Jun 8, 2001

We're Educating in Sound Bites Interesting. An author returns to the classroom to see whether there is a problem with education. He concludes that there is: students are willing only to learn in fifteen minute chunks. Does he change his teaching style? No, he concludes it can't be done, and blames the learner for having a short attention span. By John Balzar, L.A. Times, June 8, 2001. Submitted on Jun 8, 2001 [Refer]

Usability.gov Resource for designing usable, useful and accessible web sites. Usability basics, design help, checklists, resources, techniques for server log analysis, statistics and market research, newsletter. Submitted on Jun 8, 2001 [Refer]

Learning Curve Good article that explores some of the frustrations inherent in selecting a learning management system (LMS). Among them: even though companies say they are standards compliant, there are competing sets of standards and no test for compliance. LMS companies are also reluctant to adopt full standards compliance because they would have to abandon proprietary tools and content. And the cost of an LMS has risen dramatically in the last few years. By Steve Alexander, InfoWorld, June 1, 2001. Submitted on Jun 8, 2001 [Refer]

Students Explore Even Newer Media This is very cool - students at the Medill School of Journalism have created four prototype digital tablet applications: a kitchen assistant (the iCook tablet),a virtual sports connection for baseball fanatics at the stadium,a tablet for tourists, and a tablet for golfers on and off the course. The implication, of course, is that context sensitive content can be delivered anywhere and will often be delivered where specific learning or information is required. The class was sponsored by Thomson Multimedia, the division of the education, news and publishing company that manufactures the portable e-book readers. Inside Medill News, June 5, 2001. Submitted on Jun 8, 2001 [Refer]

Online University Scheme Hangs in Balance What is not mentioned in the article - but what I witnessed first hand at anti-Universitas21 demonstrations in Australia - is that Universitas21 is a flashpoint for people worried about the commodification and increasingly corporate nature of education. Universitas21's surface problems may have to do with money, as the article suggests, but it has a much deeper problem, one it shares with many similar ventures (indeed, the whole online learning community is tarred with this same brush): image. Submitted on Jun 8, 2001 [Refer]

Lessons from Open Source: Intellectual Property and Courseware A broad-based discussion of the attitude of universities regarding courseware and copyright. The author argues - and I agree - that universities should look at an open source model for information distribution. By Jan Newmarch, First Monday, June 7, 2001. Submitted on Jun 8, 2001 [Refer]

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