Module 10 team needs one more member
Hello everyone.
Two of the students that have dropped out from the ETEC 522 course were tagged as members of the Module 10 team on Informal Learning Environments.
In the interest of balancing out our module teams, we’re asking whether anyone from a team of 6 or 5 members would be willing to audition for Mod 10? If so, please let one of the Davids know via email, or comment here.
d.
September 22, 2009 1 Comment
Timez Attack Cubed
- Times Attack Screen Capture
CUBE Analysis for Timez Attack
Timez Attack (http://www.bigbrainz.com/index.php) is an educational or “meaningful” game designed to help children learn their times tables. It has an engaging and intuitive interface and players learn without realizing they are doing so.
Face 1 – Market Focus
This product is really aimed at the K-12 sector and more specifically the K-7 portion of that sector. Having said that, it could easily be used in a remedial program in a high school setting.
Face 2 – Type of Offering
This is definitely a content type of offering. It is a pre-packaged “meaningful game” that can be used as either a stand alone or a school district wide application.
Face 3 – The Buyer
This product really has several different types of buyers. An individual could buy a stand-alone copy for home use (as I did when my son was having a hard time learning his times table!). A district could purchase the software for installation on all its computers or a school could purchase it for the same application. It also might be possible for a clearing house such as EBSCO to buy this software and then be able to offer volume discounts to educational buyers that are members of its consortium.
Face 4 – Global Market
While there are a variety of buyers for this product I feel there are numerous markets for it, also. The first potential market is “wired Anglophone countries”. The product is American and all the language is American English. However, because there is a limited amount of actual language and the game is quite intuitive (even my 5 year old daughter was able to figure out what to do) I can see European and Asian countries as being other potential markets. Because it is a game with a need for a fairly good monitor and game card, it is somewhat limited to developed countries. Having said that, the home page advertises that their product is used in 200 countries. The product is available in English and Spanish at this point and I would imagine that, given a large enough demand, it could be translated to other languages fairly easily.
Face 5 – Development of the Market
Educational or meaningful gaming is on the rise and students who have high quality graphic games at home are not easily impressed with poorly designed games. I would think that the market supports a game like this only in relatively developed and wealthy countries and communities. While the game itself is not too expensive, you need a good computer to play it. This particular game was developed by an educator, giving him some “cred” in the market. His product is fun to play and unique and as such is, in my opinion, well positioned in the North American market place at the very least.
Face 6 – Educational Integration
Timez Attack is a game that would works well in a school setting, as extra reinforcement and practice for students who are learning the concepts taught. It would also work well in a home school setting. I do not think you would want to use it to replace the teacher, nor do I think the designer would desire such an outcome.
Although we were not asked if we would invest in this company, I am certainly a satisfied customer and would invest if I had the opportunity!
September 22, 2009 6 Comments
Using the CUBE: Froguts
Froguts is an interactive simulation program offering 3D virtual dissections and biology lessons.
See the demo.
Market Focus
This program would be beneficial for middle schools, high schools and higher education. It could be used in schools, for home schooled students, or any student wanting an additional, alternative method of learning.
Types of Offerings
The main offering of this program is content. Lessons are system based and integrate anatomy, physiology and ecology through interactive simulations. The online dissections can eliminate the need for actual animal dissections.
Who is the buyer?
The buyer could include School Districts, Principals, Technology Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, teachers, students, and/or parents. In CUBE terms: “learning bought centrally”, “learning bought for learner”, or “learner buys personally”.
Global Markets
The software requires a computer (PC or Mac) and requires the internet for the inital activation. As far as I could see it is only offered in English so the market for this product are wired anglophone countries such as Canada, USA, Australia, UK, Ireland, and NZ.
Devlopment of the Market
The market imports content and infrastructure and supports export oriented learning technologies and substitution of imports.
Learning Technology Competing with Other Forms of Learning
This program works with a well-developed learning system but also can be viewed as a substitute to dissections for reasons of costs, animal rights, and the environment.
September 22, 2009 3 Comments
Cube Analysis: Skillsoft
Skillsoft (NASDAQ: SKIL) provides e-learning content and software to global enterprises, government, education and small-to-medium sized businesses.
Face 1: Market Focus
Skillsoft’s market focus is on providing e-learning solutions for businesses; although, some universities and government organizations have used Skillsoft products to provide support and training to their employees..
Face 2: Types of Offerings
Skillsoft offers services, content and infrastructure.
Services
Some of the services include consulting services, technical services, solution services, custom development services, and customer support. These services intend to help organizations meet their e-learning objectives. Another service the company offers includes IT certification solutions.
Content
Skillsoft provides companies with the tools and services to author and develop custom content. They have a custom solutions group that creates courseware and they also have tools such as Dialogue, for web collaboration, and SkillStudio, to customize and create courses. Other content offered by the company include book collections or resources, like Books 24×7, and course collections.
Infrastructure
Open Learning Services is another service offered by Skillsoft to address Learning Management System (LMS) and Portal Integration.
Face 3: The Buyer
Buyers will be typical of training since the products and services are targeted mostly towards corporations and small-to-medium businesses where learning is bought for the learner with the option of the learner buying for one’s self – say a learner paying fees for one of the Skillsoft certification courses for example. Other buyers may include the government, where learning is bought nationally.
Face 4: Global Markets
Skillsoft’s presence is global and its services appear to be available mainly for countries and clients with excellent internet Infrastructure.
Face 5: Development of the Market
The market supports the import of content and infrastructure and supports export oriented learning technologies and substitution of imports.
Face 6: Learning Technology Competing with Other Forms of Learning
Skillsoft offers a variety of products and services which enable them to compete with existing learning systems. Some of their products handle upgrading credentials of employees as well as help support more effective training and development. A blended learning approach to courses helps Skillsoft provide more effective, customized learning and training solutions that respond to the needs of the client.
September 22, 2009 2 Comments
Elluminate Cubed
Elluminate As a BC offshore school in China, our institution needs to obtain information from the Ministry of Education regarding important updates and information. Currently, the month of September is a very busy time for our secondary school. There are new dates and processes to acquire and document for the upcoming school year. In order for BC offshore schools to obtain information, Elluminate is used to bring together different schools across the globe.
Face 1: Market Focus Elluminate targets a market that is both academic and business inclined.
It is not restricted to simply a high school or a post-secondary institution because the service and product itself is a very open-ended tool. The ability to get support regarding audio, chat and video is simply too hard to resist for any company who have different communication needs. Regardless of the situation, if there is an opportunity for communication Elluminate provides a method that is appropriate for the situation. It does not restrict the target group by context but it keeps the product flexible. As long as communication over distances are required, Elluminate offers a well-equipped online space to do so.
Face 2: Types of Offerings
Elluminate’s flexibility arises from the types of offers it gives to its consumers. Not only does it focus on a service but it also provides the infrastructure to deliver content. Rather than limiting the product to one type of offering, Elluminate is capable of others as well. Users can use the different abilities embedded in Elluminate and shape it according to their needs. Within my current context, the function of Elluminate is to deliver vital information from the Ministry to train local administration regarding the important elements of being an offshore school. All the strengths of Elluminate can provide a very powerful piece of infrastructure to transmit and present information. Not only can Elluminate be used for students but it can also be used to train fellow educators and provide for that communication need.
Face 3: Who is the Buyer?
Elluminate within my current situation would probably fall under the “Learning Bought for Learner”. The use of Elluminate was decided by the ministry representatives rather than the educators or the learners. The buyer is the Ministry of Education who decides if this is what we need to improve the educational quality of our program. Therefore, when it comes time to pitch Elluminate, the buyer is not as simple as it may look. The explanation of Elluminates’ needs to be customized in order to reach the people who would pay the money for this venture. The multipurpose function of this tool really generates genuine interest for investment especially in this field of education.
Face 4 – Global Markets
Asian markets with a quality internet connection
The Elluminate meetings are scheduled in advance with a direct link via email to access the site. As a backup to different quality internet connections across China, the Ministry has offered a powerpoint presentation to go along with the meeting. A version of the meeting with only the audio is also available to accommodate the varying connectivity options. As the Cube describes, the quality of internet connectivity varies from the interior of China to the exterior. This makes it very important for the ministry to provide its users with a range of delivery methods. With the growing number of offshore school appearing around the globe, the Asian market is just one of the many global markets interested in a different educational philosophy and system.
Face 5 – Development of the Market
Market Supports Import of Content and Infrastructure Category
There are no similar local options and the development of the market will truly influence Elluminate to thrive. As the need for more communication to happen for our offshore program, Elluminate has made it possible to faciliate and create a space for everyone to get together even across time zones and distance.
Face 6 – Learning Technology Works With a Well-Developed Learning System
Ellluminate is working well with a well-developed learning system. It is used not only with the learners but also with the training of administrators for offshore schools. The tool is flexible enough to be used to educate content but also to educate key players in the system. From Elluminate’s own website, there are many examples where Elluminate does not intrude on the current technologies being used but it works with different platforms. The tool itself is used to create new methods of distribution but it also enhances the existing systems and curriculum.
September 22, 2009 4 Comments
