Learning Innovation

What is the last book you passed around to your direct reports or your larger organization? A book that you thought was worth the time for your colleagues to read, worth the investment of paying for the book, and worth the time for everyone to discuss? A book that you thought would help get everyone on the same page, challenge current thinking, and inspire your team?

I am fascinated by the transition of Blackboard from a one product business (the flagship LMS) to a diversified educational services company - one that offers both multiple platforms (through it purchase of MoodleRooms and Netspot) and a full range of educational consulting services. A key architect of these changes at Blackboard is Katie Blot, who prior to ascending to the role of president of the Education Service division spent 4 years as an SVP in Blackboard Consulting.

Earlier this month The Washington Post Magazine ran a story titled "Can Parents Share Child-Raising Responsibilities Equally?" This article is a good contribution to a larger discussion about work / life balance,

Whatever you think of MOOCs or online learning programs (they are different things!), one great benefit of all the focus on both of these trends is a renewed focus on teaching. Suddenly, everyone is talking about learning. They are talking about learning at CES, in the press, and at provost and presidential meetings. As an edtech guy, someone who hangs out with learning designers and spends his days (and nights) as part of an online/blended learning program team, I am overjoyed with all the focus on teaching and learning.

I was asked by some colleagues if I could recommend any web based and/or mobile collaborative platforms for virtual teams. The requirements include the need to manage and track projects, share and collaboratively author and edit documents, and engage in virtual meetings.

HigherEdTech, the edtech summit embedded in CES, kicked off this week with an incredible set of speakers and discussions. This is a conference that is top on my list to attend (impossible this year do to a local commitment), and I'm interested to hear the news and insights that come out of these discussions.

Adrian Sannier is one of those edtech leaders who is difficult to pigeonhole. An academic working for a big publishing company. A truth-teller operating within a buttoned-down publisher. An idealist operating within the real world of business, profit and loss. Adrian's title at Pearson is Digital Strategist and Senior Vice President of Product - he is the guy behind OpenClass.

Like many of you, I took the time to print out and carefully read Lev Gonick's essay "The Year Ahead in IT, 2013". The entire essay is worth spending time with, as you will find a number of challenging ideas and insights embedded in Gonick's writing.