Pre-reading for conference attendees

Comenius 2.1 Contact Seminar attendees: if you are able, please become familiar with the following material before the conference. Understanding some of the background and context we are working with is necessary for a better experience during the conference.

• FLOSS and Open Content
  • Lessig, L. 2002. Free Culture (Presentation+Audio)
  • O’Reilly, T. 2004. Open Source Paradigm Shift
  • Siemens, G. 2003. Open Source Content in Education
  • Downes, S. 2003. The Regina Declaration
  • Benkler, Y. 2002. Coase Penguin, or Linux and the Nature of the Firm
  • International Open Source Network. 2005. FOSS Education Primer
  • Vessels, T. 2004. Why Should Open Source Software be Used in Schools?

It is evident that social software (like wikis, weblogs, social networking tools etc) are going to affect the way software is used in education as well. Many of these tools are Open Source. The largest encyclopedia in the world, Wikipedia is a by-product of commons-based peer-production and released under an Open Content license.

Understanding the changes that are happening in the way people organize and connect together online through software tools is in part important for understanding the role of FLOSS and Open Content in a sharing economy.

• Emerging Practices: Social Software and Social Networks
  • Boyd, S. 2003. Are You Ready for Social Sofrware?
  • Richardson, W. 2005. RSS Quick Start Guide for Educators
    
  • Downes, S. 2004. The Semantic Social Network
  • Siemens, G. 2004. Connectivism
  • Downes, S. 2004. The Buntine Oration: Learning Networks
  • Kaplan-Leiserson E. 2003. We-Learning: Social Software and E-Learning – Part I, Part II
  • Leadbeater C. 2004. Amateur Revolution