Free and Open Source Content, Software?

Free  In the context of free and open-source software, free refers to the freedom to copy and re-use the software, rather than to the price of the software.  To understand the concept, one should "think of free as in free speech, not as in free beer".

open  "Open content," then, is content that is licensed in a manner that provides users with the right to make more kinds of uses than those normally permitted under the law - at no cost to the user.

 The fewer copyright restrictions are placed on the user of a piece of content, the more open the content is.  open content should reflect the concerns expressed in the "4Rs Framework:"

4Rs Framework  Reuse - the right to reuse the content in its unaltered / verbatim form (e.g., make a backup copy of the content)  Revise - the right to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself (e.g., translate the content into another language)  Remix - the right to combine the original or revised content with other content to create something new (e.g., incorporate the content into a mashup)  Redistribute - the right to share copies of the original content, your revisions, or your remixes with others (e.g., give a copy of the content to a friend)

Open Source  The concept of open source and the free sharing of technological information existed long before computers, e.g. cooking recipes have been shared since the beginning of human culture.  Open source can pertain to businesses and to computers, software and technology  Open Source refers to access to software source codes

Open Source  A main principle and practice of open- source software development is:  peer production by bartering and collaboration, with the end-product, source-material, "blueprints," and documentation available at no cost to the public.. ( wikipedia )

The Four Essential Freedoms Freedom 0 : The freedom to run the program for any purpose. Freedom 1 : The freedom to study how the program works, and change it to make it do what you wish. Freedom 2 : The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.

 Freedom 3: The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements (and modified versions in general) to the public, so that the whole community benefits.  Freedoms 1 and 3 require source code to be available because studying and modifying software without its source code is highly impractical.

Open Education Resources OER’s

OER – A definition  Open educational resources are materials used to support education that may be freely accessed, reused, modified and shared by anyone.

 Open educational resources (OER) are digital materials that can be re-used for teaching, learning, research and more, made available for free through open licenses, which allow uses of the materials that would not be easily permitted under copyright alone.

 OER materials are beginning to get integrated into open and distance education  OER visibility and reputation being enhanced through use by institutions.

OER Materials  OER include different kinds of digital assets. Learning content includes courses,  course materials,  content modules,  learning objects, collections, and journals.

OER Tools  software that supports the creation, delivery, use and improvement of open learning content, searching and organization of content,  content and learning management systems,  content development tools, and on-line learning communities.

OER Implementation resources  include intellectual property licenses that govern open publishing of materials, design-principles, and localization of content  materials on best practices such as stories, publication techniques, methods, processes, incentives, and distribution.

Open Educational Resources   Learning Space, Open Learn  awesome-open-source-tools-for-writers-journalists-and- bloggers/ - Open Source awesome-open-source-tools-for-writers-journalists-and- bloggers/  - Open Yale Courses  MIT

The 4 A’s of eLearning

Is it accessible?  First, is it accessible? For eLearning to have any impact it must be accessible to the learner.  In extending eLearning to developing countries the first priority is to provide ready Internet connectivity.

Is it appropriate?  Once eLearning is accessible, is what it offers appropriate?  Does the content fit learners' needs and does it respect their cultural context?

Is it accredited?  In cross-border eLearning accreditation is a key concern. Accreditation in the country of origin is one indicator of quality and provides some consumer protection.

Is it affordable?  Finally, to come to the fourth 'A', is eLearning affordable to the many? If the opportunities eLearning offers are not affordable in local contexts, we shall not see digital dividend replace digital divide.

Copyleft

Richard Stallman  k3jKzH0&feature=related 5XwdN_8 – Interview on Free Software k3jKzH0&feature=related 5XwdN_8  _Creative Commons