online and open source
DESCRIPTION
A presentation about the use of open source software for teacher collaboration and online curriculum in the Sunraysia Mallee Schools Network.TRANSCRIPT
Online and Open Source
Online and Open Source
Darrel BransonICT educator
Sunraysia Mallee schools network
Darrel BransonICT educator
Sunraysia Mallee schools network
Sunraysia Mallee Schools Network
33 schools in the North West of Victoria
6 - I&E Clusters
Open source Software
•Definition:
• “Computer software whose source code is available
under a license (or arrangement such as the public
domain) that permits users to study, change, and
improve the software, and to redistribute it in
modified or unmodified form. It is often developed in a
public, collaborative manner.”Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_software
Sunraysia Mallee Schools Network
• Local Linux Server (Running Ubuntu)
• www.smsn.vic.edu.au
• Hosted linux server need2learn.net
• LAMP stack
✓ Linux, Apache, Mysql and PHP (or Perl or Python)
Open Source Software
MRBS (Meeting Room Booking System)
Web Calendar
Need2learn.net
http://moodle.orgOpen source learning management system
Discussion boards, curriculum resources, polls, calendar, assignments, journals, wikis, questionnaires, quizzes and
much more.
Moodle - Statistics
Collaboration• Professional Learning with network
teams✓ Assessment team, Restorative practice, Habits of
Mind, New Tools & New Media ICT Group, Intel Teach to the Future.
• Document repository✓ Resources, weblinks, documents.
• Communication tool✓ Email, discussion boards, reflection journals.
• Professional reading & discussion
• Rich digital history of the learning
Online Curriculum
• Giving access to curriculum at home and at school for students.
• Allowing students to using ICT and elearning in their learning.
• Allowing teachers to setup and get going in a short time.
• Everything is done inside a web browser!
✓ No HTML, FTP or coding!
✓ http://need2learn.net
http://wordpress.orgOpen source - blogging solutionPlugins, themes and community
Roles and permissionsEasy installation on Netspace
What it looks like
Grade / Class / Subject - Blog
Teacher as Administrator
Students as...Editors, Authors, Subscribers
What we are trying to do
• We are not waiting ... Ready, Fire, Aim
• Enabling enthusiastic teachers
(students almost always respond
positively!)
• Offering classrooms the opportunity to
have their own blog, their own
Moodle, which they can control.
http://joomla.orgOpen source - content management solutionExtensions, plugins, themes and community
Roles and permissions
Web Calendar
http://www.k5n.us/webcalendar.php
Meeting Room Booking System
http://mrbs.sourceforge.net/
Why not use free tools?
• Control
• Cost
• Appropriateness
• Flexibility to respond
• Community
What do I need to try it?
• A web server with Apache or Microsoft IIS
• PHP programming language
• Database server - Mysql (or others)
• Someone with an interest in technology and learning.
Open Source Software
• http://www.osv.org.au/educationDownloadable catalogue of software
• http://sourceforge.net Registered Projects: 148,087 Registered Users: 1,581,672
• http://freshmeat.net Freshmeat maintains the Web's largest index of Unix and cross-platform software
• http://www.opensource.org
• http://www.fsf.org
On the Desktop
• Legally use software at home and
at school
• No licensing issues
• Hey, it’s free!
Some Notable OSSFirefox
Open OfficeThe Gimp
Audacity