The Illusion of E-learning: Why We Are Missing Out On the Promise of IP Technology
Quotes: "E-learning has not kept pace with the development of increasingly rich IP-based delivery platforms because the e-learning experience is, far too often, puerile, boring and of unknown or doubtful effectiveness...Developers don't seem to be aware of how people learn, or if they are, they nevertheless continue to use mostly flawed models of adult learning...The technology platform is driving the instructional strategy, warping our focus, which should be on creating an engaging learning experience that reliably contributes to the organization's objectives."
Comment: Even though the author leaves the impression the article was written while in a very foul mood...I agree. I've used excellent platforms (like Groove, streaming media, HorizonLive, Polycom, etc.) as an instructor and as a student. They round out the learning experience very nicely. Yet they are not commonly used. Our concept of elearning development needs a sharper focus - on instructional design...and on using technology tools that make the learning process much more effective.
HorizonLive & WebCT
Quote:"Essentially simulating a classroom, HorizonLive complements WebCT by providing a sense of Internet community and collaboration in a synchronous environment. When a student sits at his or her desktop and logs on to a course powered by HorizonLive, he or she sees the instructor via streaming video, hears the instructor's lecture, sees visual content provided by the instructor, and can chat with fellow classmates and the instructor throughout the duration of the class."
Comment: This makes so much sense it hurts. Platforms like WebCT and Blackboard are in danger of trying to become everything to everyone - content management, learner management, presentation, testing, development, collaboration, file sharing...etc. It works in a young industry (which elearning still is), but as the industry matures, specialization is needed...or else we end up with a platform that has many mediocre tools.
In previous ERN editions, I've mentioned the need for integrating activities where students do not have to provide 100% of the motivation (as they do in asynchronous learning). A platform like HorizonLive (or Centra) allow instructors to provide some motivation for students...and it mimics the classroom - which is helpful for new online students. Oh yeah...and it results in better learning and increased student satisfaction. For more information on synchronous learning, see elearnspace's synchronous resource.
What's the position to pursue in elearning? As I've mentioned before - instructional design. See "Find Jobs, Track Industry Health on the Internet
Quote: "Instructional design is one of the largest categories of e-learning jobs, and search engines produce better results with this specific keyword than the general term e-learning. There also are historical data for the job category of instructional design."
(Article also highlights current, significant trends in elearning).
Learning to Teach with Technology
Comment: Worth reading just for the diagram listing the stages of learning to teach with technology.
Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility
Comment: Translates well to online learning.
a href="http://www.train-net.co.uk/magazine/full_columnist.cfm?ID=3623">Is online learning really student friendly?
Quote: "...strong need for us to develop methods both for retaining and for integrating content from longer-duration online learning experiences."
Comments:This concept is so obvious, it's a sad commentary on elearning if it needs to be stated. Problem is - I think it also needs to be stated in many traditional classrooms. It's important for course content to build on previous course content - through integration and application. Anything that is taught should have application and use - if it doesn't, why is it there? For example, if a concept taught in the first week of an online course isn't needed to achieve a learning outcome later in the course - get rid of it. Learning is exploratory - and seamless (as in the learning experience is constructed by integrating various concepts to create a unified whole). Some concepts are used to build on later - others are used to shape a mindset...but all of it should be integrated and applied.
Staying the Course
Quote: "No one has exact numbers, but there is a general agreement that attrition is higher in online courses than in classroom-delivered courses. High drop-out rates have been attributed to the demographics of online students, the inexperience of online faculty, poorly designed e-learning technologies, flawed course design, and low bandwidth. Whatever the root cause, I believe the problem can be largely solved through accountability."
Comment: Short article - highlights the critical role of the instructor. One of the big advantages of elearning (often claimed) is the ability for self-directed students to work at their own pace. Great...but it can go too far. Instructors are in danger of abondoning students if they adhere too much to the view that "students are adults, they'll contact me if they need help". Instructors should allow students to move at their own pace - but still stay in touch - let them know someone is out there.
a href="http://www.marketingprofs.com/Perspect/usborne19.asp">Copy & Content
Quote: "Generally speaking, the writers of content came to the Web in advance of copywriters."
Comment: This article is follows a theme of an article posted last week on the differences between information architecture and graphic design. This is an important distinction to make when developing online courses. IA first, content presentation second. With courses I've taken online, I find that I value a clear navigation/organization structure more than a "good look". However, if the organization is in place, the design/look/feel becomes important. via elearnpost
From Steve's Head
The E Team - Installment 3a
Well, I find myself up to my eyebrows in e-learning these days. I've decided to join the ranks of over-achievers and take a summer session course. That's right - 16 weeks worth of education compressed into 3. It's been a good experience so far, though I suspect that is only possible for me to say because I took vacation time to actually help survive the workload...and it is quite heavy so far. I can happily say that it is providing me with tons of leads for future articles...that's right, loads of interesting studies and papers on technology in education...are we excited? :-)
I'm enjoying this process, but I've found that I've been reading and writing so much over the past 7 days, I'm going to cut short my normally lengthy reflections and get on with the articles. I had so many articles in the stack relating to e-learners that I thought I'd extend last week's theme through to this week. Even though these are regarding learners, there are so many issues and themes that extend to the realm of instructors and administrators, I think there is something for everyone...what a deal!
Creating a Culture of Learning
Quote: "A great deal of conversation in the e-learning community has been about the development of e-learning content or e-learning systems and technology. The assumption has been that if we create the right content and deliver it with the right systems, that learners will respond. But, we may need to also develop our learners' ability to be e-learners.
Comment: E-learning guru Elliott Masie comments on the need to teach learners to be e-learners...exactly what I was saying last week. Just as instructors are familiar with the traditional classroom and its activities, so to are learners. E-learning is new for all parties involved. Any assistance that helps people get their bearings is beneficial. Masie provides a number of suggestions.
Quote: "My theory of learner centered learning, in short form, amounts to this: learning ought to be created by the learner. Now let me emphasize that I do not mean 'created' in some sort of constructivist way. What I mean is more like this: where in traditional learning (and traditional online learning) the selection and sequencing of the learning materials is a task performed by the instructor, in learning centered learning the selection and sequencing of the learning materials is a task performed by the student."
Comment: I had a chance to listen to Stephen Downes speak at the AMTEC conference I attended in May. The ideas he expressed were laden with idealism...I suspect the same is true here. I have certainly taught students whose learning skills were sophisticated enough to achieve what Downes speaks of, but these were the exception, not the rule. Never-the-less, his commentary makes for interesting reading.
Integrating Technology into Learning and Working: Promising Opportunities and Problematic Issues
Quote: "A human-centered perspective is crucial in understanding why particular technologies fail or succeed in various situations. Many books and articles have documented how the success or failure of promising technologies are closely related to various aspects of human use, both individual and social. While it may appear obvious that technology integration is primarily about human use, it is often the case that technology integration issues are left to technical specialists to resolve without much interaction or involvement with others. According to advocates of user-centered approaches, especially the participatory design community, this is a formula for failure."
Comment: This is a very academic examination of technology and its integration into both learning and work. Extensively researched and referenced, it is not exactly an exciting read, but you may find the efforts invested worthwhile."
Best Practices in Cyberspace: Motivating the Online Learner
Quote: "Our efforts have been guided by the belief that sources of motivation are not significantly different in an online course than they are in traditional classrooms. However, we still needed to know how motivation is effected by the nature of online courses...In addition, we hoped to identify instructional strategies that were most effective in promoting learning among individual personalities. What has motivated students previously in "traditional" classrooms may not be appropriate or possible in the online instructional element."
Comment: Wow, an intersting, easy-to-ready, basic paper on motivation in the online classroom. When I was searching around for the url for this article, I came across information that one of the authors has also won awards for her courses designed in Web CT. If you are planning to construct your first online course, this is a good resource. One of the more interesting aspects focusses on students' Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory results. Surprising finding (for me) - the fact that online students found communciation with the course instructor as the most motivating interaction - I've heard so much about how instructors should be "low key". Most non-surprising finding - students find text readings as the least motivating aspect of interaction...guess there are some real overlaps with traditional classrooms after all! :-)
Inexorable and Inevitable: The Continuing Story of Technology and Assessment
Quote: "As technology becomes more central to schooling, assessing students in a medium different from the one in which they typically learn will become increasingly untenable... But most importantly, state efforts will need to go beyond the initial achievement of computerizing traditional multiple-choice tests to create assessments that facilitate learning and instruction in ways that paper measures cannot."
Comment: I'm going to be a cynic for a bit. Assessment is generally not done well in most classrooms. It is even worse in elearning. Assessment is often based on multiple-choice questions, essays, group discussion posts, etc. - essentially, extensions of traditional classes. Concerns are then raised that plagiarism and cheating are concerns...well, duh...it's been setup so that cheating is an easy option. Authentic, useful, relevant assessments are the best way to discourage plagiarism...and the current model for assessing online students needs to change. To what? No idea, yet...:)
Microsoft & Groove
Quote: "MICROSOFT AND GROOVE Networks inched a step closer on Monday, announcing plans to integrate Groove Workspace with Microsoft SharePoint Team Services. The goal of the effort is to improve information sharing among project teams that traverse corporate boundaries, according to Microsoft officials."
Comment: I like Groove...have used it for a while, with great results. Email changed the way people communicate, collaboration will change the way people work and achieve results. Right now, Groove is the front-runner in collaborative software...and teaming up with Microsoft won't hurt. Groove (prediction) will be huge.
The Return of Artificial Intelligence
Quote: "Artificial intelligence (AI) has come in and out of vogue more times than Madonna in the past 20 years: it has been hyped and then, having failed to live up to the hype, been discredited until being revived again. In the late 1990s, an observer at a World Wide Web technology conference reported that most of the proposals there had been floated, several years earlier, under the AI moniker and were now being recycled-good technology solutions looking for real business problems to solve...Nonetheless, the AI-development community has generated techniques that are beginning to show promise for real business applications."
Comment: Business focused article. AI may have huge implications for education (just saw a new tutorial on Groove that uses an interactive agent called a "bot" (or Autonomous Execution Agent). Like streaming video - this can help to expand the horizon of effective learning online...drawback - expense, expertise and adoption (socially - instructors/students may find AI intimidating).
Media on Menu
Quote: "That's where the Culinary Institute of America's media department comes in. The renowned cooking school established a media division in the late '70s to provide visuals to reinforce what students learn in classes. Much like students in a typical university who must attend a "language lab" to learn foreign tongues, CIA students are required to view certain videos. Until recently, they had to visit the school's library to view them. Last year, however, the institute decided to move to the next level: streamed instructional video on demand to students in their dorms across the Hyde Park campus in New York's Hudson Valley."
Comment: Very cool. This is what I imagine more and more elearning initiatives will look like (wireless, on-demand video). The web was initially about text - now most sites have added multiple media resources. Elearning is currently mainly about text...eventually (hopefully), streaming media will play an important role. As I've mentioned before, we ran a pilot on streaming video earlier this year, in order to evaluate the impact of video lectures on student satisfaction. Results were positive. As a department, we also have an increasing amount of video...unfortunately the video is not available on demand.
RealNetworks
Quote: "Real's own new product, called the Universal Server, will allow one server to stream Real's technology, Microsoft files, Apple Computer's QuickTime, and others. Most other competing products do not support competitors' technology." Go directly to RealNetworks for more info.
E-learner Competencies
Quote: "Training managers and online courseware designers agree that e-learning isn't appropriate for every topic. But e-learning also may not be the right fit for all types of learners. Here are some of the behaviors of a successful e-learner. Do you have them?"
Comment: Not sure what to think about this...I often see the "elearning isn't for everyone" panic button hit - sometimes as an excuse for high dropouts. I think before people credit learner traits with failures, effective design and instruction need to be considered. Classrooms aren't for everyone either, but a good teacher can make it much more interesting for those students. Same holds true online...
Measuring eLearning Programs
Quote: "In implementing elearning at many corporations, I find, repeatedly, that one of the biggest differences between elearning and other forms of training is that elearning is completely trackable. You know everything that every learner did, unlike classroom training. You have the opportunity to measure precisely the impact of your elearning investment."
Comment: I disagree. With elearning, you can track what learners did...but you can't precisely measure the impact of the investment. By its nature - a part of learning will always be "untrackable"...learning shapes and changes who people are, what they do, and how they respond to situations. No ROI program can track that. For more info on elearning ROI see: elearnspace - ROI & Costs
Five Phases - Online Community
Quote: "A student-centered community derives in five phases, resulting in a constructive and meaningful learning experience."
Comment: Derives from Dr. Salmon's Five Step Model. I think it is important for instructors to have a clear understanding of stages that students go through in using technology for learning. This model is a simple overview of the process.
a href="http://www.elearningmag.com/elearning/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=25419">Understanding the Culture of Elearning
Quote: "Five main success factors are necessary for an e-learning strategy to succeed--content, capability, cost, clients, and, most importantly, culture. Culture has always been a particularly contentious issue but as the market matures, organizations are more seriously examining pan-continental and, in some cases, global e-learning solutions."
From Steve's Head
The E Team - Installment 3
Last fall, I found myself in the position of becoming a student again, in a part-time fashion. Starting a new program is always a little nerve-wracking, but this time it was a little more so that normal; I not only had to get used to being a student and ferreting out what the expectations were going to be in terms of time, effort, etc., I also had to come to grips with being a student in an unfamiliar medium - my course was totally online and completely asynchronous (no scheduled classtime at all)! Yes, this was what I had hoped and searched for, but when I was finally face-to-face with this new challenge, I must admit I experienced a little bit of cold feet and a whole herd of butterflies in the stomach.
There were certain things that I knew I was going to like right from the start. The prof was based in New Zealand, which meant that I could benefit from a completely different cultural perspective being presented as well as from the fact that this was someone who was an "expert" from whom I would have never otherwise had the chance to learn. The class was made up of students from New Zealand, Australia, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, China, and western Canada...quite the cosmopolitan mix! Again, this would not be the norm experienced in a typical night school class.
I discovered that I would have to complete 3 major assignments to obtain my final course mark. Two of the projects were quite intense in scope, but were solo ventures. I would have to research and complete these on my own, and I was comfortable with that, as that has been the nature of most assignments in all of the courses that I had completed to date. The one assignment that really made me nervous was organizing and leading a week-long seminar completely online. To top it off, this was to be done in groups of 4 or 5 students as assigned by the prof. I was disoriented as to how we could possibly organize such a venture, since group members were often located on different sides of the International Date Line. Could we possibly reach some sort of concensus about a topic and then organize such a huge undertaking via e-mail? And then there was the daunting challenge of actually leading this session for an entire week. I quickly decided that I was completely loony for having wanted to take a degree using this format, but being too vain to drop out I decided I better stick around and give it a try.
It was obvious that everyone else in my group was just as hesitant about this venture, as we each made initial contact with the rest of the group and then promptly did nothing to further this start of conversation for several weeks. However, things changed quite rapidly as one group member threw out some ideas about seminar topics, and other members began to respond and begin threads of conversation that would ultimately result in a skeleton for our presentation. I found myself quickly getting caught up in the excitement being generated by these discussions, in participating in what turned out to be an extremely creative process, and looked forward to receiving each subsequent e-mail...ok, the cover is blown...everytime I'm a student I become a major geek (...then again, the level of geekiness may not change, but I just may not notice it in everyday life...am I deluding myself???) At any rate, the project was a major success, and it became on of my favourite memories of my first online course.
So what did I learn from this whole episode? Firstly and foremostly, that the quality of the educational experience did not suffer from the transition to a virtual classroom, and in many ways, it was even enhanced. The level of conversation, dialogue, and debate was very high because the prof had the foresight to outline her expectations of participation. New contributions to a discussion had to add something new - no "me too!" messages allowed. Unsubstantiated opinions could be put forward, but these wouldn't count for much; contributions needed to be thought out and supported by research. As a result, the discussion that took place in the course was not exacerbated by hundreds of extra, irrelevant messages that have plagued many of the courses I've heard about.
As well, online courses could be organized in a way that required active participation from all students. Assignments could be structured to require not only rigour and research, but also creativity and teamwork. Most importantly, this entire experience helped to confirm my belief that online learning can be an effective and enjoyable way to learn. If you are an instructor or developer planning to work with online courses, I would strongly recommend taking a course online to discover what learning looks like in this medium. If you are a student, I would encourage you to try this type of learning to see which format provides you with a better learning experience. You just might be surprised with how rich an environment can be created online - I know I was.
In Search of the Perfect E-Learner
Quote: "It's becoming common knowledge that e-learning is achieving inconsistent results. Some e-learners thrive on the increased flexibility and control that the medium provides; others wallow in isolation, struggling to make a start...perhaps it would help us to know just what it is about some learners that makes them better suited to e-learning than others. It would also help if we could make e-learning more suitable for the majority of learners, so we could all take advantage of its benefits."
Comment: This article identifies a number of positive characteristics of successful e-learners and elaborates on them by using experiences from real life e-learners. What I would find interesting is rather than a search for the perfect e-learners, we examine of how we create "perfect" e-learners. Its well-known that classroom learning does not work for a lot of people, yet they have been taught how to strengthen their skills in order to get as much out of the experience that they possibly can. I honestly believe the same can (and should) be done for online students.
The Online Disinhibition Effect
Quote: "In text communication such as e-mail, chat, and instant messaging, others may know a great deal about who you are. However, they still can't see or hear you - and you can't see or hear them. Even with everyone's identity visible, the opportunity to be PHYSICALLY invisible amplifies the disinhibition effect. You don't have to worry about how you look or sound when you say (type) something. You don't have to worry about how others look or sound when you say something. Seeing a frown, a shaking head, a sigh, a bored expression, and many other subtle and not so subtle signs of disapproval or indifference can slam the brakes on what people are willing to express."
Comment: Okay, George already published this link a little while back. I'm including it here because of the popular concept that online courses will allow the silent guy wearing the baseball cap and slouching at the back of your classroom to become an active participant in discussions. Based on the course I completed, I can vouch for this. I'm usually that guy (except that I hate wearing baseball caps, sit somewhere in the middle of the room, and participate (and slouch) occasionally... :-) ). I found that in online discussions I was not only very willing to participate in conversations, but I became one of the "button-pushers", relishing the opportunity to bring more controversial topics into the discussion threads. Why was that? I'm not sure, but this article provides a number of different possibilities for why we feel more comfortable doing these things when we become cyber-entities.
Students' Learning Styles in Two Classes
Quote: "Because more online courses will invariably be offered in the future, some assurance must be provided to the college, the faculty, and the students, that distance education will meet expectations for a good education. Not only will students expect an education that is equal in quality to that provided by traditional offerings, they will expect a student-centered learning environment, designed to meet their individual needs."
Comment: A student is a student is a student, regardless whether they are in a traditional classroom or in a virtual one, right? This article outlines the results of a study of two groups of students covering the same material, but one is taught traditionally while the other is online. The results (surprise, surprise) show that students that take online courses have different preferred learning styles than those who opt to attend a traditional classroom. One of the really great recommendations to instructors here is that they incorporate a variety of styles in order to help students develop and strengthen styles that they currently underuse. I really enjoyed this one!
How Do You Like to Learn? Comparing User Preferences and Visit Length of Educational Web Sites
or for those of you who love PDF files, PDF format of the same article
Quote: "If people learn best in active modes but prefer passive Web experiences, how can we develop sound educational Web activities that attract and appeal to a broad audience? We decided to develop a detailed and focused pilot study of user preferences to shed more light on this complex and important issue. The primary research question was: how do people's preferences vary among types of Web-based learning activity?"
Comment: Oh great - another 20 page educational study...Steve, what are you thinking?!? Actually, this can be a good, quick read. It has an extensive section that will definitely get stats-oriented individuals' blood moving, but that can also be skimmed over if that is not your idea of a thrilling read. One of the really interesting parts is a comparison of how long visitors stayed at sites that featured different styles of learning activities. After all, we want to ensure that the format of learning activities in online courses will encourage learners to stick around and complete the activity, don't we?
HOW DO ONLINE STUDENTS DIFFER FROM LECTURE STUDENTS?
Quote: "In this paper we extend and broaden our earlier investigation to address two additional questions in online education. The first question asks who is likely to take online classes. It would be useful to know how students who enroll in online classes differ from their peers in traditional lecture classes. One might expect these students to display certain distinguishing characteristics that would lead them to enroll in online classes.
Secondly, we ask what factors influence performance among online students and whether those factors might differ for online and lecture students. One reason for our interest in this issue is the higher dropout rate for students in the online section, which we observed in our previous study. Information about success in online classes would prove useful for both guidance and course development purposes."
Comment: Provocative title. Research in understanding student differences (online vs. classroom) and characteristics for success online is very limited. Two things I'd like to see come out of this type of paper: what can instructors do to ensure student success...and what can learners do to increase their potential for success. These are alluded to in the paper...but it would be nice to have some characteristics stated explicitly.
Canadians Ready for Elearning
Quote: "Canadians are furthering their educational efforts through online courses, an Ipsos-Reid report reveals. Based on 2,000 interviews via telephone and Internet, the survey indicated that 59 percent of the Canadian respondents were likely to take an online course in the future."
Comment:One of the most significant concepts expressed in this article relates to the willingness of people to take online courses vs. using the Internet for banking, e-commerce, travel, etc. Educators should focus on this trend - people are willing to learn online - and hey, when the student is ready...
CETIS Encyclopedia
Comment: Lists terms relating to elearning standards. Good resource if alphabet soup is giving you indigestion...
Time for Straight Talk on Technology
Quote: "Considering all the "evident" benefits offered by personal computing devices, you might naturally assume that more people would want to enrich their lives with new technologies. Therefore, I'm surprised by the slowdown in technology adoption that many pundits are now blaming on the economy."
Comment: This article touches on the heart of why technology adoption is slow in many classrooms: "The average person using technology often faces an unfamiliar vocabulary of acronyms and abstract high-tech terms that he or she doesn't understand. When purchasing, setting up and even using technology devices, this lack of understanding only serves to confuse, paralyze and frustrate. Even worse, as technology continues to innovate, the technology vocabulary constantly increases."
Simplify.
Technology Confined Collaboration
Comment: Excellent statement in this short blog: "Collaboration is about people. Collaboration needs technology frameworks that support adaptive, ad hoc interactions. Adaptive from the sense of extending functionality on the fly and securely embracing new members on the fly. Simply put, it's the swarming culture fused with adaptive technology."
Usability Testing
Quote: "Usability testing is the process of working with end-users directly and indirectly to assess how the user perceives a software package and how they interact with it. This process will uncover areas of difficulty for users as well as areas of strength. The goal of usability testing should be to limit and remove difficulties for users and to leverage areas of strength for maximum usability."
Comment: Focuses on software usability...but very applicable to the process of usability testing for an online course. Via WebWorld.
Relearning Elearning
Quote: "Like many of the overhyped e-revolutions, Internet-enabled e-learning turned out to be another great concept seemingly doomed by its execution... In the higher education segments, e-learning's early incarnations flunked because they merely aped traditional post-secondary institutions."
Comment: Elearning fails for a reason - most often when it's not used for its strengths. Elearning isn't about mimicking traditional delivery - it's a way to provide education that may not be accessible (due to time or space restrictions), or that may be better delivered using technology (due to costs, number of people to train).
This article outlines three areas for elearning success: deliver bite-sized chunks, fill gaps in traditional education markets, provide better delivery devices.
Five Keys to Successful Teams
Comment: Teams sound a lot like communities...and the criteria for success seem to be similar for each. Teams, however, are restricted in size - J. Richard Hackman suggest max. 6 people. I think any organization seeking to foster an innovative spirit needs to foster team development - formally and informally. When I reflect on successful activities I've undertaken, small teams have always been at the core.
Knowledge Transfer Networks
Quote: "With the emergence of e-learning, predictions for training's evolution suggest a shift from delivering traditional training to designing, facilitating, and managing various types of learning experiences. Although direct interaction between trainers and learners will decrease, it will not cease to exist. Therefore, designers must consider how to capture the greatest value from trainer-to-learner involvement. Enter the knowledge transfer network."
Comment: Good concept...but I don't think it's fully developed in the article. The author details components of a knowledge transfer network (KTN)- analysts, change leaders, communications, application and systems technologists, learners, trainers, support and helpdesk staff. While I agree that these are all part of the network, I think greater emphasis for knowledge transfer should be placed on the design of flexible learning resources that allow learners to access content when they need it, based on their learning style. A KTN begins with something to transfer - content - that needs to be represented in a variety to formats to be effective - instruction, performance support (i.e. available when needed), and knowledge building with peers.
In case you care: MPEG 4
Quote: "MPEG LA, a group of patent holders governing MPEG-4, on Monday finalized licensing terms for the media delivery standard, bowing to market pressure for manageable royalty rates. "
Comment: We did quite a bit of work with streaming video this spring...the outcome of this (MPEG 4) is positive - however, it is just a matter of time before fees increase...and the streaming media field is too young for significant charges. Adoption would be stunted.
Learning on the Go
Quote: "Once just a device to access online and offline data (contacts, calendars, enterprise sales), incredible leaps in technology are providing PDA users the opportunity to interact with data - from manipulating and transforming data through script-enabled web pages, to streaming video and real-time chat.
This ability to manipulate data through a PDA has been made possible by the advances in device technology. Faster processors, more RAM, and more robust applications have made the PDA superior to computers only four years old. With further advances in screen technology (from simple gray-scale to 64-bit color), PDAs have moved from "dumb" devices to multimedia appliances. Users now command a tremendous computing experience in the palm of their hand."
Comment: We'll hear a lot more about this over the next several years. Mobile learning (for more info see m-learning on elearnspace.org) will be significant. While this article promises to address learning, it focuses more on the technology (wireless, application, integration, etc.). One common complaint I hear about PDAs is that the screens are too small to study...I think the incredible convenience will far outweigh any negatives (and for that matter, have you seen the quality of some PDA screens lately?!? - very nice).
Info on Search Engines
Quote: "Online search engines are built to find information in seconds. But most leading sites appear to be taking their time meeting a federal request for more transparency on how money influences their display of search results...Google was the only search engine that appeared to meet all the criteria laid out by regulators."
Comment: I've heard Google described as the most valuable site on the Internet. Regulars users will agree.
Culture of Usability
Quote: "Now that most of us agree that usability testing is an integral investment in site development, it's time to recognize that the standard approach falls short. It is possible to do less work and get better results while spending less money. By bringing usability testing in-house and breaking tests into more manageable sessions, you can vastly improve your online offering without affecting your profit margin."
Comment: Usability is relevant in elearning design, and the approach this article suggests is useful. The author suggests four approaches to testing: 1. More frequent, 2. Smaller scale, 3. Internal ownership, 4. Immediate fixes. In online courses developed in our department, we've taken a similar approach - each course is tested by students, instructors, and industry. Frequent testing prevents us from going too far down the wrong road.
Dirty Laundry on the Web
Comment:This article is several months old, but I came across it on a listserv again...thought it was worth sharing. The article details Shell's commitment to open discussion by providing an uncensored forum for people to post their thoughts and views. Very intriguing. The notion that truly open communication is permitted (even posts that are derogatory to Shell) is not very common on corporate sites - the PR department steps in and sanitizes things quickly.
The honesty and openness is refreshing.
Elearning, Online Learning, Web-based Learning, or Distance Learning
Quote: "E-learning, Web-based learning, online learning, and distance learning are widely used as interchangeable terms. However, these terms represent concepts with subtle, yet consequential differences. In this article, we reveal the differences, review the meanings of these terms, and suggest definitions."
Comment: The field of elearning (or whatever you decide to call it) doesn't do itself any favours by using many different terms to describe small nuances (and this article doesn't even bring in "distributed learning"). These multiple terms are helpful for people experienced in elearning - but the vast majority of people entering the field are overwhelmed (and confused) by the proliferation of terms and acronyms. Simplify.
From Steve's Head
The E Team - Installment 2
I'm sure everyone has heard the ancient Chinese blessing/curse of "may you live in interesting times". It must be challenging to be an instructor in these "interesting times". (Regardless of whether this saying is authentically Chinese, isn't it refreshing for me not to go on and on about Italy for a change???) After being trained to educate students in a certain fashion and developing your experience over a number of years, all of a sudden you are faced with the task of trying to adapt what you've been successfully doing for delivery using another medium.
One of the results of this type of scenario is what I experienced when I decided to go back and work towards my M. Ed. degree. I knew that my schedule was erratic and taking regular classroom-based courses was not going to work. I needed to find a university that offered the quality that I expected which had courses in a more flexible format than traditional classroom delivery. After a lengthy search, I found an online degree in educational technology being offered by the University of Calgary. I was excited - the exact program that I wanted, delivered by a very reputable Canadian university.
After the thrill of being accepted wore off, I was a little taken aback when I started selecting my first course. As a read through the schedule for the semester, I saw an overwhelming majority of courses with teleconference sessions timetabled several times per week; I had managed to avoid regularly scheduled classes only to find myself in a sea of regularly scheduled virtual classes. What the professors had done was simply recreate the environment that they were familiar with using a new medium instead of adapting their courses to the strengths of the new medium. Based on the growing number of completely asynchronous courses that are starting to appear in subsequent schedules, this has slowly changed as staff has had a chance to evaluate the technology and has begun to adapt their content and delivery accordingly.
How do instructors who have extensive classroom experience make the leap to online delivery without trying to completely reproduce the physical classroom in cyberspace? More training? Have instructors first take an online course? A combination of both? Other possibilities? I have no definitive answers on this, and I have yet to see any published works that categorically address this issue. I would appreciate hearing from instructors who are currently undergoing this challenge or from those who have successfully done so.
Anyway, enough ranting for this week - bring on the articles...
Teachers Train in New Classroom: Cyberspace
Quote: "The interactive and web-based video...is still in its early stages of development. But, already some observers are saying that the software is providing a crucial tool for teachers to learn more effective ways of instructing. It may be the most affordable way yet for school districts to overcome a long list of hurdles - shortages of time, staff, money, coordination - that has hindered teacher training for decades."
Comment: Last fall when I took my first M. Ed. program online course, my classmates were overwhelmingly elementary and secondary public school teachers. When discussion turned to professional development and training, these folks had a litany of concerns about how this impacted teachers:
little budget and time
most could only take a half-day or full-day workshop, which from their experiences proved to be useless
some felt they were abandoning their students if they went away for training
some saw themselves or their colleagues as being uncomfortable with the changes brought on by training, or by their being "exposed" as a poor teacher because of their current practices
most felt they could never really benefit from the topics covered as they were presented at times when teachers could not implement them into their classroom practices
This article outlines practical (and powerful) uses of online training in teacher education, implementing what business training has been doing for some time - make training relevant, make it meaningful to the learner, and time training so that the learner can implement what s/he has learned into his/her day-to-day work.
Getting Online: The Challenges for Academic Staff and Institutional Leaders
Quote: "A number of factors have made the push for universities to move online both inevitable and urgent. The implications for teaching and learning are far reaching and include both opportunities for enhancing the quality of student learning and threats to the values underlying higher education. Maximising the opportunities and minimizing the threats of 'getting online' pose challenges for academic staff and institutional leaders alike. Academic staff have to change their roles and develop new skills and ways of working. Institutional leaders have to create a culture that encourages and supports these changes."
Comment: This has got to be the most heavily referenced two page summary I have ever seen - it has an entire page of references to back it up! This is a summary paper of a conference presentation, so it contains just the bare bones of what was presented. It is a good quick read to get an overview of the opportunities, threats, and challenges the author associates with the process of taking courses online in a post secondary setting.
Androgogical and Pedagogical Training Differences for Online Instructors
Quote: "A self-selection process is critical to the success of future online facilitators. At the heart of this process is a self-evaluation, which addresses their written communication skills, belief in the facilitated, dialogue-based model, acceptance of the value of critical thinking in an applications-based environment, technology skills, and academic credentials. They should also consider the significant, and often underestimated, time commitment required in an online class."
Comment: Apart from its constant use of the term "paradigm" (shudder), I really thought this was an interesting read. This article explores the differences between pedagogy and androgogy not only from the perspective of traditional teaching versus the teaching of adults, but also how this parallels the differences between "traditional learners" and "nontraditional learners". The authors provide a good introduction to the kind of mind shift that instructors need to be prepared for when examining how to convert their course content and delivery into an online format.
Quote: "Research in the field of distance education has recognized the need for a change and modification of the faculty role in teaching at a distance. It is not the distance education technology that drives the instruction but rather the primary changes in teaching style, technique, and motivation that must take place for instruction of the present and future to function effectively. Many studies cite faculty resistance to instructional technology as a primary barrier to the continued growth of distance education programs. How faculty percieve and react to these technologies is more important than the structural and technical obstacles in affecting the use of technology in distance education...student success and satisfaction in distance education courses was substantially and positively correlated to their interaction with instructors."
Comment: The title doesn't give it away, but this is a stats/research study buff's idea of great reading. If that's not you, there's still some interesting information here regarding what the research literature has to say about faculty acceptance of the value of courses delivered using a distance education model. The conclusion of the study indicates that (surprise, surprise) institutions must better communicate the value of distance education to staff who believe that courses delivered via distance education are not educationally equivalent to those delivered in a traditional face-to-face setting, if they want to see an increase in the number of instructors adopting this delivery method.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous
Quote: "The topic at hand in synchronous vs. asynchronous communication. In speaking with thousands of educators all over the world, as I have the privilege of having done and continue to do, I am always a little surprised when people speak of asynchronous communication as the necessary, but vastly inferior alternative to synchronous communication. Keep in mind, not everyone tells me this, but enough do that it caught my attention. It is their view that once the infrastructure and software for high quality synchronous communication is ubiquitous, asynchronous communication will go away. The only reason we use it now is because it is cheap and plentiful, and the bandwidth, software and equipment needed for synchronous is not quite there yet. I couldn't disagree more."
Comment: By Murray Goldberg (of WebCT fame). Good overview of the value of asynchronous communication in education - Murray states that asynch. communication (i.e. the notion of responding outside of time and place) is what has truly transformed education. I agree. However, I also think that synchronous communication has yet to be fully explored - tools are slowly being developed and improved. Asynchronous is great for deeper learning and reflection...while synchronous is important for connecting students to each other and to the instructor - the same way in which a telephone is sometimes a preferred for connecting/communicating versus writing a letter.
Guide to KM Standardisation
Quote: "Knowledge Management (KM) can be summarized as "a multi-disciplined approach to achieving organizational objectives by making the best use of knowledge". KM focuses on the processes involved in acquiring, creating and sharing knowledge."
Comment: Good KM overview article...including standardization of knowledge capture and storage.
Microsoft Wireless
Quote: "In a growing number of homes, waiting an eon for a Web page to download or putting up with constant interruptions in online music or video feeds are distant memories. High-speed connections, such as cable and DSL, have made speedy Web browsing a reality. The only problem: Everyone in the household ends up competing for time on the one computer with a high-speed connection, while other laptops and PCs go unused or become glorified word processors. Today, Microsoft announced plans to launch a line of products that will allow users to access high-speed connections and other conveniences on any PC almost anywhere in their home -- or even their favorite coffee shop."
Comment: I can relate...Internet access is the most in-demand feature in our household (and the kids are still young!). I've been exploring the concept of a home wireless network...sounds promising (and sure to restore peace to the family...).
Design Templates
Via Serious Instructional Technology. Looks like a cool concept. Designing a web site (graphically) proves to be a task for me...I have no problem with the organization/navigation component...but my stunted creativity needs graphical help.
Elearning, Online Learning, Web-based Learning, or Distance Learning
Quote: "E-learning, Web-based learning, online learning, and distance learning are widely used as interchangeable terms. However, these terms represent concepts with subtle, yet consequential differences. In this article, we reveal the differences, review the meanings of these terms, and suggest definitions."
Comment: The field of elearning (or whatever you decide to call it) doesn't do itself any favours by using many different terms to describe small nuances (and this article doesn't even bring in "distributed learning"). These multiple terms are helpful for people experienced in elearning - but the vast majority of people entering the field are overwhelmed (and confused) by the proliferation of terms and acronyms. Simplify.
Wireless - 802.11a or 802.11b
Comment: Good overview of differences in wireless standards 802.11 a and b (doesn't mention 802.11g). Fairly simple read...good selection criteria listed as well.
A few older articles...
Social Network Analysis
Quote: "How do knowledge workers learn? How do they decide what to learn next? What motivates them to share?
These questions are central to the challenges of knowledge management, and yet most corporate portals and online communities are designed in ignorance of their answers.
The truth lies within the social fabric that connects people to people and people to content. Relationships, trust and serendipity play key roles."
Comment: I'm currently reading Malcom Gladwell's book "The Tipping Point" (excellent, I highly recommend it). This article builds on much of what Gladwell details. Fascinating reading.
Moodle
Quote: "Moodle is a software package for producing internet-based courses and web sites (including this one)."
Comment: Moodle is receiving quite a bit of attention on various elearning websites, though it has been around for a while. Looks neat (and it's free). One blogger referred to it as an LCMS...at first glance, it seems to be more of an LMS.
Shyness and the Internet
Quote: "Perhaps you feel awkward when someone asks you a personal question. Or, like a growing number of Americans, you spend too much time analyzing your social performance after you come home from a party.
The condition is known as plain old shyness, but its incidence is on the rise -- setting off a debate over whether technology is contributing to the problem, or offering a potential cure."
Comment: Introduces a new term ("electronic extroversion") to describe the dichotomy of many student's face-to-face confidence versus their more bold online presence. Many educators have noted that it is easier to draw students into dialogue online than in a classroom. According to this article, this is a problem. Students are beginning to use the Internet to escape the need to resolve their shyness in physical environments.
Being on vacation (and having no life), I've had the opportunity to dig through elearning files and folders. Reviewing months worth of links and articles in several days affords a more "global" view of elearning trends versus reading the articles on a daily basis. So, here is a list of some of the emerging/expanding "big trends" (as measured by amount of articles on each subject over the last several months)"
From Steve's Head
The E Team - Installment 1
One of the things I love about vacationing in another country is how many of my preconceptions and assumptions are blown to smithereens by the experience. Even though I should know better, I went away this time with the idea that I was going to a society that is quite similar to my own - G7, highly industrialized, etc. While it wasn't as big a shock as some of my other travels (Poland in the 1980s, Thailand/Hong Kong - which despite the massive culture shock in both cases helped to produce some of my best-loved travel memories...), there were enough differences between Canada and Italy to help remind me that my assumptions are just that - assumptions. The only thing that they accurately reflect is my particularly skewed view of the world.
When I returned to my life and my day job here in Winnipeg and started leafing through the stack of articles which I use to create this weekly column, selecting and discarding items based on the particular filters that I bring to the table, I came upon the earth-shattering realization that even though I am working in the field of e-learning, I can't really assume to understand the nature of all of the different areas of this field - well, I can, but I'll probably be off the mark by a fair bit. We're all part of something I've called the "E Team" (yes, it's a corny play on the corny 1980s A Team TV show - I like pop culture, what can I say???), but the issues, requirements, constrictions, and possibilities that we face in our respective areas often vary significantly. In most of my columns to date, I've examined areas that I've worked in directly or that I'm interested in - all based on the focus of my daily existence (well, at least my career-based existence), which revolves around development and design of courses and programs. Perhaps it is time for a change of pace, a virtual vacation, a...well, you get the picture.
As a result, I thought I would focus the next several columns on three of the major groups in the e-learning field - administrators, instructors, and learners and focus in on some of the issues, needs, opportunities that face people in these respective areas. Hopefully, these articles will also allow the rest of us a glimpse into a part of the e-learning world that we may not experience on a regular basis - that's right...just because these aren't materials which directly relate to your regular work, explore them anyway...be brave...take the plunge... We start this whirlwind tour with a look at some administration-related articles.
Getting Administrators up to Speed
Quote: "Administrative support is a key factor in the success of any kind of school reform, particularly reform dealing with the integration of technology into instruction. The release of the Technology Standards for School Administrators in the fall 2001, and grant and award opportunities increasingly targeting administrative training in this area...underscore growing concerns that school leaders improve their professional practice through training in the use of digital-age tools."
Comment: We've gotten to the point where we acknowledge the value of training instructors and students how to succeed in online courses. I am amazed that we have not heard more about training administrators to successfully implement and manage new technology in educational institutions; regardless of whether we are in the ranks of students, instructors, or administrators, rarely are we visionary enough to immediately see the value of a new technology and know instinctively how to use it in our daily lives. This article presents three programs designed for such administrative training. It also seems to indicate that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a good funding source to approach if you are planning such a training program...
How MIT's OpenCourseWare Will Change E-Learning
Quote: "Strikingly bold in its scope and simplicity, this initiative promises to have major effects on education in general and e-learning in particular...The OCW initiative may greatly affect other colleges and universities, for-profit e-learning suppliers, and other deliverers of education worldwide. The existence of OCW means that other leading institutions will feel pressure either to imitate MIT or to develop alternative approaches..."
Comment: I remember several years ago, the prevailing wisdom was that post secondary instructors were going to get rich because of the value of course content needed for courses going online. The pending goldrush was quickly derailed by MIT's sudden announcement that it was working to place all of its course content on the Internet - available for anyone to use. This rather bold move by MIT instructors and administrators helped to underline the fact that content is but one important part of a solid online course. The dust has far from settled as to how this move will impact other institutions, but this article outlines some of the potential outcomes and effects of OCW on both post secondary institutions and e-learning.
eCommerce Comes Slowly to the Campus
Quote: "Across the country over the past two months, newly arriving college students have been offered a wide array of eCommerce and eService options from the commercial enterprises - banks, credit card firms, and long distance providers, among others - that want their business and their loyalty. Students can easily and securely access their bank and credit card accounts on the Web, or check on their long distance bills. Yet many do not have access to parallel services - online transcripts, registration, financial account or financial aid information."
Comment: This article presents a state of the industry overview of e-commerce in American post secondary education, as well as identifying the challenges presented by current budget constraints.
Campus Portals: Future Hope, Past History, or More Hype?
Quote: Just as the white-hot boom of the dot.com economy has been replaced by a more circumspect approach to e-commerce, so has the campus portal market retrenched with revised business plans, the demise of some early providers, and the continued consolidation of others. In this more cautious time, what is the value and future for campus portals? Given the economic constraints placed upon higher education and the developing concerns regarding tuition increases, should campuses continue to create, develop, and implement portals?"
Comment: Can portals provide a valuable service in an educational setting? The answer, according to this article is, that depends on whether you do your research and think through what you want to achieve by creating a portal. An overview of the major types of portals is provided, and valuable contributions portals can provide for students and staff are identified. The article lists several examples of successful academic portals you can visit.
Online Learning Hotspots
Listing of various online resources...particularly focus on accessibility.
Making Online Information Accessible
Quote: "When providing online information or instruction, Web authors should ensure that their Web pages are accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities. For individuals with sensory, motor, or cognitive disabilities, computers can provide equal access to the same types of information and online courses that people without these disabilities enjoy."
Technology, Professional Development and Changing Practice
Quote:"When I asked teachers why they weren't using their computers, they told me they were afraid students would break them."
Comment: Noticed this link recently on Ray's Blog. The concept of why educational technology is not incorporated into classrooms to a greater degree is fascinating (well, I guess that would depend on the person...).
Pomoting Elearning
Quote: "eLearning is still new and organizations must reach out to employees and encourage them to try learning online. This takes much more than a company-wide e-mail. The training, human resources, IT and marketing departments must work together using the expertise of each department to craft unified messages that draw employees in to look at this new way of learning."
Comment: Elearning is new to most people. It needs to be marketed across an organization to ensure success. I heard a speaker from SaskTel detail the process they went through to communicate elearning...took much time and planning...and apparently it was successful...their elearning gets used.
Why don't we Collaborate?
Quote: "So why isn't everyone using it? [Collaboration]...Collaborating means climbing down from your perch up the org chart and being treated as an equal...collaborative software requires people to change their work habits."
Comment: Collaboration is one of those ideas that is great in concept...but loses it's shine in reality. Why? Most of us define value from who we are and what we do. To collaborate means that we need to change not only our work habits, but also how we value ourselves - and that is no easy task!
Privacy
Quote: "More than 14 million Americans are under continual electronic surveillance by their employers, who not only watch e-mail, chats, and Web traffic but also look into employee files...Most of the time, however, companies watch their workers hoping to nip problems in the bud."
Comment: This article is in the theme of an article I posted last week on privacy. Once again, this is a good read, offering many practical suggestions for keeping protecting your privacy. Quite often, however, the problem with privacy is not "them" (you know, the government, the corporations, the other evil empires) - the problem lies with employees/consumers who aren't cautious and misuse/abuse the Internet. For some, all it takes is a promise of a "free car!" or "new anti-aging cream", and they cough up all kinds of personal data. Common sense applies whether using the corporate intranet...or purchasing a product online...
Integrating Functional Skills into Web Courses
Quote: "I had to find a way of combining functional skills with Web-based instruction that would measure performance and learning outcomes for the hands-on components of technical courses."
Comment: I completely agree with the basic premise of this article - technical skills can be taught online (preferably when combined with a face-to-face component). I've taught a dining room skills course online several times. The theory behind the skills is delivered online...and practical skill assessment is done in person - more convenient for the student and the instructor.
I had a quick look at the course the author designed (passwords are included in the article). I'm not impressed. The course looks hastily designed, and lacks instructional design. The same course could have been moved online, without much extra time, if an instructional design model would have been followed...and the result would be a better learning experience. Perhaps I'm cynical because the author writes about a field that I instruct in...(Important point to consider - as solid as the concepts the author writes about, the course falls short. I guess it is easier to voice philosophies than it is to live by them...hmm...note to self :)
Techknowlogia
Good resource site...publishes a series of papers quarterly. Need to register a password to access the articles. In case you care: "TechKnowLogia is an international online journal that provides policy makers, strategists, practitioners and technologists at the local, national and global levels with a strategic forum."
Computer Human Values
Quote: "Computers have enabled cultures and individuals to express themselves in new and unexpected ways, and have enabled businesses to transform how, where, when and even what business they do. However, this rosy outlook has come at a price. Computers have become more frustrating to use. In fact, the more sophisticated the use, the application, the interface and the experience, the more important it is for computers and other digital devices to integrate fluidly into our already-established lives without requiring us to respond to technological needs. Also, the wider-spread these devices, the more socially-agile they need to be in order to be accepted."
Comment: Good points made here...technology needs to be nearly non-existent in the eyes of the user in order for it to be adopted widely. How does this relate to elearning? Course planning and design should start and end with the student. Difficult login, confusing navigation, lots of plug ins, many different tools for new "onliners" (i.e. using chat, white board, discussion, e-groups, etc. in intro online courses) make for an overwhelming environment for students. Technology should be an enabler of learning...not a barrier.
From Steve's Head
From Italy With Copyright?!?!?
Hi Everyone!
Yes, I'm finally back from my whirlwind vacation in Italy (yep, 3 1/2 weeks is still whirlwind in my mind). As it has been more than a month since I last wrote, I'm hoping that George will be more tolerant of my extensive ramblings than usual, since I would like to share some of my findings from my trip:
Rome has enough historical sights and works of art to dull anyone's senses. I still can't believe I wandered through the Vatican Museums, blithely thinking to myself, "oh yeah, and here's another collection of 2000 year old Greek sculptures...more sarcophagi...just another amazing mosaic...uh huh...moving right along..."
The inhabitants of Scilla, Calabria (where I spent about 2 weeks) are incredibly resilient - despite once-every-century earthquakes and tidal waves, they keep building back - then again, if you could see the view, you'd probably better understand why...
Sicily is beautiful (and boy, can Sicilians cook!!!!!)
Italian drivers are not as wild as they seem - after a few days, I was easily bobbing and weaving through street traffic without a scratch...I never did get brave enough to test out the Vespa and moped drivers, though. :-)
I have no limit as to how many cannoli I can cram down my throat in 3 weeks' time! Luckily, I had to walk up 25 sets of steep stairs (I kid you not - the upper town in Scilla, where the stores and pastry shops were located, is accessible by car or by these numerous sets of stairs...some sort of ancient Italian "Buns of Marble" workout routine, I'm sure... :-) )
The taste that I will miss most, out of all of the amazing stuff I ate during this time, is Sicilian blood orange juice - if you see any of this stuff anywhere - buy it, try it, you will not be disappointed!
The Internet was never working in Scilla - I can't believe I actually began to miss e-mail after a while!
Italians are incredibly gracious and generous - no matter how busy or rushed they were, despite the fact that I spoke little Italian and most likely butchered the little bit I tried to speak, everyone I approached was willing to stop, try and answer my questions, and try really hard that to ensure that I understood what information they were trying to get across. If I will come away with one lasting impression from this trip, it's this image of the Italian people.
So now that I'm back, I guess I have to get down to business...I've been saving this topic for some time, and seeing as I'm good and rested, I thought I'd provide some nice light summer reading ...about copyright! Shortly before I left for Italy, I had the pleasure of presenting a workshop together with George at the AMTEC conference in Regina. While at the conference, one of the presenters that I had the good fortune to hear was Wanda Noel, expert on Canadian copyright law and legal counsel for the Coucil of Ministers of Education on copyright matters. The Canadian government is preparing to update its copyright laws to reflect the impact of the Internet. Ms. Noel has been involved extensively in consultations with parliamentary committees and public hearing to try to ensure that the amendments are fair to users of copyright material as well as to the creators of the material. Her message to educators was make time and meet with your member of parliament - soon - in order to ensure that educational copyright needs are not ignored in these revisions. The only way that educators' voices will be heard is if educators from across the country actually speak up!
During her session, Ms. Noel was recruiting people willing to take this message to their political representatives. If you are interested in finding out more about how you can play a meaningful role, please e-mail Ms. Noel - if you want to read a little more about copyright issues in Canadian education, check out Copyright Matters, also written by Ms. Noel. And now, here's a few additional articles regarding copyright issues.
Key Case Restores Copyright Balance
Quote: "When sorting through complex copyright issues, many commentators advocate a return to first principles. In the United States, that means going back to the beginning -- to the constitution that features a copyright clause. It gives Congress the power to grant authors and inventors exclusive rights in their work for a limited time, so as to promote the progress of science and the arts...Since the Canadian constitution does not contain a similar clause, it has been left to the legislatures and courts to develop Canadian copyright first principles."
Comments: It's interesting to see how a law suit involving an art poster may have implications for digital copyright reform. How? Read on...
Backers of Distance Education Worry That a Copyright Bill May Die in the House
Quote: "College administrators are worrying that Congress, preoccupied with terrorism and the economy, won't get around to completing legislation that would give online education some of the same copyright exemptions that traditional courses have. Although the bill moved quickly through the Senate this summer, it has since been stalled in a House of Representatives committee."
Comments: It's a little old, but this piece provides a brief overview of elearning copyright issues faced by educators south of the border.
Setting Online Works Free Doesn't Please Everyone
Quote: "In the swirling debate over digital rights and intellectual property, Brahm Cohen ran into a surprising discovery as he developed a new software program in the past year: It's an uphill battle to convince people that individuals can make their work freely available over the Internet, available for folks to use however they want without any obligations."
Comments: Free, restrictions-free software available. Sounds good? Apparently, people were unwilling to use the software in question because there was "not enough legalese" on the program - people wanted more restrictions! Apart from underscoring the incredible fear present in our increasingly litigious societies (hard to see how the U.S. can be considered increasingly litigious...is there any room left?!?), this article introduces readers to organizations such as the Creative Commons.
How Copyright Became Controversial
Quote: "How did copyright become controversial? In a phrase, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Although many of the legal controversies that have swirled since its October 1998 passage trace their roots to other elements of copyright law, the DMCA created a new feature in copyright law that has crystallized why so many academics, librarians, computer users, and technology entrepreneurs object to what they regard as the overreaching nature of copyright law."
Comments: Guess which side of the fence Drew Clark is on regarding the DMCA? Is it an easy read? Not likely. Is it an interesting read? Despite it's heavy, complicated nature (well, I found it to be heavy and complicated, but copyright law is not my fortι), I thought it was interesting. Clark openly identifies his position and also presents a variety of views on the DMCA. If you are interested in learning about the creation, implementation, and effects of controversial copyright legislation, read on!