OLDaily
By Stephen Downes
May 9, 2003

Learning Object Repositories
Directory of learning object repositories. "The sites and organizations listed below either have generated learning objects and host their own repository (i.e. Wisc-Online) or have provided guidelines, templates, or frameworks for objects that are stored in their repository (i.e. Apple Learning Exchange)." By Patricia McGee, NLII, May, 2003 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Course Design for Enhanced Learning
A set of lessons providing an overview of the principles of learning design, this tutorial is intended to be used as a stand-along learning object (thereby stretching the definition of 'learning object' a bit, but hey, I can't complain) or in support of an instructional design course. It's clearly written and well organized, though the production values leave a lot to be desired. By M. Kayt Sunwood, University of Wisconsin, May, 2003 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Contributing to Scholarship in Educational Technology Through Systematic Re-use and Evaluation of Large Educational Objects in Professional Development Settings
This paper needs a good edit in order to obtain some sort of structure and clarity. It could use a shorter title, too. But the point it raises is a good one: "Teachers and schools buying curriculum, is a 'billion dollar business'. Making a purchase in education is like buying a used car -- Buyer beware! Clearly a set of 'quality standards' are needed to guide the review of resources." But how, asks the author, do you convince reticent readers to offer reviews? A system whereby the reviewers assist the scholarship of education is needed, he suggests, as he describes some of the mechanisms that would lead toward such a system. By Jason Ravitz, IT Forum, May 9, 2003 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Major Labels Caught Stealing $100m a Year
Well well well. Fresh from settling on a collusion case last year, the music publishing industry is found with its hand in the cookie jar once again, allegedly cheating its recording artists out of $100 million. Yes those recording artists, the people this whole copyright campaign is supposed to protect. "On April 22, 2003, the U.S. District Court based in Los Angeles, dealt a serious blow to BMG and Sony, deciding that the two major-label-owned 'record clubs' had no leg to stand on to get the case thrown out of court, and would have to attempt to prove to a jury that they just 'forgot' or were really going to pay songwriters 'when they got around to it.'" Wonder where the RIAA publicity is on this one. Or for that matter, the mainstream media. By Moses Avalon, Music Dish Industries, May 5, 2003 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

elearn.ca Blog
I was probably not supposed to find this on the web (heh) but here it is anyway, elearn.ca's new blog, still obviously very much under construction (the Enter button doesn't work). Interesting is the use of the Industry Canada logo and look and feel - are they shooting for official status? You have to think so. By Various Authors, Algonquin College, May, 2003 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Colleges in Crisis
I haven't really followed this side of the equation in OLDaily, concentraing instead mainly on the use of technology in learning. But over the last year I've seen dozens of stories of this ilk: tuitions rising, colleges closing or merging, the system in growing disarray. The upshot is this: if the richest nation in the world cannot afford to educate its children the traditional way, what hope does the rest of the world have? I have long argued that, as alternatives became available, governments would be increasingly reluctant to fund such an expensive and inefficient form of learning. I was right, except for one thing: governments aren't necessarily waiting for the alternatives. They are cutting funding now. By William C. Symonds, Business Week, April 28, 2003 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

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