ERIC Number: EJ1476089
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jul
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1469-7874
EISSN: EISSN-1741-2625
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Free and Open Source Systems: Their Value for Engaging Learners in Online Settings
Sarah Peterson1; Don Finn2
Active Learning in Higher Education, v26 n2 p413-424 2025
In higher education, a primary concern with online learning versus in-person learning centers on offering and facilitating effective communication and collaboration opportunities for students. New technologies, specifically free and open source system (FOSS) applications, help bridge these gaps by giving instructors and students the means to effectively collaborate online. Instructors appear to be at the forefront of integrating these tools, as they are adopting free online applications for their courses on their own, but they do not have readily available support from their institution, particularly for incorporating these tools with a learning management system (LMS). A study including 165 higher education instructors determined the most prominent FOSS applications adopted by faculty, as well as what areas institutions can dedicate support through resources and personnel. Based on these results, the research provided an understanding of how institutions can implement support for instructors to combine FOSS applications with an institution's LMS successfully. Institutions should concentrate on personnel support and provide their faculty with guided resources, best practices, training, and professional development opportunities to increase use and keep it consistent across their digital campus.
Descriptors: Learning Management Systems, Open Source Technology, Adoption (Ideas), Educational Resources, Technology Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Higher Education, Learner Engagement
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Data File: URL: http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/WESV2
Author Affiliations: 1Academic Affairs, The University of Olivet, USA; 2School of Education, Regent University, USA