Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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May 23, 2006

Open Source Education — GELC

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 11:55 am

Open Source

We know open source is only as good as the folks who contribute. It can be as successful and adaptable as Linux. It can be helpful as all of the WordPress plugins.

Open source can also get mired in policy and minutiae — you can trust the definition at that link; it’s by the experts on the subject. Such issues have to be what shut down Zeal.com. I had to take the insane Zealot test four times a day for days, until I passed it. The questions were about such tiny details my mind couldn’t absorb them. (See Dear Wikipedia and try being an editor for the DMOZ.)

Enter the GELC

Enter the GELC, something really exciting. The Global Education and Learning Community. Some really smart, talented, experienced people are working together on it. It has the goal of an open source learning curriculum. It could be as powerful as Linux. I sure hope it is. Right now, Dr. Barbara (”Bobbi”) Kurshan, Executive Director of GELC is trying to prioritize some ideas via her blog. [The formatting is mine.]

Several ideas include

  • a repository to build and distribute open source textbooks - which are probably the first curricula ever developed for teaching and learning
  • a place for assessing the progress of a learner
  • a virtual design center for creating a curriculum from open education resources
  • a repository of courses
  • and a community for discussion about open source curriculum.

. . . all of these ideas will become part of GELC. But, which one is unique? Which one will make GELC the “thought leader” in the open source curriculum arena?

What would you answer? One comment said, . . . drop this area. It’s a big turnoff currently. Is that what you think?

–ME ‘Liz” Strauss

Related in some way
Dear Wikipedia . . .
Out WikiPedia, Hello Encyclopedia of Stupid





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4 Comments to “Open Source Education — GELC”

  1. May 24th, 2006 at 8:23 am
    Sabine said

    Thanks for the post and link, Liz. This is something I would have only found through you.
    I have to go away and think about what I want to say to these folks.
    As an instructional designer by profession, I’d love to see some “education and learning” that’s actually useful, and not the “same old, same old;” academic courses, progress measured in pages read instead of goals achieved, boring, page-turning stuff.
    They need to talk to Kathy Sierra over at creating pasionate users .

  2. May 24th, 2006 at 8:30 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Sabine,
    I happen to know a person or two over there. Bobbi Kurshan will be delighted to have someone with your mind and talent on her team. I’m glad you’re going over there.

  3. May 24th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
    Sabine said

    I guess that means I have to put my money where my mouth is, huh?

    ;-)

  4. May 24th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Nah, You only have to leave a blog comment. :)

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