Open Source Software in Education – Moodle & Mahara Alex Büchner Technical Director

Content Open-Source Software What is it? How does it work? What’s the benefit and where’s the catch? Open-Source Software in Education What’s wrong with Apple, Microsoft and Blackboard? Moodle & Mahara Solutions for structured and reflective learning

Open-Source Software

What is it?

How does it work?

What’s the benefit and where’s the catch?

Open-Source Software in Education

What’s wrong with Apple, Microsoft and Blackboard?

Moodle & Mahara

Solutions for structured and reflective learning

The Love-Hate Triangle of Software We hate you, but we need you Everybody hates you You little geeky cute thing You look good, but I am stronger! You look good, but I am free! I’d sue you, but I can’t

Open-Source Definition (Open Source Initiative) Free Distribution Source Code Derived Works Integrity of the Author’s Source Code No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavour Distribution of License License Must Not Be Specific to a Product License Must Not Restrict Other Software License Must Be Technology-Neutral Source Code Ethical License

Free Distribution

Source Code

Derived Works

Integrity of the Author’s Source Code

No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups

No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavour

Distribution of License

License Must Not Be Specific to a Product

License Must Not Restrict Other Software

License Must Be Technology-Neutral

How does this work? Project is usually initiated and led by a single developer – (“benevolent dictator”) Core developers, lieutenants and contributors Public Version Control (spawns, forks, etc)

Project is usually initiated and led by a single developer – (“benevolent dictator”)

Core developers, lieutenants and contributors

Public Version Control (spawns, forks, etc)

OSS Examples Back-End Application Front-End

Open Source Issues Open-Source Software is NOT FREE! There is no licensing fee, but you still need... ... Hosting, Support, Training, Customisation etc Large-scale projects work, small ones don’t Majority of projects are dormant Often daily releases Documentation often patchy

Open-Source Software is NOT FREE!

There is no licensing fee, but you still need...

... Hosting, Support, Training, Customisation etc

Large-scale projects work, small ones don’t

Majority of projects are dormant

Often daily releases

Documentation often patchy

Open Source Benefits No vendor or supplier lock-in Source code can be modified Community-based approach Many eyeballs tame complexity Darwinist development “ The Cathedral & The Bazaar” – Eric Raymond

No vendor or supplier lock-in

Source code can be modified

Community-based approach

Many eyeballs tame complexity

Darwinist development

“ The Cathedral & The Bazaar” – Eric Raymond

Open Source Business Models Dual Licensing (MySQL) Distributions (Red Hat, Novell) Support, Development and Consultancy Franchise / Partner model (Moodle & Mahara) Donations Hybrids

Dual Licensing (MySQL)

Distributions (Red Hat, Novell)

Support, Development and Consultancy

Franchise / Partner model (Moodle & Mahara)

Donations

Hybrids

Open-Source Software in Education Most OSS starts in (Higher) Education... ... but is OSS used in Education? When is OSS in Education beneficial? Switching to OSS Initiating an OSS project

Most OSS starts in (Higher) Education...

... but is OSS used in Education?

When is OSS in Education beneficial?

Switching to OSS

Initiating an OSS project

OSS in Education Debate

Switching to OSS Server Software Strategic move Will be labour and time consuming Potentially big savings long-term Desktop Software Usually less expensive Should be industry-driven

Server Software

Strategic move

Will be labour and time consuming

Potentially big savings long-term

Desktop Software

Usually less expensive

Should be industry-driven

Starting an OSS Project Don’t do it if ... there is already a (market-leading) product out there IP has to be protected you don’t expect a (huge) networking effect the project will only be used internally the project is time-limited your time is limited

Don’t do it if ...

there is already a (market-leading) product out there

IP has to be protected

you don’t expect a (huge) networking effect

the project will only be used internally

the project is time-limited

your time is limited

Moodle & Mahara Moodle is a Virtual Learning Environment Structural Learning Mahara is an E-Portfolio System Reflective Learning

Moodle is a Virtual Learning Environment

Structural Learning

Mahara is an E-Portfolio System

Reflective Learning

Moodle Overview >50,000 registered sites in 200 countries Available in over 75 languages Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment to moodle [verb]: ‘ the process of lazily meandering through something, doing things as it occurs to you to do them, an enjoyable tinkering that often leads to insight and creativity ’. Moodle is learning centred, not tool-centred “ Social Constructionist Pedagogy” Developed by Martin Dougiamas, Australia

>50,000 registered sites in 200 countries

Available in over 75 languages

Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment

to moodle [verb]: ‘ the process of lazily meandering through something, doing things as it occurs to you to do them, an enjoyable tinkering that often leads to insight and creativity ’.

Moodle is learning centred, not tool-centred

“ Social Constructionist Pedagogy”

Developed by Martin Dougiamas, Australia

Moodle Statistics

Moodle Statistics

Mahara Overview Government-funded Project started 2006 in NZ E-Portfolio Learners collect, reflect on and share their achievements and developments online, in a space they control (Social) Networking Learners create online communities and social network through Groups, Blogs and Forums

Government-funded Project started 2006 in NZ

E-Portfolio

Learners collect, reflect on and share their achievements and developments online, in a space they control

(Social) Networking

Learners create online communities and social network through Groups, Blogs and Forums

Mahoodle! Peer-2-Peer / Community Hub (Single Sign-On) Portfolio API User Data User Data Content User Data

Peer-2-Peer / Community Hub (Single Sign-On)

Portfolio API

Questions? Alex Büchner Synergy Learning www.synergy-learning.com

Alex Büchner

Synergy Learning

www.synergy-learning.com