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Discussions about innovation are often made difficult because people are unclear about the exact meanings of some key terms. In particular there is confusion about the difference between creativity, innovation and invention.

There's a lot of misinformation out there about legal rights and responsibilities in the digital era. This is especially disconcerting when it comes to information being shared with youth. Kids and teens are bombarded with messages from a myriad of sources that using new technology is high-risk behavior. Downloading music is compared to stealing a bicycle - even though many downloads are lawful. Making videos using short clips from other sources is treated as probably illegal - even though many such videos are also lawful. This misinformation is harmful, because it discourages kids and teens from following their natural inclination to be innovative and inquisitive. The innovators, artists and voters of tomorrow need to know that copyright law restricts many activities but also permits many others. And they need to know the positive steps they can take to protect themselves in the digital sphere. In short, youth don't need more intimidation - what they need is solid, accurate information.

"A new task force to ensure our universities become the first choice across the world for on-line distance learning was announced today by Higher Education Minister, David Lammy.The task force chaired by Lynne Brindley, the Chief Executive of the British Library will advise on a wider strategy to build on our past and present successes and ensure we do not lose pace on increased demand in expanding and new markets.It will be backed by a new Open Learning Innovation Fund aimed at helping universities build on their existing world class reputations to access and engage future markets that are expected to value around £15bn in the future. This is a competitive match funding initiative, with up to £10m from HEFCE and therefore worth up to £20m in total, aims to encourage universities to work collaboratively with each other and the private and third sectors, to bid for money to develop projects to help transform the way people can get a degree." Thanx to cris Sharing this! Awesome, seeing public investment in the right direction!

Abstract Susanne Kraft (2006): Aufgaben und Tätigkeiten von Weiterbildner/inne/n - Herausforderungen und Perspektiven einer weiteren Professionalisierung in der Weiterbildung Der Report diskutiert und akzentuiert Professionalisierung als eine zentrale Herausforderung der Weiterbildung im Kontext von Qualitätsentwicklung. Dargestellt wird die aktuelle Situation des Weiterbildungspersonals, relevante Ergebnisse vorliegender empirischer Studien werden ausgewertet und zentrale Problemfelder wie beispielsweise die Vielfalt der Aus- und Fortbildungsangebote für Weiterbildner/innen, die heterogenen Abschlüsse und deren mangelnde Vergleichbarkeit sowie die unklaren Aufgaben- und Kompetenzbeschreibungen benannt. Aufgezeigt werden Perspektiven wie eine weitere notwendige Professionalisierung in der Weiterbildung unterstützt und umgesetzt werden kann. Innovative Modelle aus der Schweiz und Österreich werden vorgestellt und ein Konzept für einen Qualifizierungsrahmen für Weiterbildner/innen in Deutschland beschrieben.

Are you ready to lead a revolution at your school or in your district? Leadership Day 2009. Intro: The Professional Networked Learning Collaborative Back in 2002 in his book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution Howard Rheingold predicted that, "The 'killer apps' of tomorrow's mobile infocom industry won't be hardware devices or software program but social practices. The most far reaching changes will come, as they often do, from the kinds of relationships, enterprises, communities, and markets that the infrastructure makes possible." The prediction, as we now know, was spot dead on. The technology has transformed our relationships, how we are able to collaborate, how we now define communities, what constitutes a network, and what kinds of work we are able to do. According to Deborah Ancona and Henrik Bresman, authors of X-Teams, "…team effectiveness is not just a matter of managing well around the conference table. Success also depends on team's reaching out across their borders to find needed information and expertise."It is this intersection of collaboration and technology that has now allowed us to create and leverage a new form of boundary crossing Professional Learning Community. It's called a Professional Networked Learning Collaborative.