gLMS - Could it be coming...

With LMS2007 coming up in April, I'm reminded of some of the discussions in the blogosphere.
LMS, we hardly knew ye is classic Jay Cross. I love it. Or this from EducauseCONNECT End of LMS? Of course the only 2 comments reference Legal and privacy issues regarding open alternatives. Which are only relevant if you are an institution fearing legal recourse. When we eliminate the moneymaking institution we eliminate the target of legal action. So for the sake of conversation lets just not talk about Legal and privacy issues.

Disclaimer: I've used them, I've participated in needs analysis for purchasing an LMS, but other than that most of my career has been focused on Learning, technology, and Content development...until now.


Has everyone seen or read about Google Apps for Education?

"Imagine how valuable it would be if your entire campus community -- students, faculty, and staff -- could share information and ideas more easily. With Google Apps Education Edition’s free communication, collaboration and publishing tools, including email accounts on your school’s domain (like student@your-school.edu), you can start bringing that vision to life.

You can select any combination of our available tools and services and customize them with your school's logo, color scheme and content. Manage your users through a web-based control panel, or use the APIs to integrate Google Apps into your existing systems.

Best of all, it's all hosted by Google, so there's no hardware or software to download, install or maintain. You can get up and running quickly with minimal support from your IT staff."

Check it out right NOW!

hmmm....

thinking...hmmm..

hmmmmhhhhmmmmm...

okay, you back with me?


Did you notice the 6 apps that are included? There is the obvious gMAIL, docs, spreadsheet, calendar, talk, etc. HOWEVER...did you see Extensibility APIs. Yea! I know! WOW! Wait...you still don't see it? Look again! No...read BETWEEN the lines...

Did you see gLMS...Google Learning Management System? I didn't either, at first, until I started thinking about it as a techno-geek instead of a learning-nerd. Its nothin' but a tiny chunk of work from your friendly neighborhood coding ninja and you end up with everything you need to completely manage your "school". I put school in parenthesis because web2.0 will completely change the image of what that word actually means. The gLMS supports the Learning Ecosystems of the future not the bricks and mortar environments of the past.

But you say..."Brent, there's no database! It can't be an LMS without a database!"

I say...hmmmm...what if we used spreadsheets? Besides isn't that what we used before the databases? Databases are columns and rows...spreadsheets are columns and rows.

I'll be interested to hear from those techno-geekier than me can help me understand if this is possible. And I'd love to hear from those that are learning-nerdier than me to understand...well...not sure what I want to understand there when it comes to an LMS.

A quick look at the LMS2007 Sponsors does not show the presence of Google, however I'm certain there must be someone there just chomping at the bit to make this happen. If not Google...then anyone interested in starting a little project with me? ;-)

I'm not able to attend the LMS2007 conference this year, but I'm hoping someone will be live blogging it. I'm VERY curious. It should be a great show because its definitely relevant and contextual in these web2.0 shifting times.