October 26, 2006
OLDaily
[link: 7 Hits] My problem is, I haven't accepted the modern age of the printing press. "'Authorship' - in the sense we know it today [...] was practically unknown before the advent of print technology. [...] Many small texts were transmitted into volumes of miscellaneous content [...] and in this transmission, authorship was often lost." That's what I want, to be lost in the miscellany of transmission. [Tags: ] [
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[link: Hits] When I presented my paper to ITForum last week I got more comments about the digital divide (which had nothing at all to do with the paper) than anything else. So I too would like to refocus people's thinking about access issues. I see much more of a problem with respect to "opportunities to participate and to develop the cultural competencies and social skills needed for full involvement" than anything to do with technology. What sort of skills? Well the list outline here (Fisher links to a
much longer paper) is quite a good list. Certainly, you can't do without these (yet so many people try). I really like this comment: "When kids start to use these tools as a means to have their voices heard just like paper and pen used to be the medium they will see 2.0's true power." [Tags:
Children and Child Learning] [
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[link: 18 Hits] Prompted by the announcement of the Tetra Collaboration, which will working on developing Bodington, the UK open source learning management system, Michael Feldstein starts to review the product, beginning with the access controls management system. Yes, that's what we all look for first when trying to decide whether an LMS is worth the effort. "The Tetra Collaboration will be working to develop a standards-based flexible framework, drawing on service-oriented architecture, that will enable federated virtual learning environments." [Tags:
Online Learning,
Open Source] [
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[link: Hits] From the website: "OpenDOAR is pleased to present a trial search service for the full-text of material held in open access repositories listed in the Directory. This has been made possible through the recent launch by Google of its Custom Search Engine, which allows OpenDOAR to define a search service based on the Directory holdings." [Tags:
Open Access,
Learning Object Repositories,
Google] [
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[link: Hits] This was just a rumour this morning but sounds a lot more likely this afternoon. And since Thomson is a very quiet giant in this field, this is major news, in my view. "Thomson Learning is an excellent business, but it does not fit with our long-term strategic vision," said Richard J. Harrington, president and chief executive officer. [Tags:
Thomson Corporation] [
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[link: Hits] Anyone consider this a functioning educational system? Why are people still defending it? Via
University Business. [Tags: ] [
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[link: Hits] I'm not endorsing this item, but I am not exactly disputing it either. Certainly there are many parallels with my own thinking, and it is interesting enough to pass along. Some things to consider: "There are no such things as nice bosses. Control is by its essence damaging and destroying to self-awareness, self-esteem and self-respect whether or not the boss is nice or bad." Also, "The key point to remember is that a vertical orientation expresses animal-like domination and control, while horizontal relating serves to describe non-controlling cooperation and the free interactions of true equals." [Tags:
Interaction] [
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[link: Hits] Podcast of Leigh Blackwell and I and others talking about perception and meaning in a network, quality of resources, and questioning the quality of content on the internet. [Tags:
Networks,
Quality] [
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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.
This is what I aspire toward, this is what I work toward. - Stephen Downes