Open Source Software Free Software Web 2.0 Applications July 21, 2009

Why bring up this topic?

In the Province of New Brunswick, a lot of money is spent on hardware and software Hardware needs to be updated usually because of compatibility issues, not because of technical issues

Every teacher (7,000) has a government supplied laptop HP with MS Windows XP MS Office 2007 Email Account Anti-Virus and other software

By the way... Concerts in NB AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones, the Eagles 730,000 residents 64% English speaking, 33% French speaking Louis B. Mayer (MGM), Donald Sutherland, David Adams Richards, Lyman Ward Cruise ship destination (even the Queen Mary) Largest oil refinery in Canada before it was 2x in size... and another will be built - 1 st in NA in 25 yrs

Concerts in NB

AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones, the Eagles

730,000 residents

64% English speaking, 33% French speaking

Louis B. Mayer (MGM), Donald Sutherland, David Adams Richards, Lyman Ward

Cruise ship destination (even the Queen Mary)

Largest oil refinery in Canada before it was 2x in size... and another will be built - 1 st in NA in 25 yrs

We had a number of laptop schools (grades 8-9) but the program has been scrapped ($) Every school in the province has wireless internet Every student in the province has an email account Every school has a fair complement of laptop computers and regular PC labs We have “mobile” labs that can be booked out It seems that Apple products are not really supported The City of Fredericton is completely covered by free wireless internet We were the 1 st jurisdiction in the world with full fibre optic connectivity

Our central repository for information and collaboration is on what we call the NB DOE Portal (or the Portal) Created using MS Sharepoint Designer

Sharepoint is costing us a fortune

Teachers aren't using it to share curriculum

Teachers use Google to find resources

Teachers use Web 2.0 for their PLNs

The “Free” way, in our case, is superior than what we pay for

We communicate with each other primarily via email although we can also use Microsoft Office Communicator, Interwise and SMART Bridgit software

A few dozen courses are offered via distance education (for high school students) This is done by using Desire2Learn

We spend a lot of money for MS licenses Windows XP – Vista Microsoft Sharepoint MS Outlook Web Access We spend a lot of other software Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop Macromedia Dreamweaver, Fireworks McAfee Anti-Virus, Interwise communications, etc

Get the picture? We are spending a lot of money on software and user rights Teachers are not flocking towards the Portal for information and especially collaboration The majority of teachers (dare I say 85%) will only use MS Office for Word and Powerpoint They love their laptops but want a way to get their work done and not as interested in what program they use to do this

So, I bring up Open Source software Free software and Web 2.0 apps

Why? I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but if we weren't spending this large amount of money on software, couldn't we provide more hardware/tools to the students?

Provide more hardware with your budget while accomplishing the same quality of work

Land of the Free Free Speech Free Stuff Free Hot Dogs Free Software Free Beer! Land of the Free Free Speech

Purchasing Software Usually you buy the rights to use those zeros and ones... not ownership of them

Buying Software You can't access the source code Want to make it more usable? You can't Want to fix a bug? You can't You can't give software to your friends You can't do this legally When it doesn't work quite right You need to wait for a fix or an update

You can't access the source code

Want to make it more usable? You can't

Want to fix a bug? You can't

You can't give software to your friends

You can't do this legally

When it doesn't work quite right

You need to wait for a fix or an update

The alternative?

The alternative?

Open Source Free Software Web 2.0 Applications

What is Free Open Source Software? You CAN access the source code Want to make it more usable? You CAN Want to fix a bug? You CAN You CAN give software to your friends You CAN do this legally When it doesn't work quite right You CAN download the most stable version You CAN download the bleeding edge version

You CAN access the source code

Want to make it more usable? You CAN

Want to fix a bug? You CAN

You CAN give software to your friends

You CAN do this legally

When it doesn't work quite right

You CAN download the most stable version

You CAN download the bleeding edge version

Ultimately... Source codes are freely accessible and modifiable Anybody can use it Full definition of Open Source at opensource.org and wikipedia.org

Source codes are freely accessible and modifiable

Anybody can use it

Full definition of Open Source at opensource.org and wikipedia.org

“ I can't program!” Who cares??? :) Somebody else takes care of that :) Let's use what works!

Who cares??? :)

Somebody else takes care of that :)

Let's use what works!

Is this about Open Source or not? It's about Free and Open Source software :) It's about getting the job done as cost effectively as possible Please explore during this presentation Links at nbteacher.wikispaces.com

It's about Free and Open Source software :)

It's about getting the job done as cost effectively as possible

Please explore during this presentation

Links at

nbteacher.wikispaces.com

Linux - Ubuntu

Firefox

OpenOffice

You can explore by creating an account at digabites.co.uk Author has given you permission

VLC Media Player

Audacity

CutePDF

Gimp

Scratch

Visuwords www.visuwords.com

7-zip

Blender http://blenderunderground.com/2008/04/21/blend-file-roundup/

Pidgin

Twitter

Delicious / Digg

StumbleUpon http://stumbleupon.com/

Alice 2.0-2 / 3.0 / Storytelling www.alice.org

Wordle www.wordle.net

Twiddla http://www.twiddla.com/121842

Google Maps / Earth earth.google.com - maps.google.com

Wikispaces / PB Wiki

Check out my presentation at prezi.com/27725

Flickr / Picasa nbteacher1

This could go on and on and on

More “stuff” opensource.org sourceforge.net Google “web 2.0” applications Create a Twitter account and follow Ed Tech ppl Create a Delicious account and search/add friends who are like-minded. Network with other Ed Tech people

opensource.org

sourceforge.net

Google “web 2.0” applications

Create a Twitter account and follow Ed Tech ppl

Create a Delicious account and search/add friends who are like-minded.

Network with other Ed Tech people

Remember... there ARE alternatives to “paid” software... supported and enhanced by people like us It's about the children

Consider this... Everything is great!

Everything is great!

Feel free to stay and explore It's all about collaboration Allen Steeves [email_address] twitter.com/nbteacher delicious.com/tekteach