Critical E-Learning Failure: UKeU

The Real Story Behind the Failure of U.K. eUniversity : Link to Article

Lessons to be learned from the failure of the UK e-University - by Paul Bacsich, Middlesex University: Link to Paper (PDF)

After reading the articles for this week's lecture, it would almost seem that the future of E-Learning, and many of the ideas we place into the field of Ed. Tech., are a constant track towards a future of failure. While on a personal note, I don't believe that we're doomed to failure, I believe that we must work to truly change how we as educators instruct our students, for only then can technology become the tool that revolutionizes education in the manner we've desired it to be since the 1920's.

I ran across an interesting article (and later a small paper about the same issue) about the failure of U.K.'s eUniversity. The goal of this eUniversity was something as an undergraduate I found totally intriguing, for the concept of a fully online university seemed truly appealing. I hadn't thought much about the eUniversity until I stumbled across this article, and I'm sad to say, it looks like it failed.

So why did the U.K.'s eUniveristy fail? For many of us who feel that online education still has a bright, if not slow-to-start future, the eUniversity might sound like a grad idea: a national, commercial e-university in which you could take various courses from up to 20 different Universities, offering 40 different programs, and receive your degree from the real college/university campus of choice (assuming you met the stated criteria for its degree program). Without completely ruining the article for you, it came down to many factors, many of which are still the primary issues with our online education not just in the United States, but in our online education offerings at the University of Florida:

• Bad timing for the project start: the "Dot-Com Crash" happened just a few weeks after its project debuted
• The first programs took almost 3 years to get off the ground
• Failed to meet its recruiting target (by Nov 2003, it had only enrolled 900 out of the target goal of 5600)
• Online delivery was presented as an alternative to the traditional campus, instead of the supplement many online programs truly end up being
• Confusion between the "branding" the mainstream U.K. universities offered (which emphasized the three elements of tradition, place, and quality) versus the marketing the UKeU promised: "the best of U.K. higher education with online convenience". - Convenience is NOT favored as a strong part of the image of U.K. higher education abroad.
• Platform Investment:
• CMS available (BlackBoard, WebCT) didn't offer the flexibility needed to integrating into a portal of knowledge and exploration
• Positioned its e-learning as a supplement to the campuses involved
• Not Student Driven - all material was content driven
• Limited the use of "good Pedagogy"
• Millions spent on in-house development of a new platform whose full potential and capabilities may never be known
• Impatience - In development for 3 years with minimal attracted cash support, the company was only able to recruit and enroll students for 1 year. Results were not enough for the few investors that hadn't pulled out, leaving the UKeU doomed to failure.

The UKeU represents what many of us as educators and educational technologists have found out already, entering into the E-Learning environment can not be entered into lightly. It takes much time, planning, resources, creativity, and imagination to make E-Leaning a true, stand-alone success, and not a convenient supplementary learning exercise. After all that we have learned this semester, I feel that we have all learned something that has challenged our pre-dispositions about how easy it is, or should be, to make online education truly work. I know my assumptions have changed, and I constantly find myself re-evaluating my thoughts on how to use Ed Tech. to its fullest potential.

Social Networking for Kids?

As I get ready for work this morning, I had my TV on Cartoon Network (my favorite station), and I noticed a new product I hadn't seen before. They're called Miuchiz, and they come in three different styles:

• Bratz: These big-headed, stylish Bratz girls (from the doll line of the same name) are ready to shop and chat till they drop! (Yasmin, Chloe)
• Pawz: Cute and cuddly pets like dogs and cats need love, attention, and a chance to play! (Dash, Spike)
• Monsterz: Train and battle your favorite monster, compete in competitions, and prove your worthiness! (Inferno, Roc, Creeper)
  

Essentially, they are handheld units that resemble Tamagotchis (for those of us who remember them), but the format is more like a small handheld video game versus the traditional egg-shape of the past. So what do these Miuchiz do? You can train them in battle, care for them, shop at the stores, play games, and more! The handhelds have three different modes:

• 1-player mode: Train, feed, shop, play games, and care for your interactive digital friend
• 2-player mode: Wirelessly chat, trade gifts and items, and compete in games against each other
• Online-mode: Plug your Miuchiz Unit into your computer's USB port, go online (get your parents' permission of course), and visit Planet Mion! Each different type of Miuchiz have their own section of the planet, and once you've arrived, you can explore a 3D world, play games, chat with all the other Miuchiz friends, and download items to your handheld for later use. There also appears to be a common area of the planet where you can join forces, make friends, and enjoy everyone from the various Miuchiz character universe.
  

While these Miuchiz might be just a new fad in the digital companion universe, this is the first one I've seen touting the true interconnectivity to be with your friends online no matter where you are. They truly push and encourage the sense of an online community with these pets. As far as I can tell, the main difference between these Miuchiz handhelds is the avatars you can take care of, and the environment style that they exist in while they are contained within the handheld unit. I'm almost tempted to pick one up and see if they're worth the hype.

A quick look at online retailers like Target.Com, Amazon.Com, and ToysRUs.com, Walmart.com, shows that these units cost between $24.88-$29.99, and that each unit contains a specific character from the different Miuchiz lines (Monsterz, Pawz, Bratz). New characters should be released around January 2007. Purchasing/registering your handheld online entitles you to a free-year's subscription to all the Miuchiz content, and additional renewals and other items can be obtained for a small, undisclosed fee.

Does anyone have children or know of big kids like myself who might enjoy one of these, or be tempted to pick one up and see what the hype is about?

PS3 Lines already forming in America?!?!

Referenced Article: Found on SlashDot and Video Game Blogger

I like to consider myself an avid gamer, at least when I had more time on my hands. I eagerly await the launch date of the next-gen console or game as much as the next guy or gal. And on launch day, I have been known on occasion to arrive at one of my favorite bastions of electronic retailing around midnight of the release day, usually with a couple friends or a sleep-deprived girlfriend, in tow.

But with the PS3's launch day, Friday, November 17th, 2006, only 9 days away, there are already reports of people camping out in front of Best Buy in anticipation of the launch and getting the first shiny consoles of the shelves. I'm sure some would call that dedication, and many would love to relive the glorious tales of adventure that await outside the storefront of a Best Buy at all hours of the night with only one's laptop, cell phone, and a cooler's supply of food quickly dwindling away. But me...I think it borderlines on ludicrous.

The PS3 base model retails for $500, and the premium model (or whatever its being called now) will retail for $600, both before taxes, the purchase of a game ($60+, and no, the system doesn't come with any game included, save maybe a small demo disc), and the all important second controller ($40 I believe). You could easily drop a grand of cold hard cash or plastic for this machine's launch day, and I know many that are willing to do so. But how do these people manage to get the time off of work, put their lives on hold, or avoid the economic reality of it all, to camp out in front of a store for a console they could have pre-ordered online from MANY retailers, just to have the bragging rights to say "Yep, I was there, took the first system of the shelf, and plopped down on the couch in front of the TV before 9:05am for my first game of NCAA2007 for the PS3."

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE VIDEO GAMES! But as much as I really love them, and eagerly anticipate the launch of the next-gen consoles (the Nintendo Wii all the way, baby!), would any of you do this? Would any of our professors, co-workers, and peers understand and appreciate that we were MIA for 9+ days waiting for the PS3, and be like, "Bryan, I understand, the PS3 is important to your life and your success, you go right ahead and get in line for it, we'll be ready for your return when the time is right."

I guess what I'm really trying to ask is, would anyone like to meet me at Target on Thursday, November 16th, after Dr. Dawson's class, and camp out in the Nintendo Wii line, as we gawk at the PS3 crowd? :)

Firefox 2.0 Released

Although it was released late in the afternoon/evening of October 24th, 2006, I still felt it important to mention it for those that weren't aware of the new release of this awesome web browser. Some of the highlights of this new version include:

• A refreshed user interface (in both graphic and option layout)
• More flexible and intuitive Tabbed browsing management
• Anti-phising/scam protection features
• The ability to read RSS feeds as live bookmarks, or subscribe a RSS feed to their favorite aggregator
• Inline spell checking

For more information on the Firefox 2.0 version, view the Release Notes.

As always, you can also download this web browser on any platform for free by visiting the Firefox web site.

Edit: This post was originally posted on October 25th, 2006 at approximately 8:06am. It was reposted on October 31st, 2006 around 11:15pm, when I noticed the original post was no longer showing.

Paradigm Examples

Behaviorism:

Behavorism can be defined as "an approach to psychology based on the proposition that behavior can be studied and explained scientifically without recourse to internal mental states." - Wikipedia.com

Simply stated, the behaviorism theory believes that learning occurs when associations are made between stimulus and response. By starting with simple concepts, one can build upon pre-existing knowledge and gain a mastery over the information presented.

Flood: http://pbskids.org/lions/wolf/flood2.html

This simple (and slightly long to load) game from the PBS.org website teaches children how to form associations between various words or themes by having them organized into groups of three books to be placed on a shelf. The game's concept: the library is flooding, and we must get all of our books onto a shelf, organized by a concurrent theme. The learner is presented with 5 books at a time, but only 3 books can fit on shelf. The learner must then chose the books that have a common theme and place them on a shelf. A hint system can help guide learners should they become lost or confused. The game starts out simple (matching numbers), but then the challenges get progressively harder in this 100+ round game! With positive reinforcement from a cute (if slightly annoying) narrating mouse, the game is definitely fun, although perhaps a bit repetitive on the later levels.

Cognitivism:

Cognitivism can be defined as “a theoretical approach to understanding the mind, which argues that mental function can be understood by quantitative, positivist and scientific methods, and that such functions can be described as information processing models.” - Wikipedia.com

Jigsaw Sudoku: http://www.jigsawdoku.com/

While most are familiar with the craze of Sudoku and its rise to fame, the effects on cognitive ability, learning, and retention are now being studied, at least to some degree. Apparently one's lifestyle can have a direct impact on our cognitive abilities and their retention even into old age. - American Society on Aging

This online variant of Sudoku allows you to chose the type of tile to solve (numbers, pictures, letters), various puzzle sizes, and difficulty level. Perhaps Sudoku will begin to be hailed as a mental improvement exercise, instead of a pastime your boss will yell at you for!

Synthesizing ID's Psychology and Epistemology (Chapters 4 & 6)

Thanks to the suggestion of my classmates, I was introduced to a cool graphic creator and organizer named Gliffy (http://www.gliffy.com/). To help me better synthesize my learning, I have created a graphic representation of my thoughts on the topics of importance from these two chapters. Let me know if you have any trouble viewing the image:

Just in case the small thumbnail on the right doesn't show the full-sized image when you click on it, here's a direct to the file in a .jpg or .png format:

Ch4,Ch6 Synthesis (JPG)
Ch4,Ch6 Synthesis (PNG)

Defining Instructional Design and Technology

For one of our first assignments, we were asked to come up with our own definition for our field.

My initial definition for Instructional Design and Technology would be:

"The analysis, design, and implementation of technology, through the application of ethical practices and studies, to facilitate improvements in the fields of learning and human (personal) performance."

While this definition is a bit cumbersome, I still prefer it to the textbook's paragraph long definition. On a side note, I still prefer the term for our field/career as Educational Technology/Educational Technologists. Perhaps I will learn to adapt to this newly proposed title...time will see.