"Where will e-learning take us in 2005? How will learning be impacted by the use of portable devices, blogs, and search engines? Will we better understand and have metrics for quality e-learning? Read on for predictions from some of the most thoughtful and opinionated people in the e-learning field.
"I predict more advances in dedicated devices than in the Internet. I predict an infusion of clever and effective educational toys for children. LeapFrog has developed intriguing toys that make great educational sense (see their "Twist and Shout® Multiplication" tool). Intelligent toys already teach reading. But why restrict these to children? I expect language tutors for adults. Why not combine hand-held dictionaries, phrase translators, and CD-ROM courses into a portable device? Will educational tools for adults show up in 2005? They could."
-Don Norman, Nielsen Norman group, Northwestern University, and author of Emotional Design, USA
" • Deconstruction of the Course: More learners are grazing content to select just those modules that they need RIGHT NOW!
• Increased use of search/Google-like learning vs. structured portal pages
• Lower cost alternatives for LMS and LCMS systems with ‘lighter’ feature sets
• Rise of collaboration servers from Microsoft, IBM and Others
• Integration of Learning with Document Management"
-Elliott Masie, Founder of MASIE Center’s e-Learning CONSORTIUM, USA
"We’ve entered a new era of culturally-sensitive e-learning. Reflection on the slow infiltration of e-learning in Japan led us to realize that the model should be more culturally based to be successful. Japan is a geographically small country with high population density and many universities and colleges; hence it is easy for students to…"
Article by Lisa Neal, Editor-In-Chief, eLearn Magazine at http://www.elearnmag.org/