In the evaluation work I do, I’m occasionally asked to study/assess the cost effectiveness of a “product.”  This makes some sense where the product is hardware or some kind of proprietary digital object.  And, there, COSN’s work on Total Cost of Ownership is exemplary.  But, when it comes to many software programs, even comprehensive programs, things have changed.  In the day and age of Moodle and other free, open-source programs, cost effectiveness is moot.  I’m not tapped in to the open source in education community, but I’d love to know what prevents open source from making a bigger impact in education.  At a time when the economy is slow and budgets are tight, how do schools/districts continue to justify ed. tech. expenditures where equally good and free alternatives exist?

Tags: budgets, cost effectiveness, education, evaluation