Open Source worthy of "serious consideration" by schools, UK agency advises

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May 13, 2005

The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) compared Information and Communication Technology deployments in 48 schools for adequacy and cost. Their findings, published as "Open Source Software in Schools," cautiously favor Open Source Software (OSS) alternatives to proprietary software.

The "Open Source Software in Schools" project, funded by the UK Department for Education and Skills, compared 33 "non-OSS" schools against 15 "OSS" schools. The 48 schools included "a range of schools in a variety of settings", but the report cautions that the schools were "opportunity samples".

Additionally, the project conducted case studies examining the details of Open Source software implementations in eight of the 15 OSS schools.

The project found that Open Source software "can provide a suitable technical infrastructure and a basic set of applications for classroom use." Somewhat surprisingly, the report also states that Open Source "productivity" applications were perceived as "easier or simpler to use" than proprietary equivalents. Also, staff surveys revealed an overall higher rate of satisfaction with reliability and performance in the OSS schools than in the non-OSS schools.

Less surprisingly, the report discovered that the total cost of ownership (TCO) at OSS schools -- evaluated over the course of three years on seven points -- was 20 to 50 percent less per PC. Schools implementing Open Source alternatives spent up to 50 percent less on support and training than "non-OSS" schools.

Overall, the study paints quite a rosy picture of Open Source software, but notes that there are many barriers to wholesale adoption. Not unexpectedly, the familiar bugaboo of incompatibility with entrenched proprietary standards rears its head. Also, the report found solidly functional "open-ended" Open Source applications (e.g., those that allow self-directed activity, like paint programs), but not enough "content-specific" or "curriculum" software. BECTA's report suggests dual-boot machines may be a viable alternative for schools looking to cut costs without sacrificing usability.

BECTA's report concludes that a migration to Open Source software may not be the best option for every school. "The culture within the school and the context in which changes are introduced are crucially important factors to take into account." However, the cost savings are signifigant enough to warrant "serious consideration."

BECTA's "Open Source Software in Schools" project report is available for download (PDF file). BECTA has also published a case study report and an information sheet.

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