Hmmm…
Anyhoo, as you’ll know if you’re a regular reader of the E-Learning Curve Blog, I do more than just author this modest contribution to life online: this site links to my e-learning consultancy website (Michael Hanley Consulting), and to my two podcast services; the E-Learning Curve Podcast is (unsurprisingly) about technology in education, and the Other One, which is about
subjects that interest me but are not e-learning-related (but are probably educational). Some of the topics I’ve covered include the Golden Age of Aviation, music, and architecture, to name but a few.
I’m delighted – and very, very honoured – to tell you that the E-Learning Curve Blog has been shortlisted for the Best Elearning / Corporate Education Edublog 2010 at this year’s Edublogs awards.
If you’re an e-learning person, you are probably familiar with Edublogs.org; just in case you haven’t had the opportunity to explore the site, Edublogs has been hosting blogs and providing custom blogging platforms to individual teachers, school districts and hundreds of thousands of students since 2005. Over the last half a decade, they have grown to become the largest, most trusted, best supported and widely used way for teachers and students to engage with the world of blogging.
Indeed, back when I was a blogging newbie I had an E-Learning Curve Blog mirror hosted on Edublogs. One of the aspects of Edublogs I really liked was that it enabled me to learn the craft – some would say the ‘black art’ of blog authoring – in a user-friendly, community-based, collaborative environment. Being an advocate of Open Source, I also thoroughly approve of it being based on the WordPress CMS platform.
Good luck to everyone nominated in each of the twenty three categories in this year’s awards.
Especially me…
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December 07 2010 | e-learning | Comments Off
I might not have been able to make it to DevLearn this year, but that doesn’t stop me keeping my finger on the pulse of e-learning! One of the sponsors of this year’s event contacted me a few days ago about attending a launch and demo of a new e-learning marketplace, and as I think that it’s quite innovative, I thought I’d share it with you.
Now read on…
One of the sponsors of this year’s event is Portland-based OpenSesame, an organization with a timely business model. The company is an open marketplace connecting purchasers of 
e-learning content (e.g. corporate learning officers) with an extensive library of courses provided by a wide range of content creators. Whether companies choose to commission custom courses or purchase off-the-shelf content, shopping for e-learning courses is costly and time-consuming.
The OpenSesame marketplace will dramatically simplify this process by enabling companies to find, research and purchase off-the-shelf courses in a single place.
According to OpenSesame co-founder and general manager Josh Blank,
OpenSesame allows anyone to buy or sell elearning courses without the headache of complicated pricing and implementation. This community allows content developers and business professionals to connect in a secure environment, with no strings attached.
The founders of OpenSesame developed the concept after many years in the LMS industry listening to customers discuss the hassles involved in obtaining quality content for their training programs.
Don Spear, co-founder and CEO of OpenSesame continues,
Over the past decade, we have developed significant insight into the e-learning industry. We understand the major pain-points experienced by content developers and purchasers from first-hand experience. Whether you’re a developer looking to publish courses or a training director in need of content for your LMS, OpenSesame makes buying and selling e-learning as easy as downloading a song from iTunes.
The OpenSesame marketplace connects content developers with potential purchasers of e-learning courseware. Developers can sell previously-built or newly-created content to multiple buyers while maintaining security, control and centralized management of their intellectual property. The OpenSesame marketplace enables content developers to connect with new customers, no matter where the buyers are located or what LMS they use. Additionally, OpenSesame’s proprietary technology ensures that courses cannot be downloaded or re-sold without the developer’s permission.
Buyers can quickly browse courses on a variety of subjects, from workplace safety to specific product training. Pricing for each course is stated up-front and, in most cases, buyers can preview entire courses before making a purchase. Buyers can effectively create a complete curriculum by purchasing courses from multiple developers while managing everything from a central dashboard. Finally, buyers can distribute purchased courses to employees on any LMS.
“Purchasing one 15-minute course could help an employee,” explains Blank. ”We are excited about ultimately expanding the range of available e-learning content by launching this marketplace.”
OpenSesame will soon feature additional online community elements, including message boards, forums and product reviews. No information about when they’re launching in Europe yet, but I’ll let you know when they are ready to announce something.
For more information, visit www.opensesame.com. Follow @opensesamoenow on Twitter for additional news and insight.
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November 04 2010 | e-learning | 3 Comments »
As you’ll know if you’re a regular reader of the E-Learning Curve Blog I’m always pleased to highlight e-learning initiatives and innovations from Ireland particularly now, when Ireland is viewed as the “sick man of Europe” because of our financial woes.
However, government incompetence in the management of the economy aside, Ireland has a vibrant technology and knowledge-based industrial economy. We excel in e-learning – I guess most people in the industry have heard of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), SmartForce and Electric Paper, for example. These large companies notwithstanding, there are over fifty ‘other’ e-learning development houses in the country. Not bad for a country with a population of under 5 million people.
One of those ‘other’ organisations is called ALISON, a for-profit social enterprise based in Galway on the west coast of the country. According to their website, ALISON are a
resourceful and determined multi-national team of socially-aware technologists, educationalists and marketers who understand that today, we have the opportunity to make universal education free to access via the Web.
ALISON consider that they have a “sustainable and scalable business model to make education free online” with a focus on basic workplace skills. Since their launch in April 2007, they have developed relationships with some of the largest and most prestigious institutions involved in promoting education and learning. Covering topics as diverse as:
- Improving Your English Writing Skills
- Microsoft Digital Literacy – Productivity Programs
- Touch Typing Skills – Learn to Type
- Web Page Development with HTML, CSS and Dreamweaver
ALISON provide a range of courses high-quality courses that are free (to use) for individual 
learners. One recently-launched course is a curriculum on Health and Safety Education in Ireland.
Speaking at the demonstration and launch by the Health and Safety Authority of a new suite of e-learning courses for the education sector, the Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Innovation said that the initiative had “great potential for education and awareness-raising in the area of workplace safety and health.”
He also identified its attraction for learners as a cost and time-saving platform for learning and urged the HSA to consider the wider future potential of such an initiative.
Jim Lyons, Chairman of the Health and Safety Authority said at the launch,
We have recognised the need for safety and health training in the education sector and by developing a learning tool that is interactive, effective and freely available we can reach people at all levels.
Mr Lyons went on to say
It’s a first for [the HSA] and for those it is aimed at; it means that we can reach widely with our message and it recognises that learners at all levels benefit from the flexibility of a system which has twenty four / seven access and is matched to their own required pace.
Each course module has been designed so that it can be easily updated to reflect changes in legislation and practices. Learners can use the courseware to demonstrate their understanding of safety and health concepts and facts by completing end of lesson assessments in an interactive format.
The five modules can be accessed through the Authority’s website and through www.alison.com. The course covers the following topics:
- Managing Safety and Health in Schools
- Safety and Health in Science Labs
- Safety and Health in Construction
In my view, ALISON’s business model potentially represents an approach to successfully running an e-learning organisation – and to educate a broad range of people – in tough times.
PS – returning to the topic of KM soon!
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November 02 2010 | e-learning | Comments Off
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subjects that interest me but are not e-learning-related (but are probably educational). Some of the topics I’ve covered include the Golden Age of Aviation, music, and architecture, to name but a few.
