There are hundreds of open source projects ranging from simple email software to publicly dedicated WWW servers and full operating systems. This article describes an online platform for educators with free open source educational systems including wikis, blogs, bulletin boards, Content/Course Management Systems, and MOOs, all open systems which are easily installed and managed. By setting up a content-based server, educators can save and archive their files online easily, and integrate their online resources without needing web design skill. With full control of these different educational tools, educators can form a collaborative learning community based on their teaching goals. Thus teachers and students can build an online community as partners. They can learn from and with others, share and try out web learning tools, distribute leadership and inspiration, and support and interact with others from all over the world.

Although you might not know much about modern engines, would you buy a car with the hood welded shut? Yet most computer users rely on software whose code is not accessible to them. Meanwhile, there are hundreds of open source projects ranging from simple email software to WWW servers (e.g., Apache) and full operating systems (Linux) already available.

There are many good reasons to use open source systems:
1. Free: no payment, no advertisements
2. Full control: You can edit the settings and options according to your needs
3. Customization and Extensibility: If you know its computer language, you can edit the code to fit your own use
4. Friendly online support group
5. A variety of educational software tools

What is open source
Besides being free and modifiable, open source has the following essential features:
1. It allows free re-distribution of the software without royalties or licensing fees to
the author.
2. It requires that source code be distributed with the software or otherwise made
available for no more than the cost of distribution.
3. It allows anyone to modify the software or derive other software from it, and to redistribute the modified software under the same terms.

Download pdf An Open Source Portal for Educators