Addressing the lack of reliable electricty in developing areas that is required to power wi fi network - a low cost, solar-powered, standardized WiFi access solution that runs out-of-the-box with no systems integration or power requirements. All that is required is a single source of broadband access
Green WiFi is committed to providing solar powered access to global information and educational resources for developing nation K-12 school children striving for knowledge in a digitally divided world. There are approximately 3 billion people under the age of 15 living in developing nations. 42 percent of the developing world's population is below the age of 15. Green WiFi was founded on the principle that the welfare of our world is dependent, in large part, on providing these children with free and open access to the world's information. Absolutely!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Desire2Learn CEO John Baker is Our Hero
I second Michael Feldstein's observation that Desires2learn's intention to fight Blackbeard on the patent issue rathter than roll over and die is a brave position taht helps us all. As consumers, we would not benefit by desire2learn rolling over and agreeing to pay royalty fees. It would be an admision of acceptance of this crazy patent.
Desire2Learn is dedinitely going to come out of this bruised and battered, worse off financially, and maybe even (unfairly) beaten. It is an enormous public service that they are serving, and deserve all the support and the strength that we in the ed tech arena can muster on their behalf.
I used to work with CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental health) in Toronto when they were deciding on an LMS - it came down to Angel or Desire2Learn (from nearby waterloo Ont.) I remember the execs and trainers from Desire2learn were great people. I wish them and their company al the best in fighting this untoward, unseemly, uncalled for action by Blackboard.
Desire2Learn is dedinitely going to come out of this bruised and battered, worse off financially, and maybe even (unfairly) beaten. It is an enormous public service that they are serving, and deserve all the support and the strength that we in the ed tech arena can muster on their behalf.
I used to work with CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental health) in Toronto when they were deciding on an LMS - it came down to Angel or Desire2Learn (from nearby waterloo Ont.) I remember the execs and trainers from Desire2learn were great people. I wish them and their company al the best in fighting this untoward, unseemly, uncalled for action by Blackboard.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
/Google launches free WiFi in Mountain View
After months of beta testing and anticipation, the Internet giant plans to open up its free, wireless Internet network to Mountain View's 72,000 residents.
The network covers about 90 percent of the city's 12 square miles and offers maximum data-transfer speeds of up to 1 megabit per second -- slightly slower than DSL.
Why is Google doing this? Ahh, because they are an internet company and this is akin to opening up a new storefront for 72,000 customers. Their cost is about a million dollars, a pittance to a company that collected $2.5 billion in revenue for the quarter ending June 30 - and remember ninety-nine percent of that revenue came from online advertising.
Google - come on up to Edmonton!
The network covers about 90 percent of the city's 12 square miles and offers maximum data-transfer speeds of up to 1 megabit per second -- slightly slower than DSL.
Why is Google doing this? Ahh, because they are an internet company and this is akin to opening up a new storefront for 72,000 customers. Their cost is about a million dollars, a pittance to a company that collected $2.5 billion in revenue for the quarter ending June 30 - and remember ninety-nine percent of that revenue came from online advertising.
Google - come on up to Edmonton!
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Web 2.0 is Marxism? Get a Life
Andrew Keen has an article about Web 2.0 on the CBS News website, posted with the inflammatory title Web 2.0 Is Reminiscent Of Marx.
"Just as Marx seduced a generation of European idealists with his fantasy of self-realization in a communist utopia, so the Web 2.0 cult of creative self-realization has seduced everyone in Silicon Valley." Ohhh, scary talk.
Ben Werdmuller ably disputes this nonsense which is probably designed, as he states, " to ellicit a reply from the blogging community and thereby increase Google ranking, ad revenue and columnist name recognition". And that is free enterprise capitalism at work.
"Just as Marx seduced a generation of European idealists with his fantasy of self-realization in a communist utopia, so the Web 2.0 cult of creative self-realization has seduced everyone in Silicon Valley." Ohhh, scary talk.
Ben Werdmuller ably disputes this nonsense which is probably designed, as he states, " to ellicit a reply from the blogging community and thereby increase Google ranking, ad revenue and columnist name recognition". And that is free enterprise capitalism at work.
Apple says Pod is their word!
Apple has laid legal claim to the word “Pod,” arguing that other companies that use the word as part of their product names risk infringing the trademark of its popular iPod music player.
Save me from this hypocritical corporate theft! Words are in common usage until a company wants to lay claim to it as their word??? This copyright foolishness is crazy. What's worse is that they already have the name recognition - podcasting is associated with Ipods, as is innumerable other derivatives of Ipod. Can't they tell when they have a winner it doesn't need protection?
"open the pod bay door, Hal. Sorry Dave, pod is owned by Apple. I can't let you say that Dave."
Save me from this hypocritical corporate theft! Words are in common usage until a company wants to lay claim to it as their word??? This copyright foolishness is crazy. What's worse is that they already have the name recognition - podcasting is associated with Ipods, as is innumerable other derivatives of Ipod. Can't they tell when they have a winner it doesn't need protection?
"open the pod bay door, Hal. Sorry Dave, pod is owned by Apple. I can't let you say that Dave."
Oracle in support of open source Sakai LMS
How loud a message is this for Blackboard? Oracle obviously isn't concerned about any patent action. Free enterprise to the rescue of free and open source learning.
The Sakai Foundation announces that Oracle has become a Sakai Commercial Affiliate.
Oracle plans to assist in the development of the Sakai code, including soliciting requirements and design concepts from the thousands of institutions using Oracle technology and application products. Oracle expects to provide products and services that can integrate with the open source Sakai software, including Oracle� Collaboration Suite, Oracle Personal Portfolio, Oracle�s PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Solutions, and PeopleSoft Enterprise Gradebook. In addition, Oracle intends to join key discussion groups and, in the spirit of the open source community, participate in the planning process for Sakai�s future product roadmaps. "
The Sakai Foundation announces that Oracle has become a Sakai Commercial Affiliate.
Oracle plans to assist in the development of the Sakai code, including soliciting requirements and design concepts from the thousands of institutions using Oracle technology and application products. Oracle expects to provide products and services that can integrate with the open source Sakai software, including Oracle� Collaboration Suite, Oracle Personal Portfolio, Oracle�s PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Solutions, and PeopleSoft Enterprise Gradebook. In addition, Oracle intends to join key discussion groups and, in the spirit of the open source community, participate in the planning process for Sakai�s future product roadmaps. "
Oracle in support of open source Sakai LMS
How loud a message is this for Blackboard? Oracle obviously isn't concerned about any patent action. Free enterprise to the rescue of free and open source learning.
The Sakai Foundation announces that Oracle has become a Sakai Commercial Affiliate.
Oracle plans to assist in the development of the Sakai code, including soliciting requirements and design concepts from the thousands of institutions using Oracle technology and application products. Oracle expects to provide products and services that can integrate with the open source Sakai software, including Oracle� Collaboration Suite, Oracle Personal Portfolio, Oracle�s PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Solutions, and PeopleSoft Enterprise Gradebook. In addition, Oracle intends to join key discussion groups and, in the spirit of the open source community, participate in the planning process for Sakai�s future product roadmaps. "
The Sakai Foundation announces that Oracle has become a Sakai Commercial Affiliate.
Oracle plans to assist in the development of the Sakai code, including soliciting requirements and design concepts from the thousands of institutions using Oracle technology and application products. Oracle expects to provide products and services that can integrate with the open source Sakai software, including Oracle� Collaboration Suite, Oracle Personal Portfolio, Oracle�s PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Solutions, and PeopleSoft Enterprise Gradebook. In addition, Oracle intends to join key discussion groups and, in the spirit of the open source community, participate in the planning process for Sakai�s future product roadmaps. "
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Blackboard and Web 2.0
Barry Dahl attended a merlot conference and reports on Blackboard's plans to move into Web 2.0 world by building the social software funtionalities we already have on the web - as he dryly suggests maybe they'll patent those too -
"All this stuff already exists in multiple forms, so expect them to be filing patents on this stuff any day now, unless they already have (couldn't stop myself). Why would this be a good thing for academia? Why do we want a vendor creating stuff like this where they control it, where they put up barriers to entry? This is totally contrary to the whole concept of Web 2.0 philosophy of no or low barriers to entry. Blackboard 2.0 will have very large barriers such as enormous licensing fees to join the community. University and corporate control over social networking means that the social network will die from neglect. I seriously doubt that students will flock to social networking inside the BB system. BB is a course management tool and not an authoring tool...which it would need to be to be successful in a web 2.0 concept. Finally, I find it really telling that Blackboard is talking about creating things that already exist, and that it will take them 3-5 years to do it."
The walled gardens may become richer,may become more attractive to administrators wanting to "incoporate social software", but it is still a walled garden.
I want to be free! Information wants to be free! Socialization wants to be free! What kind og lifelong learning e-portfolio can a private enterprise corporation offer? Do I want my or my students' personal learning artefacts hostage to a pay service?
"All this stuff already exists in multiple forms, so expect them to be filing patents on this stuff any day now, unless they already have (couldn't stop myself). Why would this be a good thing for academia? Why do we want a vendor creating stuff like this where they control it, where they put up barriers to entry? This is totally contrary to the whole concept of Web 2.0 philosophy of no or low barriers to entry. Blackboard 2.0 will have very large barriers such as enormous licensing fees to join the community. University and corporate control over social networking means that the social network will die from neglect. I seriously doubt that students will flock to social networking inside the BB system. BB is a course management tool and not an authoring tool...which it would need to be to be successful in a web 2.0 concept. Finally, I find it really telling that Blackboard is talking about creating things that already exist, and that it will take them 3-5 years to do it."
The walled gardens may become richer,may become more attractive to administrators wanting to "incoporate social software", but it is still a walled garden.
I want to be free! Information wants to be free! Socialization wants to be free! What kind og lifelong learning e-portfolio can a private enterprise corporation offer? Do I want my or my students' personal learning artefacts hostage to a pay service?
Podcast with care
Michael Allen provides some lively comments about podcasting and the hype that goes with it.
Issue 1 - for workplace learning or educational applications the time to view is "out of work/class" time; rather than refine our messages we expect more time to come out of "personal time"
Issue 2 - it is a telling tool; no interaction
I agree with Michael on this. My eperience with the podcast is tempered by my past with audiotapes. the droning voice of a lecturer, neither edited or instructionally refined, is anathemea to learning.
First I can't interact, but second I am deathly bored and falling asleep until -stop,rewind,play - wow, there's a nugget of information in a sea of rambling. Why didn't they just say that in the beginning or provide in text form? Nattering nabobs...back to sleep I go...
Issue 1 - for workplace learning or educational applications the time to view is "out of work/class" time; rather than refine our messages we expect more time to come out of "personal time"
Issue 2 - it is a telling tool; no interaction
I agree with Michael on this. My eperience with the podcast is tempered by my past with audiotapes. the droning voice of a lecturer, neither edited or instructionally refined, is anathemea to learning.
First I can't interact, but second I am deathly bored and falling asleep until -stop,rewind,play - wow, there's a nugget of information in a sea of rambling. Why didn't they just say that in the beginning or provide in text form? Nattering nabobs...back to sleep I go...
For $1000 prove learning styles work
Will Thalheimer of willatworklearning.com has $1,000 for the course designer who can prove that "an e-learning program that utilizes learning-style information outperform an e-learning program that doesn't utilize such information by 10% or more on a realistic test of learning, even it is allowed to cost up to twice as much to build?
$1,000 says it just doesn't happen in the real-world of instructional design. $1,000 says we ought to stop wasting millions trying to cater to this phantom curse."
I've never put much trust in designing to "learning styles" primarily because I don't agree with the theory, can't find the appropriate measurement tools and I question the cost of development. I think Will's money is safe.
$1,000 says it just doesn't happen in the real-world of instructional design. $1,000 says we ought to stop wasting millions trying to cater to this phantom curse."
I've never put much trust in designing to "learning styles" primarily because I don't agree with the theory, can't find the appropriate measurement tools and I question the cost of development. I think Will's money is safe.
Online Education Free
Jimmy Ruska has compiled this extensive compendium of where you can go to access free educational resources on the web. Check out the great mp3 lectures from UC Berkley
Cyberbullying the newest threat to kids - The Red Tape Chronicles - MSNBC.com
From MSNBC RedTape
"There's good news and bad news out this morning about the dangers facing children when they go online. It appears all the news reports and educational efforts to warn parents and kids about online dangers may be having an impact.
In a study released today by the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, fewer kids report being solicited by strangers online for sex. On the other hand, there is an uptick in kids who report being exposed to unwanted sexual material such as pornographic spam; and there's a sharp rise in something experts call cyberbullying. If you're not familiar with that term, you will be soon."
"There's good news and bad news out this morning about the dangers facing children when they go online. It appears all the news reports and educational efforts to warn parents and kids about online dangers may be having an impact.
In a study released today by the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, fewer kids report being solicited by strangers online for sex. On the other hand, there is an uptick in kids who report being exposed to unwanted sexual material such as pornographic spam; and there's a sharp rise in something experts call cyberbullying. If you're not familiar with that term, you will be soon."
What did Blackboard Invent?
Al Essa has boiled down Michael Feldstein's translation of the patent claims of Blackboard into a neat succinct few paragraphs and diagram. After rephrasing the legalese into plain English it appears Blackboard didn't invent anything, so their patent is frivolous.
Socrates Awarded Patent on Learning Methodology
Cogdogblog announces patent by Socrates that usurps all that Blackboard claims.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
The sky, my friends, is falling and the walls are moving in.
Dave Cormier lets us know how the Blackboard patent foolishness just got a lot bleaker - thanks to his reading of Michael Feldstein comment that Blackboard is also trying to patent ““Content and portal systems and associated methods.” This would pretty much mean anything on the internet that’s associated with anything....AND that the patent action may have deeper systemic causes - primarily the attempt to politically control the net - "shareholders of blackboard includes some rediculously heavy hitters, including the Carlyle Group. ....I did not believe that there was any kind of conspiracy between DOPA, Net Neutrality and the Blackboard filing… I am here to say i’m no longer convinced.
If the next blackboard patent gives them rights over “content and portal systems and associated products” and DOPA cancels the personal voice and expression were talking about kids having in our classrooms and the ’series of tubes’ (net neutrality thingy) makes it so that we have to pay for using bandwidth, essentially allowing the tube owners to turn on and off the taps according to how much big money you have… what, I ask you, is left?
The walls keep moving in.
If the next blackboard patent gives them rights over “content and portal systems and associated products” and DOPA cancels the personal voice and expression were talking about kids having in our classrooms and the ’series of tubes’ (net neutrality thingy) makes it so that we have to pay for using bandwidth, essentially allowing the tube owners to turn on and off the taps according to how much big money you have… what, I ask you, is left?
The walls keep moving in.
No Education Patents! - Home
No Education Patents! - Home
This site presents a reaction of the education community to software patents that threaten our industry.
This site presents a reaction of the education community to software patents that threaten our industry.
Sony Mylo: My Life Online
Sony introduced Mylo, a personal communicator that plays music and supports instant messaging and VoIP communications via services such as Google Talk, eBay’s Skype, and Yahoo Messenger over a Wi-Fi network.
Mylo,“my life online,” includes a directory of Wi-Fi networks across the US, a QWERTY keyboard, and 2.4-inch color LCD screen.
People can store up to 90 of their friends’ instant messaging avatars so they can see who is online whenever they connect via the Skype, Google, or Yahoo instant-messaging services. It also includes an HTML browser,email and Skype. Skype is offering free SkypeOut calls to most regular phone numbers across the U.S. and Canada through the end of the year.
Analysts suggest that the device will appeal to users with ready access to free Wi-Fi hot spots who can fully take advantage of the Mylo’s free calling, instant messaging, and web-surfing capabilities.
“The limitation is that you need an open hot spot to do anything useful,” said Mr. Greengart. “There’s no question that there are open hot spots around, but your proximity to one will determine your likelihood of purchasing the Mylo.”
But with more and more cities starting to offer free wi fi for their citizens, this is the type of device we need. Maybe it could also house a portable, personal e-portfolio?
Mylo,“my life online,” includes a directory of Wi-Fi networks across the US, a QWERTY keyboard, and 2.4-inch color LCD screen.
People can store up to 90 of their friends’ instant messaging avatars so they can see who is online whenever they connect via the Skype, Google, or Yahoo instant-messaging services. It also includes an HTML browser,email and Skype. Skype is offering free SkypeOut calls to most regular phone numbers across the U.S. and Canada through the end of the year.
Analysts suggest that the device will appeal to users with ready access to free Wi-Fi hot spots who can fully take advantage of the Mylo’s free calling, instant messaging, and web-surfing capabilities.
“The limitation is that you need an open hot spot to do anything useful,” said Mr. Greengart. “There’s no question that there are open hot spots around, but your proximity to one will determine your likelihood of purchasing the Mylo.”
But with more and more cities starting to offer free wi fi for their citizens, this is the type of device we need. Maybe it could also house a portable, personal e-portfolio?
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Net Neutrality Dance Video!
Sing and dance for net neutrality! Fight threats with humour and celebrate the regular folk - a ggggreat fun entry by Leslie Hall and her gang of net-thespians.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Blackboard patent - the tipping point?
Stephen Downes offers a great synopsis of the response to the Blackboard patent announcement.
Sadly a volley has been shot across the bow of Desire2learn, that great little Canadian company with an excellent LMS. Blackboard (I almost typed Blackbeard) has served notice to Desire2Learn. And what of Open source tools like Sakai or Moodle? Blackboard seems to be fighting a two pronged battle - direct - fight other LMS providers and - indirect - "instill fear" of litigation among administrators, who will then think twice about promoting open source course management initiatives.
Alfred Essa suggests that " Blackboard's real threat is open source. By filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Desire2Learn Blackboard has at the same time fired a shot across the bow of open source projects such as Moodle, Sakai, and .LRN, which are slowly emerging as disruptive innovations in the elearning space. In the long run Blackboard knows it can't win on product quality or innovation. Therefore, it will exploit patents as its WMD. ... to "win" against open source Blackboard doesn't need to sue existing users or go after open source projects. It just needs to create the Fear of Patent Ligitation among potential adopters. By suing Desire2Learn it has achieved that objective. If your competition can't get any new business, you have effectively eliminated them."
Others have suggested this might prove to be a positive move - that this might be the point of technology disruption that is needed to drive us away from our course based perspective. This is something I believe could be true. Alex Reid suggest that "Blackboard's patent is the evil impetus to move us away from a "course-based system" of 'online courses:' the bad idea that they want to claim as their fundamental intellectual property."
Anyway, Blackboard has stirred up a nest of litigation and will provoke the ed tech community to question their options. Blackboard may well have driven us to that tipping point when we begin to release our learning and learning design from the walled confines of the LMS. Perhaps Blackboard may go down in history as the soothsayer rather than the doomsayer.
Sadly a volley has been shot across the bow of Desire2learn, that great little Canadian company with an excellent LMS. Blackboard (I almost typed Blackbeard) has served notice to Desire2Learn. And what of Open source tools like Sakai or Moodle? Blackboard seems to be fighting a two pronged battle - direct - fight other LMS providers and - indirect - "instill fear" of litigation among administrators, who will then think twice about promoting open source course management initiatives.
Alfred Essa suggests that " Blackboard's real threat is open source. By filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Desire2Learn Blackboard has at the same time fired a shot across the bow of open source projects such as Moodle, Sakai, and .LRN, which are slowly emerging as disruptive innovations in the elearning space. In the long run Blackboard knows it can't win on product quality or innovation. Therefore, it will exploit patents as its WMD. ... to "win" against open source Blackboard doesn't need to sue existing users or go after open source projects. It just needs to create the Fear of Patent Ligitation among potential adopters. By suing Desire2Learn it has achieved that objective. If your competition can't get any new business, you have effectively eliminated them."
Others have suggested this might prove to be a positive move - that this might be the point of technology disruption that is needed to drive us away from our course based perspective. This is something I believe could be true. Alex Reid suggest that "Blackboard's patent is the evil impetus to move us away from a "course-based system" of 'online courses:' the bad idea that they want to claim as their fundamental intellectual property."
Anyway, Blackboard has stirred up a nest of litigation and will provoke the ed tech community to question their options. Blackboard may well have driven us to that tipping point when we begin to release our learning and learning design from the walled confines of the LMS. Perhaps Blackboard may go down in history as the soothsayer rather than the doomsayer.
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