Most educational institutions, and specially Universities, are exploring the possibilities of web-based information systems applied to education. Currently, most institutions are planning to use those systems for reinforcing or complementing traditional teaching techniques, but in many cases new educational paradigms are emerging. New methodologies are needed to provide effective ways of sharing and reusing software components that can flexibly be adapted to a variety of web-based educational paradigms. While the potential of the libre methodology for shared development and exploitation of software has been demonstrated worldwide, its application to web-based education has not been explored in a systematic way.

The main activity of this project is the translation of the uses and procedures of libre software (free / open source software) to the creation of content suitable to be used as material for education. This includes the implementation and evaluation of suitable tools, and the creation of some material among all the partners. For this matter, several testbeds will be provided to all the involved partners, which will use them for their educational activities.

Planification

This is the initial planification of the project with his different stages.

• First stage:
  • T1: Definition and specification of the software tools needed, including a software framework for coordinated work and a testbed for studying pedagogic impacts. (Planification: from October 2003 to January 2004)
  • T2: Specification and design of the course material (including software) to be developed in the second stage of the project. (Planification: from October 2003 to January 2004)
  • T3: Search, identification and evaluation of components already available as libre (free / open source) software, according to the specifications done in T1. (Planification: from October 2003 to January 2004)
• Second stage:
  • T4: Development of glue software to join together the components selected in T3, within the framework defined in T1, and setting up of the evaluation testbed. (Planification: from January 2004 to October 2004)
  • T5: Development of software specific for the project (components not found, of found but not suitable, during T3). (Planification: from January 2004 to October 2004)
  • T6: Development of course material (not software, which is done in T5) for the second stage of the project. (Planification: from January 2004 to October 2004)
• Third stage:
  • T7: Use of the materials developed in the second stage of the project in real courses. (Planification: from August 2004 to March 2005)
  • T8: Specifications and design of the course material (including softare) to be developed in the third stage of the project. (Planification: from August 2004 to April 2005)
  • T9: Development of course material and refinements of software for the third stage of the project. (Planification: from August 2004 to April 2005)
  • T10: use of the materials developed in the first and second stages of the project in real courses, dissemination of material, relationship with external contributors and testers. (Planification: from April 2005 to October 2005)