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No suprise here - Alexa dot com reports
Traffic Rank for interactiveuniversity.net: 729,68093Online Since: 13-Sep-2002An interactive bridge between the leading Scottish universities and students across the globe who wish to study for a internationally-recognised qualification.
Traffic Rank for myedinburgh.org: 4,669066Online Since: 16-Aug-2001
How much public money has been spent?
So what now for e-Learning in Scotland?
The three prongs set up by SE to make Scotland a power house in world e-Learning are disappearing.
eLearning International hasn't happened for a few years and IU is now gone. The third prong, the eLearning Alliance is still in existence, and this weeks conference would be an indication as to how much interest there actually is in eLearning.
My view is that loads of people think e-Learning is a good idea, and there are benefits to be gained, but the majority of organisations aren't willing to spend sensible money on it.
SE has spent huge amounts of money over the past 5 - 10 years on e-Learning, but where is the return on that investment. Where are the companies who are competing on a world stage? (they're either American, Canadian or Indian)
I am encouraged by the fact that the majority of Scottish universities saw no merit in propping up yet another lame-duck QUANGO, but saddened by the sums of money already pumped into it. The chief executive of the IU (never heard of it in my life before) was paid a salary of up to £120,000 for his failure – Charles Kennedy earned a similar sum from non-parliamentary work and look at the flak he’s getting!
Contrary to Mr Ritchie's belief, some of (if not all of) our universities can be quite business like. Ironically, the IU chose to differ from the very business-oriented model that its Heriot-Watt parent had long proven to be successful in a global market.
Mr Ritchie is right in his summary about the 'wrong format'. Unfortuantely for everyone a huge amount of money had to be wasted to find this out.
Funny that! I put up our example of a working Scottish venture in online learning that is NOT subsidised by the tax payer, and my comment is removed (number 3).
Well done, Scotsman, in a world that needs good news, keep telling us about the bad. If you want to see what example I was talking about, look for "The New Curiosity Shop" in your favourite search engine.
I dare say this comment will be removed as well...
Noel, perhaps the Scotsman have their own online learning proposition in the offing, and felt it would be better not to promote the competition.
Keep up the good work.
The fact that many people (especially those for whom online learning would have suited) had never heard of IU, says it all.
In addition to wasting Scottish tax-payers money, the IU stagnated Scottish Education developments internationally by claiming to represent the "whole" Scottish Education sector, but in reality representing only a few, and those which it did represent held back by a "non" university.
Maybe given this news-report the Interactive University should now be referred to as the IoU.
As for the "The New Curiosity Shop" (NoelC) as its own pages claim:"We do not currently offer qualifications or accreditation" - says it all really.
The good Scottish trait of knocking Scottish businesses (and people) that tried to take on the world returns !
Will the New Curiosity Shop ever have the potential to showcase Scotland on the world stage...
Lets hope they have the ambition to even try...
#8 Does education and learning need to be about qualifications and accreditation?
Too many people in the UK (and especially Scotland) are disenfrachised from the formal education system.
From a young age, huge numbers of people disengage from formal education.
Traditional mass produced education either doesn't appeal to them, or isn't suitable to their needs. And whilst ventures like the New Curiosity Shop may not take on the world, I believe they can fill gaps in personal education needs.
So keep up the good work NoelC, and best of luck in your venture - whether that is conquering the world, or helping people to improve themselves in their local communities.
