A tour of free, indispensable learning tools. Originally presented at Learning 2008 in Orlando, Florida.

1. FOR LEARNING
RICHARD CULATTA
WWW.INNOVATIVELEARNING.COM

2. W HAT IS O PEN S OURCE ?
Software developed by a community
“free like kittens, not beer”
Difference between Open Source and Open Learning
Responsibility of Learning Leaders with Open Source

3. B ENEFITS OF O PEN S OURCE
Low initial cost: Open source software is free to download (particularly
useful for iterative design).
Flexibility and customizability: You can modify the software as needed to
make it better.
Extensive active user communities: Participating in open source projects is a
source of distinction among developers.
Adherence to standards: Interoperability is a high priority for many open
source developers.
Tendency to use and link to other open source software: Including popular
languages and platforms such as PHP and MySQL database
www.brandon-hall.com/publications/opensource/opensource.shtml

4. OPEN SOURCE C OMMERCIAL
SOFTWARE S OFTWARE
Developed by a community of Developed by a company
developers
Licensing Fees
Free
Can be modified only by the
Can be modified by the user company
Community support Professional support plans
Self-installed Installation services

5. T OP 10 OS T OOLS FOR L EARNING
10. 5.
9. GimpShop 4.
8. 3.
7. 2.
6. 1.