I had a read through Ambient Insight’s 2012 Learning Technology Research Taxonomy and was enthralled by all the interesting and informative data that was provided – it actually got me quite excited to think of the numerous ventures that could very well be successful in the marketplace. Also, some of the data could be quite […]
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Jenny Brown
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adi
How do non-profits survive?
Hi, I just wanted to see if anyone out there can clarify some doubts I have regarding non-profit online educational ventures. In particular, I am referring to the Khan Academy (mentioned in Section 2.1). 1) Would this be considered an OER? 2) They have a lot of permanent staff and a career’s section that promises […]
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jkotler
The Value of Educause
Overall, the research reports put forth by Educause are very useful and can be of great value to a wide range of educators, learning technology specialists and venturers. More specifically, one of the main reasons it is so insightful, especially in comparison to other reports or market projections, is because instead of giving a general […]
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avninder
It sounds like your report was a lot more detailed than the one I read (Learning Technology Trends to Watch in 2012). I’d have to agree that these reports have been designed with a broad audience in mind. As a corporate trainer though I’ve noticed that many technologies and can be used in different learning environments effectively.
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Mike Rae
Hello from China!
Hey everyone! Very interesting reading about all of you…quite a diverse group. My story is that I am from Richmond (noticed that a couple people teach there) and went to UBC where I studied Geography and International Relations. After about 4 years of work and travel I decided to get into education and have thoroughly […]
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David Vogt
Badges
An approach to alternative credentials, badges, are digital tokens that appear as icons or logos on a web page or other online venue. Awarded by institutions, organizations, groups, or individuals, badges signify accomplishments such as completion of a project, mastery of a skill, or marks of experience. Learners fulfill the issuer-specific criteria to earn the badge by attending […]
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David Vogt
3D Printing
3D printing is the process of creating an object using a machine that putting down material layer by layer until the desired object is formed. Such printers use specifications generated by computer modeling applications or by3D scans of existing objects. This process of creating 3D models is much faster than many traditional methods of creating prototypes or replicas of existing […]
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David Vogt
Open Learning Environments
Education is breaking free of the confines of the LMS (Learning Management System). Abundant online (mostly free!) tools and services allow both students and teachers to take advantage of broader resources and potentials within self-managed Open Learning Environments (OLEs). The inherent flexibility and autonomy encourages learners and educators to ‘own’ the learning experience in authentic, […]
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David Vogt
Digital Identity
The backbone of Digital Identity is the ability to employ a single, private, secure identity system as the key to enter any number of applications and environments you might have access to. In broader strokes however, especially in education, it can encompasses the ownership (by the learner) of the learning experience and the authority to broker the […]
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David Vogt
Open Source
A few years ago Open Source was a real buzz – the future of software well beyond education. While the movement is still very active, the breakthrough promise hasn’t been realized. Yet. There are many who believe that the critical mass of openness – including new dimensions such as Open Data, Open Licenses, Open Innovation, Open Educational […]
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David Vogt
Personalized Learning
A dream of educators forever, Personalized Learning is reaching a tipping point in terms of the technologies available for realistic implementations. This marketplace opens to data-driven evaluation enabling learning experiences that cater to individual students learning styles and needs. Opportunity Statement While the venture prospects for Personalized Learning are awesome in the long term, short- and medium-term […]
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David Vogt
BYOT
In the corporate sector IT managers are trying to cope with the ‘impossible’ situation that workers are insisting on coming to work, and doing their work, with their own mobile and work devices and preferred software (Bring Your Own Device or Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT), creating (for the managers, they say) a tsunami of […]
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David Vogt
Blogs
According to Technorati, the blog count reached 80 million last year. Even though a quarter of them are most likely bot-created spam blogs, the quantity of content ‘in the cloud’ is still staggering. Blogs give everyone a voice to communicate, teach, spout opinions, learn and network. And with RSS technology, blog posts are quickly pushed to subscribers […]
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David Vogt
Visual-Intensive Learning
The Visual-Intensive Learning (VIL) marketplace recognizes the rapid trend away from text-intensive information environments to visually-dominated web experiences that is apparent on most web sites but is championed most specifically by sites such as YouTube and Pinterest, as well as immersive collaborative environments and games. The concept of a “visual learner” is not new, but the streaming, […]
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avninder
Visual-Intensive Learning is becoming more common as it is more user friendly, engaging and interesting than traditional text based learning.
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David Vogt
Modern Learning Commons
The learning commons, sometimes called an “information commons,” has evolved from a combination library and computer lab into a full-service learning, research, and project space. As a place where students can meet, talk, study, and use “borrowed” equipment, the Modern Learning Commons brings together the functions of libraries, labs, lounges, and seminar areas in a single community […]
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David Vogt
Touch, Gesture & Voice
Tablets, game systems, smart phones and application like Siri all suggest a trend away from the inefficiencies of the keyboard for virtual interactions. Touch, Gesture & Voice are some of the more “natural” ways learners will access and immerse themselves in learning experiences. Opportunity Statement Learning technologies venture opportunities in Touch, Gesture & Voice are bountiful in that the introduction […]
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David Vogt
Augmented Reality
A capability that has been around for decades, Augmented Reality, is shifting from what was once seen as a gimmick to a bonafide game-changer. The layering of information over 3D space produces a new experience of the world, sometimes referred to as “blended reality,” and is fueling the broader migration of computing from the desktop […]
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David Vogt
Self-Guided Learning
Most people prefer to tackle the majority of their continuing learning objectives independently or informally in professional groups, as Self-Guided Learning. Additionally, the availability and affordability of qualified teachers and accessible learning environments can’t nearly meet the global demand for higher and better educational opportunities. Opportunity Statement Venture opportunities exist in a vibrant global marketplace to […]
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David Vogt
21st Century Skills
Recognition of the importance of 21st Century Skills continues to grow, particularly in the area of competencies across digitally-rich domains involving communications, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Higher education and employers are seeking systematic ways to support and evaluate the acquisition of these skills. Opportunity Statement A set of 21st Century Skills venture opportunities exists for formal, informal and […]
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David Vogt
Adaptive Software
As brilliant as most software and apps might seem, they are still severely awareness-disabled, meaning they don’t know and can’t respond to simple user contexts such as who I am, where I am, what grade I’m in, what class this is, what level I’ve achieved, what my learning style is, etc. The objective of Adaptive Software is […]
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David Vogt
The Internet of Things
Companies like IBM are building “Smart Cities” based on distributed sensors in roads, pipe, etc, providing feedback to control systems. This is part of a general emerging market called the Internet of Things (IoT) where heretofore inanimate, mute objects are becoming part of an intelligent, active, behind-the-scenes conversation. So what about “Smart Schools”, where the all of […]
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David Vogt
Apps
While tablet and smart phone manufacturers are churning forward at a breakneck pace, making a fortune on humanity’s device-lust, the compelling back-story is what these devices can do – the proliferation of Apps. And while addiction and burn-out on the distracting nature of most apps is already big news, there is also a rapid emergence […]
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avninder
A well designed app can provide easy to find up-to-date information on the go.
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David Vogt
Cloud Learning
Cloud Learning is about employing essentially limitless web-based storage and services (the “cloud”) to enhance the learning experience with unprecedented accessibility, continuity, extensibility and integration. Most analysts believe that humanity’s move from computers to the cloud will be more transformational than our recent move from paper to computers.
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avninder
From CDs to floppies to USBs, the cloud is the next big thing.
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David Vogt
Game Based Learning
Game-Based Learning seeks to apply the technologies and engagement factors of the hyper-successful electronic games sector, and of games more generally, to create effective learning experiences. This includes everything from the creation of original games with learning outcomes embedded in the gameplay (“serious games”) to the game-like animation (“gamification”) of more traditional learning approaches . Opportunity Statement […]
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David Vogt
Massively Open Online Courses
A Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) is an emerging model for interactive online learning experiences designed to accommodate possibly unlimited numbers of learners who potentially arrive, attend, participate, and leave on their own terms. MOOCs can take advantage of existing social media and gaming environments as platforms to host both formal and informal learning experiences. Opportunity Statement MOOCs are primarily […]
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David Vogt
Learning Analytics
Human interaction with information on the Internet, including consumption, creation and distribution, generates data with value that can be mined. Social media analytics, for example, is a red-hot market as organizations of all kinds seek to understand rapidly-emerging trends. Learning Analytics applies similar data-mining techniques to create value for learners, teachers, parents, and education systems. Opportunity […]
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jenbarker 6:26 pm on September 10, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Great questions… funny enough, the question as to whether or not the Khan Academy is non-profit came up at a family dinner last night. My father-in-law saw an interview with Khan on television. I would be interested in the answer to your questions. I saw the same documentary and I think they are selling programs to districts for teachers to use in the classroom. Knowing this, I skeptically assume they must be making some profit. Best, Jen
jenbarker 10:38 pm on September 10, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Maybe it is a social enterprise?
David Vogt 11:30 am on September 11, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Regardless of the Khan Academy specifics, which I don’t know, the answer to the title question, “How do non-profits survive?” is relatively easy to answer.
Every corporate entity has a business model. A for-profit corporation has a business model that is designed to generate profit for its shareholders/stakeholders. A non-profit corporation has a business model designed to generate other kinds of value for its stakeholders. And there are social enterprises that mix profit with other values.
Non-profits survive by being paid for delivering their value, which is usually some form of public good. Their sources of income are typically donors, sponsors, foundations, governments and the general public. They also typically have tax and other advantages to support their viability. If they have any cash left after delivery (nominally a ‘profit’) they are legally bound to reinvest this in creating more/better value. When income drops, so does value delivery.
So for-profits and non-profits both live or die based on the quality of the products they deliver, and the value proposition they present to prospective ‘customers’ of their products.
And while there is no perfect oversight of any kind of corporation, it is very difficult to get away with ‘faking’ a non-profit status – this is a very low percentage proposition.
Hope this helps,
David
tomwhyte1 12:31 pm on September 12, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thank you for this information, very informative and enlightening.
Also answers my own questions between the two.