{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]],"date-time":"2026-01-14T22:01:53Z","timestamp":1768428113863,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,9]],"date-time":"2015-12-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1449619200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.acm.org\/publications\/policies\/copyright_policy#Background"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Science Foundation","award":["DUE-1225708, DUE-1225738, and DUE-1225688"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DUE-1225708, DUE-1225738, and DUE-1225688"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["dl.acm.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["ACM Trans. Comput. Educ."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,23]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Providing students with the professional, communication, and technical skills necessary to contribute to an ongoing software project is critical, yet often difficult in higher education. Involving student teams in real-world projects developed by professional software engineers for actual users is invaluable. Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) has emerged as an important approach to creating, managing, and distributing software products. Involvement in a FOSS project provides students with experience developing within a professional environment, with a professional community, and has the additional benefit that all communication and artifacts are publicly accessible. Humanitarian Free and Open Source Software (HFOSS) projects benefit the human condition in some manner. They can range from disaster management to microfinance to election-monitoring applications. This article discusses the benefits and challenges of students participating in HFOSS projects within the context of undergraduate computing degree programs. This article reports on a 6-year study of students' self-reported attitudes and learning from participation in an HFOSS project. Results indicate that working on an HFOSS project increases interest in computing. In addition, students perceive that they are gaining experience in developing software in a distributed environment with the attendant skills of communication, distributed teamwork, and more.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1145\/2684812","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,14]],"date-time":"2015-12-14T14:19:41Z","timestamp":1450102781000},"page":"1-23","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":47,"title":["Team Project Experiences in Humanitarian Free and Open Source Software (HFOSS)"],"prefix":"10.1145","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Heidi J. C.","family":"Ellis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Western New England University, Springfield, MA"}]},{"given":"Gregory W.","family":"Hislop","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA"}]},{"given":"Stoney","family":"Jackson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Western New England University, Springfield, MA"}]},{"given":"Lori","family":"Postner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY"}]}],"member":"320","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_1_1_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2181037.2181073"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/MTAS.2004.1273468"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2538862.2538974"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3102\/0013189X018001032"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ICSM.2006.66"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/FIE.2003.1265910"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1124706.1121352"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1953163.1953312"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_9_1","volume-title":"Open Source Convention 2014 (OSCON'14)","author":"Chacon Scott","year":"2014","unstructured":"Scott Chacon and Jay Borenstein . 2014 . Modernizing CS education with open source . In Open Source Convention 2014 (OSCON'14) , Portland, OR. Scott Chacon and Jay Borenstein. 2014. Modernizing CS education with open source. In Open Source Convention 2014 (OSCON'14), Portland, OR."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_10_1","volume-title":"F\u00f3rum de Educa\u00e7\u00e3o em Engenharia de Software (CBSoft'11-SBES-FEES).","author":"Chavez Christina","year":"2011","unstructured":"Christina Chavez , Antonio Terceiro , Paulo Meirelles , and Carlos Santos Jr. 2011. Free\/Libre\/Open source software development in software engineering education: Opportunities and experiences . In F\u00f3rum de Educa\u00e7\u00e3o em Engenharia de Software (CBSoft'11-SBES-FEES). 2011 , S\u00e3o Paulo. CBSoft 2011-SBES-FEES, 2011. Christina Chavez, Antonio Terceiro, Paulo Meirelles, and Carlos Santos Jr. 2011. Free\/Libre\/Open source software development in software engineering education: Opportunities and experiences. In F\u00f3rum de Educa\u00e7\u00e3o em Engenharia de Software (CBSoft'11-SBES-FEES). 2011, S\u00e3o Paulo. CBSoft 2011-SBES-FEES, 2011."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5555\/2460156.2460167"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/543812.543829"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_13_1","volume-title":"R. Keith Sawyer (Ed).","author":"Collins Allen","year":"1816","unstructured":"Allen Collins . 2006. Cognitive Apprenticeship . In R. Keith Sawyer (Ed). , Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences , 47--61. http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1017\/CBO978051 1816 833.005 10.1017\/CBO9780511816833.005 Allen Collins. 2006. Cognitive Apprenticeship. In R. Keith Sawyer (Ed)., Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences, 47--61. http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1017\/CBO9780511816833.005"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1562877.1563027"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/IPCC.2007.4464080"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/FIE.2011.6142994"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_17_1","volume-title":"Proceedings of the 119th Annual ASEE Conference and Exhibition","author":"Ellis Heidi J. C.","unstructured":"Heidi J. C. Ellis , Gregory W. Hislop , Josephine Rodriguez , and Ralph A. Morelli . 2012a. Student software engineering learning via participation in humanitarian FOSS projects . In Proceedings of the 119th Annual ASEE Conference and Exhibition , San Antonio, TX. Heidi J. C. Ellis, Gregory W. Hislop, Josephine Rodriguez, and Ralph A. Morelli. 2012a. Student software engineering learning via participation in humanitarian FOSS projects. In Proceedings of the 119th Annual ASEE Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, TX."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2157136.2157260"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2538862.2538970"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/FIE.2011.6143028"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_21_1","volume-title":"Sowe","author":"Glott R\u00fcdiger","year":"2007","unstructured":"R\u00fcdiger Glott , Andreas Meiszner , and Sulayman K . Sowe . 2007 . Report to FLOSSCom\u2014Using the Principles of Informal Learning Environments of FLOSS Communities to Improve ICT Supported Formal Education: Phase 1\u2014Analysis of the Informal Learning Environment of FLOSS (Free\/Libre Open Source Software) Communities. Retrieved November 9, 2015 from http:\/\/www.academia.edu\/2723574\/FLOSSCom-Using_the_Principles_of_Informal_Learning_Environments_of_FLOSS_Communities_to_Improve_ICT_Supported_Formal_Education. R\u00fcdiger Glott, Andreas Meiszner, and Sulayman K. Sowe. 2007. Report to FLOSSCom\u2014Using the Principles of Informal Learning Environments of FLOSS Communities to Improve ICT Supported Formal Education: Phase 1\u2014Analysis of the Informal Learning Environment of FLOSS (Free\/Libre Open Source Software) Communities. Retrieved November 9, 2015 from http:\/\/www.academia.edu\/2723574\/FLOSSCom-Using_the_Principles_of_Informal_Learning_Environments_of_FLOSS_Communities_to_Improve_ICT_Supported_Formal_Education."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5555\/2663678.2663681"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1929887.1929907"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1562877.1562959"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1414558.1414564"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/FLOSS.2007.12"},{"key":"#cr-split#-e_1_2_1_27_1.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Steve Jacobs. 2010. Building an education ecology on serious game design and development for the One Laptop Per Child and Sugar platforms: A service learning course builds a base for peer mentoring cooperative education internships and sponsored research. 2010 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference (ICE-GIC) 1 6 21--23. DOI:10.1109\/ICEGIC.2010.5716882 10.1109\/ICEGIC.2010.5716882","DOI":"10.1109\/ICEGIC.2010.5716882"},{"key":"#cr-split#-e_1_2_1_27_1.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Steve Jacobs. 2010. Building an education ecology on serious game design and development for the One Laptop Per Child and Sugar platforms: A service learning course builds a base for peer mentoring cooperative education internships and sponsored research. 2010 International IEEE Consumer Electronics Society's Games Innovations Conference (ICE-GIC) 1 6 21--23. DOI:10.1109\/ICEGIC.2010.5716882","DOI":"10.1109\/ICEGIC.2010.5716882"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.18260\/1-2--5395"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2157136.2157393"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511815355"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1062455.1062566"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1984674.1984680"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_33_1","first-page":"289","article-title":"Learning Through Practical Involvement in the OSS Ecosystem: Experiences from a Masters Assignment in Open Source Development, Adoption and Innovation. IFIP\u2014The International Federation for Information Processing, vol. 234","volume":"234","author":"Lundell Bjorn","year":"2007","unstructured":"Bjorn Lundell , Anna Persson , and Brian Lings . 2007 . Learning Through Practical Involvement in the OSS Ecosystem: Experiences from a Masters Assignment in Open Source Development, Adoption and Innovation. IFIP\u2014The International Federation for Information Processing, vol. 234 . Springer. 234 , 289 -- 294 . http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1007\/978-0-387-72486-7_30 10.1007\/978-0-387-72486-7_30 Bjorn Lundell, Anna Persson, and Brian Lings. 2007. Learning Through Practical Involvement in the OSS Ecosystem: Experiences from a Masters Assignment in Open Source Development, Adoption and Innovation. IFIP\u2014The International Federation for Information Processing, vol. 234. Springer. 234, 289--294. http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1007\/978-0-387-72486-7_30","journal-title":"Springer."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5555\/2460156.2460184"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1999747.1999823"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/INCOS.2009.9"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2361276.2361279"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_38_1","first-page":"62","article-title":"Free\/Libre open source software (FLOSS) communities as an example of successful open participatory learning ecosystems. In The European Journal for the Informatics Profession","author":"Meiszner Andreas","year":"2008","unstructured":"Andreas Meiszner , Rudiger Glott , and Sulayman K. Sowe . 2008 . Free\/Libre open source software (FLOSS) communities as an example of successful open participatory learning ecosystems. In The European Journal for the Informatics Profession , UPGRADE. IX. 3, 62 -- 68 . Andreas Meiszner, Rudiger Glott, and Sulayman K. Sowe. 2008. Free\/Libre open source software (FLOSS) communities as an example of successful open participatory learning ecosystems. In The European Journal for the Informatics Profession, UPGRADE. IX. 3, 62--68.","journal-title":"UPGRADE."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_39_1","volume-title":"Service-Learning in the Computer and Information Sciences","author":"Morelli Ralph A.","unstructured":"Ralph A. Morelli , Trishan de Lanerolle , and A. Allen Tucker . 2012. The Humanitarian Free and Open-Source Software Project: Engaging students in service-learning through building software . In Service-Learning in the Computer and Information Sciences , John Wiley & Sons, Inc. , Hoboken, NJ , 117--136, DOI=10.1002\/9781118319130.ch5 Ralph A. Morelli, Trishan de Lanerolle, and A. Allen Tucker. 2012. The Humanitarian Free and Open-Source Software Project: Engaging students in service-learning through building software. In Service-Learning in the Computer and Information Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, 117--136, DOI=10.1002\/9781118319130.ch5"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1508865.1508977"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-55128-4_18"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/FIE.2008.4720643"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/FIE.2013.6685155"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_44_1","volume-title":"Open source software is now a norm in businesses. PC World. Retrieved","author":"Noyes Katherine","year":"2015","unstructured":"Katherine Noyes . 2011. Open source software is now a norm in businesses. PC World. Retrieved November 9, 2015 from http:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/228136\/open_source_software_now_a_norm_in_.html. Katherine Noyes. 2011. Open source software is now a norm in businesses. PC World. Retrieved November 9, 2015 from http:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/228136\/open_source_software_now_a_norm_in_.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_45_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/MC.2007.402"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_46_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2047594.2047601"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_47_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1709424.1709452"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_48_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2538862.2538932"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_49_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5555\/1968521.1968538"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_50_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2157136.2157166"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_51_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1984665.1984670"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_52_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1353\/fro.2005.0016"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_53_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/MS.2006.158"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_54_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1134285.1134382"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_55_1","unstructured":"Martin Weller Andreas Meizsner Sulayman K. Sowe and Athanasis Karoulis. 2008. A Report to FLOSSCom\u2014Using the Principles of Informal Learning Environments of FLOSS Communities to Improve ICT Supported Formal Education: Phase 2 - Report on the effectiveness of a FLOSS-like learning community in formal educational settings. Retrieved November 9 2015 from http:\/\/flosshub.org\/system\/files\/FLOSSCOM_Wp4_PHASE2_REPORT_d1.pdf.  Martin Weller Andreas Meizsner Sulayman K. Sowe and Athanasis Karoulis. 2008. A Report to FLOSSCom\u2014Using the Principles of Informal Learning Environments of FLOSS Communities to Improve ICT Supported Formal Education: Phase 2 - Report on the effectiveness of a FLOSS-like learning community in formal educational settings. Retrieved November 9 2015 from http:\/\/flosshub.org\/system\/files\/FLOSSCOM_Wp4_PHASE2_REPORT_d1.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_56_1","volume-title":"Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity","author":"Wenger Etienne","unstructured":"Etienne Wenger . 1999. Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity , Cambridge University Press , New York, NY . Etienne Wenger. 1999. Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_57_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1900008.1900085"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_58_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5555\/776816.776867"}],"container-title":["ACM Transactions on Computing Education"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/2684812","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1145\/2684812","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,18]],"date-time":"2025-06-18T06:13:41Z","timestamp":1750227221000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/2684812"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,9]]},"references-count":59,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,23]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1145\/2684812"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/2684812","relation":{},"ISSN":["1946-6226"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1946-6226","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,9]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2014-04-01","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2014-10-01","order":1,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2015-12-09","order":2,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}