Extension Engine
Blog

Gamification is a big buzz word in the UX and online learning world. Many people get it confused with game design, which it is not. Game design is just that — the act of creating an actual game such as Sims or Angry Birds.

We would like to bring your attention to a webinar we recently presented with one of our clients, Fitch Learning. The webinar, Choosing a Platform for Revenue-Generating Online Training, provides a succinct and understandable breakdown of when to develop a custom learning experience — such as those we create — versus relying solely on a traditional learning management system (LMS).

Schools are realizing the grandiose potential of new technologies, but are now scratching their heads to answer questions such as these: How can my online program use 3D animators to create virtual worlds for online classrooms? How can my online program tap into cyber-replication of the vigorous discussion and debate that characterizes a vibrant college classroom? Where are the simulations that allow students to learn by manipulating variables and what-if scenarios?

These and a mass of other conundrums ultimately boil down to how can online programs actualize the potential promised by 21st century technology?

Last week, we attended the Eduventures Summit, the yearly instigator of a reawakening within higher ed’s biggest and best practitioners. The topics, though already top-of-mind for those of us leading innovation, were yet another reminder that differentiated, authentic, and visionary work is what’s driving the future of higher education.

Here’s a thought we ran into recently in an article in Edsurge regarding the future of online learning development:

“Transformative change will always depend on a small number of risk takers.” - CHLOE 2017 

A welcome and impressive piece of research crossed our desk last week, one that we look forward to revisiting far into the foreseeable future. The Changing Landscape of Online Education (CHLOE) is the result of a partnership between the research and advisory firm, Eduventures, and Quality Matters, an international nonprofit dedicated to support organizations’ quality assurance goals.

Takeaways From the 2017 Open edX Conference in Madrid

Having been a sponsor of every Open edX conference since the inaugural one in 2015, this year’s conference felt simultaneously very familiar and very new.  It was familiar to see so many old friends from the community and so many leaders from edX.  What was new started with the venue -- University of Carlos III Madrid in, you guessed it, Madrid, Spain.  But I was also surprised to see more than 500 attendees; the largest attendance of any Open edX conference.

I just returned from a few days at the ASU+GSV Summit in Salt Lake City during which I talked with many dozens of attendees — professionals in higher ed, nonprofits, technology firms, and edtech venture capital. The overwhelming themes of the summit related to the intertwined trio of competition, differentiation, and complexity. Let me explain.

The bombshell hit last week - Purdue University was acquiring Kaplan University.