flosscom
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FLOSScom Summer University: Learning the Open Source Way
Overview:
The summer university is a 12 week open access session with the objective of developing a course named: “Learning the Open Source Way”.
Kick-Off day: 3rd of July 2007
Official Period: July till September 2007
The course “Learning the Open Source Way” does still not exist and we would like to build this course TOGETHER WITH YOU during our Virtual and On-Campus Summer University.
If you are experienced in open source, if you are active in their communities, than we would like to learn from you about your experience, the way you learn within the open source environment.
If you are a student or educator with no experience in open source, than we would like to ask you to engage with those people that are experienced in open source and to discuss with them about open source elements that could be applied in educational settings.
And in the case you are experienced in both, open source and education, than we would like to learn from you what you see works out well in the one environment, but not in another.
All of this discourse and reflections should become part of this “Learning the Open Source Way” course. Thus other people would be able to understand on how education might be improved through open source principles, and which open source principles might not work that well in education, or need to be applied in a modified way.
Below we provide already an initial course outline, based on our “formal” experience on how we usually would start once building a new course. This initial structure is only a suggestion and if you have ideas on how to improve it – this is what we would like you to do.
Be also invited to listen to the [wiki:flosscom/Voices Voices from the Open (Source) Education Revolution] and have your say too!
Course Structure:
Base Course Outline
[wiki:flosscom/Introduction 1. Introduction]
[wiki:flosscom/HowDoesItWork 2. How does it work]
[wiki:flosscom/FLOSSCharacteristics 3. FLOSS Characteristics]
[wiki:flosscom/LearningInFLOSS 4. Learning in FLOSS]
[wiki:flosscom/MotivationToParticipate 5. Motivation to participate]
[wiki:flosscom/RolesInFLOSS 6. Roles in FLOSS]
[wiki:flosscom/MidCourseQuiz 7. Mid course quiz]
[wiki:flosscom/WhatDoesFLOSSLearningFeelLike 8. What does FLOSS learning feel like?]
[wiki:flosscom/HowIsFLOSSLearningDifferentFromNormalEducation 9. How is FLOSS learning different from ‘normal’ education?]
[wiki:flosscom/CouldFLOSSLearningBePutIntoPracticeInFormalEducation 10. Could FLOSS learning be put in to practice in formal education?]
[wiki:flosscom/FinalAssessment 11. Final assessment]
[wiki:flosscom/TerminologyandAbbreviations 12. Terminology and Abbreviations]
This initial structure should be modified based upon received feedback and is in general open to change
Further resources, like the FLOSSCom website, should be used to include the different types of available content such as documents, links, presentations, etc.
We forecasted the course to be a 10 hour course that can be studied at any time, with final assessment providing certificate. The course should target students and educators who are interested in the open source approach and what it can tell us about learning.
Structure of each Course Component:
Although some will be just text, the course should be active and so where possible each of the components should contain:
• An introduction that sets the scene
• An activity
• Some references or further reading
• A conclusion or points for reflection
Note that the order of these may change, e.g. you may decide to provide some further reading first and then have an activity based on these.
The mid course quiz should be automatic, e.g. some form of multiple choice, but beyond this requirement you can use whatever format or technology you think is most suitable.
The final assessment needs to be reasonably plagiarism proof, but should not require an official marker. However you are free to experiment with other formats apart from automatic assessment, e.g. peer assessment.
Issues to Consider
Here are some of the issues you may like to consider in terms of the coverage of FLOSS:
• Would making FLOSS learning part of formal education change it in some way?
• Is FLOSS learning only suitable for particular subject areas?
• Are the behavioural norms in FLOSS communities acceptable in education?
• How would assessment take place for FLOSS learning?
Here are some of the issues you might consider in creating the course:
• Should we assume people are working individually or is collaboration possible?
• To what extent should the course design give learners the experience of being part of a FLOSS community?
• Who is the intended audience for such a course? I have suggested an audience in the overview, but is this correct?
• What technologies should be used to support the course? We have provided some, but you are free to suggest others (see below).
• What pedagogy, or teaching approaches are best suited to this? Should it be the same throughout the course?
• What assessment is appropriate for this course?
• What media can be used?
Further Resources and Spaces
The [http://www.flosscom.net/ FLOSSCom website] provides further information on learning in FLOSS. The website has a large document repository, several links, and serves the FLOSSCom project as a general community space.
Additionally the [http://launchpad.net/flosscom FLOSSCom Space at Launchpad] might be of use. This space provides you with a typical open source community environment. Though not designed as an educational space, it might proofs to be suitable as the summer university’s objective is, analogue to open source, aimed to be a collaborative development project.
About FLOSSCom
This project is a part of the EU funded FLOSSCom project. The project focuses on identifying the factors that contribute to successful knowledge construction in informal learning communities, such as the FLOSS communities and intends to analyze the effectiveness of FLOSS-like learning communities in formal educational settings.
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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This site reflects the views of the project consortium, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.