Ok, this is great (or not). E-learning 2.0 was re-explained and re-invented by Blackboard (Rich Caccavale) just a minute ago here at Online Educa Berlin. While at it, Rich said we need to capitalize on informal learning, it’s the next thing to do. Then he reads stuff that Stephen Downes has written on eLearning 2.0 and advocates it’s importance, reading a lenghty piece aloud. Check out Stephen Downes blog for his view on Blackboard. Few minutes after they announce their social bookmarking tool. Then they claim we have to focus on assessment of all of this. Is it informal anymore if we try to assess it?
I was sitting right next to Jay Cross and we really felt the Blackboard keychains strangling our necks. “Do you have a patent on that”?
It’s not a problem that companies get into this, it’s healthy for the community. But re-inventing the tools by giving an impression that the idea is their own or otherwise representing them in a light that they are “eLearning 2.0″ or “social bookmarking” trying to cash in on the hype, is totally ridiculous.
You can see my photos of the slides here.
Tags: Conferences