How do you compete with free?

How do you compete with free?
by Harold Jarche | Thu, 11/27/2008 - 07:17

It's not about the technology. Sounds trite and in some cases we can see that enabling technologies do make a difference. However, the world-changing technology is the Internet and it's already here. So why do institutions spend so much on their VLE or virtual learning environment [also known as LMS, LCMS, CMS, etc]?

In The Vice Chancellor's VLE, a parody of The Emporer's New Clothes, two "scoundrels" sell a VLE to a university:

 “Look at the VC’s new Virtual Learning Environment . It’s beautiful!”
“What a marvellous navigation system!”
“And the pedagogy! The learning models of that beautiful pedagogy! I have never seen anything like it in my life.”

They all tried to conceal their disappointment
at not being able to see the purpose of an empty learning environment,
and since nobody was willing to admit his own stupidity and
incompetence, they all behaved as the two scoundrels had predicted.

So for several hundred thousand dollars any institution can get an empty VLE. What a good deal. Compare that to these no-cost learning events that happened over the Fall of 2008:

Connectivism & Connected Knolwedge (12 weeks) +10,000 participants - free

WorkLiteracy for Learning Professionals (6 weeks) ~700 participants - free

Corporate Learning Trends (5 days) ~600 participants - free

The organisers and facilitators were not paid, the technology was free and participation was open to the world. Not a bad deal. Much as Microsoft realized a long time ago that it's main competitor was the open source Linux project, not Apple, higher education should start to see that the competition is not other institutions. Higher education is competing with every knowledgeable person connected to the Net who wants to share; a very large number and growing. So how do you compete with free when all of your infrastructure - bricks, mortar and information technology - costs lots of money? Good luck.

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