OLDaily

Stephen Downes[Edit][Delete]: That Group Feeling, Half an Hour [Edit][Delete] October 5, 2006

[link: Hits] It seems clear to me that in endeavours where we, as a society, would prefer reason to prevail over emotions, we would prefer to organize ourselves as networks rather than as groups. It seems additionally to be clear to me that education is probably one of the most critical areas where this needs to be the case, as it will be necessary for citizens of the future to be able to respond to an increasing set of global crises from a ground of reason, rather than emotional attachment to a group. [Tags: Networks] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Michael Feldstein[Edit][Delete]: IMS Supports Digital Opportunity Investment Trust Legislation, E-Literate [Edit][Delete] October 5, 2006

[link: 9 Hits] The idea, in a nutshell: "this legislation would create a trust that would generate a billion dollars annually--money that would be spent on the creation of non-proprietary digital educational content and digital educational technology." I would agrfee with Feldstein, "This is a game changer in every way." And I would also support something like this. [Tags: Games and Gaming] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

David Wiley[Edit][Delete]: A Learning Objects Literature Review, Iterating Toward Openness [Edit][Delete]Iterating toward openness [Edit][Delete] October 5, 2006

[link: 13 Hits] "What would you say if given the opportunity to review the learning objects literature in approximately 5,000 words?" I'd run away screaming. But - in retrospect - I would have no cause, have been completely written out of the history of learning objects. At least according to this document. [Tags: Online Learning, Learning Objects] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Ross Mayfield[Edit][Delete]: SlideShare -- the YouTube of Powerpoint, Many to Many [Edit][Delete] October 5, 2006

[link: Hits] Oh, hey, nifty. "SlideShare launches today 漚" the YouTube of Powerpoint... It is easy to embed a presentation and player within a site, blog or wiki." Here's an example. [Tags: Web Logs] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Ulises Mejias[Edit][Delete]: Confinement, Education and the Control Society, Ideant [Edit][Delete] October 5, 2006

[link: Hits] I didn't read either Ulises or Foucault just before my September trip - but I may as well have. "This is the paradox of social media that has been bothering me lately: an 'empowering' media that provides increased opportunities for communication, education and online participation, but which at the same time further isolates individuals and aggregates them into masses - more prone to control, and by extension more prone to discipline." This, too, is what I have been observing, tapping in to, and more recently, resisting. [Tags: ] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Nancy White[Edit][Delete]: Is This True or Do Our Cultural Norms Make it Common?, Full Circle Online Interaction Blog [Edit][Delete] October 5, 2006

[link: 7 Hits] Nancy White weighs in on groups, pondering, "Maybe what we need to be thinking about is the set of skills in groups that are about listening, as much as speaking, of supporting diverse but full participation." Remember, not all collections of people are groups. People are still thinking that the choice is between groups and nothing, or groups and anarchy. But what I am offering with 'networks' is just that alternative to groups that does not result in nothingness or anarchy. [Tags: Networks] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Theola Labb矇[Edit][Delete]: Charters on Rise; Quality Unequal, Washington Post [Edit][Delete] October 5, 2006

[link: Hits] Remember charte schools? How's that going, anyway? Not so great. "The number of District charter schools has grown dramatically in the past 10 years, but the quality has been uneven, and officials should consider closing low-performing schools..." Via Assorted Stuff. [Tags: Online Learning, Schools, Quality] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Kathy Sierra[Edit][Delete]: Success Should Not Mean Management, Creating Passionate Users [Edit][Delete] October 5, 2006

[link: Hits] catching up on Kathy Sierra (the posts are beginning to all sound the same - it's hard to keep up a themed weblog) this post stood out: "Isn't it about time we quit measuring professional success in one dimension, vertically, and start considering how much your actual work matches your desired work?" I know what I want out of my career - and it isn't a promotion, believe me. Related: presenting ideas, round vs flat. [Tags: Web Logs] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Scott Wilson[Edit][Delete]: Pushing the Boundaries of the VLE in Utrecht, October 5, 2006

[link: 16 Hits] More of those tiff lzw graphics that I can't view, but Scott Wilson's latest on personal learning environments is a good gauge of the advances in the concept (he even has a graph depicting supply and consumer demand!). The show is a huge 8.7 megabytes, but I'm sure he can get that down a bit... [Tags: ] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

I want and visualize and aspire toward a system of society and learning where each person is able to rise to his or her fullest potential without social or financial encumberance, where they may express themselves fully and without reservation through art, writing, athletics, invention, or even through their avocations or lifestyle.

Where they are able to form networks of meaningful and rewarding relationships with their peers, with people who share the same interests or hobbies, the same political or religious affiliations - or different interests or affiliations, as the case may be.

This to me is a society where knowledge and learning are public goods, freely created and shared, not hoarded or withheld in order to extract wealth or influence.