Stephen Downes

The author describes a report that "identifies three principles and five education consumer segments to guide e-Learning providers." Most of the article looks at the principles. Instead of creating coures, provides should create "bite-sized chunks". Instead of replacing traditional instruction, they should find gaps and niches. And instead of creating new content, they should provide "new, and better, mediums for learning built around traditional content." The first two points are reasonable, but the third is questionable. True, "E-Learning will find its largest audience outside traditional educational institutions." But will they be satisfied with electronic textbooks?