5.+Discussion+Questions

=Discussion Questions =


 * Please respond to one or several of these questions in their corresponding threads on Vista: **

1. What are the benefits and costs (not solely financial) of shifting to all e-textbooks in schools? (Based on the PURYEAR article)

 2. Can the open source model be transposed to other industries? What about public education? Some universities (MIT) have begun to openly share course material, making higher education learning available to all. California is beginning to create openly available course material and textbook resources. Where will this lead and what would motivate open source educators? (Based on the LERNER & TIROLE article)

3. How should a teacher defend a decision to include copyleft material in the classroom while still maintaining the importance of copyright laws? (Based on the CIFFOLILLI article)

4. Open source solutions mean that schools can spend less on software, and therefore, these should always be pursued as a first choice. Do you agree or disagree with this statement, and why? (Based on the RIEHLE article)

5. What are the implications for the expansion of private educational technology, such as that which Sylvan incorporates into their practices? (Based on the AURINI & DAVIES article)

=Chat Questions to Promote Discussion: =

(Chat sessions will be held Thursday at 11:15am-12:15pm and Friday 6-7pm Vancouver time)

1. Open source and its merits in educational environments. We will discuss the pros and cons of open source solutions as they apply in this context.
 * Thursday's focus questions (moderated by Kyle): **

1. Are we in danger of being infiltrated by the private/corporate sector as the Baltimore school district was? 2. What role do private/corporate organizations have in school now?
 * Friday's focus questions (moderated by Steph): **

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">To think about.... =

I<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">s educational technology a commodity? Can schools and school systems be bought or sold on the open market by advocates of certain educational technology corporations, special interest groups?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">What would an open source schools look like, sound like, feel like?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">How has open source software changed the dynamics of educational technology in elementary schools, secondary schools, higher education?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Where can the wikinomic concepts of openness, peering, sharing and acting globally be integrated into teaching and learning?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Who are the prosumers of public education and how will they change educational technology? (The notion of prosumers is from D. Tapscott's book Wikinomics and refers to the producer/consumer in the economic marketplace).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Can you play devil's advocate for COICA and suggest how strict guidelines imposed on open source may be a benefit?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">In learning centres, learning and assessment is standardized across franchises, so is any educational technology. What do private tutoring companies offer ET that public schools do not?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">What are the implications for the expansion of private educational technology, such as that which Sylvan incorporates into their practices?