I have been looking at links around Futurelearn, the MOOC project from the OU and others. More from Posterous to be copied over later. Meanwhile this quote from Simon Nelson, (previously with the BBC iPlayer) interviewed in timeshigher ed.

“Going into an online environment to learn is fun, social, an alternative to television and some of the other things you do for entertainment at night,”

So the "entertainment" bit of TED is still in there, at least as one trend. I think TED could be another case for a three dimensional diagram ( Gibson Burrell is the main one, another post to be copied over later). Education - Entertainment could be one axis.

There is a critique of Futurelean and MOOCs and associated technology. A blog from the LSE points out that many MOOCs are from commercial sources and that Futurelearn could become commercial in future. as far as I can tell the intention is to get some interest to start with so I will try to explore the free offers. There is a place for critique but it concerns me that almost no alternative proposal is on offer. It seems enough to explain that technology is in a neoliberal context. What other sort of MOOC could be imagined?

There is more about "deliverology" on the website for a public university. I'm not sure if existing universities are thought to be fine as they are.

Meanwhile there is another Critical Management conference this summer. Stream 20 is about rethinking the C in CMS - Cynical? Constructive? Comfortable? The guidance includes an open approach to success -

We are living in times of crisis, protest and societal changes which (at least) need attention and reflection. Therefore, we especially invite case studies or other empirical material on successful change, protests and disturbances.

This could be interesting.