Open Source - Educause Overview 2006

http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/DEC0602.pdf
OVERVIEW OF OPEN SOURCE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
EDUCAUSE Evolving Technologies Committee
September 15, 2006
Introduction:
Learning Management Systems have emerged from an auxiliary role to a critical one in higher education. Current college students are technologically savvy and demand their faculty to use technology and Learning Management Systems. The consolidation of commercial learning management systems resulting from the acquisition of WebCT by Blackboard, and the resurgence of Angel and Desire2Learn in the same market, has been mirrored by a growth in popularity of open source learning management systems. Two major open source movements are increasing their share of the education space: Moodle and Sakai. This paper explores the latest trends in these two initiatives and discusses some of the most successful implementations to date in the United States and internationally. Judging by the large number of Blackboard employees who attended the 2005 Sakai Conference in Austin, Texas, open source learning management systems are of great interest to the companies marketing their commercial counterparts. Judging by the number of academic institutions which have recently vowed to deploy Sakai to consolidate their numerous learning management systems into one, this trend demands further analysis. Higher education institutions, particularly those with budget constraints, are very attracted to open source LMS because of their cost savings and more control.