Steven W. Gilbert
President, The TLT Group
November 30, 2001
"Open source" software development may provide a timely model to meet some of the emerging needs of colleges and universities. Can we develop a coherent Web-based system which encourages and enables many individuals and institutions to build on each others’ efforts to improve teaching and learning with information technology? What are the smallest steps that could be taken by the smallest groups to begin developing this system? How can the Open Source approach be applied to the development of instructional materials and/or professional development resources and/or institutional planning and support strategies – not only to software. How can higher education best take advantage of the principles, practices, and tools of the Open Source software development “movement”?
The successful development and use of an Open Source Professional Development Environment (OSPDE) for Higher Education will be highly dependent on the active participation and leadership of faculty members, librarians, and other local academic support professionals [especially the “Compassionate Pioneers” among them – see <http://www.tltgroup.org/gilbert/CompassionatePioneering.htm>.] The OSPDE is intended as a supplement to, not a replacement for, their work. Here below is a first cut at a set of guidelines -- a list of purposes and characteristics for the elements of this system of linked resources. For an expanded version, and links to related resources
see: <http://www.tltgroup.org/OpenSource/OSPDEIntroProposal.htm> and
<http://www.tltgroup.org/OpenSource/Base.htm> and
<http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/6.2/binder.html?news/opensource.htm>
STRUCTURE
The Open Source Professional Development Environment (OSPDE) for Higher Education would be a Web-based system of people, references, tools, and other linked resources (individual modules, focused collections, ongoing projects and programs). Each component (item, resource, or collection ) should have some [how many?] of the purposes and characteristics listed here.
PURPOSES
“Open Course”
To create (and improve and share) resources that can be used, modified, and improved directly by faculty members to improve teaching and learning in courses. Resources that can be used, modified, and improved with little or no help from already over-burdened technology support professionals are especially desirable.
“Open Source Professional Development”
To create (and improve and share) resources that help faculty and other academic support professionals to change how they think and act with respect to improving teaching and learning (especially, with information technology).
CHARACTERISTICS
Selectivity and Quality
Each collection of resources within the OSPDE is selective -- not comprehensive -- based on clearly-stated criteria. Reviews, evaluations, and/or references are required for each resource. (For most resources?) Each collection also has a clearly defined process for users to propose additions, corrections, and modifications of its resources. Those changes are also subject to clearly-stated criteria.
Participation and Contributions
The OSPDE itself, and each collection of resources within it, are structured to encourage and enable users to contribute suggestions for the improvement of individual items and/or to share variations, improvements, and “derivative works.”
Fees, Sharing Rights, and Responsibilities
Faculty members and other academic professionals who use the items in the OSPDE or collections within it are not expected to pay for each individual usage; however, individual participants are responsible for contributing in other ways. Institutions may support the OSPDE through direct fees or other mechanisms. For-profit and non-profit organizations are welcome to develop supplementary or complementary services and products.
Technology
Some (most? all?) of the resources within the OSPDE use information technology – broadly defined.
Source and Attribution
The resources within the OSPDE are developed, maintained, and/or improved by individuals, college/university departments, consortia, professional societies, publishers, or commercial entities. Attribution of contributions – original works and subsequent additions, corrections, and modifications -- is clear and easy to find.