In Context: 5 Web Perspectives On A Story In The News

Learning in the digital age

(Network World)

UCLA prof Christine Borgman told the Educause conference on Thursday that by 2015 virtual interaction between classmates, simulated lab experiments and online textbooks could be common in universities. She cautioned that this would only come about if educators harnessed the power of information technologies. She cited a recent National Science Foundation report that called for more money for e-learning technology and research.  

1.

Technology driving e-learning

Network World Data Center
This section of the website covers the emerging network technologies that are making new university e-learning programs possible. This section is heavy with lists such as “three technologies that could help lower IT power consumption.” The articles deal with the challenges facing the IT industry and the technologies and techniques the industry is using to meet them. The section has 12 subsections to further specialize the information. The site is mostly aimed at IT professionals but is a good resource for anyone looking for information about cutting edge network technology. 

2.

The language of IT

West Learning IT Glossary
Ever wonder what a gopher is? Or what NART stands for? This site will help guide people through the jargon of the IT industry. The site has definitions of thousands of acronyms, abbreviations and terms. The glossary also has animations and graphics to illustrate the terms and help the user understand them. The company, West Learning, makes software and systems for e-learning.

3.

Issues and trends in e-learning

Educause
This is a publication of the Educause organization. The organization is a group of 2200 colleges and universities and 250 corporations from around the world who are pushing for better use of information technology in higher education. The publication goes out twice a month. Its aim is to take a broad look at trends in the IT sector and explain what those trends mean for those involved with higher education. 

4.

Local leader in e-learning

Mount Saint Vincent University
These pages detail what kind of e-learning resources Mount Saint Vincent University has. They recently upgraded their e-learning infrastructure and are considered a leader among local universities when it comes to e-learning. The university has been broadcasting lectures on television since 1980 and has made podcasts of its lectures available to students. 

5.

E-learning across the ocean

E-learning Europa
This page details the e-learning initiatives and programs the European Union is working on. The site has two main sections. E-learning papers is where to find articles written about the current state of e-learning in Europe. This section’s goal is to become the place to exchange ideas about e-learning in Europe. The e-learning community is a web forum for people interested in or working with e-learning in Europe.  The most useful sub-section is the directory. This houses a resource of projects, institutions and experts related to e-learning in Europe.