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The term “commercialisation�? is used to define the act of “involving something to commerce.�? (Princeton University, 2005) Commerce is the, “Trade or exchange of goods and money.�? (Wiki Books, 2005) In the virtual classroom there are several ways that commercialisation can come into action. With the introduction of online banking and the use of credit cards virtual money transfers are becoming increasingly frequent.
The “New Economy�? is a term used by John Hartley that describes the transmission from the old industrial economy, where tangible assets were more highly valued than intangible ones, to the present day economy of information technology (p.162 2002). The notions of this “New Economy�? encompass the buying and selling of knowledge and ideas. This is the essence of commercialisation in the virtual classroom.
Methods that have been used to achieve this include denying access to certain websites and sections of information to non-fee paying users. This can be seen on many journal article sites such as; B&T ( www.bandt.com.au/ ), where you have to “unlock content�? of articles often via paid subscriptions. Secondly, entities can charge fees for interactive medias they provide such as; online assessment(The Virtual Classroom – Online Assessment Advantages and Disadvantages), virtual simulations of real-life experiences and access to discussion boards and chat rooms. They can also charge for online services such as, personally assessed feedback, online courses (The Virtual Classroom – Online Courses ), editing services and essay writing and ideas management.
Some concerns that are raised by commercialisation in the virtual classroom involve credibility, security and accountability. Many education professionals and corporate representatives are concerned that there is additional anonymity that can be attributed to online organisations that will raise serious concerns for the virtual classroom. Falsifying information, money fraud and invalid certification being sold to students are possible outcomes that are being discussed. It can be more difficult to track the person accountable for misconduct in the virtual environment and this raises concerns for some cynics.
“Security has been widely recognised as one of the main barriers to the adoption of internet innovation. Many studies suggest that firms operating on the internet must first convince their customers about the security of internet as a medium.�? (Mattila & Mattila, 2005) The customers involved in the virtual classroom are not only the students, but can be the teachers as well. Also, with regards to online courses, the secondary customers are the industries which accredit these online courses. Without industry accreditation the degree has little relevance for a person who is seeking qualifications for employment purposes. Therefore, online businesses have a wide spectrum of people that they need to convince of their security.
State, commonwealth and local governments in Australia as well as non-government organisations are running programs to assist online businesses with their establishment process. These include programs and orgainsations such as;
• innovation.vic.gov.au
• Business in Victoria
• Centre for Innovation and Technology Commercialisation (CITC)
• VicStart
• Digital Media Fund
• AusIndustry
• Commercial Ready
• Commercialising Emerging Technology (COMET)
• ICT Incubator Program
• Innovic
• Australian Institute for Commercialisation Ltd (AIC)
• Australian Industry InnovationXchange Network
• Melbourne University Private
(State of Victoria, 2005)
With such support, commercialisation in the online environment has the potential to grow. The virtual classroom may be involved in this growth if business entrepreneurs see interest and opportunity in this market.
• The Virtual Classroom – Synchronous Communication
• The Virtual Classroom – Asynchronous Communication
• The Virtual Classroom – Advantages
• The Virtual Classroom – Disadvantages
• The Virtual Classroom – Learner-centred Teaching
• The Virtual Classroom – Pedagogy
• The Virtual Classroom – Angragogy
• The Virtual Classroom – Collaborative Learning
• The Virtual Classroom – Independent Learning
• The Virtual Classroom – Online Education Support Systems
• The Virtual Classroom – Online Resource-Based Learning
• The Virtual Classroom – The Teacher
• The Virtual Classroom – The Student
• The Virtual Classroom – Online Assessment Advantages and Disadvantages
• The Virtual Classroom – Online Courses
• The Virtual Classroom – Global Virtual Classroom (GVC)
• The Virtual Classroom – University of Kansas Medical Center
• The Virtual Classroom – Certification and Degrees
• The Virtual Classroom – Social Implications
• E-Learning
B&T Magazine. 2005. www.bandt.com.au/ (accessed 18th October, 2005)
Hartley, J. 2002. Communication, Cultural and Media Studies: Key Concepts 3rd Edition. London: Routledge.
Mattila, A. & Mattila, M. 2005. How Perceived Security Appears in the Commercialisation of Internet Banking. Inder Science Publishers. http://www.inderscience.com/offer.php?id=7986 (accessed 18th October, 2005)
Princeton University. 2005. Commercialisation. wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn (accessed, 18th October, 2005)
Wiki Books. 2005. United States Government/ Civics Glossary- Commerce. en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Civics_Glossary (accessed 18th October, 2005)
Contributors to This Entry Include:
User: Debbie Butler
Debbie Butler 16:11, 27 Oct 2005 (EST)
