E-Learning, Web 2.0, and on-demend learning.

Web 2.0 is here and e-learning is having to change accordingly. Many wonder about how these changes affect the pushed learning approaches.

Pushed learning worked as follows: the institution decided on what a learning needed to access, went to the LMS, found the specific course, and took the course. In contrast, in the world of Web 2.0/web services, the learner seeks what he needs, when he needs it.

There are two areas of change taking place. First, is how the portals that lead to e-learning are having to change. For example, the old face of the LMS is having to accommodate on-demand learning. Second, is how e-learning itself is changing to accommodate Web 2.0 technologies to make e-learning a dynamic, living, competitive tool.

Let's start by saying that the fact that you will incorporate Web 2.0 approaches does not mean you need to totally do away with the push e-learning. Whether by demand of HR is a corporate setting or the administration in an educational setting, you will have to preserve push learning. The good news is that you can do that while moving to Web 2.0 and on-demand learning.

This discussion will be undertaken in the following weeks and months in this blog, however, here are some of the big strokes to follow as you move from the old to embrace the new.

1.Take advantage of the push content you already have. If its was build in Learning Objects you have a good start as you can make each LO searchable though appropriate meta tagging.

2.Develop a plan to meta tag your content and incorporate a robust search so the user can find and access those LOs and other content easily.

3.Make it possible for the user to either take the original push LO sequence or create a learning plan of their own by selecting his/her own content from the searches mentioned above

4.Add Web 2.0 tehnology like blogs, wikis, and messaging to your system, even associate some with your LOs or allow the users to do so.

5.Don't expect all this will happen overnight this is an evolutionary and revolutionary process.

More to come on this blog.
Contributors welcome!