February 2012
4 posts
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“Their truth, I suspect, might be this: there’s no one left to turn...”
– The Metamovement | Umair Haque. Eudaimonics. Redesigning Global Prosperity.
Let’s extend this thought to Educational institutions.
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Being digital is not enough
I just had the realisation while highlighting my printed eReserve copy of the chapter “Good Connections” from Negroponte’s Being Digital that we’re doing it all wrong. Here I am working with carbon toner on dead trees, and petroluem based (possibly toxic)highlighter to mark-up a document that was once digital.
What is worse than that the document, itself copied from...
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“OK, the idea that kids these days are “digital natives” is a nice, self-serving...”
– California Dreamin’ | MetaFilter (via ayjay)
Just signed up for EDIT 521 Principles and Practices of eLearning as part of the grad cert in eLearning at UNE. Looking forward to getting my thinking cap back on. More reading!
This is going to be tough, new baby due in a few weeks, the grad cert in tertiary teaching firing up again in April, and tons of work on.
From the reserve I’m taking home some John Naisbitt and Nicholas Negroponte...
December 2011
2 posts
5 tags
November 2011
3 posts
“The essential flaw in education as we know it today is that it is based on...”
– Moshe Feldenkrais - Awareness Through Movement
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October 2011
22 posts
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10 Major Mobile Learning Trends to Watch For |... →
dajbelshaw:
“Mobile learning, focuses on learning through mobile devices, allowing learners to move about in a classroom or remotely learn from the location of their choice. The movement has gained a lot of steam in recent years, and despite some criticisms, isn’t likely to fade fast – especially as new technologies that make mobile learning more practical continue to emerge and the popularity...
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The Arc of Two Swords In Learning and Teaching:...
The third post of three in an attempt to uncover deeply held assumptions that have shaped my academic trajectory through higher education. In the first post of this series I covered my formative undergraduate years, and then my growing understanding of the the place of learning in my life as I finished my undergraduate.
As prepared to graduate my application of knowledge to produce novel ...
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Making Sense of Participation in Change MOOC
Jenny Mackness posted a really thought provoking post a few weeks back about MOOC principles and course design that I find myself coming back to know that I am being asked to design a small learning community for EDIT 517. Jenny asks where the responsibilities of educators lie when attempting to replicate a MOOC on a smaller scale. Perhaps it is helpful to look at the learning principles which...
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Is Demanding Synchronous Bliss Missing the Point...
As you are probably aware there have a few issues with synchronous sessions at Change 11. Tim Owens voiced his concerns after the DTLT collaboration with Change 11 for Week 5, so I don’t really want to reiterate those concerns here except to say that again the focus on the tools is detracting from the learning that is possible.
Stephen Downes put out a call for help on Google+ back on the...
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A Marathon Not A Sprint
I’m an endurance athlete. Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed, I focus on my breathing and find my centre. From there I find a rhythm and regain strength.This is where I am at the moment, in the early stages of an endurance event, regulating.
Over the past two weeks I’ve been a busy with work and assignments, so I haven’t had as much time to devote to the Change 11 eBook as I...
“As educators, we must celebrate difference, we must promote an education for and...”
– Con sabor educativo: Celebrate difference
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Interview questions for a colleague
As part of my second assignment for ED5300 I need to analyse an interview with a colleague. I’ve teamed up with Gregory Trotman - Senior Lecturer in Economics, Tourism and Management to ask him a few questions about his academic trajectory. I studied his profile on linked in for a few clues to his background and came up with the following questions:
I noticed that as you began your...
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Nailing my colours to the mast
I’ve been going over the feedback for my first assessment task for EDIT 517, Learning Community Defined and thinking about where I went wrong. I’m really grateful for the feedback and hope that I can make amends for the second assignment. Getting back on track is going to be easier if I incorporate the feedback directly into an analysis and restatement of those sections where I lost...
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The Arc of Two Swords In Learning and Teaching:...
In my previous post I covered my first year experience at the University of Queensland, and a brief military misadventure. In this post, I respond to a request from a twitter follower to hear one of my seven stories which was initially posted here.
After my six month stint at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), I returned to University part time to finish a couple of failed subjects...
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The Arc of Two Swords In Learning and Teaching:...
Let me describe the arc of my academic career with two swords, learning and teaching.
When I left highschool, I left home, and lived close to university with a family friend. I had to work to support myself, although I did receive a small amount of Austudy. I remember being very lonely, only one other senior from my highschool went to UQ and he was in anthropology, and I was in human...
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Understanding Reflection as Hunting Assumptions
I’ve been asked to reflect on my trajectory through higher education and to be honest, I’ve been having trouble with the overabundance of definitions for reflection. Words tend to use their power when they are overused, and I had come to believe that the word was used in the sense of a passive contemplation. I wasn’t happy that reflection, in that sense, had any power to describe...
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Qkies - Baking kit for your own QR code cookies →
Hi Marcomms!
I found this in my feeds and thought it was a really tasty idea! It might soften me up for the next time you ask for a homework extension ;)
Plus, I get to do the whole, “this message will self destruct in t-3 seconds” thing, with a cookie.
blackandwhitesquares:
The baking kit is provided along with edible paper to print the QR Codes. [qkies.de via Springwise]
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“In general, people seem to be torn between the time-saving advantage offered by...”
– It has been said before that an over-abundance of tools is felt as a fragmenting influence in a MOOC. In a MOOC, as in life, that there are a multitude of information sources that are available to consume your finite attention.
The Daily is only one solution, so too are the gRSShopper filtered...
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“The purpose of the machinery of education is to improve the efficiency of...”
– David Wiley on The Virtuous Middle Way | iterating toward openness
I dunno, you could create a whole cottage industry around themed experiential learning, replete with leather aprons, whips and dungeons. Every now and again you could stage events with nobility dressed in gowns, hoods and bonnets on...
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“What a load of cods wallop, I can’t think of one school age or even one...”
– Reader comment on the Ipswich Queensland Times, relying heavily on idiomatic expression and anecdotal evidence to poo poo the suggestion that txting improves literacy. I’m not sure why ‘read a book’ needs inverted commas, except as the reader suggests, this is now becoming a novel...
Center for Digital Scholarship — Fondren Library -... →
Home of the Connexions project and the Digital Research Tools (DiRT) wiki. Plant seeds, grow ideas!
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Becoming a Professional Scholar - Using Open... →
This complete online course, designed to help grad students develop an identity as a professional scholar, is offered on Connexions and is available for remixing under Creative Commons CC-BY.
If you are intent on becoming a digital scholar, there are so many quality resources out there.
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Audio Enhanced Collective Learning on #change11
(@loumcgill) Lou McGill has taken a few minutes to interview Professor Allison Littlejohn in the lead up to her live session this week on Change11.
Due to the huge time difference (2am my time), I’m not going to attempt an early morning rise for the live session. I am looking forward to hearing Allison talk however, and will probably do so while wandering around the gardens the following...
September 2011
40 posts
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“Open strategies make good sense – you can find people who invite you to use...”
– Mark McGuire responds to A Junior Academic’s Take on Digital Scholarship « Chris Teplovs, Ph.D.
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The New Journey of Change and Learning
sdpankhurst:
After a little bit of thought I have decided to participate in another MOOC. Over the last two months I have been participating as a Challenge Mentor in the EpCoP MOOC which was and still is a great experience and a great deal of learning was had by all.
From what I hear EpCop MOOC was great, I am a litle disappointed that I missed it. Oh well, there is always next time. Did you...
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“Potentially then higher education produces, as part of its everyday function, a...”
– Public Engagement as Collateral Damage : The Digital Scholar: How Technology Is Transforming Scholarly Practice : Bloomsbury Academic
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Cheap shots at the Gartner Hype Curve | Catenary →
Jorges Aranda debunks the marketing myth of the hype cycle and counters with his own “Aranda Ignominy curve”. Honestly if anyone tells you they can predict the future, give them a crystal ball and tent at the local fair, you’ll make a mint from gullible fools.
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In response to questions about tools to use in a...
I posted this earlier on Dave’s blog in response to a request for an explanation of tools to use in a MOOC. It is worthwhile reposting as it capture much of what I’ve been thinking about getting hung up on the technology and losing focus of the goal, changing education.
I tend to disagree that an explanation of the tools is necessary, or even useful. Let me demonstrate by use of an...
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Step Two to Success in a MOOC - Declare #change11
Last week during Orientation for Change 11 I posted about defining success and getting what I want out of this MOOC. I also posted what I am doing to orient myself on this network so that I can be more effective in my learning.
I hope this is a timely reminder for people getting involved in Change 11 that it is really up to you how you define your success, and become involved in the creation of...
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Disruption in Higher Education →
This is classic dis-intermediation, where if it is atoms you are after then you will pay a premium, especially in an energy constrained future. If you are competing on bits alone then you had better be sure that your bits are better, and that all hinges on the human inputs described above. You might want to check out the work of Dr.David Wiley on openness in education. One point that he makes is...
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“The vast majority of universities that will educate humanity in the coming...”
– George Siemens › Duplication theory of educational value
Things that are part of the Higher Education experience that are note easily duplicated include;
fraternity/sorority
collegiality
locality
prestige
status signalling
exceptional learning and teaching
I’m sure there are many...
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Chat Transcript 09/21/2011 12:00: Zoraini Wati...
Jaaosoft: you need Fuze_Meeting.dmg plugin from fuzemeeting.com
prova: very good for accessibility to HOH people
gsiemens: @barry - do you have options to mute pings and dings when you set up a room?
Barry Dahl: don't think so, but I'll check it out (beeps)
Terri Ann Guingab: Audio broke up - was that 1.5 cents US per SMS?
Barry Dahl: yes, I heard 1.5 cents US/Canadian
siavogel: was out and in again, still no sound.
Cris2B: You used Twitter to archive SMSes. Is Twitter not a good option for communicating with a class? I guess SMS is more pull?
kwillbanks: Yes, this solves audio problems: EdTech Talk for simulcast. http://www.livestream.com/ett
Brett Fyfield: push obviously relates to in your pocket.
gsiemens: @Cris - still like email...I guess
Patricia Bassani: I can't access by skype
Barry Dahl: audio probs? Try going to EdTech Talk for simulcast. http://www.livestream.com/ett
jim: @Cris2B I think SMS is available with ubuquitous basic cell service, whereas twitter requires smart phone or computer
Terri Ann Guingab: @jim true, but twitter doesn't involve a cost per message. :)
Cris2B: @Jim -- ah that's it. Wonder ratio of smart phones?
siavogel: ik weet het niet meer hoor.
siavogel: Help....
Brett Fyfield: Although if you opt in, you can get SMS from specific users with Twitter.. It's just an extra hurdle for students, that you may not wish them to jum
Vance: I can't hoor either
Kelly Edmonds: Can't hear will wait for recording
siavogel: Mic is blue, mute is not on what now
Roland: use the simulcast if you have audio issues
Roland: livestream.com/ett
siavogel: what's the simulcast?
brainysmurf: this fits well with jane bozarth's work on SoMe for trainers - using questions of the day or simillar to prompt thinking
Roland: http://www.livestream.com/ett
Barry Dahl: EdTechTalk is simulcast
Barry Dahl: http://www.livestream.com/ett
Leone: @Roland thanks this works
Roland: :)
JL: Audio only stream also available at http://edtechtalk.com/live
Cris2B: Any comparison with grades? Just wondering. . .
siavogel: Thnks..., many many thanks, not perfect but... sound hurray
prova: what is SD ?
Tobias: Thanx a lot, that helped
Stephen Downes: SD = standard deviation
Cris2B: @siavogel -- Congratulations! You should win the prize for most determination.
prova: TY
Kate Robbins: Interesting
Barry Dahl: We don't need no stinkin' prizes!
siavogel: Yeah,,,
Jaaosoft: SD standard deviation
Barry Dahl: But I'd love to earn a badge for this
Cris2B: Okay. Badges to Barry and sivogel ;-)
Stephen Downes: I should get a badge for writing the complete perl-BBB api in two days to get ready for the conference, only to have BBB crash on us :(
Manish: Badges?
prova: please keep focused
gsiemens: I'll award you a badge
Cris2B: @Stephen - at least a badge and a medal
siavogel: I hope to find a solution for next session bu for now I am glad to hear the voice of the teacher...
gsiemens: Stephen, you choose what you want it to say :)
Barry Dahl: Best thing about SMS? They actually receive the message,
Roland: ah! the voice of the teacher! we still do need that!
Cris2B: Did they think the teacher or tutor or adm sent SMSes? Does it matter?
siavogel: Yes @roland, it makes the session more live...
vhaustudent: If you have to keep sending SMS reminders of exams, assignment due dates, etc, are you not creating an atmosphere of learned helplessness?
Brett Fyfield: Aren't you afraid of spoonfeeding students? Shouldn't we be encouraging more autonomy?
Jaaosoft: I wonder what do these students learn?
Barry Dahl: Too much hand holding? - when you let go of their hand they drop out. Just sayin'
Cris2B: Hand holding is AOK sometimes
Roland: especially in distance learning, I think it's a good way to keep people motivated.
Jaaosoft: like to hold your hands
mariana_affronti: here i all rght, thanks
Cris2B: I liked the quote that the "SMS remind them they are in school."
jim: I would sometimes appreciate hand-holding
jim: especially when I forgot a live meeting
Lars: I don't think the motivation you get out of this project is immense! Getting students to work harder, more, etc. is great!
brainysmurf: my partner used twitter to update parents as well as students about assignments - no excuses for not doing homework now!
Brett Fyfield: @Cris2B I likd that quote too, I think they sometimes need a reminder.
Cris2B: @Brett -- right because I remember reading that over 95% work and attend school
Stephen Downes: I don't think so
Brett Fyfield: @Lars, I think you're right, the motivation.
Patricia Bassani: Finally the audio!!!! In the end...:-(
Brett Fyfield: The other question asked on the discussion page was about the connection with learning versus pastoral care + reminders.
Brett Fyfield: Where was the connection to Learning Outcomes?
siavogel: @patricia Via edchat or directly on fuze?
Patricia Bassani: @siavogel On fuze.
Jaaosoft: what do students learn in these courses?
ljp: No audio - speaker not detected -- had to shut down firewall
siavogel: @patricia How did you manage :-). Good!!!
vhaustudent: Where I am there has been much talk about teachers refraining from having "external" contact with their students (esp. primary and secondary grades). Would sending SMS reminders of assignments and exams also be banned? Where do you draw the line?
Lars: Thanks Zoraini!
Patricia Bassani: I don't know very well ;-)
Kate Robbins: Some US public school systems are using SMS to send announcements to students.
Roland: applause!
gsiemens: Go Stephen
Patricia Bassani: I pressed in an icon and install something
Brett Fyfield: clapping!
jim: Applause
gsiemens: I hear you
Cris2B: Question: So it's not teachers sending out SMSes but adm, right?
Barry Dahl: Nicely done Zoraini
Kate Robbins: Thank you.
RoseQ: you can also try the audio only stream at http://edtechtalk.com/live got access to sound here at last:)
gsiemens: Zoraini is 1 am
gsiemens: however
Lars: I said it allready, but the student motivation is key for me! Great work!
Cris2B: You're a trooper, Zoriani!
Brett Fyfield: good job, and thanks to the facilitators for getting this alternative solution up, thanks Barry!
prova: Thanks Zoraini, nice job
Patricia Bassani: @siavog In call attendess - above there is an icon (I don't the name in english ...in portuguese is microfone)
Jenny Mackness: Has there been any negative feedback from students and if so what?
Brett Fyfield: The link to learning outcomes
siavogel: And now... a glass of red wine, I deserved.. Thanks Zoraine I did not hear much but read your pieces...
suehellman: Is there a way to make this chat box bigger?
avaarndt: Thanks Zoraini!! Great project.
Jenny Mackness: lost sound
Christy Tucker: @suehellman, collapse the attendees lists
mariana_affronti: i listen perfect from http://edtechtalk.com/livestream
jim: @suehellman collapse "Web Attendees" window
suehellman: @jim -- don't see how to do that
Patricia Bassani: I can hear.
gsiemens: @Zoraini? u there?
Brett Fyfield: Zoraini, I'm in Brisbane so a couple of hours ahead of you.
Christy Tucker: @suehellman, click the triangle to the right of web attendees
siavogel: I here both again...
jim: @suehellman little triangel or arrow at left of window header
suehellman: @jim -- ok I got it thanks
jim: - oops triangle
Jenny Mackness: Thank you
jim: no three angels there
Cris2B: Are teachers or tutors allowed to SMS individual students or would they use other communication?
Brett Fyfield: Learning Skills module, ICT tech, digital literacies etc...
Brett Fyfield: First semester subject?
siavogel: No, did not, listen to edchat lifestream now.
siavogel: Was meant for @patricia
Brett Fyfield: Understand learning styles,
Brett Fyfield: Thank you very much Zoraini!
Brett Fyfield: that was great.
Volkmar Langer: The sms communication, was it bidirectional?
Jaaosoft: typical USA question? why should teacher not talk to student?
Cris2B: thanks
Brett Fyfield: afraid of getting sued?
siavogel: @I will ask my Dutch feiend @jaapsoft after this session :-).
Cris2B: Well, if you're in Missouri -- arrested
Volkmar Langer: thanks!
Daniel Spielmann: Is this project still going on or is it over?
Dalize: Do you use your LMS to send/receive sms's?
Kate Robbins: Thank you - slow start but nice session:)
vhaustudent: @Jaaosoft: actually it's something that is being pushed in Ontario (Canada).
Brett Fyfield: Thanks Stephen!
mariana_affronti: clap, clap, clap, thanks from Argentina
Cris2B: It was an appropriate start and challenge for Change11
RoseQ: were there any cases where students could initiate there own questions (not just respond)
Leone: thanks & greeting to all from Ireland
siavogel: Thanks... Next time hope it will go wright.
siavogel: Right of course...
brainysmurf: thanks to all - nice recovery from unexpected hiccups
siavogel: @stephen, when is next session?
vhaustudent: @Brett: misconstrue teacher-student relationships…. big problems!
Louise: will you look into other more objective measures: dropout rates and etc
Cris2B: Best of luck with future bigger things!
Daniel Spielmann: Thanks.
Cris2B: Thank you! Get some rest.
gsiemens: Thanks Zoraini!!!
Roland: thanks a lot!
Terri Ann Guingab: /Applause! Very informative session
Lars: thanks, great work!
gsiemens: great slides!!
gsiemens: great talk
Brett Fyfield: Anyone from Oz?
Cris2B: and you get to work out the bugs or BBB
Jenny Mackness: Thank you Zoraini
Louise: thanks :)
ajomonzo: thanks very interesting
Volkmar Langer: Thanks to all - greetings from Hamelin (pied piper twon - lower saxony - germany) :-))
siavogel: Thanks again, will have some food now... See you all.
Brett Fyfield: ha
Dalize: Got things working after we left BBB, greetings from SA!
mariana_affronti: thanks, if you aupload this meeting, perhaps we can tranlate to spanish!!
RoseQ: will we be able to use edtechtalk stream too- only way I could get audio??
suehellman: thanks
Daniel Spielmann: Please post this world time-link in the daily newsletter for the next sessions - it's extremly helpful.
siavogel: Friday eastern 12..
Patricia Bassani: Thanks! Greetings from Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil!
Lars: long live the Daily!
mariana_affronti: ok we ae witin this post , thanks
Cris2B: so how many actually made it in? can't see #
Roland: long live the Daily!
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First live session with Zoraini Wati Abas...
After some initial technical hurdles the first Change 11 live session with Zoraini Wati Abas got under way on Fuze at about 3am my time.There is a raw recording at EdTechTalk if you want to catch up with the content.
Questions from the chat box mirrored some of those in the comments on Zoraini’s post Mobile Learning at Open University Malaysia from earlier this week on...
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#change11 “Beware the screen!” – A talk by Manfred... →
I grew up largely without TV during my formative years, and would much rather do without these days. I’m not sure how much effect it has had on my neural pathways but I know that it has saved me a lot of time, time that I have spent engaged in other more useful activities. I shudder to think that the Internet could devolve into to something that resembles TV. Even more so if it is delivered...
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Are you mlearning inadvertently?
A good measure of how pervasive mobile learning is, that you probably aren’t aware that you are already doing it. I saw a great example this morning from @betchaboy on twitter with his lessons learned on the Yamanote line. Part photo essay, part traveller’s narrative it was put together in less than a day, entirely on mobile and then presented as part of professional development at...
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TechLearning: Bloom's Taxonomy Blooms Digitally →
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Cooperation versus Collaboration in Open Online...
There is an interesting conversation developing about the differences between cooperation and collaboration in open online learning on Frances Bell’s blog. Stephen raises the question whether collaboration is even a desirable thing, by his definition cooperation implies greater individual freedom. Perhaps on a network where you are charting your own course through the material greater...
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