Title: The case for open source in information and network technology education: experiences from the EuropeAid @lis technology net project

Authors: Steven Willmott, Julian Padget, Agostino Poggi, Juan Luis Diaz De Leon, Edgar Casasola, Homero Latorre, Maria De Los Angeles Junco Rey

Addresses: Department de Llenguatges i Sistemes Informatics, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC), E-08034, Barcelona, Spain. ' Department of Computer Science, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. ' Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, Universita degli Studi di Parma, 43100, Parma, Italy. ' Centro de Investigacion en Computacion, Instituto Politecnico Nacional, 07738, Mexico City, Mexico. ' Escuela de Computacion, Universidad de Costa Rica, 2060, San Jose, Costa Rica. ' Escuela de Ingenieria Civil en Computacion e Informatica, Universidad Tecnologica Metropolitana, Santiago, Chile. ' Departamento de Ciencias Computacionales, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Estado de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

Abstract: Open source, open formats and open content have a significant role to play in the development of educational programs. Until now the debate has focused on open methods for delivery and licensing of educational material. But open methods are just as important for education itself, and IT in particular, as they are for delivery. We reflect on the experiences of the @LIS-TechNET project and argue that in emerging regions such as Latin America, a focus on open methods in IT education provides a more sustainable long-term benefit to the IT sector and the economy as a whole than proprietary methods.

Keywords: open source software; open content; web services; semantic web; agent technology; learning environments; sustainable information technology; sustainable development; sustainability; IT education; networks.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.2007.013231

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 2007 Vol.17 No.1, pp.67 - 83

Published online: 12 Apr 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article