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Engaging students in free and open source (FOSS) projects can provide significant curricular benefits but is known to be challenging for both students and faculty. This paper reports on our efforts to mitigate these challenges through the creation and use of Education-Oriented H/FOSS (Humanitarian FOSS or FOSS) projects - authentic open source projects consciously designed and managed to facilitate student and faculty engagement. We describe four active Education-Oriented H/FOSS projects and introduce a framework for illustrating different models of H/FOSS engagement. The framework is used to structure a discussion of the considerations and trade-offs of different engagement models, and highlights particular models that have been used to engage students and faculty in our four Education-Oriented H/FOSS projects. The framework positions projects along dimensions of professor involvement, responsibility for project hosting/management, mode of student knowledge and skill acquisition, and the curricular engagement goals. In doing so it broadly captures trade-offs that exist between the level of institutional resources used and the level of student independence required. It is anticipated this framework and the discussion that it organizes will be useful to faculty a) in evaluating the appropriateness of particular H/FOSS projects for use in their courses and curriculum and b) as guidance to those considering the creation of new Education-Oriented H/FOSS projects. 

Engaging students in free and open source (FOSS) projects can provide significant curricular benefits but is known to be challenging for both students and faculty. This paper reports on our efforts to mitigate these challenges through the creation and use of Education-Oriented H/FOSS (Humanitarian FOSS or FOSS) projects - authentic open source projects consciously designed and managed to facilitate student and faculty engagement. We describe four active Education-Oriented H/FOSS projects and introduce a framework for illustrating different models of H/FOSS engagement. The framework is used to structure a discussion of the considerations and trade-offs of different engagement models, and highlights particular models that have been used to engage students and faculty in our four Education-Oriented H/FOSS projects. The framework positions projects along dimensions of professor involvement, responsibility for project hosting/management, mode of student knowledge and skill acquisition, and the curricular engagement goals. In doing so it broadly captures trade-offs that exist between the level of institutional resources used and the level of student independence required. It is anticipated this framework and the discussion that it organizes will be useful to faculty a) in evaluating the appropriateness of particular H/FOSS projects for use in their courses and curriculum and b) as guidance to those considering the creation of new Education-Oriented H/FOSS projects. 

Engaging students in free and open source (FOSS) projects can provide significant curricular benefits but is known to be challenging for both students and faculty. This paper reports on our efforts to mitigate these challenges through the creation and use of Education-Oriented H/FOSS (Humanitarian FOSS or FOSS) projects - authentic open source projects consciously designed and managed to facilitate student and faculty engagement. We describe four active Education-Oriented H/FOSS projects and introduce a framework for illustrating different models of H/FOSS engagement. The framework is used to structure a discussion of the considerations and trade-offs of different engagement models, and highlights particular models that have been used to engage students and faculty in our four Education-Oriented H/FOSS projects. The framework positions projects along dimensions of professor involvement, responsibility for project hosting/management, mode of student knowledge and skill acquisition, and the curricular engagement goals. In doing so it broadly captures trade-offs that exist between the level of institutional resources used and the level of student independence required. It is anticipated this framework and the discussion that it organizes will be useful to faculty a) in evaluating the appropriateness of particular H/FOSS projects for use in their courses and curriculum and b) as guidance to those considering the creation of new Education-Oriented H/FOSS projects. 

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) projects operate transparently, providing excellent educational opportunities for computing students to acquire and practice both technical and softer skills that are in high demand. Humanitarian Free and Open Source Software (HFOSS) projects are FOSS projects that broadly but intentionally aim to improve the human condition. This paper analyzes data from five years of a two-semester capstone experience in which students consider a number of FOSS and/or HFOSS projects and choose one to engage with. Findings support assertions that projects with humanitarian goals are preferred by both women and students with lower confidence in their software development and teamwork skills. The data analysis is suggestive that African American, Black and Hispanic (ABH) students may also show preferences for projects with humanitarian goals. An exploratory analysis of pre-course survey data adds additional insight into how gender, race/ethnicity, student confidence and perceptions of community may influence project selection, helping to identify important directions for further investigation. Collectively the results presented here reinforce suggestions that incorporating HFOSS, or more generally computing with social value, holds potential for broadening participation in computing.