How we built a community around open-source software€¦ · Martin Dougiamas Lead Moodler...
Transcript of How we built a community around open-source software€¦ · Martin Dougiamas Lead Moodler...
Martin DougiamasLead Moodler
Executive Director, Moodle Pty Ltd
How we built a community around
open-source software
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
What is Moodle?
Initial directions
Other discoveries
Discussion
Growing a community
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
LMS / VLE / CMS
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Open Source Software
Free to downloadFree to useFree to explore, modify and extendFree to distribute (under GPL)
Free to help with development Free to choose your service supplier Free to run a business using it Free to use something else!
And you are also...
Basic rights for everyone
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Learning Platform
Moodle Core
Mods Modules
Course design
User contributions
Course Management SystemOther Systems
(Open Source or Proprietary)
SIS
AuthenticationPortfolios
Repositories
Payment Conferencing
Reports Plagiarism
Open Source
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Statistics
54,000 registered verified sites in 215 countries
Registered sites contain 37 million users,3.7 million courses and 1.3 million teachers
At least 1000 sites have more than 10,000 users
Interface translated into 85 languages
54 specialised Moodle Partners
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
9378
4530
3397 3282
23541870 1845
1360 1283 1213
USA Spain Brazil UK Germany Mexico Portugal Australia Columbia Italy
Locations
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
33% 28% 13% 9% 4% 14%University Secondary School Company Independent Primary school Other
Environments
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Software
Moodle Economics
Institutions, companies and individuals needing commercial services
moodle.comFunded by Royalties
Discussion, Free Support etc
Development,Documentation etc
Active UserCommunity(50,000+)
Moodle.org
DeveloperCommunity
(250)
54 Support Companies Worldwide
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Moots
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Initial directions
•A reason for existence•Open source license (eg GPL)•Development goals informed by philosophy•Benevolent dictator (clear, gentle, leadership)•A commitment to improving quality•A commitment to listening•Clear branding (SEO, networking)•Maximise users (easy to install etc)•Modularity / Customisability•View as a complex system
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Other discoveries
•Support: Answer questions quickly•Get to know the people•Value all contributions - personal thank you!•Give public credit wherever it is due•Aim for consensus, avoid options•Encourage team play•Collect and publish community statistics•Document, document, document•Create an economic model•Create a governance model for development
decisions (eg think about source flowchart)
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Your thoughts?
?
??
?
??
?
?
??
?
?
?
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
An exploration of the use of an Open Source software called Moodle to support a social
constructionist epistemology of teaching and learning within
Internet-based communities of reflective inquiry
My PhD thesis
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
The main question that this research seeks to answer is: “How can the Open Source model be used to successfully
support social constructionist epistemologies of teaching and
learning?”
A secondary question is “How best can Open Source software come to reflect the epistemologies of the community
using it?”
My aborted thesis
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Basic concept
People Software Tools
Community
+
ImprovingTeaching
Ideally with skilled facilitators
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Pedagogy
1. Publishing content (Resource, SCORM)2. Provide a passive Forum3. Use interactive Quizzes and Assignments4. Wikis, Glossaries, Databases (collaboration)5. Facilitate discussions in the Forum. Questions!6. Combine the activities into sequences 7. Introduce external activities and games8. Use Survey tools and logs to study / reflect9. Give students more power (structure/grades)
10. Active research, communities of practice!
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Our Community
moodle.org
Bugreports Ideas
Votes andDiscussion
QualityOpen Source Code InformationPriorities
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
History
1999 0.0 First prototype versions
11 / 2001 0.9 First pre-release version on the web
8 / 2002 1.0 Forum, Survey, Journal, Resources, Quiz...
8 / 2003 1.1 Backups, Workshop, Chat, Scales...
3 / 2004 1.2 Filters, Groups, Glossary, Lesson ...
5 / 2004 1.3 Calendar, Blocks, RSS, Media plugins ...
8 / 2004 1.4 Installer, Resources, Enrolments, Wiki...
6 / 2005 1.5 XHTML, Themes, Blocks, Gradebook ...
6 / 2006 1.6 Unicode, Database, Docs, Blogs, Reports ..
11 / 2006 1.7 Roles, Admin, Oracle and MSSQL, AJAX ..
3 / 2007 1.8 Accessibility, MNet, Forms, Multi-auth...
3 / 2008 1.9 Gradebook, Outcomes, Performance, Tags, Notes..
7 / 2010 2.0 Security, Media, Performance, Usability, Integrations ...
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Main Benefits in 2.0
•Security•Performance •Media management•Integrations•Usability•New Features
Copyright 2010 © Martin Dougiamas
Development processes
Core Developers
Ideas
Developer
ModulesRepository
Patch for core
Bugs
Documentation,Support, API
Review
Users
Module MoodleCore
Review
Test
Submit
Patches and Modules