Volume 3, Number 39 http://isedj.org/3/39/ August 9, 2005

In this issue:

Towards a WebCenter for Pedagogical Freeware Collaborative Review and Retrieval

Eunhee Kim Julian M. Scher New Jersey Institute of Technology New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, New Jersey 07102 USA Newark, New Jersey 07102 USA

Murray Turoff New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, New Jersey 07102 USA

Abstract: A significant amount of freeware is accessible to students and faculty, from a variety of sources, and downloadable from a multitude of web-sites. Much of the freeware, often of equiva- lent quality to commercial off-the-shelf software, and many times unique and having no commercial equivalent, is underutilized by both educators and students, who generally are unaware of its avail- ability. With constraints on their financial resources, students and faculty are faced with limits on the purchase of commercial software, and would significantly benefit if they were to have a single place they could visit to obtain relevant software which is legitimately free of commercial fees. Our objective for this effort is the design and development of a WebCenter which will provide a “one-stop shopping experience” for both students and faculty who are seeking to obtain relevant freeware for their pedagogical needs. The WebCenter will satisfy the diverse needs of a community of users, who will provide links to the software titles which they use or have developed, and who, using a simple Technology Acceptance Model-like evaluation scheme, will supply collaborative feedback on the freeware titles, share their experiences with them, and provide suggestions for their usage. A preliminary taxonomy of pedagogical freeware has been designed, to categorize the freeware titles, and provide for ready retrieval by the user community.

Keywords: freeware, WebCenter, pedagogical, collaborative, feedback, learning

Recommended Citation: Kim, Scher, and Turoff (2005). Towards a WebCenter for Pedagogical Freeware Collaborative Review and Retrieval. Information Systems Education Journal, 3 (39). http://isedj.org/3/39/. ISSN: 1545-679X. (Also appears in The Proceedings of ISECON 2004: §4124. ISSN: 1542-7382.)

This issue is on the Internet at http://isedj.org/3/39/ ISEDJ 3 (39) Information Systems Education Journal 2

The Information Systems Education Journal (ISEDJ) is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Education Special Interest Group (EDSIG) of the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP, Chicago, Illinois). • ISSN: 1545-679X. • First issue: 8 Sep 2003. • Title: Information Systems Education Journal. Variants: IS Education Journal; ISEDJ. • Phys- ical format: online. • Publishing frequency: irregular; as each article is approved, it is published immediately and constitutes a complete separate issue of the current volume. • Single issue price: free. • Subscription address: [email protected]. • Subscription price: free. • Electronic access: http://isedj.org/ • Contact person: Don Colton ([email protected])

2005 AITP Education Special Interest Group Board of Directors Stuart A. Varden Paul M. Leidig Don Colton Ronald I. Frank Pace University Grand Valley St Univ BYU Hawaii Pace University Past President 2005 EDSIG President Vice President Secretary, 2005

Kenneth A. Grant Albert L. Harris Jeffrey Hsu Dena Johnson Ryerson University Appalachian St Univ Fairleigh Dickinson Tarleton State Univ Dir 2002-2003, 2005 JISE Editor Director, 2004-2005 Membership, 2005

Jens O. Liegle Marcos Sivitanides Robert B. Sweeney Margaret Thomas Georgia State Univ Texas St San Marcos U of South Alabama Ohio University Director, 2003-2005 Director, 2004-2005 Treasurer, 2004-2005 Director, 2005

Information Systems Education Journal Editorial and Review Board Don Colton Thomas N. Janicki Brigham Young University Hawaii University of North Carolina Wilmington Editor Associate Editor

Amjad A. Abdullat Samuel Abraham Robert C. Beatty Neelima Bhatnagar Tonda Bone West Texas A&M U Siena Heights U N Illinois Univ U Pitt Johnstown Tarleton State U

Alan T. Burns Lucia Dettori Ronald I. Frank Kenneth A. Grant Robert Grenier DePaul University DePaul University Pace University Ryerson Univ Augustana College

Owen P. Hall, Jr Mark (Buzz) Hensel James Lawler Jens O. Liegle Terri L. Lenox Pepperdine Univ U Texas Arlington Pace University Georgia State U Westminster Coll

Denise R. McGinnis Peter N. Meso Therese D. O’Neil Alan R. Peslak Robert B. Sweeney Mesa State College Georgia St Univ Indiana Univ PA Penn State Univ U of South Alabama

William J. Tastle Margaret Thomas Jennifer Thomas Stuart A. Varden Charles Woratschek Ithaca College Ohio University Pace University Pace University Robert Morris Univ

EDSIG activities include the publication of ISEDJ, the organization and execution of the annual ISECON conference held each fall, the publication of the Journal of Information Systems Education (JISE), and the designation and honoring of an IS Educator of the Year. • The Foundation for Information Technology Education has been the key sponsor of ISECON over the years. • The Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP) provides the corporate umbrella under which EDSIG operates.

c Copyright 2005 EDSIG. In the spirit of academic freedom, permission is granted to make and distribute unlimited copies of this issue in its PDF or printed form, so long as the entire document is presented, and it is not modified in any substantial way.

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Towards a WebCenter for Pedagogical Freeware Collaborative Review and Retrieval

Eunhee Kim ([email protected]) Julian M. Scher ([email protected]) Murray Turoff ([email protected]) Department of Information Systems, New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, New Jersey 07102 USA

Abstract

A significant amount of freeware is accessible to students and faculty, from a variety of sources, and downloadable from a multitude of web-sites. Much of the freeware, often of equivalent quality to commercial off-the-shelf software, and many times unique and having no commercial equivalent, is underutilized by both educators and students, who generally are unaware of its availability. With constraints on their financial resources, students and faculty are faced with limits on the purchase of commercial software, and would significantly benefit if they were to have a single place they could visit to obtain relevant software which is legitimately free of commercial fees. Our objective for this effort is the design and development of a WebCenter which will provide a “one-stop shopping experience” for both students and faculty who are seeking to obtain relevant freeware for their pedagogical needs. The WebCenter will satisfy the diverse needs of a community of users, who will provide links to the software titles which they use or have developed, and who, using a simple Technology Acceptance Model-like evaluation scheme, will supply collaborative feedback on the freeware titles, share their experiences with them, and provide suggestions for their usage. A preliminary taxonomy of pedagogical freeware has been designed, to categorize the freeware titles, and provide for ready retrieval by the user community.

Keywords : freeware, WebCenter, pedagogical, collaborative, feedback, learning

1. FREEWARE: DEFINITIONS, SOURCES altruism.” Contrary to the popular usage of AND AUTHOR MOTIVATIONS the term today, Fluegelman actually encouraged users to make voluntary Freeware is generally considered to be payments for the software, and though he computer software which is available free of trademarked the term “freeware” to describe charge and distributed via the World Wide this, other software developers substituted Web. Usually (but not necessarily) freeware the term “shareware” as a more realistic is distributed without source code, and is designation which negated the gratuitous often accompanied by a license and tone of the original term. copyright which permit redistribution, but will often have limitations, such as In contrast to what we call freeware, restrictions on commercial use. The term shareware is software that is also distributed freeware was coined by Andrew Fluegelman typically via the World Wide Web, and allows in the early 1980’s, who applied it to a piece a user to try out the software for a specified of communications software he developed period of time, after which the user is for the MS-DOS platform, called PC-Talk, obligated to provide a payment to the and which he distributed to others. shareware author(s). The term shareware is Fluegelman marketed PC-Talk using the due to Bob Wallace (http://tinyurl.com/ term “freeware,” which he characterized as 5mlko ) who coined this term to describe his “an experiment in economics more than word processor, PC-Write, in the mid-1980’s.

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A slight variant of shareware is termed altruistic? In many, but not all cases, the “crippleware,” and refers to the notion that answer is “yes” and, indeed, the original the full features of the shareware title can spirit of the internet was a free sharing of only be obtained after the payment of the knowledge, and many freeware authors see registration fee – until then, several features freeware as an opportunity to “return” will be “crippled.” something to the community which provided them with the excitement of enhanced We do note the confusion which persists knowledge and new skills. If financial today as to the current definition of concerns are not a consideration, and the freeware. It should not be confused with freeware author has a source of income shareware (although the originator of the which possibly might be related to the term "freeware" is generally credited with theme of the freeware, then the pursuit and introducing the shareware concept). Nor challenge of the creation of new software are should it be confused with open-source/free sufficient to motivate the author. Professors software, whose license permits its use, in universities, professional and amateur modification and redistribution, with or software developers, students of computing without charge. Freeware does not permit disciplines, all these have a semi-altruistic modification of its source code, and usually spirit to create something that will be of does not provide source code. The word benefit to society, without regard to a "free" in freeware refers only to its price, stream of income commensurate with their while the "free" in "free software" refers to efforts. Sometimes the authors are residents the freedom to modify the source code. of countries which do not have a strong commercial software audience, and the We also have the software category "public freeware titles represent a method for the domain software" which is characterized by authors to obtain world wide recognition. the absence of a copyright (in contrast to freeware, which is copyrighted), and On the other hand, we do have freeware therefore can be freely distributed without developers who are seeking income from charge. There are also two variations of their efforts, and view the freeware being freeware which are becoming more popular offered to the populace as a “loss leader” today. One is donationware, which is whose purpose is to acclimate the users to freeware with an OPTIONAL request to make the “real” moneymaking software, and whet a small donation, either to the author or the appetite of the users to upgrade to a some third party, typically a charity or more full featured version of the software. socially aware organization. The other is However, it will often be the case that the postcardware, which is freeware with an freeware version will suffice to satisfy the OPTIONAL request to send the author a needs of a particular user, with no need to postcard, expressing thanks and presumably upgrade to a full-featured version. to serve as a de-facto registration for the software, and perhaps provide the freeware Two examples of freeware titles which author with some personal satisfaction in serves as ostensible loss leaders, though seeing the geographic distribution of users of their free versions have many significant his/her software. powerful features which are often unmatched by commercially available Another emerging popular variation of software, are Treepad freeware is adware, which is similar to (http://www.treepad.com/ ) and Notetab freeware in its distribution and copyright (http://www.notetab.com/ ). Treepad is a attributes, but is characterized by requiring unique PIM, database, organizer, text editor, the user to view commercial advertisements which is part of a family of six products with while using the software. Adware is Treepad in their title, one of which, Treepad sometimes bundled with spyware, and while Lite, is freeware. Notetab is a Notepad ostensibly there is still zero “cost” to the replacement, as well as an HTML editor, has user, the annoyances of the embedded an outstanding tabbed interface, and is part spyware can take its toll on the user. of a family of three products, one of which, Notetab Light, is freeware. Treepad Lite is What are the motivations of the authors of from the Netherlands, while Notetab is from freeware? Are the freeware authors truly Switzerland.

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There are numerous websites where It is fairly well known that the Software and freeware titles may be downloaded. Often Information Industry Association (formerly these websites are dedicated solely to the Software Publishers Association) has freeware, while at other websites, freeware taken proactive steps to discourage the and shareware are typically intermixed violation of such copyrights in the corporate (much to the chagrin of shareware authors). workplace, and even Microsoft Corporation Often, these websites distribute newsletters has recently been overly aggressive in its to their constituencies, informing them of pursuit of school districts and educational the latest software titles. An example of a institutions who violate the Microsoft website which publishes mostly freeware copyright agreements ( see the excellent titles, with a newsletter, is Tudogs opinion article in Computerworld (May 6, (http://www.tudogs.com ). (Tudogs, 2002) by N. Petreley: "The bully is a incidentally, stands for The Ultimate coward," at http://tinyurl.com/5s45z ). Directory of Gratuitous Software.) An example of a company which distributes A viable alternative to costly commercial both freeware and shareware is TuCows software is the freeware marketplace, and (http://www.tucows.com ), which stands for yet, educational institutions often ignore this “The Ultimate Collection of Winsock resource treasure, and gravitate to the more Software.” Tucows is now a publicly owned costly commercially available software. Many company. Both Tudogs and Tucows have a pedagogical freeware titles provide rating system for their software titles (an comparable functionality to commercially ordinal scale, using dogs and cows, available software, and "save" their work in respectively!), but no explicit feedback from popular formats. There is pedagogical users of the software titles. freeware available for almost every subject in every discipline, as well as counterparts to In our WebCenter, we are using the term commercially available products including freeware to be consistent with the commonly productivity toolware applications, such as understood meaning of the term. Freeware word processing, spreadsheets, multimedia shall include not only the traditional software design, database management, presentation titles considered freeware, but we shall tools, etc. There is also pedagogical freeware expand the term to include any software which is still localized in the hands of the titles which are available to students and creators (often educators) who lack an faculty with no obligatory payment. Thus, effective means of distributing their while shareware will not be included in the programming efforts to other educators who repository of our WebCenter (since there is could utilize the software. So, we have a an obligatory payment after a preliminary challenge from two perspectives - to trial period), donationware, postcardware, "educate the educators" as to the availability and open-source titles will be included, as of such software, as well as to provide a will be certain commercial software titles convenient repository and forum which which the creators provide for free for would encourage the development and educational usage. distribution of locally developed pedagogical freeware. 2. SOFTWARE IN THE PEDAGOGICAL ENVIRONMENT These represent some of the motivations behind the design of our Pedagogical Instructional technology (including, but not Freeware Collaborative Review WebCenter, limited to, software) is a four billion dollar both to serve as a repository for such market, though highly fragmented freeware, and, moreover, to serve as a (Savukinas, 2002). Software can play a collaborative review mechanism whereby critical role in the learning environment, but new learners and new users can benefit from budgetary allocations for such software at the experience of experienced users and all various school levels are subject to typical can benefit from the interactions within this financial constraints, with the consequence learning community. that, despite good intentions, software piracy exists in schools in violation of copyrighted software agreements.

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3. TOWARDS A TAXONOMY FOR some other media, and are reinforced PEDAGOGICAL SOFTWARE via interaction with the drill and practice software. An essential component of a repository o Tutorials: Software titles presenting system, which would provide users the information and concepts for the capability to readily view and retrieve student, which will be verified and freeware titles pertinent to their interests, reinforced through numerous would be a taxonomical classification examples and illustrations via scheme for such software. There is currently interaction with the computer no taxonomy available for software, o Simulations: This category refers to particularly pedagogically oriented freeware software titles which use simulations for students and instructors, and the authors to approximate, replicate, or emulate have undertaken the task of designing their the features of some concept, own taxonomy for the purpose of this effort. principle, task, setting, system, or context, often (but not necessarily) in The development of our taxonomy has been a scientific area. motivated by several taxonomy schemes used by the federal government with the The creation of our taxonomy did necessitate objective of classifying educational certain compromises – ideally, in a programs. The original classification scheme, taxonomy, the classification categories will the Higher Education General Information be mutually exclusive, i.e., it should not be Survey (HEGIS) series, was developed in the possible for a particular freeware title to fall 1970s to provide comprehensive information into more than one category. However, on various aspects of postsecondary Knowledge cannot, and should not, be education in the United States. HEGIS compartmentalized in such a manner, and provided classification codes for every thus our taxonomy does acknowledge that academic discipline typically taught at some freeware titles could conceivably fit American secondary schools and institutions into more than one category revision and of higher education. The HEGIS was presents an updated taxonomy of replaced in 1979-80 by the Classification of instructional program classifications and Instructional Program (CIP), produced by descriptions. the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Revisions to We have used some of these aforementioned CIP occurred in 1985 and 1990, and the taxonomies to create our freeware taxonomy 2000 edition of the CIP (National Center for Our taxonomy has four high-level Educational Statistics) represents the third classifications: for pedagogical purposes, particularly when classifying software by academic discipline. I. Discipline Specific Freeware Since much of the pedagogical freeware is II. Discipline Independent Instructor used for instructing subjects in computing Pedagogical Freeware related disciplines (such as Information III. Discipline Independent Student Systems), we have also incorporated the Pedagogical Freeware ACM-IEEE Computing Classification System IV. Utility Freeware in our taxonomy for computing related subjects ( http://tinyurl.com/5or3y ). Category I, the Discipline Specific Freeware, considers the entire spectrum of typical For each academic discipline, using a 3-level academic disciplines for which freeware has classification scheme motivated by Deek generally been developed specifically for (Deek et al., 2000) and Pienaar (Pienaar, courses within that discipline. In categories 1997) we have partitioned the functionality II and III, we consider discipline- of a software title into three subcategories: independent freeware which has specifically o Drill and practice: These software titles been developed for instructors (such as provide practice for defined skills and gradebooks) and discipline-independent generate immediate feedback for the freeware which students will find useful in student, with usually some form of their courses and curricula. (The discipline- correction. The actual skills and independent freeware in category III will knowledge are often taught through also be useful to instructors, but students

c 2005 EDSIG http://isedj.org/3/39/ August 9, 2005 ISEDJ 3 (39) Kim, Scher, and Turoff 7 will be the primary focus.) Lastly, Category 10. Veterinary Medicine IV will contain freeware titles concerning 11. Speech Pathology various utilities, such as virus checkers, file 12. Physical Therapy management programs, etc. (Our philosophy 13. Miscellaneous is that educators maintain a responsibility in D Humanities/Literature teaching our students to practice “safe” 1. English Language computing and to maintain a library of 2. English Literature utilities for their computing environment, 3. Comparative Literature and thus these freeware utilities will be an 4. Linguistics essential component of the “pedagogical” 5. Philosophy freeware available to our students.) 6. Religion & Theology 7. Classics Our taxonomy for pedagogical freeware is 8. Miscellaneous thus as follows: E Foreign Language 1. ESL I. Discipline Specific Freeware (Note: under 2. French every numeric in Discipline Specific Freeware 3. Spanish will be the following 3 subcategories (as 4. Italian illustrated for Economics)): 5. German i) Drill and Practice Systems 6. Latin ii) Tutorial Systems 7. Russian iii) Simulations 8. Chinese A Social Science 9. Japanese 1. Economics 10. Greek i) Drill and Practice 11. Hebrew Systems 12. Arabic ii) Tutorial Systems 13. Indian iii) Simulations 14. Korean 2. Political Science 15. Portuguese 3. Psychology 16. Turkish 4. Sociology/Anthropology 17. Other 5. Cultural Studies F Management/Business 6. Journalism Communic. 1. Accounting 7. Law 2. Finance 8. Law Enforcement 3. Management Science/OR 9. Public Administration 4. Marketing 10. Miscellaneous 5. Real Estate B Mathematics/Statistics 6. Labor Industrial Relations 1. Algebra/Trig./Geometry 7. International Business 2. Calculus 8. Other 3. Differential Equations G Engineering 4. Linear Algebra 1. Electrical Engineering 5. Probability Stochastic Proc 2. Chemical Engineering 6. Statistics (Descript/Infer) 3. Mechanical Engineering 7. Regression/ANOVA 4. Civil Engineering 8. Nonparametric Statistics 5. Industrial Engineering 9. Miscellaneous 6. Nuclear Engineering C Sciences 7. Biomedical Engineering 1. Physics 8. Other engineering 2. Chemistry H Fine Arts 3. Biology 1. Art 4. Geology 2. Music 5. Astronomy 3. Photography 6. Nursing 4. Cinematography 7. Dentistry 5. Other 8. Pharmacy I Computing 9. Medicine 1. Hardware&Comp. Sys

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2. Software/Software Eng. about how to use freeware titles in the 3. Data pedagogical environment. In other words, 4. Theory of Computation the Webcenter is aimed at facilitating 5. Mathematics of Comput. information sharing about pedagogical 6. Info.Tech. & Inf. Sys. freeware use to enhance learning 7. Computing Method. effectiveness. 8. Computer Applications 9. Computing Milieux The design of the WebCenter is grounded on J Miscellaneous constructivism, which posits that people internalize their new experiences based on II. Discipline Independent Instructor their past experiences or knowledge Pedagogical Toolware (Crowther, 1999). The constructivist A. Class Management Systems approach views that knowledge is actively B. Gradebooks constructed by the learner, and that learning C. Test Generation Systems takes place when the outside world is D. Authoring- Presentation Software organized and adapted to the learner’s E. CAI Software experiences (Gadanidis, 1994). F. Discussion,Discourse,Groupware Constructivists call for more emphasis on G. Other engaging students in the process of learning, than on finding a single correct answer III. Discipline Independent Student (Roblyer et al., 1996). Pedagogical Freeware A. Comprehensive Office Freeware Collaborative learning, which our WebCenter B. Word Processing is intended to foster, is one type of learning C. process based on the constructivist Editors/Thesauri/Dictionaries/Spell approach. What distinguishes collaborative Checks/CrosswordPuzzleGenerators learning is that it involves socio- D. Spreadsheets/Database psychological mechanisms, such as self- E. Graphics/Multimedia Freeware explanation, internalization and F. Network/Communication appropriation (Dillenbourg and Schneider, G. Presentation Freeware 1995), which help learners actively enhance H. Web Toolware their learning effectiveness. Above all, I. Other collaboration is a social structure involving interaction between people, having a IV. Utilities positive effect on them (Dillenbourg et al., A. Virus Protection 1996). According to Alavi (1994), B. Spyware Protection collaborative learning produces a positive C. File Management learning outcome through several stages: D. Personal Info. Management i) increased involvement E. Compression ii) enhanced problem-solving ability and F. Memory Management critical thinking G. Diagnostics iii) improved learning and academic H. Other achievement iv) higher student satisfaction with learning 4. DESIGN GOALS FOR THE and classroom experiences. PEDAGOGICAL FREEWARE Based on this theoretical background, the COLLABORATIVE REVIEW WEBCENTER Pedagogical Freeware Collaborative Review WebCenter is aimed at facilitating collaborative learning among freeware users The Pedagogical Freeware Collaborative to help them use freeware more effectively Review WebCenter (http://tinyurl.com/ and efficiently. Although there are many 4lbg8 ) is basically intended to foster websites providing freeware titles, the collaborative learning about freeware use number of websites is very few which among instructors and students who want to provide information on how to use them use freeware more effectively and efficiently. based on collaborative efforts of users. Many This WebCenter is not merely a simple of them are used as repositories of freeware repository of freeware. Rather, it is designed titles without information or tips about how as a forum where users share information

c 2005 EDSIG http://isedj.org/3/39/ August 9, 2005 ISEDJ 3 (39) Kim, Scher, and Turoff 9 to use them. Our WebCenter is distinguished Home page briefly introduces the WebCenter from others in that it sets the stage for and speaks about its purposes. The collaborative learning among users about Contribute page allows users to contribute freeware use for educational purposes. pedagogical freeware titles which can enhance the learning process of learners or In order to increase the effectiveness and the teaching procedures of instructors. efficiency of collaborative evaluation of Freeware titles are categorized based on the freeware titles, every freeware title pedagogical taxonomy discussed in Section contributed is categorized based on our 3 for efficient storage/search of freeware aforementioned pedagogical software titles. Contributed freeware titles can be taxonomy. Also, users are invited to searched in the Search menu based on evaluate each freeware title in terms of its freeware title names or the pedagogical ease of use and usefulness. The basic taxonomy we have developed. concept of this evaluation is based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which The List & Reviews page shows a suggests that beliefs and attitudes of users (structured) list of all freeware titles toward a technology will influence their contributed by users. Users can view a adoption of the technology (Davis, 1989). As detailed description of each freeware title, a user acceptance model of a technology, including its system requirements, major TAM has long been studied in the purpose, etc. In the description page for information technology literature each freeware title, users can review the (Mathieson, 1991; Adams et al., 1992; freeware title to share their experiences of Bagozzi et al., 1992; Szajna, 1994; Chin using the title (see Figure 2). Based on the and Gopal, 1995; Gefen and Straub, 1997; collaborative review, users can get Venkatesh, 2000; Venkatesh and Morris, information whether the title is apropos to 2000). their purposes and pedagogical environment. Since the WebCenter categorizes freeware In line with the concept of collaborative titles contributed based on our pedagogical learning, the WebCenter is designed to taxonomy, users can get information on facilitate interaction among freeware users. freeware titles very effectively and efficiently. Thus, every user is strongly encouraged to Also, the collaborative reviews provide users comment upon freeware titles listed on the with some vicarious experiences of using website, or provide actual experiences and freeware titles. applications which they used for their teaching or learning, to help others utilize While the List & Review menu allows users the freeware titles. Above all, these to see all freeware titles contributed to the collaborative review efforts are intended to Webcenter and check information on the increase the overall benefits of freeware use freeware titles themselves, the Sample by gathering hands-on information on Lesson menu provides information on how pedagogical freeware experiences. freeware titles can be used in the actual pedagogical setting. In the Sample Lesson 5. WEBCENTER FUNCTIONALITY page, contributors can share their experiences as to how freeware titles can be Since our WebCenter is intended to set the used in classrooms more effectively and stage for fostering an environment where efficiently. Since the menu is intended to people interested in pedagogical freeware help users get some tips about how to use titles learn from each other, the focus of the freeware titles contributed in the WebCenter, WebCenter lies in facilitating people’s contributors of sample lessons first need to interactions in freeware evaluation and contribute the freeware titles if they are not application sharing. Thus, functionalities of found in the WebCenter. Sample lessons are this WebCenter are designed and aimed at also reviewed collaboratively to help users increasing user participation in the who want to use freeware titles in their WebCenter. classroom or pedagogical materials and improve the ways of using freeware titles in The Webcenter has five menu choices: teaching. Also, this WebCenter facilitates Home, Contribute, List & Review, Sample exchange of information on how to use Lesson, and Search (see Figure 1). The freeware titles in the actual pedagogical

c 2005 EDSIG http://isedj.org/3/39/ August 9, 2005 ISEDJ 3 (39) Kim, Scher, and Turoff 10 environment. Each sample lesson Acceptance of Information Technology." contribution can help those who have a MIS Quarterly , 13 (3), 319-339. similar need to the author of the sample lesson. Collaborative reviews of sample Deek, F. P., K. Ho and H. Ramadhan, 2000. lessons can expand the application of "A Critical Analysis and Evaluation of freeware titles, since reviewers could provide Web-Based Environments for Program tips or insights which were not considered Development." Journal of Internet and originally in the sample lesson. Higher Education , 3 (4), 223-269.

6. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK Dillenbourg, P., M. Baker, A. Blaye and C. O'Malley,1996. "The evolution of It is our desire for the Pedagogical Freeware research on collaborative learning." In Collaborative Review WebCenter concept to Spada, E. and Reiman, P. (Eds), provide a significant educational framework Learning in Humans and Machine: and resource for both students and faculty Towards an interdisciplinary learning from a variety of disciplines. The inherent science. Oxford: Elsevier networking features for collaboration will enhance the overall capabilities of the Dillenbourg, P. and D. Schneider,1995. WebCenter. The prototype we have "Mediating the Mechanisms Which Make designed, which will be available to the Collaborative Learning Sometimes entire educational community, will also serve Effective." International Journal of as a test bed for an ongoing iterative Educational Telecommunications , 1 research process to fully understand the (2/3), 131-146. software requirements of students and teachers in various disciplines, and to better Gadanidis, G., 1994. "Deconstructing understand the dynamics of collaborative Constructivism." The Mathematics learning of software tools. Teacher , 87 (2), 91-97.

7. REFERENCES Gefen, D. and D. W. Straub, 1997. "Gender Differences in the Perception and Use of Adams, D. A., R. R. Nelson and P. A. Todd, E-mail: An Extension to the Technology 1992. "Perceived Usefulness, Ease of Acceptance Model." MIS Quarterly , 21 Use and Usage of Information (4), 389-400. Technology: A Replication." MIS Quarterly , 16 (2), 227-250. Mathieson, K. , 1991. "Predicting User Intentions: Comparing the Technology Alavi, M.,1994,. "Computer-Mediated Acceptance Model with the Theory Collaborative Learning: An Empirical Planned Behavior." Information Systems Evaluation." MIS Quarterl y, 18 (2), 159- Research , 2 173-191. 174. National Center for Educational Statistics, Bagozzi, R. P., F. D. Davis and P. R. 2002, U.S. Department of Education - Warshaw, 1992. "Development and test Office of Educational Research and of a theory of technological learning and Improvement. usage." Human Relations , 45 (7), 659- 686. Pienaar, H., 1997. "Relationship between Gagne's Nine Instructional Events and Chin, W. and A. Gopal, 1995. "Adoption Educational Software." In Hiela's Web Intention in GSS: Relative Importance of Index (http://tinyurl.com/5l5o5) Beliefs." DATA BASE , 26 (2&3), 42-63. Roblyer, M. D., J. Edwards and M. A. Crowther, D. T.,1999. "Cooperating with Havriluk, 1996. "Learning Theories and Constructivism." Journal of College Integrating Models." In (Eds), Science , 29 (1), 17-23. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Prentice Hall Davis, F. D.,1989. "Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User

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Savukinas, J. , 2002, "E-Learning " Impacts Control, Intrinsic Motivation, and of IT on Education," Digital Economy Emotion into the Technology Acceptance 2002, Economics and Statistics Model." Information Systems Research , Administration, U.S. Department of 11 (4), 342-265. Commerce, February 2002. pp. 59-64. Venkatesh, V. and M. G. Morris, 2000. "Why Szajna, B., 1994. "Software Evaluation and Don't Men Ever Stop to Ask for Choice: Predictive Validation of the Directions? Gender, Social Influence, Technology Acceptance Instrument." and Their Role in Technology Acceptance MIS Quarterly , 18 (3), 319-324. and Usage Behavior." MIS Quarterly , 24 (1), 115-139. Venkatesh, V., 2000. "Determinants of Perceived Ease of Use: Integrating

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Figure 1. Pedagogical Freeware Collaborative Review Site Map

Figure 2. Description and collaborative reviews of a freeware title

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