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"he digitisation of content combined with a global network for delivery and an open system for sharing has seen radical changes in many industries. The economic model which has underpinned many content based industries has been based on an assumption of scarcity. With a digital, open, networked approach we are witnessing a shift to abundance of content, and subsequently new economic models are being developed which have this as an assumption. In this article the role of scarcity in developing higher education practice and pedagogy is explored. The shift to abundant content has as profound implications for education as it has for content industries. The possible contenders for a 'pedagogy of abundance' are examined and the necessary requirements for such a pedagogy outlined."

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This paper analyzes the evolution of technology trends in education from 2010 to 2015, using as input the predictions made in the Horizon Reports on Higher Education, published yearly since 2004. Each edition attempts to forecast the most promising technologies likely to impact on education along three horizons: the short term (the year of the report), the midterm (the following two years), and the long term (the following four years). This paper applies social analysis, based on Google Trends, and bibliometric analysis, with data from Google Scholar and Web of Science, to these predictions in order to discover which technologies were successful and really impacted mainstream education, and which ones failed to have the predicted impact and why. This paper offers guidelines that may be helpful to those seeking to invest in new research areas

Excellent explanation of how innovation diffuses through an organisation.

The essential e-learning design manual, updated with the latest research, design principles, and examples e-Learning and the Science of Instruction is the ultimate handbook for evidence-based e-learning design.

As higher education (HE) undergoes a massive expansion in demand in most countries across the globe and experiences financial pressures, the sector is evolving rapidly. Market pressures encourage the search for additional income and new forms of provision, and online programme management (OPM) companies are increasingly entering the sector as they identify market opportunities.

As a longtime faculty member at a major research institution and now an executive academic officer at an OPM, I believe faculty are the richest resource for preserving an institution's core values, especially in times of intense change.

Interesting article exploring why people reject new technologies. This article explores the relationship between users' interpretations of a new technology and failure of organizational change. I suggest that people form interpretations of a new technology not only based on their conversations with others, but also through their use of technology's material features directly.

Using survey responses from more than 2,800 colleges and universities and IPEDS data for 4,891, this study is aimed at answering fundamental questions about the nature and extent of online education some of which include: Who Offers Online (Distance) Courses? How Many Students are Learning Online (at a Distance)? Is Online Learning Strategic? Are Learning Outcomes in Online Offerings Comparable to Face-to-Face? Do Students Require More Discipline to Complete Online Courses? Is Retention of Students Harder in Online Courses? and What Will Drive the Future of Higher Education? The survey analysis is based on a comprehensive sample of active, degree-granting institutions of higher education in the United States.

Exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with the concepts of community and communication in online higher education, this paper reconsiders the intention to replicate face-to-face learning and teaching strategies in online learning environments. Rather than beginning with the assumption that face-to-face education is the prototype for quality, the authors appraise the online learning environment as a unique medium which, by its nature, necessitates unique communication, community-building, teaching and learning strategies. This paper proposes an in-depth analysis of the potential unique affordances associated with online learning contexts as existing in their own right. The concepts of community and communication are explored in relation to online Communities of Practice (CoPs). The nature of face-to-face and online learning contexts are considered, especially in the light of the possibility of redefining "face-to-face" within the online realm, in addition to physical learning contexts. The paper identifies unique ways in which online communication (in the context of learning) is different from face-to-face communication, and consequently four ways in which this can be an advantage for students; namely, there is a measure of social egalitarianism, emphasis on verbal/written proficiency, time for reasoned response, and social agency. The paper provides grounding for further research into strategies that forge rich online learning experiences and suggests an empirical study as a next step.

This report examines new models of professional development that will expand your mind to a new vision of the future of education. Online professional development for administrators, teachers and school leaders will help build new models of schools--both online and blended--and better serve today's students during an information revolution in a global society.

Research findings in recent years provide compelling evidence of the importance of encouraging student control over the learning process as a whole. The socially based tools and technologies of the Web 2.0 movement are capable of supporting informal conversation, reflexive dialogue and collaborative content generation, enabling access to a wide raft of ideas and representations.

Social presence, the ability to perceive others in an online environment, has been shown to impact student motivation and participation, actual and perceived learning, course and instructor satisfaction, and retention in online courses; yet very few researchers have attempted to look across contexts, disciplinary areas, or measures of social presence.