EDUCAUSE | Open Source; CMS; and Articles, Papers, and Reports

Blackboard Customers Consider Alternatives

ckeller — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:57:32 -0500

Open-source software for course management poses market challenge.

Moving to Moodle: Reflections Two Years Later

ckeller — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:26:32 -0500

Adopting an open source learning management system combined benefits and challenges, with lessons for change management.

A Bridge Between Blackboard and Open Source?

ckeller — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:57:22 -0500

"Blackboard, the dominant player in course management software, has the ability to inspire devotion and, for the more fervid open-source adherents, not a little contempt. So today’s announcement may cause a stir among those more apt to liken Blackboard to the devil than a gentle giant: The company is partnering with Syracuse University to develop a way to integrate Blackboard with Sakai, one of the primary open-source alternatives."

Large-Scale Open Source E-Learning Systems at Open University UK

gdobbin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:25:04 -0500

This ECAR research bulletin examines the factors leading to the selection of the open source learning management system at the Open University, details the many aspects of development work that had to be undertaken, and describes the issues involved for institutions participating in an open source community. It also looks at some of the many business and cultural challenges the institution has faced, and at how faculty are being encouraged to move toward a model of education incorporating increasing amounts of e-learning content and activity.

Ccitation for this work: Sclater, Niall. “Large-Scale Open Source E-Learning Systems at Open University UK” (Research Bulletin, Issue 12). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2008, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

Dynamics of Supporting Sakai Through Local and Global Collaboration

gdobbin — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:06:36 -0500

This ECAR research bulletin discusses the adjustments that the Indiana University information technology organization made, and continues to make, in order to support membership in Sakai. It has been said that supporting Sakai can seem like trying to change a tire on a moving car. As co-founder of and active participant in the Sakai collaboration, the effects of IU’s decision—the unexpected, the challenging, and the delightful—are discussed in terms of the intra- and interuniversity realities of highly collaborative efforts.

Citation for this work: Goodrum, David, Jan R. Holloway, Anastasia S. Morrone, Lance Speelmon, and Elizabeth A. Van Gordon. “Dynamics of Supporting Sakai Through Local and Global Collaboration” (Research Bulletin, Issue 11). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2008, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

Open Source Software in Education

elilly — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:02:16 -0500

Academia has adopted open source software for some online learning initiatives because it addresses persistent technical challenges

Critical Factors in Selecting a Course Management System for Higher Education in Ghana

ckeller — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:02:15 -0600

Emerging technologies for higher educational delivery has provided integrated software applications that have the ability to support both instructors and students. The effect of these technologies is the result of increase students enrollment in most institutions in developed countries as the emphasis on educational delivery has shifted from the traditional classroom face-to-face to more blended learning. Faced with the challenge of high enrolment, institutions and organizations in developed economies have been working on strategic plans to implement online education (Kim & Bonk, 2006). In the case of higher institutions in Ghana, though some infrastructure has been built, these have not been fully integrated to support collaboration, assessment, feedback, students learning and lecture preparation and presentation. Analysing the influence of technology in developing countries, the future of higher educational delivery in the next 10 years would be the use of Course Management Systems (CMS) which is currently driving the educational delivery of most institutions in the developed countries, creating a digital divide. It is therefore crucial to identify factors that would inform the good choice of such a system that would meet the needs of higher education in Ghana.

Blackboard Makes a Pledge

drupal — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 11:47:54 -0600

"After months of criticism that its patent policies had the potential to squelch important education projects, Blackboard on Thursday announced a "patent pledge" under which it vowed not to assert its patent rights to sue open source projects or home-grown software used by colleges and universities."

Education Software Firm OKs Open-source Patent Use

drupal — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 16:09:03 -0600

"Blackboard, whose software can be used to manage university courses, has taken a significant step to mollify open-source rivals who perceive a patent threat from the company."

Open-source Group Wants Educational Patent Reversed

drupal — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:48:59 -0600

"A legal center is trying to overturn a patent it says threatens three open-source educational projects, a sign of the tension between patent holders and the collaborative programming community."

Blackboard Patents Challenged

drupal — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:36:48 -0600

"Open source group asked U.S. to revoke rights asserted by software giant. Sides trade charges on why compromise talks collapsed."

Open to Open Source

drupal — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 13:44:14 -0600

Open source software has found a permanent home on some college campuses. But according to a study released on March 1, 2006, by the Alliance for Higher Education Competitiveness, open source products, which enable programmers to modify code and customize programs, have yet to reach the masses of academe.

Blackboard vs....

drupal — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 15:16:31 -0500

Some higher education officials are wondering if in buying WebCT, did course-management giant wipe out the competition, or is open source the real competition?