SMS and LMS

I’ve been skimming through the new White paper by Oracle. It is essentially trying to flog their Academic Enterprise architecture which is trying to solve the problem is poor integration within IT system across educational organisations. This is certainly a big issue wherever I have worked. It is easy to get to the situation where a registrar department can hold total control over whether a student’s can access their VLE. On the surface, this is as it should be. But what happens when the system doesn’t work and someone who should be able to access can’t? Or the system is not flexible enough to cater for unusual circumstances? As someone who works in promoting the e-learning you just shrug your shoulders. The issue can easily become the biggest barrier in the take of a VLE (for example) with academic staff. If they can’t trust the access why invest time in incorporating it into their teaching.

Architecture is key and I don’t know enough about it to solve it. What this highlights is the importance of the collaboration and buy-in across departments and senior management to facilitate successful Learning Technology.

Fear of blogging

I had an interesting discussion with someone about the concept of openness that underpins blogs today. I was running through the basics of blogging highlighting their public nature and their initial reaction was one of concern about privacy and fear of revealing using information gained against you somehow. This is not an unusual reaction.

It seems that the climate of fear often exists around all the tools within social networking. These fears are often based on isolated incidents which get disproportionate coverage. Our response to something new which we don't understand is often fear and to dismiss things in this way is human nature. I know I've done it.

With regard to blogging, I'm hopeful that I won't get bitten by the fear bug as I see as a vital part of my learning process. Alan Levine gives a useful perspective which made me feel better. Basically, don't be worried about comments you made ages ago which might now be embarrassing to you. It would be impossible not to have that reaction sometimes. Maybe one day I'll look back on this post in that regard. Downes is right when he says - if you are caught out by inappropriate behaviour why should it be ok if this behaviour is occurring within the sanctity of a classroom.

First Post

My aim with this blog is to fill the sharing and reflecting side of my Personal Learning in my role as an e-learning professional. Although I've been working in e-learning for a few years now, my role in the early years was a very narrow one looking after a VLE. Times have changed and a broader outlook is required.

I am an avid reader of a number of different blogs/websites and want to ensure that I take time out to reflect on and embed what I am learning.

My aim is to update regularly but we shall see how it goes......