The Future Technology

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The FutureTechnology Schools

• Open Source
• Web 2.0
• 100 Laptop
• Podcasting

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Open Source Software

• Open source software refers to computer software
  available with its source code and under an open
  source license to study, change, and improve its
  design.
• What does it mean for schools, teachers,
  students...?

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• Firefox. On Oct. 19, Firefox, the open-source
  browser, had its 100 millionth download, just 344
  days after the release of version 1.0. Now in
  version 1.5, it protects against viruses, spyware
  and pop-ups, and it works well with blogging
  software.

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• The release of Open Office 2.0. Cormier says this
  application might pose the biggest threat to
  Microsoft's control of the desktop market. "It
  allows for full compatibility to everything that
  anyone uses," he says. While desktop applications
  like Microsoft Office Suite are exclusive, Open
  Office 2.0 "has a different vision,
  representative of the inclusivity of the
  open-source movement in general." For many
  schools and students, Open Office provides new
  software equity.

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• The browser-based application. Cormier points
  to programs like Writely www.writely.com, the Web
  word processor, and Odeo http//odeo.com/ for
  recording and sharing audio. He says "the
  desktop-based application may soon become a thing
  of the specialist and the uncool. We may soon be
  looking back on 2005 and saying, 'Man, I was
  still using applications ... what a pain.' "

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Moodle

• The open-source virtual learning environment is
  supporting online learning at a growing number of
  universities. Cormier predicts it will help K-12,
  too. Moodle now offers wikis, word processing, a
  grading system, and logged chat rooms.

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Open Source Examples

• United Nations Educational, Scientific Cultural
  Organization (UNESCO)
• www.unesco.org
• open source examples

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• Wikipedia's news reporting...says the tsunami
  marked the rise of Wikipedia and on-the-spot Web
  reporting. "As the cable news reporters were
  becoming more embedded and centralized, Wikipedia
  filled the need for immediate, personalized
  news." It may not make the grade as academic
  research, he says, but millions produce and use
  its content.

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• Web 2.0, or the read/write Web. The terms refer
  to what many people see as a second phase in Web
  development, where the Web itself is a computing
  platform, not just a read-only platform for
  visitors. "With Web 1.0, the creator of the Web
  site controls the content with Web 2.0, the
  visitors control the content. Few Web sites now
  do not at least give you the chance to play with
  their themes, if not create content."

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http//laptop.media.mit.edu/

• The 100 laptop. The Massachusetts Institute of
  Technology announced the idea of a 100 laptop
  last January to help address the digital divide
  for developing nations.

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iPOD

• Podcasting! Over the last year, I've been
  listening to amazing Web broadcasts the speeches
  I wanted to hear at the conferences I couldn't
  attend, and podcasts of student work, including
  that of Bob Sprankle and his class, Room 208
  (http//bobsprankle.com/blog/).