Our recent participation in the BETT trade show in London, England, reminded us how far e-learning has come since its inception, and how much we owe to those who pioneered in the trenches of the industry, paving the way for today’s high standards.

The willingness of industry leaders from every corner of the globe to share resources, experience, information, and inspiration is now apparent in international forums of this kind.

Joanne Duchastel, President of JED New Media, comments:

“The Canadian delegation at BETT last month was energized by the incredible turnout of teachers, administrators, and life-long learners—all interested in the use of ICT (information and communications technology) in education. In our four days at the show, we met delegates from more than 20 countries.

Many technology platforms were represented, but the white board predominated. There is a flourishing development market for ICT, with many producers, both large and small. Vocational and skills program content was less prominent, but skills-based math, English and science programs were everywhere.

In the last 18 months, purchasing power in Great Britain has been returned into the hands of the teachers; however, products must be approved by the Department of Skills and Education. Visit www.curriculumonline.gov.uk for available courses.”

We have been fortunate to meet many like-minded people from all over the world, who are working to ensure that e-learning will be the key to breaking down barriers and borders and to make access to first-rate knowledge an international reality.

(See photographs of the BETT show at: http://www.bettshow.co.uk/)

E –Learning has come a long way: from computer-based training to synchronous, interactive web-based learning and interactive game simulation. However, no matter how much progress is made, it is still wise to take small steps on the road of success.

People form the foundation of successful e-learning. And even though technology seems to progress at the same rate as Moore's Law, organizational behavior—including the amount of change an organization can absorb in a certain period—runs on its own timetable and at its own pace.

E-learning is one of the key enablers for organizational change: people from all over the world come together in a virtual environment, collaborate and share information in ways that would otherwise have been difficult or impossible. Current technologies provide mechanisms such as weblogs (blogs) as a way to share information. Although truly effective, they still depend on asynchronous ways of sharing.

Imagine the possibilities when e-learning is taken to its next level, where true collaboration is integrated in day-to-day activities, allowing best practices to be shared almost instantaneously. The synchronous setup will give a competitive advantage to organizations that take advantage of these opportunities, since agility and speed are key differentiators between success and failure.

News:

We are delighted that JEDlets are recommended as helpful resources in Morten Flate Paulsen's new book "Online Education and Learning Management Systems - Global E-learning in a Scandinavian Perspective.”

Dominique Abrioux, President of Athabasca University, reviews:

"This book is a much welcomed addition to the literature on the development of online education. It is of great interest not just because the author reports and builds on the evolution of e-learning pedagogy and learning management systems in the Nordic countries, but because he does so from a comparatist's perspective.

This engages readers and leads them to critically apply their own knowledge and information base to their reading of the book."

You can order the book online at: www.studymentor.com

In an IIEP online publication by Unesco, see Dominique Abrioux’ recent case study about Athabasca University. http://www.unesco.org/iiep/virtualuniversity/home.php#athabasca

Visit Athabasca University at www.athabascau.ca.

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“Les expressions québécoises”, our new JEDlet on French expressions in Québec, has been entered in a contest celebrating the vigor of French in software applications and interactive multimedia products made in Quebec.

For details, visit "Les mérites du français dans les TI". www.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/ressources/place_publique/francofete/francofete_2004/index.html

Subscribe to “Les expressions québécoises” in the Writing section of our site at www.jedlet.com. Just look for JEDlets in French.

Events:

VNU Training 2004 Conference and Expo, March 1-3 in Atlanta, Georgia. http://www.trainingconference.com/

The eLearning Management Symposium, February 19 -20, San Diego 2004. http://www.elearningguild.com/pbuild/linkbuilder.cfm?selection=doc.465

We are always happy to promote best practices in e-learning, as in this outstanding site for teachers, parents, and students. Using animation and 3D models, experience the culture and history of Ancient China by observing objects from The British Museum's collection. www.ancientchina.co.uk.

This is a wonderful example of how instructors can incorporate e-learning into their curriculum in a way that students enjoy and appreciate.

We are looking for instructors to participate in our case study feedback program. A preview of the new JEDlet “Math and Your Career" produced in collaboration with Milearn.com will be offered to instructors on a complimentary subscription basis for one month in exchange for agreeing to use the JEDlet in a classroom setting and providing pertinent feedback. Interested educators inquire at info@jedlet.com

Questions, concerns or comments? We always welcome your feedback! Drop us a line at info@jedlet.com