Posted 7:52 PM by George Siemens
The Successful E-Learner
Quotes: "Much has been written about the impact of e-learning on content developers, trainers, and training managers. When the discussion turns to the learners themselves, attention tends to focus on the impact of less travel and less time away from their jobs. A missing piece is an exploration of how learning behaviors need to change when a person is in an e-learning environment...As companies make investments in new learning technologies, a popular justification for doing so is the notion that their employees’ ability to learn quickly can give them a competitive advantage. In order to realize the competitive benefits of e-learning, it is not enough to have world-class content delivered on a world-class platform. Companies need their employees to be world-class learners. Unless they develop in their employees the competencies for successful e-learning, their return on the investment in content and technology will not be realized."
Comment: Lists several competencies in areas of self-direction, meta-cognition, and collaboration. Long term success of elearning is not related to technology, learning objects, standards, etc. Long term success will be determined by organizations that integrate elearning in alignment with strategic goals...and then teach teachers how to teach online...and learners how to learn online...once again - it all happens at the user level.

Posted 8:25 AM by George Siemens
Copyright: Fundamental gap?
Quote: "The cost of content has nothing to do with quality; it has everything to do with the monopolization of supply and the willingness to pay..."
Comment: Short article from Stephen's Web copyright/content (the debate on the "value and role of content" on the Internet is long running and provocative...on the one hand, MIT's OpenCourseWare is making content freely available...and on the other, RIAA (and other organizations - notably in the entertainment industry) are trying to create an online content-based revenue model that reflects traditional structures). Stephen makes the following points:

• Don't use content that requires that you enter the legal morass
  
• Use free content, and don't pay for content unless you must
  
• Don't sign away your own copyright to publishers
  
• Don't depend on content for revenue - it's a fool's game
  
• Look for alternative revenue streams - they exist!
  
• Make your own content available for free (but keep paying your developers)
  
• Express your opposition to a legal regime that makes it cumbersome and expensive to publish even the shortest course