Thursday, November 13, 2008

Edu 2.0 The Future of Education


Edu 2.0 is a free online learning management system. There are a number of free learning management systems, but Edu 2.0 looks promising, as it combines learning management with social networking features. It was pretty cool exploring it, as it is quite user-friendly.

The CICT was privileged to have hosted a workshop on Edu 2.0 facilitated by no less than its founder, Mr. Graham Glass. The workshop participants were mostly from the public high schools. I believe that Edu 2.0 can be a useful tool in implementing ICT in education, without the attached cost! I really hope that schools use it. :)

An article about Mr. Glass's visit was published at Inquirer.net:

Edu 2.0 founder: E-learning is evolving
By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:20:00 11/13/2008

MANILA, Philippines –In electronic learning environments, you are both a student and a teacher.

E-learning is evolving. But one of the more common trend is that it has been used to automate how classes run, said Graham Glass, founder of Edu 2.0, as he discussed trends in e-learning.

E-learning, he added, does not necessarily involve distance learning. It also involves automating grading and assignments and messaging. E-learning also gives parents access to their children’s performance, said Glass.

Edu 2.0 is a social network designed for students and teachers.

The service allows anyone to teach and learn by combining the power of blogs, online classes, automated grading, online quizzes, lessons, e-mail, games, forums, calendar, instant messaging, among others.

E-learning, however, becomes crucial when teachers want to reach people in the provinces, added Glass.

“E-learning makes it very easy for teachers to create a class and teach children wherever they are in the world,” he said. E-learning allows interaction among teachers and students.

Edu 2.0, for instance, allows online interactions through various Internet tools like chat discussions groups, blogs, community billboard and interactive games.

Glass said e-learning allows students and teachers from different schools to interact and exchange resources, while discussing common lessons.

“When you set up a school within our website, you have to follow a set of policies that can be customized. When you select a ‘walled community,’ then students within that school can only interact with each other,” said Glass.

The Edu 2.0 has 24,000 members. Filipino professor Joel Yuvienco who has been a member since February 2008, said he uses the e-learning system to teach special children.

“[E-learning] has empowered both learners and teachers,” added Yuvienco.

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