Stephen's Web

OLDaily

OLDaily is currently being produced by Barry Dahl (BD), Harold Jarche (HJ), and Gary Woodill (GW).

by Stephen Downes
June 26, 2008

What Learning Design Could Be
Presentation on Learning Design and the LAMS conference in Cadiz, Spain. I outline where learning design is now, identify some presuppositions, show how a web 2.0 approach changes those presuppositions, and then outline collaborative and open design processes using objected oriented games as an example. Presentation by Stephen Downes, LAMS 2008, Cadiz, Spain,

Disruptive, Online Education to Go Main Stream
Terry Anderson reviews Clayton Christensen's new book Disrupting Class: How disruptive innovation will change the way the world learns. Like Terry, I am a fan of Christensen's work, especially his book The Innovator's Dilemma. Terry says that "unfortunately, the examples in his books come mostly from industry and especially high tech innovation contexts." But book publishers like to aim a book at a particular market, and there is little written on innovation in corporate training. -GW Terry Anderson, Virtual Canuck, June 26, 2008 [Link] [Tags: Books] [Comment]

Working the Clouds - Report From Structure 08
Describing computer-based resources as a "cloud" is one of the newest metaphors sweeping the field of information technology. For example, the Innovations in Learning Conference (of which I am the director), has its theme "Get your head in the clouds". Clouds refer to the complex of user generated content, technologies and services that are available to be mixed and mashed into a "solution" that is unique to your needs. This post by Lidija Davis contains a primer on cloud computing, and cites a recent Gartner report that "early adopters will forgo capital expenditures, and instead purchase 40% of IT infrastructure as a service by 2011." Another analyst, Alistair Croll, says that "Right now, almost every company has someone in their IT department using the cloud to some degree." Croll predicts that by 2009 it will no longer be almost every company; it will be 100% of companies. This is not good news for technology vendors who have been charging huge sums for their "enterprise" systems. It is also not good news for formal education institutions, given that most of what anyone needs to learn as an adult is available for free in the information cloud around us. -GW Lidija Davis, ReadWriteWeb, June 26, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment]

ICANN Proposes Sweeping Changes to TLDs
The Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has approved sweeping changes to the way top-level domains (TLDs) are assigned. For $50,000 to $100,000 you can create any top level domain such as .coke or .idiocy. Because of the price, this will be something that only large corporations, governments or wealthy people will jump on. What happens when someone registers a TLD that is hateful or offensive to others? This deflates web name speculators as the variety of names reduces the exclusivity of high value names. This will be an interesting one to watch. -GW Frederic Lardinois, ReadWriteWeb, June 26, 2008 [Link] [Tags: ICANN] [Comment]

Brain Based Learning
George Siemens comments on the redundancy built into the term "brain based learning" ("Is it like butt-based sitting?") and then points to an article entitled "The Seductive Allure of Neuroscience Explanations" as well as an 8 minute video on "Brain based education: Fad or Breakthrough?" He argues that when we hear explanations in "neuro-speak" we tend to be less critical of bad explanations. Personally, I cringe when I hear someone offer left-brain or right-brain as a simplistic argument for any behavior, so I understand and support where George is coming from. - GW George Siemens, elearnspace, June 26, 2008 [Link] [Tags: Connectivism, Video] [Comment]

Turning Internet Feeds Into TV Feeds
Jon Udell has cobbled together a way of turning Internet feeds into television feeds. Why would one want to do that? Because they can be used as content for public access cable channels, reaching an audience that doesn't get their information from the Internet. Jon also provides an update to his method in today's post. More media production power into the hands of ordinary people, which is a good thing. - GW Jon Udell, Strategies for Internet Citizens, June 26, 2008 [Link] [Tags: Video] [Comment]

National Training System's E-Learning Priorities Emerge
"Six e-learning priorities have emerged across states and territories as the national training system takes an innovative approach in responding to the challenges of a modern economy and the training needs of Australian businesses and workers." What are they? 1. Rural and remote 2. Primary industries 3. Indigenous 4. Health and community services 5. Trainees and apprentices 6. Upskilling of existing workers and RPL (recognition of prior learning) from Stephen -BD Australian Flexible Learning Framework, Australian Flexible Learning Framework, June 26, 2008 [Link] [Tags: Online Learning, Australia] [Comment]

Young People and Social Networking Services
DigiZen just released a comprehensive guide on social networks, youth and how to evaluate and use these tools for education purposes. " ... adults should also recognise the benefits of young people's use of technology to support their media literacy skills and social participation, and explore the potential educational benefits of social networking services." The 37-page PDF covers risks, benefits and several checklists that should be useful to many educators. -HJ Josie Fraser, Digizen, June 26, 2008 [Link] [Tags: Networks, Adult Learning] [Comment]

Bill C-61 Locks Us Into a Closed Education Model
More angst (completely reasonable angst) about the impending Canadian copyright changes. These changes will most likely make it even less likely that professors will be willing to share the educational materials they use in instruction. "Beneficial educational materials languish because authors don't want to risk being branded as plagiarists or copyright thieves -- simply because teachers do not have the time, resources or expertise to navigate the already arduous copyright regime. I would suggest that protection of copyright violation is a primary motivation for closed content models. A rationale that dare not speak its name." Lot's of other good stuff there and links to additional posts that are worth your time. -BD Brian Lamb, Abject Learning, June 26, 2008 [Link] [Tags: Online Learning, Canada, Copyrights, Patents] [Comment]

Lessons Learned and Learned Lessons
"The journey of an apprentice to the realm of the master is, in many ways, a journey from knowledge consumption to knowledge creation.", says Brett Miller as he examines the theme of knowledge work as craft. Worth following the links on this post. -HJ Brett Miller, No Straight Lines, June 26, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment]

This newsletter is sent only at the request of subscribers. If you would like to unsubscribe, Click here.

Know a friend who might enjoy this newsletter? Feel free to forward OLDaily to your colleagues. If you received this issue from a friend and would like a free subscription of your own, you can join our mailing list. Click here to subscribe.