Free and Open Source Software for E-Learning

http://www.igi-global.com/requests/details.asp?ID=563
===CALL FOR CHAPTERS===
Proposals Submission Deadline: 3/31/2009
Full Chapters Due: 6/15/2009
==Free and Open Source Software for E-Learning: Issues, Successes and Challenges==
A book edited by Dr. Betül C. Özkan, University of Arizona, South, USA
==Introduction==
Open source software describes programs whose source code is available
under a copyright license so users can edit, change, and improve the
software. Therefore, open source programs can be redistributed in
modified or unmodified form. Free software is similar in concept to open
source and it refers to the philosophy of freedoms users have on
accessing and modifying the software. Today, these two terms are used
together as Free and Open Source or FOSS. Some of the FOSS applications
commonly used in education are, but not limited to, Elgg, Moodle, Sakai,
Open Office, Flickr, YouTube, and various blog and Wiki programs.
Open source software develops in a community of individuals or
companies. Because of the importance of user participation and
contribution to the development of the software, no discrimination
against individuals or groups is allowed, and users are considered as
co-developers. This feature also allows open source software to be fluid
and progress continually. Unlike beta-testing, open source programs are
not rolled out when "perfected".
Use of FOSS in education has increased significantly as a phenomenon in
the last decade. Thompson (2007) thinks that part of the reason can be
found in Net Generation's lives. "Most "social networking sites such as
MySpace and Facebook have had a particularly strong influence in the
lives of millions of students" (Thompson, 2007). It is a fact that most
"students today arrive at their universities as experienced
multi-taskers, accustomed to using text messaging, telephones, and
e-mail while searching the Internet and watching television" (Roberts,
2005 as cited in Thompson, 2007). Moreover, use of FOSS encourages
students to be active participants of the learning and teaching process
while giving them more control over the learning interface.
The implications of free and open software are even more striking for
E-Learning. While virtual learning spaces are more prevalent in
E-Learning, individual students become the center of E-Instruction;
changing the focus from institution to learner. Students adapt distance
technologies to meet their needs, rather than the students adapting to
the technologies. A new form of distance education promotes "loosely
coupled social software tools, mixed-and-matched and combined together
to support online learning communities" (Ozkan & McKenzie, 2007). Thus,
FOSS also asserts alternative pedagogies such as constructivism and
connectivism which focus on learner-centered online communities rather
than traditional forms of cumbersome and expensive E-Learning courses.
Traditional E-learning courses structured around courses, timetables,
and testing become networked-environments where learners join and learn
in a variety of communities.
Although use of free and open source programs in education has the
potential to transform the learning and teaching environment, there is
little research and understanding of them for meaningful adaptations.
While technologies are out there for everybody to use freely, much
attention should be devoted to the pedagogy of FOSS.
==Objective of the Book==
The objectives of this book are:
# Review open and free software that are used in E-Learning P-16
# Examine pedagogy behind FOSS and how that is applied to E-Learning
# Discuss best practices for FOSS through examples/cases and provide guidelines for instructors and E-Learning designers who like to use FOSS
# Discuss opportunities as well as challenges in the use of FOSS
# Discuss and project future trends for FOSS
# Examine on-going FOSS E-learning projects
==Target Audience==
The audience of this book will be educators, trainers, administrators,
practitioners, instructional designers, librarians, software developers,
and researchers working in the area of E-Learning in various
disciplines; in short, those who are using free and open source programs
to design, develop and manage educational and training programs. This
book can be adopted to support instructional technology related subjects
in advanced graduate degree programs.
Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following: Some
of the chapters will include but not limited to:
Part 1: Introduction
# History of Free and Open Source Software
# Understanding and conceptualizing FOSS
Part 2: Free and Open Source Software in E- Learning
# Open Source Operating Systems in E-Learning
# Open Source Course Management Systems
# Open Educational Resources (OER)
# Current Research on Educational Uses of FOSS
# Case Studies for FOSS projects
# Pedagogical Guidelines for FOSS (constructivism, connectivism, chaos
theory and other learning theories)
# Social FOSS, and social networking
Part 3: Opportunities, Issues, and Challenges
# Best Practices for Free and Open Source Software
# Barriers and Challenges to use Free and Open Source E-Learning
# Management and Support Issues with Free and Open Source Programs
# Digital Divide and Free and Open Software for Education
Part 4: Beyond Free and Open Source: Future Trends
# Pedagogy 3.0
# Future of E-Learning
==Submission Procedure==
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before March
31, 2009, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and
concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals
will be notified by April 15, 2009 about the status of their proposals
and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted
by June 15, 2009. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a
double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve
as reviewers for this project.
==Publisher==
This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea
Group Inc.), publisher of the "Information Science Reference" (formerly
Idea Group Reference), "Medical Information Science Reference" and "IGI
Publishing" imprints. For additional information regarding the
publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is
anticipated to be released in 2009.
Important Dates:
March 31, 2009: Proposal Submission Deadline
April 15, 2009: Notification of Acceptance
June 15, 2009: Full Chapter Submission
July 31, 2009: Review Result Returned
September 30, 2009: Final Chapter Submission
October 31, 2009: Final Deadline
Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word
document) or by mail to:
Dr. Betül C. Özkan
The University of Arizona South, USA
9040 S. Rita Road Suite# 2211
Tucson, Arizona 85747
Tel: 520-626-9381
Fax: 520-626-1794
bcozkan@email.arizona.edu
category:open category:technology