Cloud learning is a concept being promoted by Judy Breck and plays a critical role in our concept of mobile learning. From one of her blog posts:
It is worth using this analogy in understanding that educational resources online have not yet managed to move much toward the cloud phase. Most online education stuff is embedded in structures like curricula and courses, which are patterns and not miscellaneous. GoldenSwamp.com is dedicated to writing about the cloud of learning resources that surely will be crucial in the learning enlightenment that lies ahead. Patterns are not inherently bad, but nodes that are free to participate in more than one pattern offer a richer learning environment. Cloud learning would be such an environment.
I like the concept, but wonder why she choose a ’swamp’ as her metaphor. Seems rather dark and unappealing, especially compared to a Simpsons-like cloud. More on the topic from her recent presentation at Microlearning Conference 2008:
Judy Breck - Cloud Education (Microlearning Conference 2008) from Teemu Arina on Vimeo.
One comment that particularly resonated was near 27:00 where she recommended un-bundling courses into micro-content to improve their findability. Or, one could just design modular lessons in the first place as we do with our LanguagePod’s.
Further reading:
- Interwingle (free PDF book download)
