Open Source Web Courses

• Gregory Abowd, Amy Bruckman, and Mark Guzdial– GVU Center, College of Computing

• Goal:– Create reusable, effective, and

tailorable learning resources via open source methods.

Open Source Software

• Free software created through networked communities

• Bug fixes, enhancements, even documentation contributed as a common good

Scenario: Needing and Finding

• Jan needs to teach an HCI class• He goes to the HCI Open Source Web

Course (OSWC)– Finds examples of past classes

• With pedigree/history of each attached

– Finds examples of past lectures and other materials– A virtual community is available for discussing issues

and maintaining the resource base

Scenario: Extending

• Jan creates a new Study Plan• He identifies a great lecture with an old

example• He extends the lecture with a new example• Both the new study plan and the new lecture

are contributed back to the HCI OSWC– Development histories are updated– Prior versions are also available with pointers

forward

Scenario: Involving Students

• As Jan teaches his class, students write up projects for potential cases for future students– With students’ approval, these are

contributed as examples to the HCI OSWC

• At some other time: Pat decides to create her own study plan, contribute her own projects, tailor her own resources

General Themes

• Teachers and students need learning resources

• Many can be shared with individual tailoring• Development as a community:

value-added– Opportunity for learning through Constructionism

Who We Are

• Gregory Abowd– Research in ubiquitous computing, creator of

Classroom 2000 for lecture capture and review

• Amy Bruckman– Research in virtual learning communities, creator of

MediaMOO and MOOSE Crossing

• Mark Guzdial– Research in collaborative multimedia, creator of

CoWeb

Current State

• C2000 + CoWeb– Captured lecture as index for out-of-

class extended discussion

• MediaMOO Revisited– Combining strengths of the Web

(multimedia, distributed) with MUDs (real-time interaction, spatial metaphor)

Challenges

• Formats and platforms• Control/access privileges• Effective moderation and

attribution

Benefits of Open Source Web Courses

• Similar to Open Source Software– Fast, high-quality production of material– Creation of community

• Unique to OSWC– Opportunities for credit/fame to educators

and students– Opportunities for sharing and community

around content themes