Stephen's Web

OLDaily

by Stephen Downes
May 15, 2009

Santuario Do Sameiro

I'm in Braga, Portugal, where I just spoke at the Challenges 2009 conference at the University of Minho. Here are the slides and audio from the talk. As for the photos, I recommend the slide show. Stephen Downes, Flickr, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Flickr] [Comment]

Twitter Literacy (I Refuse to Make Up a Twittery Name for It)
He means 'twitteracy' of course, even if he won't say so. "If you think "literacy" is too fancy, then just remember to use the word "social" in reasonable proximity to your mention of encoding and decoding skills needed in the mobile and multimedia milieu. It's not just about knowing how. It's about knowing how and knowing who and knowing who knows who knows what." Yeah, but this whole 'knowing who' business is over-rated. It would be a mistake to get caught up in the cliquey aspects of things like Twitter. Howard Rheingold, SF Gate, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Twitter] [Comment]

Calculus Made Easy
Any textbook that has a chapter titled 'A Useful Dodge' is a winner to me. It also helps that it's from 1914 and is a free download. Darren Kuropatwa, A Difference, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Books] [Comment]

The E-Learning Show - Lifelong Learning
From the JISC e-Learning Blog: "Thursday, 21 May sees the pilot programme of a new JISC live internet radio programme, the e-Learning Show. The programme will be broadcast from 1800 - 1855 UK summer time and is based on issues raised at the recent JISC Lifelong Learning Symposium." The show will be supplemented with content on the e-Learning blog on the day of the show. Paul Bailey , JISC e-Learning Blog, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Great Britain, Online Learning, Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), Web Logs] [Comment]

Technology's Impact On Learning Outcomes: Can It Be Measured?
Among other useful bits in this article, this: "The more we remain fixated with standardized assessments, the less likely we will be to truly measure the kind of learning that is currently taking place in technology-supported learning environments." Ruth Reynard, T.H.E. Journal, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Assessment] [Comment]

Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use
Nancy Willard is offering two documents that can be sent home to parents, one on cyber safety for kids and the other on cyber safety for teens. Look to the right hand side of the web page to download the PDF documents. Nancy Willard, Website, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment]

ED-MEDIA Social Networking
It's interesting to see what happens when you use social media to support a conference. The Ed Media conference being held in June is now supported with a conference blog, Facebook page (which really should be a group, not a fan page), and Twitter tag (which really should be: edmedia2009 and not simply edmedia). What would be really good would be live streaming conference broadcasts, online backchannel chat during the conference, interviews and virtual panels, and more. Various Authors, Website, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Twitter, Chatrooms, Books, Web Logs] [Comment]

OpenCourseWare: College Education, Without the Student Loans
So what would people do without free news content online see PC Mag story, below)? Well, one thing they could do is learn. In the world of academic and educational content, free is rapidly becoming the new standard, as learning and research providers are beginning to realize that they have to provide access to the people who actually pay for the stuff - the public. Now it may be argued that "it's not a real college education." Well, maybe not. But maybe people don't always want a "real college education". Amy Farnsworth, Christian Science Monitor, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Online Learning, Research, Academia, OpenCourseWare] [Comment]

Is the Free Web About to Expire?
Frankly, the scenario described here to end the free web is ridiculous. "Let's assume that Murdoch carries through with his micro-payment plans and that the newspapers actually do get their act together, convince Congress to loosen monopoly laws, and then work in concert to create a fixed online menu of content prices. With all this once-free content behind a pay gate, one would assume that smaller news sites and blogs-even citizen journalists-would fill the free gap. Not so fast... Even major sites, with networks of blogs, are reporting huge losses. What incentive do any of them have to create free news content to fill the vacancy left by traditional news media?" A state-sanctioned newspaper content monopoly? Not only is the concept itself repugnant, for so many reasons, it ignores the reality that news sources (like, say, me) have significant incentive to bypass that monopoly and to publish directly online. Lance Ulanoff, PC Mag, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Books, Networks, Web Logs] [Comment]

Blackboard and Angel Learning Officials Try to Reassure Skeptical Clients
As the title suggests, Angel customers are not all happy about becoming part of the Blackboard hegemony. The most telling bit from this article: "The Chronicle was not allowed to attend the session, but those in the room described it on Twitter, and one attendee streamed live video of the event to a Web site." More coverage from the Chronicle. Related: Three tests for the new 'open' Blackboard. Jeffrey R. Young, Chronicle of Higher Education, May 15, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Twitter, Video, Blackboard Inc.] [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.