lms

As I've noted previously, pageflakes.net is an awesome example of a widget based start page (widget and feed aggregator on steroids) that has tons of options in an educational setting. Today (thanks to a post by Jane Hart), I just realized that pageflakes also has a tailored start page for students and teachers under a "students" tab. I also stumbled on the edutechwiki pageflakes page that outlines how-to suggestions for using pageflakes in education (for class management or as a PLE). So simple, yet so powerful. Cool!

p.s. The edutechwiki, created by the edtech research and teaching unit at the University of Geneva, has some really interesting edtech and instructional design content - worth a close look and more commentary in a future post!

As noted in my post last night, the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) was retained by Sakai to evaluate and advise on the Blackboard patent. This morning, Inside Higher Ed ran a post containing responses from Blackboard's general counsel, Matthew Small, about Sakai retaining the SFLC, as well as Blackboard's general desire to work with (and not challenge) open source projects. (UPDATE: For the counter points to the IHE article, make sure to read the recently added comments at the end that bring the focus back to a challenge of the legitimacy of the patent versus if / when BB will challenge open source projects and users on the patent.) From excerpts in the IHE post:

Similar to the letter CEO Michael Chasen sent to EdTech Talk, a "message" to the client "community" was released on the Blackboard Blog today. Apparently, the crush of criticism by edubloggers is "creating confusion for many people" (and maybe an Excedrin sized headache for Blackboard?) In the "message" of clarity, Chasen notes that:

"Some of the outside commentary about the patent misrepresents the scope of the patent and appears to be creating confusion for many people. The Blackboard CMS patent covers only specific features and functionality contained in the Blackboard system that were developed by the Blackboard team. We certainly did not invent e-learning or course management systems, and I am personally embarrassed that this is what some people thought Blackboard was claiming."

Unfortunately, Chasen did little to clarify how Blackboard narrows the scope of the "specific features and functionality" in what he refers to in the memo as the "Blackboard CMS patent". Maybe the "confusion" comes in the patent's Abstract which could be a textbook definition of a course management system:

The EdTechTalk live webcast #58 on the Blackboard patent and DOPA issues just finished up and I encourage everyone to catch the recording once it is edited and uploaded. The shownotes include a letter from BlackBoard CEO, Michael Chasin submitted in response to EdTechTalk's request for a representative to appear on the show. Martin Dougiamas (from Moodle) joined the conversation to add his thoughts. In addition, a representative from Desire2Learn stopped by to reiterate the company's plans to aggressively fight the Blackboard patent suit.

technorati tags:Blackboard, patent, DOPA, Desire2Learn

Wow. I grabbed some sleep last night and woke to see this inspiring piece from Steven Downes. Seems the online learning world has once again rallied (gosh, net neutrality, then DOPA and now the Blackboard patent) and is quickly getting its collective ducks in a row pulling together a historical "prior art" record (see links to wikis from Moodle and Wikipedia) which could be used when challenging the patent in an infringement suit. In addition, Ed Tech Talk #58 (live on Sunday, August 6th) will be dedicated to a discussion of DOPA and the patent issue.  The show notes indicate that they would like to "finish this show with a community response statement."  Who knew online learning could provide this much drama?

technorati tags:Blackboard, LMS, Desire2Learn, Patent

With DOPA and net neutrality taking up so much space, I was almost going to let this story pass. I mean, Blackboard couldn't really try to enforce a patent related to such a nebulous concept as technology relating to systems and methods involved in offering online education, could they? Well, they did - as seen in this copy of Blackboard's suit against rival Desire2Learn - linked from an article about the suit in the Inquirer.net.  And at warp speed. While the patent was issued back in January, the patent announcement and suit filing date in TX are one in the same - see, told you they ain't playin'. I guess the biggest question now is - "Who's next?" Sakai? Moodle?

technorati tags:Blackboard, LMS, Desire2Learn, Patent