Review by: Haberer, Monika (2008-12-09)

Bryan Alexander’s article traces the different lines of development that the use of online tools in the academic and the non-academic world has taken in recent years. It approaches the question of how to combine the traditional way of teaching via the web, i. e. making use of Learning Management Systems, and alternative ways provided by Web 2.0 and gaming applications.

In the introductory part of the article, the author gives a general overview of the three aspects he considers: By referring to user statistics he accounts for the dynamics of the use of Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, social platforms etc. He also presents the actual state of development in the computer gaming area including the increasing diversification of different types of games and the demographic broadening of the computer game user base. While both areas have already been integrated in the educational context – in research (cf. game studies) as well as in practical teaching (course blogging, profcasting etc.) – the traditional way to organise and create web-based teaching via Learning Management Systems has largely remained unaffected by these developments: the conceptual architecture of LMS, for instance, which is open to a restricted community only, differs to a high degree from the social network concept inherent in Web 2.0 tools. Taking this analysis as a starting point, the author suggests a number of possible solutions and already existing ways to bridge this gap in both areas.

With regard to the approach of LMS and Web 2.0 tools, three alternatives are considered to be relevant:

• Linking from the LMS to Web 2.0 content
• “Silo Web 2.0” solutions like wiki or blog plug-ins available for LMS
• “Extruded services” such as Blackboard Scholar, a social bookmarking service
potentially open to the entire web, but only accessible via a blackboard campus

While enumerating the various reasons for universities to keep LMS running (low bar of entry, copyright reasons, costs caused by switching to a new system, local control of technology), the article emphasises the (pedagogical) opportunities teachers and universities miss if they don’t take account of the new web developments. This concerns, above all, aspects of teaching media literacy and a potential lack of knowledge of useful new tools.

By taking the socio-politically orientated Dutch game Wadlandis as an example of a non-academic, openly available web-solution, the author points out the didactic potential of contemporary games which could also be useful in an academic context. On the one hand, the gap between LMS und gaming could be bridged by similar ways of integrating external web-applications as presented in the case of Web 2.0 tools. On the other hand, the article suggests some reflections on a conceptual level. The author envisages a game orientated redesign of LMS which would include the following aspects:

• Enhancing the collaboration among students by making available the students' profiles including the display of scores, achievements and learning paths
• Creating of a cross-disciplinary learning environment providing a whole reservoir of small content units for university members
• Transforming the learning space into a major academic platform with flexible interactions of “players” where aspects such as informal learning and shared content creation go along with learning quests

With this article, the author approaches conceptual questions of how to design or redesign already established e-learning devices in accordance with recent technological developments and changing user practices on the web. While the description of existing tools, and their potential to bridge the depicted gap, offers a good point of practical orientation for all those involved in designing E-Learning activities, the conceptual reflections on the game oriented redesign of learning spaces are rather vague. Nevertheless, the consideration of these questions remains important and worth pursuing in the educational context.