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Business still early in development. They are trying to provide solution for this problem: 'it's extremely difficult to track, quantify and contextualize the diversity of experiences in informal lifelong learning." Too early to say if this is even a sustainable business model but we will see. 

Western Governor's University shows what software it uses to keep up with its competency based model

Thought provoking analysis of higher ed finances, and the prospects for emerging technology models to help "fix" the broken business model. By William Bowen, former President of Princeton and the Mellon Foundation.

""No one's got the model that's going to work yet," said James Grimmelmann, a New York Law School professor who specializes in computer and Internet law. "I expect all the current ventures to fail, because the expectations are too high. People think something will catch on like wildfire. But more likely, it's maybe a decade later that somebody figures out how to do it and make money." "

Seems to be getting some coverage on this topic lately. Interesting comment here. Probably reactions many disruptive innovation driver will face. Doesnt mean they are failing though. Reactions from their users seem to be relatively muted. It is the skeptics and traditional players who is making big deal out of it. 'Obviously, the company does not want to say that its free content is cannibalizing the revenue generated from charging students and institutions for premium features and content, but it's clear that the company didn't quite get the balance right.' 'Unfortunately, although Flat World would never admit it, this announcement certainly serves as validation of the doubt over Open Educational Resources (OER) as a business concept.' Whatever you do though, the business model should be sustainable..

New Jersey's hybrid Charter schools test out new model by combining online and classroom instructions in the toughest cities.

Interesting example of one way technology can enhance medical teaching.

The developer kit would especially be helpful to developers planning on using the device to develop augmented reality applications. Typically, augmented reality refers to an enhanced (and, sometimes, fantastic) vision of reality.

This would also be very powerful for engineering applications, virtually "adding" prototypes from solidworks or 3D modeling programs to see their impact on objects or spaces. I also see a cool educational aspect where students could build theoretical bridges, building models, or art installations to see how they would impact the real space they might inhabit.

netbooks plus open source is a new model for 1:1

less money than an iPad and, in my opinion, more usable for the students - win win. Go Ubuntu!

This story is speculating on the viability of online learning like MIT Opencourseware, and discusses models for creating economically sustainable online learning models.

I love competative learning labs. I wish this project based co-opetition model were a standard in our schools. Innovation and team dynamics are mindsets and skills that need to be developed in our kids.

Excellent article on Video game model as a learning tool. Useful takeaways for motivation.

Stanford's new online course on blended learning environments.

I think this is a really important experiment. Venturelab is a MOOC that is using a teams based model. Participants fill out assessments which are used to "build" teams. Team members rate each other's work. Interesting to see how they progress.

I think it's curious that you're having universities like Antioch and others that are including MOOC courses as for credit options without any kind of evaluation or data on the actual efficacy of MOOCs, let alone specific classes.

My understanding of the pilot program is that students will still have faculty-led components, though, so it's not purely MOOC. It's more like a blended-learning environment that uses the MOOC as the digital part. So the students will have Antioch exams and homework sets, discussions, etc. If they are satisfied with the efficacy after the pilot, then they will expand the model.

Wow, thanks for this link, Uche. I think that's a really interesting business they have going...kind of a way to spread best practices that in private industry might be spread via other means. It seems to address the PD / collaboration issue mentioned in NETP, too.

wow, great idea....I really like this model! This is can be great incentive for teachers to put their best work out there... and they finally recognized for their creativeness!

This is the link to a MOOC orchestrated by Stephen Downes, "Change in Formal Education Systems". Unlike the MOOCs that are getting all the press, like Coursera and EdX which are largely replicating a model that pushes content to the learner, this MOOC is actually trying to change the dynamics of teacher-learner interactions. The live session described here is about interaction. "Interaction - The various types and methods by which interaction is supported in formal education, especially student-student, student-content and student-teacher interactions. We look especially at the capacity to substitute one form of interaction for another based on funding, time subject and context."

Check out how Apple partnered with textbook publishers to revolutionize the education space with this new model. Just announced today!

I would be for this. I could not believe a place so big on recycling (Harvard) murdered so many trees with the printing of course packs. I like this idea if you could get the material from other sources than just the school (say the author or publisher directly or something like Amazon). Otherwise, there is no opportunity for competition or bargaining.

Here is an entertaining talk about how everyday objects can be used for science education. We are all aware / starting to better appreciate that "it definitely ain't about the technology", but what conceptual understanding the technology can effect. Personally, I see two advantages of such low cost technologies: 1. They increase access to interesting learning materials for all - quickly. 2. They can serve as the kernels of ideas for influencing emerging technologies. ( Like in out class discussion : models are still expensive but they can guide / inspie Do share your thoughts.