WASET
	%0 Journal Article
	%A Amal S. Al-Badi and  Ali H. Al-Badi
	%D 2014
	%J International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences
	%B World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
	%I Open Science Index 92, 2014
	%T Open Source Software in Higher Education:  Oman SQU Case Study
	%U https://publications.waset.org/pdf/9998990
	%V 92
	%X Many organizations are opting to adopt Open Source Software (OSS) as it is the current trend to rely on each other rather than on companies (Software vendors). It is a clear shift from organizations to individuals, the concept being to rely on collective participation rather than companies/vendors.

The main objectives of this research are 1) to identify the current level of OSS usage in Sultan Qaboos University; 2) to identify the potential benefits of using OSS in educational institutes; 3) to identify the OSS applications that are most likely to be used within an educational institute; 4) to identify the existing and potential barriers to the successful adoption of OSS in education.

To achieve these objectives a two-stage research method was conducted. First a rigorous literature review of previously published material was performed (interpretive/descriptive approach), and then a set of interviews were conducted with the IT professionals at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman in order to explore the extent and nature of their usage of OSS.

	%P 2482 - 2486