Open Source Platform Allows Anyone to Create Online Courses. Online learning options like Coursera, EdX, and Udacity have made classes previously accessible only through enrollment at one of the nation's top universities available to the world.
But what happens to colleges and universities not partnering with these so-called Massively Open Online Course providers? A new nonprofit project developed by eight Stanford engineers called Class2Go might have a solution. They let anyone in the world use their open source platform to run their own online course for free. Like many MOOC's, Class2G0 allows users to learn via videos and interactive quizzes. But because the creators "believe strongly that valuable course content shouldn't be tied to any one platform," the videos are housed on mobile device-friendly YouTube. MOOCs are still so new we don't know yet which one is the modern equivalent of BETA and which is VHS—destined to be the platform that triumphs over all. Photo via (cc) Flickr user Ryan Somma.
10 Blogs Entrepreneurs Need to Be Reading. See the 2012 edition: 10 Must Read Blogs for Entrepreneurs (2012 Edition) #1.
The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur Site: What it is: Mike Michalowicz provides entrepreneurs and small businesses with tips on everything from starting a business to networking to marketing and health care. Why you should read it: Mike not only provides great tips but he provides great tips from REAL people. . #2.
Site: What it is: Written by a panel of small business owners, the site offers tips and advice on everything business related. Small business trends really covers EVERYTHING! #3. Site: Run by two brothers, Matthew and Adam Toren, Young Entrepreneur is exactly what it sounds like; a site dedicated to young entrepreneurs. Between blog posts, forums, polls and interviews with other small business owners, the site offers fantastic content. . #4. Site: Web Worker Daily is dedicated to providing tips and advice for those using the web for work…well, obviously.
Why you should read it: #5. Under30ceo. 3. Nine Key Frameworks for Entrepreneurship. Dublin Web Summit Picks SmartThings Out Of 100-Strong Startup Competition. Well, many have travelled but few will make the end.
SmartThings won the Dublin Web Summit startup competition this week beating off the other three finalists Vibease, Ovelin and Tictail and winning €100,000 in cash, as part of the Electric Ireland Spark of Genius competition. Over 1,000 entries to the competition were shortlisted to 100 which then pitched from two stages (social, mobile, consumer and enterprise) to over the two day international tech conference. Set up by Alex Hawkinson, SmartThings turns everyday objects into smart objects. The platform is a hub that connects to the internet and other devices that then senses and controls real-world things like a door lock, or a light or anything else. This is along the lines of the Internet of things we’ve heard so much about. The other startups in the final were: VIBEASE INC. OVELIN Chris Thür Finland Their pitch: Guitar Hero for real guitar! 45SOUND Cathal Furey Ireland Their pitch: Crowd-sourced live event videos with great audio.