Introduction

Open Source Software (OSS) is of increasing interest in education. It can provide better quality software, increased pedagogic choice, enhanced flexibility and new business and social models. Furthermore, the idea of Open Source is being extended into other areas including the production of e-learning materials.

This conference is organised by two European sponsored projects, SIGOSSEE and JOIN, which have been investigating the potential of Open Source and providing services for educational institutions wishing to implement Open Source products, together with the Open University of the Netherlands (OUNL) which has a long track record of innovation in e-learning.

The conference focuses on a number of major issues in Open Source in education in Europe including:

• Learning with Open Source
• Open standards for e-learning
• Sustainability strategies – managing open source
• Open content, issues and implications

The conference is open to all interested in Open Source in education including researchers, managers, teacher and trainers, policy makers and developers.

Conference Themes

Learning with open source

This strand will include the following issues:

• Personal learning environments
• Social software and learning
• Collaborative development strategies
• Informal learning and its implications for future e-Learning applications

Open Standards for e-learning

This strand will include the following issues:

• Developing and adopting open standards and specifications
• Tools and toolkits to support open standards
• Systems and frameworks for quality assurance

Sustainability strategies – managing open source

This strand will include the following issues:

• Maintenance and support for open source software
• Migrating to open source software
• Developing institutional, local and regional strategies for open source
• Professional development for open source
• Models for supporting and maintaining Open source software

Open content – issues and implications

This strand will include the following issues:

• Legal issues - IPR and licensing
• Technical issues - Repositories and peer to peer applications
• Social issues – can teachers and trainers collaborate, what are the barriers to sharing

Call for papers

Abstract Deadline:

July 31, 2005

Paper Deadline:

October 15, 2005

Abstracts can be submitted online at

www.openconference.net/submit.php?cf=3.

Presentations can include:

• Single papers (abstract max 150 words)
• Multiple paper sessions (overview max 500 words)
• Practice Cases (abstract max 150 words)
• Product Demonstrations (abstract max 150 words)
• Hands-on Labs (abstract max 250 words)

Conference Fee

The conference fee is € 100 with early bird registrations being € 80. This price includes tea and coffee, lunches and a reception.

For more information see the conference web site - http://www.openconference.net/index.php?cf=3 or email marina.pongraz @ ou.nl