The OPENSE project aims to create an open educational framework for software engineering that integrates formal and informal learning, encouraging collaboration among diverse learners, including students and open source practitioners. It seeks to enhance the learning experience through peer support and real-world activities while fostering continuous improvement in education. The initiative includes various educational institutions and organizations, focusing on developing a sustainable model that provides assessment and certification options for learners outside of formal education.

1. openSE
Open educational framework for
computer science Software Engineering
Presentation by: Andreas Meiszner
---
Project start: October 2009 | Initial duration: 25 month
Supported by: LifelongLearningProgramme, European Commission

2. openSE general objective
• To set up an Open Educational Framework for Software Engineering bringing
together academia, formally enrolled students, fellow students, free learners outside of
formal education and open source practitioners and enterprises.
• To systematically combine formal and informal learning within an unfettered
informal learning environment.
• To stimulate participatory learning experiences and foster practical ‘hands-on’
sessions where learning activities and output become a learning resource itself.
• To enable current and future learners to benefit continuously and fully from others'
achievements, regardless where these achievements have been made.
Further info at:
• www.openSE.net
• http://www.opense.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=72

3. openSE partnership
• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki – Greece (Pilot Lead)
• EPITA, Ecole pour l'Informatique et les Techniques Avancées – France
• Free Technology Academy - The Netherlands (Content Lead)
• IBM Europe – Belgium
• Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação - Portugal (co-ordinator)
• Tampere University of Technology, Department of Software Systems – Finland
• The Open University, Institute of Educational Technology (IET) – UK
• Universidade Rey Juan Carlos, Departamento de Sistemas Telemáticos y Computación – Spain
(Technical Lead)
• University of Oxford - OSSWatch, Research Technology Service (RTS), Oxford University
Computing Services. - UK (Learner support Lead)
• UNU-MERIT: United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and social Research and training
centre on Innovation and Technology - The Netherlands (Evaluation Lead)

4. Often formal education - even if about open source - follows the traditional educational
way that is: closed, isolated, disconnected, static, tethered, generic, made for
consumption,…

5. openSE framework – should allow for...
• A greater range of inputs – not just from the educator, but from all contributors so the
collective is the source of knowledge, not one individual
• A more personalized learning experience – learners can gather the elements of
knowledge they require – but skip what they know already.
• Greater sharing of knowledge – in higher education much of the previous input is lost,
whereas in FLOSS the dialogue, resources, and outputs remain as learning resources =>
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT & EVOLUTIONARY GROWTH.
• Peer production – active engagement in producing something with a set of peers is a
powerful motivational and educational driving force.
• Real activities – engaging in legitimate activities that are not restricted to an artificial
university setting also provides valuable experience.
• Peer support – a large support network provided voluntarily by peers in a collaborative
manner nearly 24/7.
●
Open learning environment – The sum is bigger than its parts, thus there is the need of
providing new educational models and scenarios that are not limited to students formally
enrolled at a course.
●
Provide certification and assessment options alongside, to make such a place financially
sustainable, pilot new revenue models in the line of “learning for free &
certification/assessment against fees”

6. openSE components

7. openSE framework – potential benefits

8. Advantages for (higher) education institutions
 A richer learning experience for your students
 The opportunity to create a learning community, which is not possible within
closed traditional educational settings
 To establish a learning ecosystem that is continuously improving and growing
in a natural evolutionary way
 To assure that subjects meet actual demands, curriculum is up to date and
courses are taught in the best way possible (double feedback loops)
 To work together with fellow educational institutions and open source
communities and thereby sharing the burden of developing such novel educational
provision
 In the long tale: To establish new revenue models, by e.g. providing free
learners outside of formal education with assessment and certification options
against fees (as said, the long tale)

9. Advantages for students & free learner outside of formal education
(1/2)
 Learn together with other students, free learners outside of formal education
and enthusiasts from open source projects!
 Learn from reviewing and studying the learning project activities, outcomes and
presentations from others – build upon what others did, this can be much easier
than starting from scratch!
 Collaborate and get in touch with peers and practitioners within a real life
situation!
 Find help!
 Socialize and experience learning within a joyful and interesting environment!
 Do something meaningful by contributing to actual open source projects, gain
repute and expertise – add an extra to your CV!

10. Advantages for students & free learner outside of formal education
(2/2)
 Learn how to update your skills and knowledge self-dependently within a lifelong
learning context
 Learn how to take full advantage of the web to support your own learning, to
collaborate with others and use the tools required to do so
 Be capable to find sources at the web and to critically evaluate and analyze them
 Be aware about available free online and desktop software solutions that facilitate
learning, knowledge exchange and collaboration
 Know how to find online communities, to engage in them for personal support, and to
and understands the way they function
 In a nutshell: To gain today's required soft skills; like to communicate, collaborate and
engage in discussions with others, defend your own work and thoughts and present them,
know how to manage a project, or how to resolve conflicts

11. Advantages for open source projects
 Share the burden of newbie integration to the open source world as a joint
venture of higher education institutions and open source projects, and
 Therefore build up a synergy of scale
 Identify potential contributors early
 Students' contribute to the open source project, and might continue doing so
beyond the course duration
 Help learners to learn by contributing to a given project at the same time

12. Advantages for enterprises
Continuous training & certification of workforce
Collaborative curriculum development with educational institutions to assure
that offer meets demand
Opportunity to identify high skilled worker (e.g. students & free learners)
New revenue opportunities through assessment & certification / collaboration
with educational institutions
… and likely many more

13. 2008 FLOSSCom
2008 / 2009 AUTH
attempt

14. Open Source vs. Traditional education
•‘learning processes’ and ‘learning outcomes’ in open source projects are often
visible and become learning resources for many others,
•meanwhile in formal education they are normally ‘invisible',
•or if they are visible they are disconnected from learning materials and often
‘lost for future students',
•with no connection between cohorts of learners amongst semester, courses,
or the students’ contribution within open source projects
•with no continuity, no community, no ‘educational’ knowledge pool being in
place
=> how can we overcome this?

15. A common space for students' project works

16. Tools & spaces – illustrated
Forges, Modularity and Learning Projects – self organized learning projects and spaces
(I)

17. Tools & spaces – illustrated

18. Tools & spaces – illustrated

19. Tools & spaces – illustrated

20. Next steps...

21. Organizational Framework development
Agree on an overall sound organizational framework that details how the different
stakeholders, courses, learning resources, tools and spaces would work together
Build on existing solutions from each partner, notably the hybrid model & initial AUTH
course space
See what realistically can be achieved within the scope of the openSE project

22. Timing & milestones

23. Milestones
Critical Milestone
• WP 2, 3 and 4 in place for 1st pilot round January 2010
• Review of 1st pilot round, evaluation & as identified July 2010
• Review of 2nd pilot round, evaluation & as identified January 2011
• Review of 3rd pilot round, evaluation & as identified July 2011
Note: Sustainability framework including revenue models (such as assessment &
certification of free learners against fees) to be in place and piloted during 2nd and 3rd
pilot rounds.

24. Thanks for your attention!
Project website: www.openSE.net
For further information:
on the concept, related research & earlier works please contact:
Andreas Meiszner (meiszner@merit.unu.edu)
with regards to the LLP funded project co-ordination please contact:
Jose Carvalho (josecarvalho@spi.pt)