By Stephen Downes
April 4, 2003
Eulogy for E-Learning
Jay Cross
expands on his suggestion that e-learning is dead in this
Macromedia Breeze file (view the presentation just to see
the new application at work). By Jay cross, Internet Time,
April, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Autounfocus
David Wiley, of
Learning Objects fame, has launched a weblog. The content
is quite good, as you might expect - I've linked to a
couple of items below. Now the next step is to get Wiley to
read other people's blogs... things move a little bit
faster out here than in academia, and it's pretty easy to
come up with and post a great idea three weeks after
everyone else if you don't stay current. By David Wiley,
Autounfocus, March, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
A Modest Manifesto
In Wiley's
words, "It is high time for instructional technologists to
get serious about extending free, high quality educational
opportunities to everyone. Literally. This modest manifesto
lays out a context, rationale, and initial roadmap from
here to there." This is something we've talked about here
for quite a while, and George Siemens and others have
launched an open education initiative last week. And let me
say, yet again, that this is exactly right. We should be
looking forward to and planning for the day when
educational materials are available for free to everyone.
By David Wiley, Autounfocus, March 25, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Learning Objects: Difficulties and
Opportunities
This nice paper outlining some of
the problems related to learning objects as they are
currently concieved by the mainstream. Many of the comments
and criticisms will be familiar to OLDaily readers,
including this one: "In recent years every major content
creation industry has seen its core product line exploited
and freely traded online... This fact of Internet life will
prevent an educational object economy in which large
amounts of commercial content are available for purchase
and reuse from ever materializing." By David Wiley,
Autounfocus, April 3, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Wooing ‘Screenagers’: Microsoft Bets Cliques
Will Click With Teens
It sounds a lot like
Groove, though according to this article the concept was
developed through the study of teen behaviour on the
internet. The first product from Microsoft's NetGen team,
it will allow users to "create groups of up to 10 people,
trade messages, listen to music from each other’s
collections, and share photos. Each group has its own icon
and allows users to create new groups that add—or
drop—others at will." Whatever its source, it's a good
idea, though users may find some of the restrictions
limiting. I wouldn't have called it 'Cliques' though - that
sounds too much like a guidance counsellor speaking. I
would have called it 'Clans' and brought in Mel Gibson to
promote it. And I would make the software free, but sell
clothing and items emblazoned with Clan logos. Too cool. By
Staff, eSchool News, April 3, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Students Accused of Piracy
No,
these students were not accused of seizing a vessel by
force. They are accused of sharing files without obtaining
permission from copyright holders. There is (though you
would never know it) a difference. At $150,000 per song,
the recording industry is looking for billions from each of
the four students against whom they have filed complaints.
Yes, I know it sounds like a line from an Austin Powers
script("... you will pay me one hundred billion
dollars..."). And it would be as laughable, were these
claims not filed in real courts. I mean, what student has a
billion dollars? The sad irony? The recording industry may
cause these students no end of grief, and in the process it
may alienate even more potential music fans, but these
prosecutions won't even slow the sharing of music online.
By Dawn C. Chmielewski, San Jose Mercury News, April 4,
2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
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