Nortel Networks' Kidz Online Site ... And Open Standards
This is sort of a cross-post from my other blog, but I thought it is worth mentioning as I thought about Rick's recent email regarding his (and Jay Wilson's) upcoming AECT presentation titled "A Grand Purpose for ID". I think it's relevant.
I recently met with a Nortel Rep. who is touting the somewhat new Nortel Networks' Kidz Online resource. It's actually a pretty good resource, rich with mostly video-tutorials re: producing 2D and 3D animations, creating websites, understanding cyber-ethics and security, presentation (PowerPoint) streaming, cyber-safety, etc. I think most of you will find the resource useful.
However, the problem (IMHO) is, the tutorials are tied so tightly to Microsoft IE and Windows Media Player that it almost makes it useless on any other platform (e.g, Mac, Linux). Of course, when this was designed, Nortel had a very close relationship with MS throughout ... and it shows ... but if one is to put in the millions of dollars into a resource that is touted as free (as in beer), why not think about open-standards, an open license ... something that will make this useful for the maximum amount of users. There are several school divisions (e.g., Regina Public, North Battleford, Moose Jaw) that could use these resources but would likely not be able to use them as they use 'alternative' formats (i.e., Mac, Linux).
So I guess ... my thoughts are ... in thinking of the "Grand Purpose of ID", what role should open standards and/or open licensing play in instructional design and development? It's a complex question, and certainly dependent on contextual issues ... but I would love to hear any thoughts on the subject.
(And Rick & Jay ... I haven't seen your presentation and I am going on a title ... so I apologize in advance if this bears no relevance).
I recently met with a Nortel Rep. who is touting the somewhat new Nortel Networks' Kidz Online resource. It's actually a pretty good resource, rich with mostly video-tutorials re: producing 2D and 3D animations, creating websites, understanding cyber-ethics and security, presentation (PowerPoint) streaming, cyber-safety, etc. I think most of you will find the resource useful.
However, the problem (IMHO) is, the tutorials are tied so tightly to Microsoft IE and Windows Media Player that it almost makes it useless on any other platform (e.g, Mac, Linux). Of course, when this was designed, Nortel had a very close relationship with MS throughout ... and it shows ... but if one is to put in the millions of dollars into a resource that is touted as free (as in beer), why not think about open-standards, an open license ... something that will make this useful for the maximum amount of users. There are several school divisions (e.g., Regina Public, North Battleford, Moose Jaw) that could use these resources but would likely not be able to use them as they use 'alternative' formats (i.e., Mac, Linux).
So I guess ... my thoughts are ... in thinking of the "Grand Purpose of ID", what role should open standards and/or open licensing play in instructional design and development? It's a complex question, and certainly dependent on contextual issues ... but I would love to hear any thoughts on the subject.
(And Rick & Jay ... I haven't seen your presentation and I am going on a title ... so I apologize in advance if this bears no relevance).
1 Comments:
Excellent post, Alec, and a very complex issue. It is a little different from the paper I'm doing in Chicago, but it is a neat twist on issues that plague us. I should post that paper, and others we've been working on, but that will have to wait. We're working on a new site, by the way, to house the products of our research program.
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