By Stephen Downes
April 23, 2003
How To Get a News Feed Into Your WebCT
course
In my April 19 OLDaily post on how to
post RSS feeds in WebCT I credited David Carter-Tod, but
the article was actually written by Cyprien Lomas. Maybe a
name, a title, or something other than a picture of a barn
at the top of the page might have helped me avoid this
error. And I'm still not sure about the name of the blog.
By Cyprien Lomas, 42, April 17, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
E-Learning Business
Translator
This very cute Flash sales-speak
translator is making the rounds in the blogs today. Good
for a giggle - nice (but pointless) animation and sound. By
Various Authors, e-learning guru, April 23, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Six Factors to Consider when Planning Online
Distance Learning Programs in Higher
Education
The important message in this article
isn't contained in the conclusion, though it should be: "It
is recommended that the institution give equal
consideration to all six areas as their ODL program is
designed and developed, and to not let the development of
the program be driven by those instructors who want to
teach online or the software that is the most readily
available for student support services." Discussion of the
six factors - planning, curriculum, staff training, student
services, student training, and copyright - constitutes the
bulk of this paper and shows that the issues surrounding
online reach well beyond merely placing courses online. By
Suzanne Levy, Online Journal of Distance Learning
Administration, Spring, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Penn State Cuts off P2P
File-Traders
The crackdown continues as Penn
State pulls the plug on 220 student accounts acused of
being used for file sharing. There is no word in this story
about how it was determined that the contents were in fact
copyrighted materials or whether any sort of due process,
such as a hearing, was followed before the penalty was
exacted. Another report. As Kenny Crews writes to
the Digital Copyright list, "The statute is filled with
nuance, procedures, and protections, but the
practical reality is that we will often see it implemented
with the delicacy of a sledge hammer." By Ryan Naraine,
News.Com, April 22, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Recording Industry Goes After Students Over
Music Sharing
The New York Times belatedly
covers the music industry's lawsuits against four students
accused of file sharing (this story will disappear in a
week, which is about how long after the event it was
written). The best bit is a quote from one of the students:
"'This is just more crazy litigation that shows everyone
over 40 not understanding the future of music,' said Thomas
Geoghegan, 21, a history major at Maryland and a frequent
user of Jason's site before it was so abruptly removed." By
Amy Harmon, New York Times, April 23, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Rethinking Wireless
Good overview
of the major points to consider when installing and
managing a wireless network in an educational institution,
spliced with case studies from the University of Maryland,
Stanford and McGill. This article has more of a management
take than most, making it better reading for
administrators. And if you're an administrator and not
grounded in this new technology, you had better get
started. As the article says, wireless is here to stay. By
Matt Villano, University Business, April, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Oregon Dad Sues to Ban Channel One From
Schools
A Portland, Oregon, parent has launched
a lawsuit to ban the airing of Channel One, a commercial
news and advertising service, into his child's classroom.
"Most parents actually believe Channel One has something to
do with school," Boyes said. "It's a commercial interest
occupying the public school." By eSchool News staff,
eSchool News, April 22, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Common Sense Learning
Principles
Jay Cross reprints this essay on
educational principles. Back to the basics, he writes. It
is certainly that, but also, certainly some straightforward
and useful advice for designers drowning under a flood of
new techniques and new technologies. Tell stories, advises
David C Forman. Play games, explore and experiment, use
pictures, have a coach, learn with others, focus on the
important, take recess, have lunch, become passionate and
keep learning. By David C Forman, Internet Time, April 23,
2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
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