By Stephen Downes
August 30, 2005

OK, we'll keep things a bit short today. The expected technical problems did in fact occur but here it is, the new look of OLDaily. Right now, things are pretty basic. The biggest change, aside from the nifty theme, is a greater emphasis on the authors of the posts I cite. Links now redirect through a hit counter (I track traffic only, and not individual users) which will help me rate links (a bypass will be made available in a few days, for those who don't want to be counted. The comment link not only allows you to comment but will also be the gateway to the post's permanent location and to a range of features related to each post - but it's pretty basic for now. And while you can comment today without logging in, this will be changed shortly; a login will be required to post comments (but never to merely read). Anyhow, though there's not a lot to look at now - think of it as a brand new house with the paint still fresh on the walls and the workers scurrying out the back door. Over the next weeks, I'll be moving in the furniture, and then we'll really see this thing fly. Anyhow, for now, please send me your comments, and if you are having problems, don't hesitate to write. [Comment]

Jay Cross, in conversation with Tony O'Driscoll, recounts his experiences reading Gloria Gery in the 1990s on the subject of workplace learning. "We must reflect deeply on the way work presents itself to the user and build our systems on the metaphors that are connected to the work context itself. The context is the workflow, and the content is what the user needs to perform work within that context." [Comment]

The traditional scheduling of school classes - starting at nine, each one running for fifty minutes - depends on the dubious asumption, as the author notes, that "students arrive at school ready to learn in the same way, on the same schedule, all in rhythm with each other." Not only that, the author also bemoans the gradual shrinkage of learning time. "Common sense suffices: American students must have more time for learning. The 6-hour, 180-day school year should be relegated to museums, an exhibit from our education past. Both learners and teachers need more time -- not to do more of the same, but to use all time in new, different, and better ways. The key to liberating learning lies in unlocking time." But merely extending school hours is no solution either, in my view. Via 2 Cents Worth. [Comment]

E-learning is still strong in government, according to this report, because "The federal government is in a financial jam, and it's banking on e-learning to reduce the costs of technology training." The author is highlights the weaknesses of e-learning (in the course of three "reality checks") but points out that the purchase of a new e-learning system is cheaper than the annual salary of an additional staff member. [Comment]

A fitting post as my first post on the new system (I know, it's at the bottom of the newsletter, that's how I arrange things), describing the angst of Flickr users as they face impending conversion to the Yahoo! ID system. I remember when Netscape was swept into the AOL fold, I lost my coveted downes@netscape.com UserID. I also wrote ages ago about the tribulations of WELL members felt when their site was sold to Salon. That's the danger of hosted services - but by bit, you're drawn into this great centralizing vacuum cleaner, losing your identity bit by bit. Why is this an appropriate link? Well, part of what I'm up to is to keep the web distributed and identities unique. [Comment]