1. For profit distributive learning is very popular on the internet. These companies usually center around selling access to web sites that are connected to large academic data bases like Wolfram Alpha. There are also web sites that sell access to training video libraries. A good example of this would be Lynda.com .
The other way that companies do distributive instruction would be software. A good example of this would be Rosetta Stone. They sell software to teach language skills and vocabulary to schools, governments and individuals.
(Rosetta video is from Rossettastone.com )
2. Virtual Classes are like most online classes. The instructor gives information vial a "virtual" methods. Examples of this would be a on forums, email, Skype or other video conferencing or something like e-college. The assignments, are also completed on line in the virtual class room via similar methods.
3. Hybrid classes use a mixture of technological and traditional instruction methods. An example of a hybrid class would be a History class I took. It had traditional lectures from a professor and online reading and assignments to complete.
4. Distributed Resource support: These are ways of distributing learning materials so that learning and instruction can take place in many locations instead of one centralize location. Here are some examples from the internet. free.ed.gov/index.cfm and amazing-space.stsci.edu/
5. Free Distributive Learning: many sites on the internet have instructional content. here are a few.
about.com , learning free online. About features articles with directions on many subjects. A good place to look for fun science fair projects or so I hear. learning free on line features videos much like you tube.
* Re-useability: This topic in the book seems to be focused on rights, technical compatibility and general trends of a subject matter. The text states that by using creative commons license this can help move software creation away from a time consuming chase for the rights to modify the software. The open source models would be far superior for the world of academia because they require that the "source code" be released and are design around a collaborative culture.
The author also mentions the uses of standards with regards to things like file formats. It is amazing to me how many time these "standards" are based on large corporate products that require lost of extra cost in software or special plugins. I' m going to pick on My Math Lab now. Here is a really great product for teaching various math classes and providing an assist to the instructors teaching math. There are "helps" that will give a bit of tutoring on a type of problem. The student has to learn how to do the type of problem before moving to the next type of problem. This provides subject mastery. Yet it is all done in Adobe Flash and it cost the student about $100 or more a semester. (my price may be a bit out of date) If a school were to do this they could have a similar web based system and do it all in HTML and Java script and it would not require a plug-in and could be modified for each school or subject. It could also be done under an open source agree met for the license that would allow it to grow across academic landscape.
* Rich Media:
Here is the Video from You tube.com about installing a radiator in your house.
This Video has Narration and written words to enhance the instruction.
*Nano Tech:
Nano technology has the potential to revolutionize The way we build things, do medicine, teach and affect many other areas of life. The nano tubes are currently being used to make very thin thermal image filters and may be used to construct solar panels that will fit on to your classroom window. The thermal imaging that uses less electricity and is thin could revolutionize science classes.
* Roads:
You need as many ways to provide instruction for all the different types of people. This is the only way to effectively provide instructions.
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