Education

OVC evolution, a snapshot of a student HFOSS work-in-progress

Three Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) students recently gained recognition for a Humanitarian Free and Open Source (HFOSS) proof-of-concept project, Open Video Chat (OVC).  OVC put a functional video chat program written designed for deaf students on to the OLPC XO 1.5 computer. This is the story of how it got started and where it can go from here. » Read more

0 CommentsPosted 8 Apr 2011 by Stephen Jacobs

Improving the speed and quality of research via shared algorithm implementations

The dissemination of ideas throughout a research field is absolutely critical. For example, recent algorithms have become quite complex and ideas are tightly coupled to their implementations. The ability to share and obtain these implementations quickly is crucial to the future success of many fields. My message is easily summarized - doing your part to enable the maximum potential of future research is as easy as sharing your code. » Read more

0 CommentsPosted 7 Apr 2011 by David Doria

Capturing SIGCSE conversation: Computer science professors discuss teaching open source

We asked you earlier what you'd ask 1,200 computer science professors about open source given the chance. So when I headed down to Dallas, Texas for SIGCSE 2011, the largest CS education conference in the world, I took your notes to the Teaching Open Source (TOS) birds of a feather session and listened in on the conversations there. » Read more

1 CommentPosted 31 Mar 2011 by Mel Chua (Red Hat)

Can the open source way help nurture passion in classrooms?

Recently, Red Hat held a panel discussion for the North Carolina STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) organization. There were lots of great conversations around education and how to prepare students for careers in technology. One recurring theme was passion. » Read more

8 CommentsPosted 29 Mar 2011 by Mary Ann (Red Hat)

Get open source into your classroom

I presented at POSSCON this week on introducing and using open source software in your school or classroom. Now I’d like to take a few minutes to hit some of the high points and give you a look at how you can bring open source to your school with a minimal of effort.

First . . . why? Why would you want to use FOSS (free and open source software) in education? Let’s take a look at what we use computers for in a typical classroom.
» Read more

3 CommentsPosted 25 Mar 2011 by David Trask

Students in open source--How do I get started?

The Palmetto Open Source Conference (POSSCON), currently happening in Columbia, SC, has a large number of students and people new to open source attending. Leslie Hawthorn of the OSU Open Source Lab gave them an introduction yesterday afternoon for how students can get started in open source.

Why open source? » Read more

1 CommentPosted 24 Mar 2011 by Ruth Suehle (Red Hat)

Introducing the OER university: 5 Questions with Wayne Mackintosh

I first learned of the idea of OERu from a webinar coordinated by Steve Hargadon at FutureofEducation.com's lecture series. » Read more

6 CommentsPosted 23 Mar 2011 by Joseph Thibault

How To: Founding an Open Source Software Center at a University

Raising open source awareness in any organization is a very important, and sometimes difficult, task. Particularly important is open source awareness among college students. These are the engineers and computer scientists of the next generation who will be able to usher these modern practices into their workplace. This article discusses the process that was used to form the Rensselaer Center for Open Source (RCOS), a very successful open source center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). » Read more

4 CommentsPosted 17 Mar 2011 by David Doria

Free Software University

Marrying technology, innovation, and this curious Internet thing of giving stuff away for free, consultant and Cong-base Englishman, Lloyd Hardy, is hoping to kick start an online learning revolution. » Read more

6 CommentsPosted 15 Mar 2011 by John P. Muldoon

Community-building and diversity take-aways from PyCon 2011

Here at PyCon2011, there are quite a few open source rock stars in attendance. Software hackers of various stripes, developers from the corporate and community realms, and many other technically savvy and interested folks. » Read more

0 CommentsPosted 11 Mar 2011 by Remy DeCausemaker