Nairobi hosts e-learning Africa conference

The second e-learning Africa conference will take place from 28 to 30 May in Nairobi. It is supported by the EC, the UN International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, as well as BiBB, the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, reports CoastWeek.

The conference is intended to become an e-learning capacity-building event for the entire African continent, and a forum for all stakeholders in the planning and implementation of technology-supported learning and training.

More than 300 proposals from 46 countries have reached the conference organisers and a finalised first version of the agenda will be ready by the end of February.

The Australian Commonwealth Bank will use next-generation e-learning techniques employing alpha-channel video, to deliver real-world customer service training to its staff, reports AustralianIT.

The e-learning modules, developed with MassMedia Studios, will be used to improve staff skills. The modules, which use photography with embedded video, will be part of the bank's product accreditation e-learning programme.

Staff will be able to experience and differentiate between average and good customer service, and the bank's desired standards for all customer interactions.

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will review the patent held by e-learning software maker Blackboard, due to a challenge from a group advocating open source software, reports InfoWorld.

The patent in question, "Internet-based education support system and methods", grants Blackboard a monopoly until 2022 on most educational software that differentiates between the roles of teacher and student.

USPTO responded to the request for the review on behalf of three open source, educational software projects. In granting the review, the Patent Office found that the request raises "a substantial new question of patentability" regarding all 44 claims of Blackboard's patent.