Technology Enhanced Learning: Part 1 of 3 - Can Free Open Source Software (FOSS) successfully replace any proprietary software used by teachers?

Please note: First published on 6th June via my LinkIn account

FOSS also known as Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) has become more main stream over the last few years as the educational sectors utilised the advantages provided by FOSS.

FOSS is normally free 'as in beer', but more importantly the code is free as in 'freedom'. This means that the software code is not hidden and therefore allows educational establishments to modify the existing computer programme to provide a particular function and/or to ensure it can interoperate with current and future systems thereby reducing the risk of 'lock-in' to proprietary software.

The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) 'Moodle' is an example of FOSS and many educational establishments use it as their VLE,  including the Open University (OU). Although almost all FOSS software is built by a community of interested parties, the community of practice which has built up around Moodle is impressive. The Open University (OU) has utilised the openness of the code to build bespoke plugins for their own use. The OU has honoured the copyright (sometimes known as copyleft) licence and has made the plugins (code) available for everyone.

I have used this post (1 of 3) to provide an example of where FOSS provides a successful VLE. Moodle is a server based VLE which is accessed using a modern browser such as Firefox (another FOSS product) or via an app on a smart phone (Android is another FOSS product). The operating system which powers the server can be proprietary, but Moodle will operate just as well on Linux (another FOSS product). Linux is powering more and more servers and devices across the world and this link provides a list of 30 big companies and devices currently running on Linux.

The next post (2 of 3) will explore whether FOSS can successfully provide a replacement for a proprietary desktop PC/laptop operating system. The final post (3 of 3) will explore whether FOSS can successfully replace any proprietary software applications used on a desktop PC/laptop.

Note: This post uses information from a small research project I carried out in 2009. The title of the non-published paper is, 'Critical Evaluation of the Barriers to Using FOSS (Free
& Open Source Software) in One College'. The non-published paper is available by clicking here

Is it now time that we teachers controlled our own learning technology?

Note: First published on 1st June 2016 via my LinkedIn account 

 I started teaching in March 1989 and at that time it was expected that administrators/secretaries wrote my letters and typed up my hand written learning material.  With the introduction of PCs in the staff room, typing my own letters and learning material soon became the norm.

During the last 27 years information technology (IT) has had a massive impact on teaching and learning. The use of technology enhanced learning (TEL) has become embedded to some degree in every subject taught in schools, colleges, training centres, universities and other educational establishments.

I believe it is now time that I start to loosen my reliance on the IT support team just as I reduced my reliance on administrators and secretaries 27 years ago and learned to use the PC/laptop/tablet/mobile phone and internet server to not only produce my learning materials (as I am currently doing) but manage and support my own IT infrastructure.

I will blog my journey and hope that it will generate a true 'community of practice' as Etienne Wenger (1998) model describes. I hope that together we can develop a shared repertoire of resources, tools, experience to help to solve (recurring?) problems and become a shared practice.

Reference:
Wenger, E. (1998) COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: LEARNING, MEANING AND IDENTITY. New York: Cambridge University Press

Introducing Linux...

Introducing Linux...

The Linux operating system is sensational, free as in beer and freedom. Did you know that Google, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, and the New York Stock Exchange are just a few examples of everyday names that use Linux. 

Linux (Ubuntu) is my operating system of choice as it is stable, secure and extremely fast. How did I come to use Linux... through overcoming the challenges of embedding technology enhanced learning into my teaching. 

My next post will discuss the 'comfort triangle' and how it can be used to help teachers and IT professionals to find an improved level of synergy and therefore work more effectively through a better understanding of the challenges each profession face. 

Education as a business in the new learning paradigm - repost

I am currently linking my Blogger posts to my current social networking environments. Please use this post to visit my blog called:

 Technology Enhanced Learning http://tel-paulfloss.blogspot.co.uk/

This post was first published on Thursday, 5th September 2013

Education as a business in the new learning paradigm

This is the working title for my Phd proposal. Why have I chosen this title... well it is based on my experience of two areas of my working life:

1. Managing both private and public businesses
2. Appreciating the impact technology is having on the learning experience

My main focus in point 1 will be the 'hidden factory'. Most companies will have a hidden factory working very hard behind the scenes unless they are using tools and techniques such as Six Sigma. 

I define the hidden factory as all the additional processes required to ensure an imperfect system works. A simple example could be a report where data is not automatically available and personnel work have to 'cut and paste' from differing information systems to build spreadsheets that can be configured to produce (flawed?) data/information. Two earlier blog entries (part 1 and part 2) provide an example of the possible costs of a very simple hidden factory. Considering that most businesses are very complex, a hidden factory is likely to be a significant cost and one which must be removed. There is also a moral dimension to consider... any business considering making redundancies must be comfortable that it is not because of they have a hidden factory.

 So how can a business find out if they have a hidden factory? The first step is to understand all the processes that the business has then refine them to be as efficient as possible. Finally, use technology to automate as many steps as possible, this includes reports and data.

Teachers and educators also need to understand the data available (Including non-electronic). Google has designed a course called 'Making Sense of Data'. you can preview and register by clicking  https://datasense.withgoogle.com/course

The need to understand data is becoming main stream. It is no longer the domain of specialists as this TED video http://www.ted.com/talks/andreas_schleicher_use_data_to_build_better_schools.html explains.

Please do contact me if my working title is of interest, especially if you are already exploring this area. Although I have never been in a position to start a Phd, I am extremely interested in 'education as a business', especially in blended learning using MOOC style learning paradigms.

Please do comment on any aspect of my past and future posts.

Paul

Education as a business in the new learning paradigm

I am currently linking my Blogger posts to my current social networking environments. Please use this post to visit my blog called:

 Technology Enhanced Learning http://tel-paulfloss.blogspot.co.uk/

This post was first published on Thursday, 5th September 2013
Education as a business in the new learning paradigm

This is the working title for my Phd proposal. Why have I chosen this title... well it is based on my experience of two areas of my working life:

1. Managing both private and public businesses
2. Appreciating the impact technology is having on the learning experience

My main focus in point 1 will be the 'hidden factory'. Most companies will have a hidden factory working very hard behind the scenes unless they are using tools and techniques such as Six Sigma. 

I define the hidden factory as all the additional processes required to ensure an imperfect system works. A simple example could be a report where data is not automatically available and personnel work have to 'cut and paste' from differing information systems to build spreadsheets that can be configured to produce (flawed?) data/information. Two earlier blog entries (part 1 and part 2) provide an example of the possible costs of a very simple hidden factory. Considering that most businesses are very complex, a hidden factory is likely to be a significant cost and one which must be removed. There is also a moral dimension to consider... any business considering making redundancies must be comfortable that it is not because of they have a hidden factory.

 So how can a business find out if they have a hidden factory? The first step is to understand all the processes that the business has then refine them to be as efficient as possible. Finally, use technology to automate as many steps as possible, this includes reports and data.

Teachers and educators also need to understand the data available (Including non-electronic). Google has designed a course called 'Making Sense of Data'. you can preview and register by clicking  https://datasense.withgoogle.com/course

The need to understand data is becoming main stream. It is no longer the domain of specialists as this TED video http://www.ted.com/talks/andreas_schleicher_use_data_to_build_better_schools.html explains.

Please do contact me if my working title is of interest, especially if you are already exploring this area. Although I have never been in a position to start a Phd, I am extremely interested in 'education as a business', especially in blended learning using MOOC style learning paradigms.

Please do comment on any aspect of my past and future posts.

Paul

Rejoining the blogging world

Why do I suddenly feel I want to blog again? Is it because I am not so busy? No... I am just as busy as ever. Is it because I want to moan about the state of (insert world, country, work etc)? No... I can do that without a blog. 

I believe it is about having a passion; these are normally positive and can flourish by sharing experiences. The passion I have is teaching and learning and after receiving an encouraging comment from a colleague... I now realise this is the right time (again) for me to share my thoughts through my blog.

Communities of Practice has been the power behind groups of like-minded people making real change! So lets get together, collaborate and through  intelligent analysis of facts and careful evaluation... real and lasting change is possible!

Don't just read my blog... comment on it to help me learn more.

Lets start with this question: have you ever received a positive comment which has made you feel empowered to make a change to something or yourself?

Are colleges encouraging progressive lecturers to leave?

Post to follow... too tired tonight.