e-Literate

Present is Prologue

Tag: James-Dalziel

  • What We Don’t Know About Learning Analytics

    Long-time e-Literate readers know that I have been a fan of the concept of learning analytics for a number of years now. But it became apparent at this year’s Learning Impact conference that learning analytics are the new hotness. Everybody is talking about them, and increasing numbers of vendors (LMS vendors, ERP vendors, textbook vendors, etc.) are trying to figure out how to get in on the party.

    Which means it’s probably time to start asking some critical questions about how well we really understand learning analytics and where the potential for failure and disappointment might be.

    (more…)

  • Call for LAMS Conference Papers Extended

    I just got a note from James Dalziel letting me know that the deadline for papers for the LAMS conference (in Sydney) has been extended to August 9th (my birthday!). If you haven’t yet checked out the Learning Activity Managment System, then go out right away and either get a trial account or download and install it on your own computer. (It’s easy.)

    If you are familiar with LAMS, then start working on your boss to spring for the trip to Sydney and consider proposing a paper. Conference details are here.

  • Speaking at AACE Ed-Media Next Month

    I’ll be participating in the Association for Advancement of Computing in Education‘s Ed-Media 2006 Conference on James Dalziel‘s panel as part of the Learning Management Systems Symposium. Here’s the description of the panel:

    It only took a decade for the LMS to go from being a good idea to being a software system used by most universities. But does the LMS have a certain future? Growing challenges may soon disrupt the existing marketplace � these include:

    • Frustration among many leading LMS users with the slow pace of pedagogical innovation by LMS vendors;
    • Ongoing difficulties in integrating other products into LMS platforms;
    • The rise of other major learning technologies such as Repositories, Learning Content Management systems, Assessment systems, Virtual Classrooms and Learning Design systems;
    • New approaches to building software based on a “Service Oriented Architecture/Approach” (SOA); and
    • The increasing impact of open source software, and open standards.

    Perhaps the greatest challenge may arise from a fundamental shift away from LMSs as the central “platform” for learning. An alternative vision for Learning Platforms is growing around the concept of an overarching portal system that integrates various specialist learning systems (such as repositories, learning design, etc) into a composite learning systems framework (sometimes called a Learning Management Operating System � LMOS). This session will explore current and future challenges for LMSs, how LMSs may respond, and alternative visions for Learning Platforms.

    I’ll be able to post the transcript of my paper after the proceedings are published.