Serendipity35

I wrote here about the open-source software called Elgg almost two decades ago. (Not to be confused with elgg.net, a social networking site for educators back around 2006, which no longer exists.)  Elgg is open-source social networking software that provides individuals and organizations with the components needed to create an online social environment. It offers blogging, microblogging, file sharing, networking, groups, and a number of other features. It was also the first platform to bring ideas from commercial social networking platforms to educational software. It was founded in 2004 by Ben Werdmuller and Dave Tosh

I view those older posts and many of the ones on this site that date back almost 20 years as historical documents of a sort. I'm sometimes tempted to update them, and I do sometimes fix a broken image or a proofreading mistake, but they may have some value as documentation of another time in edtech history.

How many of the alternatives to commercial course management systems from my 2006 list still exist? I looked up Elgg to see if it was still in use. The Wikipedia entry shows an impressive list of sites that are using Elgg. The list includes Oxfam, the Australian, Dutch, Canadian, and British Governments, New Zealand Ministry of Education, State of Ohio, USA, The World Bank, UNESCO, and the United Nations Development Programme.

Here is one of those old posts - now just historic.

Elgg is software for building a personal learning landscape. The software is from the United Kingdom. I first saw it mentioned on the Moodle site and thought it was a kind of plug-in to Moodle. It uses blogs, e-portfolios, shared files, RSS feeds, and other "social networking" tools. I thought it had been designed for educational use, but looking through the users, it has a good number of general users.

Their site has a demo community set up, and their resources/links are set up using an embedded wiki. You can create a free user account and get space for a blog, RSS feeds, an aggregator to read other people's content, and space to store your own resources (files). As a guest, you can still view items made public in user profiles - here's mine

Since their new release is version 0.601, this is obviously new beta software. So does this replace a Moodle or Blackboard, or supplement it, or serve a different purpose?

My collaborator here, Tim Kellers, installed the Elgg software here at NJIT, so drop by and register if you want to try it out. I also suggest you go to the elgg.net site and create an account so you can become part of that educator community. I have made some interesting contacts outside the United States from there. Right now, I am just having this blog's content mirrored to my Elgg blog account by using an RSS feed (yeah, there are some formatting & image issues doing that).

http://webapps.saugus.k12.ca.us/community - California's Saugus Unified School District uses it, and as you can see, it is a secure environment with user id and password access. However, take a look at their user introduction pdf document. It's a nice 9-page intro with screenshots. Another K12 district getting ahead of the colleges!

Ready for the test question? Elgg is to Elgg.net as ____ is to Wikipedia. (Answer: Mediawiki)

Well, to deal with that confusion (or further confuse you), elgg.net will now be edufilter.org.

Here's an email that went out to users from the Elgg folks:

Changes are afoot at Elgg.net!
Actually, you've been accustomed to change throughout the existence of the site since we started it in 2004. New features pop up all the time, and we think you'll be pleased to hear that this isn't going to stop soon.
However, we're going to change the name. Next Wednesday, Elgg.net will become Edufilter.org.
This is because, for a lot of people, Elgg.net is Elgg. Granted, it's a confusing name. But Elgg is a free, open source, white label social networking framework that anyone can install on their own servers. Want it running at your institution? Point your elearning folks at http://elgg.org.
Elgg.net, meanwhile, is a social network for education - and therefore, we think Edufilter is probably a better name.
You've probably got concerns, so let's deal with the most important:
#1: We're not going to break any of your links. While the front page of Elgg.net will forward to the main Elgg software homepage, anyone visiting elgg.net/your-username will still get to your page. We have no plans to end this, so if your address is printed on materials, don't worry. Everything's fine.
#2: The site will not be discontinued. It continues to be our flagship installation.
Furthermore, making the site overtly educational means we can give you more directed content and features. Sponsorship opportunities are available; if you'd like to promote your product or service available to some of the world's leading lights in elearning, let us know.
Best regards,
The Curverider team

 

A Few Other Posts About This

https://serendipity35.net/index.php?/archives/489-Putting-All-Your-Educational-Eggs-In-One-Basket.html

https://serendipity35.net/index.php?/archives/83-More-of-the-Competition-in-the-CMS-Market.html

https://serendipity35.net/index.php?/archives/265-A-directory-to-Web-2.0-Companies.html

 

Podcasts at Apple are turning 20 years old, but Apple officially discontinued iTunes U at the end of 2021. The platform, which launched in 2007, was designed to help educators distribute lectures, assignments, and other learning materials through the iTunes ecosystem. It was especially popular with universities and K–12 institutions - for a time.

As Apple shifted its focus to newer tools like Classroom and Schoolwork, which offer more interactive and integrated experiences for iPads and Macs, iTunes U gradually became outdated. Apple announced the phase-out in 2020, giving educators time to transition to an alternative platform. That was partially why there was a temporary bump up in schools participating in MOOCs. 

I was at NJIT 20 years ago and spearheaded the university's inclusion in the initial "sweet 16" schools in iTunes U. It was important in its time, and I would update the new schools as they were added. I was disappointed in Apple's lack of support for the academic version of podcasting and was further disappointed when they dropped it after 14 years, but it had been losing its lustre. iTunesU (and iTunes itself) didn't really move forward, and the newer apps for educators allowed us to guide students through lessons in real time, share assignments, and track progress more efficiently. 

I searched for some of those old Serendipity35 iTunes U posts. Very nostalgic in 2025.

These are some of the general online learning platforms where some of that content was repurposed.
Khan Academy – Free, nonprofit platform offering lessons in math, science, economics, and more. Great for K–12 and beyond.
Coursera – Offers courses from top universities like Stanford and Yale. Many are free to audit, with paid certificates available2.
Udemy – A massive marketplace for courses on everything from coding to photography. Often discounted and self-paced.
FutureLearn – UK-based platform with university-led courses and microcredentials.
Institutional Tools
Canvas LMS and Blackboard Learn – Widely used by schools and universities for managing coursework, assignments, and communication.
Moodle – Open-source learning management system used by many institutions worldwide.
Open Educational Resources
Wikiversity and Wikibooks – Free educational content created and curated by volunteers. Great for self-learners.
Classroom & Student Engagement
ClassDojo – Focuses on classroom behavior and communication, especially for younger students.
Remind - Helps teachers communicate with students and parents via messaging.
Lumio – Turns lessons into interactive, collaborative experiences.

 

The biggest EdTech stories of 2024 seemed to all revolve around the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence.

This use of AI in education can range from fears of students using AI to "cheat," to AI-powered personalized learning. Platforms using AI to tailor learning paths to individual student needs, and providing real-time feedback and then adapting content based on progress is an AI path that most educators would welcome.

I also saw some increasing interest in skills-based training and upskilling platforms.

A positive trend is the increased accessibility to education through immersive technologies like VR/AR. I also saw positive potential with platforms addressing mental health and wellbeing within the learning environment.

Students of all ages and levels continue to acquire formal AI skills & training online: Students and workers might say they use AI in their work, but it is less likely that a person is certified in AI use in some way. (More on that in my next post.).

I saw a mention of "blended learning" in an article that reminded me of that approach that I once taught and endorsed to faculty. I have not heard the term used much in the past few years, but I am no longer involved full-time in pedagogy.

Blended learning is a pedagogical model integrating traditional face-to-face classroom instruction with online learning experiences. In some ways it was a transitional model going back to the shift from 20th century to 21st century learning. As traditional faculty were being asked to use more online tools or even convert their courses to being fully online, this approach was a softer way to launch.

The idea was to combine the best aspects of in-person and digital education to create a more flexible and personalized learning environment. A Personalized Learning Environment (PLE) was another term that emerged at the time. Probably everyone in and out of academia now has a personalized learning environment of a kind, though it may not be formalized. A PLE was supposed to allow students to benefit from direct interaction with teachers and peers while also taking advantage of the accessibility and resources available through digital platforms.

Key components of blended learning include:

    In-person instruction: Traditional classroom teaching where students engage with teachers and classmates in real-time. 
    Online learning: Use of digital tools and resources, such as videos, interactive activities, and online assessments, that students can access at their own pace.
    Integrated learning activities: Assignments and projects that blend both in-person and online elements to enhance understanding and engagement.
    Flexible pacing: Students can often progress through material at their own speed, allowing for personalized learning experiences.

Some of the advantages associated with blended learning were to provide a more dynamic and adaptive educational experience and addressing diverse learning styles and needs.

An effective blended learning module has a good range of learning activities: on-campus activities, such as lectures, workshops and seminars; off-campus activities, such as field trips, exhibitions, and visits to companies; online synchronous activities; and independent learning activities, such as completing tasks after reading case studies or watching videos.

The article I read was from the UK timeshighereducation.com and had suggested goals for blended learning. In brief, they are:
Find a suitable space when attending online classes
Use digital tools
Create a sense of belonging (a difficult goal because online interactions often feel impersonal and might not be well suited to every student - or faculty member)

One suggestion that interested me the most was to use different types of assessment. This was an area that I worked with faculty on frequently as an instructional designer. Blended learning modules should use a good range of assessment types. It was difficult for many teachers to accept that their main form of assessment was testing, especially objective, knowledge-based tests and quizzes. Written assessments, such as reports and essays, appeared in some courses (especially in the humanities) but were often absent in STEM courses. Faculty would tell me, "They are too subjective." "They take too long to grade" "My course requires them to retain lots of facts that I have to assess." The latter was especially true in foundation courses.

Using online tests and quizzes became more popular because once created they could be automatically scored. Easy for the teacher and immediate feedback for the student.

In-person or recorded presentations were more in the blended model but were time-consuming and more popular in upper-level or graduate courses. Interacting face-to-face with their peers as a team or audience during the presentation is also an important skill. I saw video presentations, e-portfolios, digital projects, posters, podcasts and simulation games all used in blended courses. 

One concept that often met with faculty indifference or opposition was the student-as-co-creator of assignments and assessments, though this can serve as a valuable source to gather student voices and improve their learning experience.

The term "hybrid course" became used more than "blended" but was often the same thing or just used interchangeably. While both models integrate online and offline learning, blended learning is a broader pedagogical approach that can be applied at various levels of education and in different ways. A hybrid course is a specific type of course design commonly used in colleges and universities.

A hybrid course refers to a course that "officially" combines face-to-face (F2F) classroom instruction with online components. The term is commonly used in higher education to describe courses where a significant portion of the learning activities are conducted online, with the remaining portion happening in a physical classroom setting. This becomes an issue concerning the registrar and scheduling areas. A course that met F2F on Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 - noon may now only be assigned a classroom on one of those days. The goal is still to balance the in-person interaction with the flexibility of online learning, usually reducing the amount of time spent in a physical classroom compared to a traditional course.

Of course, hybrid learning models should not be used simply to free up classroom space or reduce parking issues on campus, but unfortunately, I knew of cases where that was a motivation for using it.

The development of online and blended learning modules got a boost during and after the pandemic. To a degree, that was from necessity and convenience, but it introduced these approaches to more students and more faculty and some of it has remained in use.

Developing the right balance between these different teaching modes varies according to discipline, but a mix of synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (self-paced) online activities, along with in-person classroom sessions.is still the pedagogical approach.