Hi great readers.

I’m blogging live from the Sakai conference.

There are heaps of IT geeks (me too) typing away and chatting.

Feeling much more energised after my lolling day yesterday.

In the last hour I’ve chatted with two great women from the Uni of Indiana – Rita Pavolka and Uni Michigan – Linda Place.

They are really interested in SKIL2 and Rita has invited me to lunch with some other people so I can chat about SKIL2 and my perception of Sakai.

As a newbie – my sense is that the Sakai brand message says ‘Sakai is for universities’.

That could act as a barrier to entry for organisations – say non profits – who think it’s too complicated or only has tools that universities will use.

My sense is that Sakai has a steep learning curve but a lot of great tools that would build SKIL2.

The other added advantage of Sakai is the strong community.

Many top universities have provided their teams to build and test Sakai tools – it’s always evolving.

I’ll be contacting the people I have met in a number of universities in America and South Africa – and ask them if they will be SKIL2 support/partners.

Regardless of whether you are interested in open source or learning management systems – this journey is interesting as it’s like all new journeys we take.

It has

  • risks,
  • excitement,
  • frustration,
  • chaos,
  • creativity,
  • fear,

I have a very clear vision for this SKIL2 journey.

I can actually see what the SKIL2 learning space will look like.

The steps to the realisation of SKIL2 will be counted in the millions.

And I’ll need patience, persistence, a sense of humour & lots of champagne.

Still blogging live folks.

Sitting at this table is really useful.

People come up and link their computers and then say hi.

Just finished chatting with Patricia Sullivan – IBM exec from San Fran.

She is off to Dublin tonight and tomorrow night. She asked for some hints on Dublin.

She wants me to contact her when I get home. Cool. I’d love IBM as a support/partner.

Funny – I was sitting here thinking ‘ I’ve met some of the key universities. All I want to do now is meet someone from IBM’ and voila – IBM turns up.

Happens to me all the time – so I’m very careful who I think about.

I think I’ll just sit here at the table and see who else I meet.

So – how’s Ballinamore going?

Maggie- is it still raining? How’s the Sunny Funny Garden? Any more strawberries?

Lynda & Derek - I have found a street that has some contemporary film spaces. I’ll be going to them to grab some free film postcards for you.

After lunch I’m off for a wander to the Jardin des Plantes and maybe across to the Right Bank – to the Marais.

Have a lovely day.

Liz