IEEE Transactions on Education has just published our paper:
Hernández-Leo, D., Bote-Lorenzo, M.L., Asensio-Pérez, J.I., Gómez-Sánchez, E., Villasclaras-Fernández, E.D., Jorrín-Abellán, I.M., Dimitriadis, Y. Free- and Open Source Software for a Course on Network Management: Authoring and Enactment of Scripts based on Collaborative Learning Strategies IEEE Transactions on Education. 50(4):292-301, November 2007.

Abstract: This paper describes a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) case study in engineering education carried out within the context of a network management course. The case study shows that the use of two computing tools developed by the authors and based on free- and open-source software (FOSS) provide significant educational benefits over traditional engineering pedagogical approaches in terms of both concepts and engineering competencies acquisition. The Collage authoring tool guides and supports the course teacher in the process of authoring computer-interpretable representations (using the IMS Learning Design standard notation) of effective collaborative pedagogical designs. Besides, the Gridcole system supports the enactment of that design by guiding the students throughout the prescribed sequence of learning activities. The paper introduces the goals and context of the case study, elaborates on how Collage and Gridcole were employed, describes the applied evaluation methodology, and discusses the most significant findings derived from the case study.

As of today, October 1st, I become a member of the Interactive Technology Group at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, where I will be working as a researcher (mainly in the TENCompetence project) and as associate teacher (in Telematic Engineering). I sincerely thank Josep Blat for this opportunity which provides me a good combination between my professional and personal life.
Of course, I am very sorry to be leaving the University of Valladolid, where I have spent five gratifying, amusing, enriching and fruitful years working with the members of the GSIC/EMIC group. A million of thanks to all of them! Nevertheless, I plan to continue collaborating with them so I am sure that there will be many opportunities to meet, work and enjoy together.