Gabriel’s E-Learning

E-learning Patents (the vultures have arrived)

October 27, 2007

An article in the “Ars Technica” blog points to a different area in the E-learning arena. The article points out that Blackboard (used by UTS itself) was granted a very wide, inclusive patent of “internet-based education support and method tool” which means that it can hold the ‘patent-infringement threat’ over open-source, free e-learning support tools (Paul 2007).

Aside from the legal issues that can be raised out of the article, one issue that can be derived is further proof of how e-learning is increasingly viewed as the future of education and thus a great investment. Emerging technologies or concepts start attracting legal issues (usually in the area of copyrights and patents) as soon as they are seen as worthy of attention and investments of money, time and effort. This would not have happened if the industry did not predict that e-learning would increasing its hold in the education and training sector.

References:

Paul R. 2007, ‘EFF lawyer warns of E-learning patent dangers’, Ars Technica, viewed 28 October 2007, < http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070408-eff-lawyer-warns-of-e-learning-patent-dangers.html >

Entry Filed under: Interesting stuff, Thoughts. .