Free and Open-Source Software in Higher Education/Slobodan softver otvorenoga izvornog koda u visokom obrazovanju

Abstract

Abstract
This paper explores the usage and awareness of free and open-source software
(FOSS) among university students attending several study programs at the Faculty
of Organization and Informatics (FOI) of the University of Zagreb and the Faculty
of Teacher Education (FTE) of the University of Zagreb. Using the data collected
via an online questionnaire on the sample of 777 students and the descriptive
and inferential statistics, an analysis was carried out to determine whether the
respondents are familiar with the key features of FOSS, whether they use some
FOSS, whether they are aware of the advantages of FOSS, which features of FOSS
are the most important to them, and how they evaluate the quality of FOSS. The
data were analysed using the statistics FOSS GNU PSPP and R. The research results
show that 92.66 % of the respondents use some kind of FOSS, 28.99 % are aware
that they are using FOSS with all its features, and the most important FOSS feature
for the respondents is that it is often cost-free. There are significant differences
in the respondents’ familiarity with FOSS and the number of FOSS operating
systems users in terms of their faculty and gender. On a scale from 1 (insufficient)
to 5 (excellent), the respondents’ rating of FOSS reliability was 3.74, completeness
3.68, and overall quality 3.74. The research results indicate the need for additional
education of students about FOSS, and its advantages and disadvantages.
Key words: FOSS adoption; FOSS awareness; FOSS quality.

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Sažetak
U ovom radu istražuje se korištenje i svijest o slobodnom softveru otvorenoga izvornog
koda (Free and Open Source Software - FOSS) među studentima koji pohađaju
nekoliko studijskih programa na Sveučilištu u Zagrebu, Fakultetu organizacije i
informatike (FOI) i Sveučilištu u Zagrebu Učiteljskom fakultetu (UF). Koristeći
podatke prikupljene online anketnim upitnikom na uzorku od 777 studenata te
deskriptivnu i inferencijalnu statistiku analizira se jesu li ispitanici upoznati s
ključnim značajkama FOSS-a, koriste li neki FOSS, jesu li upoznati s prednostima
koje FOSS donosi, koja su im obilježja FOSS-a najvažnija te kako ocjenjuju kvalitetu
FOSS-a. Podatci se analiziraju pomoću statističkoga FOSS-a GNU PSPP i R. Rezultati
istraživanja pokazuju da 92,66 % ispitanika koristi neki FOSS, 28,99 % je svjesno
da koristi FOSS sa svim njegovim značajkama, a ispitanicima je najvažnije obilježje
FOSS-a da je često besplatan. Postoje statistički značajne razlike u upoznatosti
ispitanika s FOSS-om i broju korisnika operacijskih sustava iz svijeta FOSS-a s
obzirom na fakultet i spol ispitanika. Na ljestvici od 1-nedovoljno do 5-izvrsno,
ispitanici ocjenjuju pouzdanost FOSS-a ocjenom 3,74, kompletnost ocjenom 3,68, a
opću kvalitetu ocjenom 3,74. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na potrebu za dodatnim
obrazovanjem studenata o FOSS-u te njegovim prednostima i nedostatcima.
Ključne riječi: kvaliteta FOSS-a; svijest o FOSS-u; usvajanje FOSS-a.