tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030Wed, 22 Dec 2010 07:23:39 +0000this is the spot for parking ideas, resources, and links about e-learning and distance learning based on my vantage pointhttp://dlviews.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)Blogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-2531704098211422438Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:25:00 +00002010-07-09T09:25:10.019-05:00From George Siemens - commentary on the way things are.  And as usual, I agree with Siemens, so in the sincerest form of flattery, I encourage you to read his full commentary but was particularly interested in sharing the following.  Areas of emphasis are mine.elearnspace › Well Played, BlackboardBlackboard’s purchase marks an important shift in trajectory – even maturation – for the LMS http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/07/commentary-blackboard-purchase-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-8163775805586994783Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:08:00 +00002010-07-01T10:08:56.976-05:00What had been a lively discussion among distance education professionals has now gained a little steam and moves into a more mainstream media outlet - no doubt to draw some attention from more folks in academe.  Just passing this blurb from the Chronicle of Higher Education along as example of the conversation.Texas A&M's Restructuring Stirs Debate Over Best Way to Run Online Programs - Wired http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/07/organizing-for-distance-education.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-3465316596792485600Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:47:00 +00002010-06-22T10:47:02.297-05:00From Inside Higher Ed's Steve Kolowich comes this story about yet another study of online versus face-to-face education.  At risk of offending federal bureaucrats (and I have friends who are federal bureaucrats), this sounds an awful lot like a bureau (Education) vs. bureau (NBER) argument.  Or, put in terms to which we can all relate - it's a family argument where no one is likely right.So, http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/06/family-arguments-no-one-wins-ongoing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-8228058963914040392Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:26:00 +00002010-06-18T11:26:42.376-05:00Did everyone sleep through this announcement?  Did we fail to notice this landmark agreement that has the potential to reshape higher education?  And oh yeah, it's distance education related.  Implications: public private partnerships in a new way; education the 'Walmart way'; reaching an unserved population; expanding educational opportunities; exploring the value of higher education for firms http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/06/is-this-biggest-news-in-higher.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-2635537888289745116Tue, 11 May 2010 17:02:00 +00002010-05-11T12:02:48.802-05:00In Crisis, U. of California Outlines a Grand and Controversial Online Learning Plan - Technology - The Chronicle of Higher EducationThe University of California's decision to begin its effort with a pilot research project has also raised eyebrows. The goal is to determine whether online courses can be delivered at selective-research-university standards.Yet plenty of universities have offered http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/05/mayadas-is-funny-man-wry-observations.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-2890526895991806983Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:10:00 +00002010-04-22T10:10:43.007-05:00All interested in higher education and education in general should make note of the following:Census says women equal to men in advanced degrees, yet they still lag behind men in pay | Oregonlive.comWomen are now just as likely as men to have completed college and to hold an advanced degree, part of an accelerating trend of educational gains that have shielded women from recent job losses. Yet http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/04/women-in-higher-educationmake-note.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-1931020710530185645Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:18:00 +00002010-04-20T08:18:06.132-05:00Ning, a great little network creation service, finally moves from free to fully paid.  Nothing wrong with that.  One always wonders how these folks earn a living providing free social network hosting for millions of people anyway.  But the lesson here is for anyone who builds a network:  Better have a backup plan, an escape route, or shell out for the services.  Any of these three options are http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/04/another-reason-institutions-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-6247220548767872870Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:08:00 +00002010-04-09T11:08:37.907-05:00In a case of "there's more here than meets the eye", it appears UT is determining a different direction for system support of distance education.  I'm neither connected enough, nor smart enough, to pretend to understand the full situation.  But I do have a solid understanding of the historic contribution made to higher education by the UT TeleCampus.  As I've commented in several other venues andhttp://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/04/change-is-inevitable-but-sometimes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-3777986840645229549Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:50:00 +00002010-03-04T13:50:08.119-06:00NY Times has an interesting piece consisting of interviews with key educators, each of whom takes a position on the question of to whom the benefits of online learning accrue - student or school.  There's a little for everyone in this article.  Worth a read - particularly if you need a good summary of the key issues surrounding the viability and credibility of distance education.College Degrees http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/who-benefits-most-from-online-learning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-7506692263935597521Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:55:00 +00002010-03-02T11:55:00.423-06:00Check out this summary from iParadigms, the maker of Turnitin, which is a plagiarism detection technology.  All I can say is wow!  Really?  Are that many prospective college students copying and pasting their way into school?  I pass no judgment at this point, but if true, this study tells us a lot of what we all don't want to hear.Personal statements attached to university applications should behttp://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/under-category-of-you-see-this.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-5896791647334568228Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:41:00 +00002010-02-11T10:41:16.052-06:00I'm happy to share this excellent, but very simple, UStream video share of a live university event.  In this case, it's a tuition hearing - but the event is not the point.  What's important here is that the event is broadcast in real time and available for students off campus either live or as an archived video.  What an excellent effort using a common tool and inexpensive equipment.  My http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/02/real-outreach-to-students-simply-well.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-2350102657716678369Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:11:00 +00002010-01-05T13:11:34.065-06:00eLearn: Best Practices - 10 Ways to Ensure Distance Learning Success: "10 Ways to Ensure Distance Learning SuccessBy Cindy Wolfe, University of PhoenixDecember 17, 2009Distance learning students must take a far more active role in learning and accessing information than traditional students in face-to-face classrooms. Written messages or posts from the professor and classmates replace other meanshttp://dlviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/elearn-best-practices-10-ways-to-ensure.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-8866574043476016892Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:40:00 +00002009-10-06T13:40:49.823-05:00Nice article.  Sorry I missed this before.Online Learning: Reaching Out to the Skeptics - Advice - The Chronicle of Higher EducationTeaching is so complex that categorical distinctions—traditional courses are superior; online, inferior; or vice versa—are far too simplistic to take seriously as a basis for institutional decision making.Professionals with many years of experience and a track recordhttp://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/in-defense-of-online-learning-balanced.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-2697508782450306920Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:51:00 +00002009-09-25T11:51:58.055-05:00This is a test of the mobile blogging feature. Sent from my cell phone.http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/09/this-is-test-of-mobile-blogging-feature.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-1132931391483435062Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:57:00 +00002009-09-09T14:57:13.931-05:00In a very insightful interview, Kevin Carey provides a glimpse of several attempts in the direction of innovation in higher education by a private sector, for-profit company.  I'm not talking about publishers or software vendors, the interests of whom are not likely to demand innovation anytime soon. No, this is a genuine attempt to develop an education widget (I use the term with some affection)http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/09/developing-educational-widget.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-7095200459532631217Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:51:00 +00002009-09-03T15:51:26.658-05:00Recently finished and posted the new TWU Adjunct Orientation wiki site. A team of folks worked on this for over a year, but with the development of the orientation as an online wiki, and using collaborative editing and user driven content, we can have a living and breathing orientation that actually gets used and updated by relevant readers and participants. Next step, to turn on the comment http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/09/twu-adjunct-orientation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-8178322202338424350Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:58:00 +00002009-08-03T14:58:24.551-05:00Members of the distance education community are no doubt shocked (and a little embarrassed) by the headlines from Brownsville, Texas in which student employees gained access to the University of Texas - Brownsville learning management system (in this case - Blackboard) to share confidential academic information with fellow students.  In other words - cheating!  ‘Gross academic fraud' at UTB-TSC http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/08/commentary-need-for-intregity.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-5157438964203679117Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:00:00 +00002009-07-27T11:00:12.141-05:00The End in Mind » Deja Vu All Over Again – Blackboard Still Stuck in the Innovator’s Dilemma (Jon Mott's excellent and insightful observations about Blackboard and the status of LMS/CMS products is well worth reading.  I've given a taste of his insight below, but I encourage you to read the entire blog post for it's depth and coherence.Blackboard can still play a leading role in education. But ithttp://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/07/innovator-dilemma-and-diffusion-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-6166027944438704910Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:10:00 +00002009-06-17T09:10:19.084-05:00From the folks at Common Craft - more cool stuff for simple brains like mine.Twitter Search in Plain English - Common Craft - Our Product is ExplanationThis video uses a metaphor of “Twitterville” to illustrate the opportunities to use the Twitter Search feature to find people and information, read news and discover emerging information.http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/twitter-search-in-plain-english-common.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-879235383889509376Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:09:00 +00002009-06-12T08:09:58.075-05:00Very insightful commentary from Matt Culbertson at ASU. Here are some excerpts...Future of education lies online | ASU Web Devil - ASU's Online News SourceThe role of the information gatekeeper isn’t what it used to be. There’s a diminished role of authority regulating the flow of information and decided what content passes forward —and anyone can be a mass-communicating producer and http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/future-of-education-lies-online.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-3365551509701389365Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:25:00 +00002009-06-01T10:28:04.609-05:00The End in Mind » I’ve Seen the Future and the Future is Us (Using Google)From Jon Mott at BYU, a discussion of the new search and semantic web tools put well into context. Of particular note:As we adopt and adapt tools like Twitter and Google Wave to our purposes as learning technologists, we have to change the way we think about managing facilitating learning conversations. We can no longer be http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/end-in-mind-ive-seen-future-and-future.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-2772313927589522047Wed, 27 May 2009 16:16:00 +00002009-05-27T11:16:33.110-05:00offtrack / 27 - Inside Higher EdSome fascinating observations about adjunct instruction and the implications."Like the rest of higher education, elite universities have grown increasingly reliant on non-tenure-track faculty members. Leaders of those institutions are frequently unaware of the role played by adjuncts or how they have come to make up a larger share of the teaching force. The causes http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/05/inside-higher-ed-impact-of-adjunctsan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-8614144717033957772Wed, 13 May 2009 21:24:00 +00002009-05-13T16:24:58.072-05:00Change Magazine - Breaking Higher Education's Iron Triangle: Access, Cost, and QualityPosted using ShareThishttp://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/05/change-magazine-breaking-higher.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-6630383778217906130Mon, 11 May 2009 21:30:00 +00002009-05-11T16:30:57.046-05:00More from Jon Mott at BYU...The End in Mind » A Post-LMS Manifesto"While LMS providers are making laudable efforts to incrementally make their tools more social, open, modular, and interoperable, they remain embedded in the classroom paradigm. The paradigm—not the technology—is the problem. We need to build, bootstrap, cobble together, implement, support, and leverage something that is much more http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/05/thoughts-on-bb-and-angel-acquisition.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174030.post-2408616404956396540Mon, 11 May 2009 14:55:00 +00002009-05-11T09:55:28.645-05:00This article is good enough that it gets two posts from me!Career Advice: Take a Walk on the Wired Side - Inside Higher EdDon’t believe anyone who tells you that online teaching is easy once you get your course “set.” First of all, it will take you awhile to master the vicissitudes of whatever Web-based program your school uses. I’ve used four now and their logics are about as interchangeable as http://dlviews.blogspot.com/2009/05/more-from-insider-higher-ed-article.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mike Simmons, Ph.D.)0