Via Stephen Downes, is this post by Michael Feldstein that Blackboard (aka BlackWeb) has been granted a US patent on the learning management system (LMS). My initial reaction was indignation that a greedy corporation was once again trying to stifle innovation in education. Then I read Brent Schlenker’s reaction to my post on the lack [...]
Filed under: Learning, Technology | 16 Comments »
I’ve previously discussed the use of open source for the learning sector as well as the business models that could work for learning applications. Matt Asay has posted his OSCON presentation on open source business models that shows how the field has developed and how different projects are at various levels of maturity.
Now if you [...]
Filed under: OpenSource | 5 Comments »
Our next informl learning unworkshop, hosted by Jay Cross, with Judy Brown and myself, starts next week. We’re pretty close to full but there is room for a few more people. If you’re interested, check it out now, as the first session is on Tuesday August 1st.
This will be slower-paced than the last unworkshop, [...]
Filed under: Learning | No Comments »
Federal Computer Week (FCW) reports how the US Army is implementing knowledge management at the operational and tactical level. Here is a prime example:
In this particular case, Iraqi insurgents placed an IED [improvised explosive device] behind a poster with anti-American slogans. A soldier noticed that the poster looked different from others he had observed, so [...]
Filed under: Performance Improvement | 1 Comment »
I’ve noticed that several companies in the Province are advertising for jobs, ranging from translators to e-learning project managers.
Here are some companies currently advertising full-time and contract positions:
Desire2Learn - Moncton
PulseLearning - Fredericton
VitesseLearning - Fredericton
Red Hot Learning - Fredericton
I guess the economy is doing well.
Filed under: Learning, Work | 5 Comments »
From NineShift is this interesting statistic:
Corporate offices in New York City grew to 602 last year from 274 in 1990. But while the head office is moving to New York, the average number of jobs in those head offices declined to 78 from 127. All the other employees are staying in cheaper locations. The NineShift [...]
Filed under: Commons | 2 Comments »
Dave Weinberger links to this report on what may be an indicator of the future structure of academia:
Ninety-nine “top” Harvard professors are calling for the ceation of a new coordinating committee with the power to hire 75 science faculty for research that doesn’t fit comfortably within a single established discipline, according to an article in [...]
Filed under: Learning | No Comments »
A while back I was asked to evaluate some learning management systems and part of the project required a price comparison. Costs over five years, for 5,000 users averaged $370,000 for the proprietary systems.
At the time, there were not a lot of open source services providers (which I had suggested was a good business model). [...]
Filed under: OpenSource | 3 Comments »
Is informal learning just another flavour of the month that tries to be all things for all learners? Tony Karrer states that:
I’m becoming convinced that folks in the informal learning realm are quite willing to live with “free range” learning. It’s way too touchy-feely and abstract for me. If this stuff is important, then I [...]
Filed under: Informal Learning, Performance Improvement | 9 Comments »
Note: Some may consider this post as overt self-advertising, as I’ll explain why you should hire me, or my free-agent colleagues, instead of a name-brand consulting firm.
Many free-agents are also natural enterprises, not encumbered by the need for constant growth. I’ve worked as a sub-contractor on bids from large corporations who need my skills for [...]
Filed under: Work | 1 Comment »
