community in educational settings

Together with all involved stakeholders (flosse posse, students, teachers, etc.)

Through virtual interaction within a FLOSS-like environment, and supported by on-campus activities

To use the results of the different summer university's activities and outcomes to feed them into a toolkit on “Learning the open source way”

The toolkit should enable educator and student to apply open source principles in education

Learning the open source way – the floss approach

Are Floss Communities good Learning Environments? Learning the open source way – the floss approach They might be, because of: Open and inclusive ethos: everyone can participate, no charges, no deadlines, life long Up to date content; everyone can add, edit and update the content A large support network; provided voluntarily by the community member in a collaborative manner nearly 24/7 Free Riders welcome paradoxe – the more the better New ICT solutions are adapted early by the community

Are Floss Communities good Learning Environments?

Learning the open source way – the floss approach

They might be, because of:

Open and inclusive ethos: everyone can participate, no charges, no deadlines, life long

Up to date content; everyone can add, edit and update the content

A large support network; provided voluntarily by the community member in a collaborative manner nearly 24/7

Free Riders welcome paradoxe – the more the better

New ICT solutions are adapted early by the community

Learning the open source way – the floss approach So, how is it in FLOSS? And what might be relevant?

Learning the open source way – the floss approach

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? The community factor Apache community – Source Faz.net, Author unknown

The community factor

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? A large variety of information spaces FLOSS Community Places (source http://innovationcreators.com/wp/?p=70

A large variety of information spaces

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Individual learning, community support,... Learning is happening...

Individual learning, community support,...

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? ... product development, or off topic socialisation spaces ... in a larger context...

... product development, or off topic socialisation spaces

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? ... provided by and for the community ... and a larger community 117 new members within 4h41m

... provided by and for the community

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Community support services User help user; a double gain where both learn; lurkers welcome

Community support services

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Where community support meets content production Providing support leads to the production of knowledge bases that serve as a base for the production of instructional materials and help in definition of product requirements and improvement

Where community support meets content production

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Where community support meets content production

Where community support meets content production

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Where community support meets content production Don't produce if you can re-use!

Where community support meets content production

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Where community support meets content production The different roles of bugs: nasty evil and community builder

Where community support meets content production

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Where community support meets content production The value of feedback and discourse – anyone asked for further bugs?

Where community support meets content production

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Developer the small core of the community

Developer the small core of the community

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Types of content – it's not only bugs ... but it seems to be simple and yet working out

Types of content – it's not only bugs

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Types of content – it's not only bugs ...and it's not about state-of-the-art technology, but...?

Types of content – it's not only bugs

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Types of content – it's not only bugs ... and it's produced by the help of EVERYONE

Types of content – it's not only bugs

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Types of content – it's not only bugs ... and under current reconsideration of processes and structures

Types of content – it's not only bugs

FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Types of content – it's not only bugs ... but it records and displays the most basic questions, answers and the way towards them – so they can be re-used by others

Types of content – it's not only bugs

Re-use – benefit from what others did and experienced FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? ... code, materials, templates, tutorials, discussions, reflections, problem solving processes and solutions, ...

Re-use – benefit from what others did and experienced

Reviewed by peers FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? ... for core contributions, individual modifications or on other occasions

Reviewed by peers

Learning in Floss Communities is: FLOSS Principles in pedagogical terms Informal / self-organized / problem based / practice based / experiential / incidental / reflection-on-action / tacit knowledge transfer by observation, imitation, and practice / re-experience what others experienced before / enabling re-experience by decreasing complexity and transactive group memory / enabling re-experience by guidance, openness and legitimate peripheral participation / enabling re-experience by asynchronous communication and virtual experimentation / individual processes of learning and collective knowledge building / double-loop learning through social interaction and competent use of technologies

Learning in Floss Communities is:

Differences when translating FLOSS to education FLOSS Principles for formal education?!? Materials are usually the product of few authors Not many contributions from people other than authors Basic software usage (and experience): word processor Infrequent releases, feedback only seldom considered Distribution dependent on publishers Prior learning outcomes and processes are not systematically available (role of mailing lists/forums and commented code) No or small community and related community services No continuous development cycle Partly taken from Jesus M. Gonzalez-Barahona, Teo Romera - Edukalibre Project

Differences when translating FLOSS to education

Materials are usually the product of few authors

Not many contributions from people other than authors

Basic software usage (and experience): word processor

Infrequent releases, feedback only seldom considered

Distribution dependent on publishers

Prior learning outcomes and processes are not systematically available (role of mailing lists/forums and commented code)

No or small community and related community services

No continuous development cycle

Partly taken from Jesus M. Gonzalez-Barahona, Teo Romera - Edukalibre Project

Differences & possibilities when translating FLOSS to education FLOSS Principles for formal education?!?

Differences & possibilities when translating FLOSS to education

Questions 1 Learning the open source way – the floss approach So how could (formal) education benefit from FLOSS approaches? Which are the initial questions that should be answered? Are there any test-beds that could be used? Are there any existent projects that should be looked at? Which similar environments might be of relevance (e.g. Wikipedia / wikiversity)?

Questions 1

Learning the open source way – the floss approach

So how could (formal) education benefit from FLOSS approaches?

Which are the initial questions that should be answered?

Are there any test-beds that could be used?

Are there any existent projects that should be looked at?

Which similar environments might be of relevance (e.g. Wikipedia / wikiversity)?

Questions 2 Learning the open source way – the floss approach What are the features of FLOSS communities that could be beneficial in education? How could the FLOSS support model benefit formal education How could the concept of “re-use”, “collaborative content creation” and “peer review” be translated to formal education What are the barriers or obstacles to a FLOSS-like approach in education? What are the similarities and differences between FLOSS and education communities? Are there characteristics found in both virtual and face to face communities? Are there examples of formal educational environments similar to FLOSS communities? When is this useful /applicable in higher education?

Questions 2

Learning the open source way – the floss approach

What are the features of FLOSS communities that could be beneficial in education?

How could the FLOSS support model benefit formal education

How could the concept of “re-use”, “collaborative content creation” and “peer review” be translated to formal education

What are the barriers or obstacles to a FLOSS-like approach in education?

What are the similarities and differences between FLOSS and education communities?

Are there characteristics found in both virtual and face to face communities?

Are there examples of formal educational environments similar to FLOSS communities?

When is this useful /applicable in higher education?

Learning the open source way – the floss approach Feel like contributing? Join in and contribute to the project and bring in first hand information. Discuss, analyse and evaluate the differences between informal learning environments, like FLOSS communities and formal educational settings. Assist us in examining the effectiveness of a FLOSS-like learning community in a formal educational setting. Help us to identify ways of transferring some of the underlying FLOSS principles to formal education. Point out existing examples in education and examine why these do not provide the types of constructivist learning environments observed in FLOSS communities. Provide any examples of formal educational environments similar to FLOSS communities.

Learning the open source way – the floss approach

Feel like contributing?

Join in and contribute to the project and bring in first hand information.

Discuss, analyse and evaluate the differences between informal learning environments, like FLOSS communities and formal educational settings.

Assist us in examining the effectiveness of a FLOSS-like learning community in a formal educational setting.

Help us to identify ways of transferring some of the underlying FLOSS principles to formal education.

Point out existing examples in education and examine why these do not provide the types of constructivist learning environments observed in FLOSS communities.

Provide any examples of formal educational environments similar to FLOSS communities.

FLOSSCom Tools Survey We are also currently running a survey ( http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dfxjbdxs_36f8b223 ) In the case you find some minutes we would be certainly glad to have you participating It is conveniently accessible through www.flosscom.net FLOSSCom Tools Survey

We are also currently running a survey

( http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dfxjbdxs_36f8b223 )

In the case you find some minutes we would be certainly glad to have you participating

It is conveniently accessible through www.flosscom.net

Promote the Summer University! Help us to get the word through! Get the flyer, circulate it, raise awareness, be active! Get the flyer here: FLOSSCom Summer University Flyer - PDF http://flosscom.net/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=101&Itemid=116 FLOSSCom Summer University Flyer - JPG http://flosscom.net/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=55&Itemid=116

And finally the second: Feel like adding something? Disagree? Fine! Be invited to contribute to this document! Contact: [email_address] or [email_address]