In this article David Wiley provides an overview of how the general expansion of open source software has affected the world of education in particular. In doing so, Wiley not only addresses the development of open source software applications for teachers and administrators, he also discusses how the fundamental philosophy of the open source movement has characterized the development of open course content (through online repositories such as MERLOT) as well as open access research (through e-journals such as "PLoS Biology"). Wiley concludes that such trends have contributed to a "culture of openness" in the academy, which, in turn, will allow higher education to adapt more fully to the demands of future learners.