open source and tesol

Open Source and TESOLOpen Source and TESOL

John AllanJohn AllanAbu Dhabi Men’s CollegeAbu Dhabi Men’s College

Higher Colleges of TechnologyHigher Colleges of TechnologyUnited Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

HandoutHandout

Open Source Day at ADMCOpen Source Day at ADMC

Faculty and students presentedFaculty and students presented

Many road blocks to implementationMany road blocks to implementation

Open Source DefinedOpen Source Defined

Not freewareNot freeware

Not sharewareNot shareware

programming code is unlockedprogramming code is unlocked

GNU general public licensingGNU general public licensing

most freely available via Internetmost freely available via Internet

some offer maintenance contractssome offer maintenance contracts

Open Source MovementOpen Source Movement

software should be free and that software should be free and that developers cooperate to create more developers cooperate to create more imaginative software in an environment of imaginative software in an environment of freedomfreedom

movement has evolved into a major player movement has evolved into a major player in the software industryin the software industry

Sun, IBM, Oracle, Intel, Disney, Sun, IBM, Oracle, Intel, Disney, Macromedia & NASA Macromedia & NASA

HackersHackers

Open Source was closely linked to the Open Source was closely linked to the hacker culture in the ninetieshacker culture in the nineties

This affiliation is dissipating due to large This affiliation is dissipating due to large organizations and governments’ organizations and governments’ acceptance of Open Source solutionsacceptance of Open Source solutions

Open Source software has spread to Open Source software has spread to every discipline imaginable –why not every discipline imaginable –why not TESOL?TESOL?

Tools Desktop Tools Desktop

operating systemsoperating systemsweb browserweb browserMessagingMessagingfile transfer protocolfile transfer protocolgamesgamesword processorword processorspreadsheetspreadsheetaudio/video playeraudio/video playerschedulerschedulerpresentationpresentationcalculatorcalculator

parallels the established software offered by traditional software companiesparallels the established software offered by traditional software companies

Tools CreativeTools Creative

audio editor and recorderaudio editor and recordervideo digitizer and editorvideo digitizer and editorword processorword processorspreadsheetspreadsheetgraphics editor (both vector and raster)graphics editor (both vector and raster)HTML editorHTML editorPresentationPresentationlearning management systemslearning management systems

Tools OtherTools Other

learning management systemlearning management system

video conferencingvideo conferencing

HTML editorHTML editor

Windows “emulator”Windows “emulator”

network clientsnetwork clients

virtual Network Computingvirtual Network Computing

Open Source ToolsOpen Source Tools

Operating systemOperating system

LinuxLinux

Suse, Red Hat, MandrakeSuse, Red Hat, Mandrake

Open Source ToolsOpen Source Tools

learning management systemlearning management system

MoodleMoodle

Open Source & TESOLOpen Source & TESOL

few Open Source CALL programs few Open Source CALL programs availableavailable

could not locate one fully dedicated to could not locate one fully dedicated to TESOLTESOL

will change as the Open Source will change as the Open Source movement spreads and a few enthusiastic movement spreads and a few enthusiastic educators lead the wayeducators lead the way

Open Source & TESOLOpen Source & TESOLJohn Higgins, self-taught programmerJohn Higgins, self-taught programmer– JackassJackass– VerbalistVerbalist– SwitchSwitch– Doubleup Doubleup – FindWord FindWord – Sequitir Sequitir – DropinDropin– Eclipse Eclipse – MarkUp MarkUp – SortsetSortset

Open Source & TESOLOpen Source & TESOL

altruistic creations were eventually emulated or altruistic creations were eventually emulated or bought by companies such as WIDA & sold bought by companies such as WIDA & sold programs authored in basements of curious programs authored in basements of curious TESOL educators, who married the practical TESOL educators, who married the practical TESOL classroom needs with the new TESOL classroom needs with the new technology offered by fundamental computer technology offered by fundamental computer languages of the period languages of the period BASIC, BBC BASIC and LOGO were used to BASIC, BBC BASIC and LOGO were used to produce programs which challenged the student produce programs which challenged the student to think about the language in ways that to think about the language in ways that simulated realia or classroom activities.simulated realia or classroom activities.

Open Source & TESOLOpen Source & TESOL

a parallel situation existsa parallel situation exists

inquisitive people sharing and building upon each others’ codeinquisitive people sharing and building upon each others’ codethe Internet intensifies the potential of this phenomenonthe Internet intensifies the potential of this phenomenonthe promise of groups of hobbyist developers collaborating to create the promise of groups of hobbyist developers collaborating to create effective and diverse programs for a variety of platforms is unlimited effective and diverse programs for a variety of platforms is unlimited These platforms can manifest themselves as web based, CD or These platforms can manifest themselves as web based, CD or DVD based or videoDVD based or videoexamples found on the web produced by part-time developers examples found on the web produced by part-time developers during the nineties as a result of the Macromedia Shockwave and during the nineties as a result of the Macromedia Shockwave and Flash programsFlash programshundreds of freely available programs of varying qualities and hundreds of freely available programs of varying qualities and complexities surfaced through personal and institutional websitescomplexities surfaced through personal and institutional websitesJim Duber’s website, “Cutting Edge CALL Demos.” Duber locates Jim Duber’s website, “Cutting Edge CALL Demos.” Duber locates an emerging technology and creates a CALL program or exercise an emerging technology and creates a CALL program or exercise with it to provide an example of the technology’s potential with it to provide an example of the technology’s potential

Open Source & TESOLOpen Source & TESOLTodayToday

two advantages for the TESOL professiontwo advantages for the TESOL professionAdministrative- Costs for software are negligible, greatly reduced Administrative- Costs for software are negligible, greatly reduced software will allow organization to distribute budgets on other areas software will allow organization to distribute budgets on other areas of education. Institutions, schools and independent learning centres of education. Institutions, schools and independent learning centres can provide computers with operating systems, office suites, email can provide computers with operating systems, office suites, email clients, internet browsers, and other standard software at extremely clients, internet browsers, and other standard software at extremely low rate. low rate. inventive activities using standard software have been formalized inventive activities using standard software have been formalized and published on websites such as Dave’s ESL Café or have been and published on websites such as Dave’s ESL Café or have been published in print such as the New Ways Series (Boswood, 1997) published in print such as the New Ways Series (Boswood, 1997) from TESOL, We Teach technology (Kearsley, 1992) and the from TESOL, We Teach technology (Kearsley, 1992) and the Resource Books For Teachers (Hardisty, 1989). These activity Resource Books For Teachers (Hardisty, 1989). These activity resources have been used for the past decade with mainstream resources have been used for the past decade with mainstream office, audio, video and graphical applications. There is no office, audio, video and graphical applications. There is no adaptation necessary of these activities to Open Source software.adaptation necessary of these activities to Open Source software.

ConclusionConclusion

Needs to mature in TESOL communityNeeds to mature in TESOL community

However, allows administrative,communicativeHowever, allows administrative,communicative

Interactive,productive,pedagogical tasks without Interactive,productive,pedagogical tasks without the hindrance of expensive site licenses. the hindrance of expensive site licenses.

wide variety of software available to teachers, wide variety of software available to teachers, administrators and support staffadministrators and support staff

software offers flexibility and room for software offers flexibility and room for experimentation for the TESOL professionexperimentation for the TESOL profession