Teaching methodologies and open source software: empirical application to econo...

• Author(s): Nunes, Alcina ; Balsa, Carlos
• Date: 2008
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/1833
• Origin: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
• Subject(s): Econometrics; Mathematics; Open-source software; Teaching methodologies
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

Nowadays, the software open source represents an important teaching resource. However, it is not sufficiently explored as an higher education teaching methodology. In subjects with a very specific goal, applied contents and attended by a small number of students, the commercial software is still preferred to the open source software. Aware of this reality, this paper presents a reflection about the use of open source software in Applied Econometrics and Mathematics. The adoption of two different software programmes – Gretl and Octave – allows the discussion about a comprehensive set of pedagogical, economical and technical advantages and some observed practical limitations. In practice, the refereed advantages are stressed when the students’ results are analysed. Their academic results benefit from the adoption of software which is executed, distributed and improved freely.