E-Learning Evolution: Bold But Necessary Steps That Need to Go Viral

Throughout our journey into the changing nature of E-Learning, many aspects have been looked at with the view on the future path of E-Learning. Topics such as the problems associated with the continuing entrenchment of the Industrial Model of education with its supporting purposes in global education systems to re-imagining how we go about the process of assessing learning. Ideas on how the roles of instructional designers, educators, corporate trainers, administrators, innovators and subject matter experts need to change in order to harmonize with the demands of a digital age and the changing needs of learners.

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We can no longer just discuss ideas without thinking about coordinating the ideas from a blueprint to a model of application. In this post and the ones that follow, steps will be suggested that need to be taken if we are move forward in the evolution of E-Learning.

"The conversations need to go viral and be coordinated across the globe by all those who have a vested interest in learners becoming creators of new knowledge and skill sets that will help societies tackle real world issues in meaningful and sustaining ways."

 A culture of innovation will remain just a "buzz phrase" if bold but necessary steps are not taken within a global context. So, the purpose of the following steps is to challenge instructional designers, educators at all levels, corporate trainers, administrators, edupreneurs, innovators, CEO's and subject matter experts to promote conversations within their spheres of influence. The steps will provoke what I would term "healthy controversy" because we all need to face the truth and do some careful introspection as to barriers that exist in our own professional practices and confront them by imagining better paths.

Building the Future of E-Learning : Establishment of Global E-Learning Portals

As mentioned above, there is a growing need to coordinate or harmonize E-Learning efforts simply due to the fact that every day more and more E-Learning offering organizations both private and public are coming on stream all over the world without any unifying vision of what E-Learning should look like for the future of our societies and how the needs of learners can be addressed using available resources in the most efficient manner. This feeling of the lack of direction has prompted some to at least suggest a first step as was outlined in a posted "Manifesto of E-Learning".

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What I am going to suggest is a concept of creating six "global e-learning portals" which would be constructed to serve the needs for E-Learning across the globe. Each E-Learning portal would serve the E-Learning needs of a designated family of countries. Each portal would be made up of the following elements:

1. Global E-Learning Hub
2. Business and Education Innovation Council
3. Cross Disciplinary Research and Mentor Network
4. Global Corporate Trainers, Instructional Designers and Learning Principle Expert Network
5. Global Higher Education and Teacher Mentoring Network

The actual description of these elements I will detail in later posts but what is of great importance are the collaborative relationships that will be established among these elements and between different portals.

What I have suggested above should prompt a number of questions in the reader's mind such as:

1. What criteria would be used for creating the portals and choosing which countries should belong to each family of countries?
2. What happens with countries who are just in the early stages of E-Learning and still face challenges with regards to infrastructure? (I think that what I will propose for this challenge will surprise you;) )
3. Where does corporate culture fit into this proposed portal development and in what ways?
4. How will this help create a culture of innovation that is global in context?

In the next post, I will explain the elements of the portals and their relationship to each other. I will also touch on the need to seek an unified vision for E-Learning and a re-imagined purpose for educating 21st century students now and in the coming future.