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OLDaily

by Stephen Downes
June 1, 2009

Which Social Networking Analysis Term Best Describes Virgin America?
This is a really nice review post of a bunch of stuff associated with social networks. Beth Kanter summarizes her thoughts from the Network Effectiveness and Social Media Strategy Map working session for Packard Foundation Grantees convened by Monitor Institute and (she says) "this is a post to help me identify what I don't know about social network analysis and mapping tools with the hope that you'll fill in the gaps in the comments." Beth Kanter, Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Networks] [Comment]

A Practical Guide to Implementing Web 2.0 (aka Social Networking Tools) in Your Organization
The "3 Lemons" slide by itself makes this slide show from Dave Pollard worth viewing. The rest is pretty good too. I especially like "how we shared information in 2009" and "Proximity / Affinity detectors" (= to me basic associationist mechanisms). Dave Pollard, How To Save The World, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Web 2.0] [Comment]

How the Web Ate the Economy and Why This Is Good for Everyone
Douglas Rushkoff was one of the first to appreciate the importance of the internet and remains one of the best. "In this presentation from the Web 2.0 Expo he points out two false assumptions about the world, their medieval origins, and how the internet has provided a brief window where we can fix them. One myth is that corporations promote free market capitalism, but they were originally monopolies granted by royalty to prolong and fund monarchy. The other myth is that currency is money, but national currency has prevented thriving trade among peers that existed in ancient times. The new opportunity the internet provides is to make a living by building and keeping businesses that create value for other people, rather than large corporations." Audio. Douglas Rushkoff, IT Conversations, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Audio, Web 2.0] [Comment]

Why Our Current Education System Is Failing
Some good stuff in this post written by a soon-to-b marginal high school graduate. "We're so used to being told who we can or cannot be, many us don't even know who we actually want to be. All the education in the world is worthless if you never unlock what makes your heart beat." Be sure to read the dozsens of comments. Via Diigo. Bud, A Boundless World, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Schools, Online Learning] [Comment]

Upload .docx Files to Google Docs
The newer versions of Microsoft Office use a new data format for files - MS Word documents, for example, are stored in a .docx format. Now for the record, I'm sold on MS Word 2007 - in particular, I love the referencing system. But if you don't have Microsoft Word 2007 and you get a .docx you're stuck, right? No - upload your .docx into your Google Docs account, and convert it there to .doc. Alex Chitu, Google Operating System, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Google, Microsoft] [Comment]

Price Ranges for Learning Management Systems in 2009
Some pretty interesting data. "LMS pricing is all over the map. For larger implementations, the range between a very low-cost solution and an expensive one can be nearly $15 million." Richard Nantel, Brandon Hall Consulting, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment]

Canada: The rise of public places
From my own experience, I think this is true: "He says that the more he works from home, the more he likes to get out and patronize public space. With people telecommuting, he predicts public space will be even more important, and more public space should and will be created." William Draves, Nine Shift, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Canada, Experience] [Comment]

Using smartphones to track attendance
Big brother is checking your GPS location. See also: the variety of mobile devices. More here. Bryan Alexander, Liberal Education Today, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment]

Co-operation for Networks
Harold Jarche finds support for my proposal that 'cooperation' rather than 'collaboration' is more appropriate for descriptions of network-based practice. "Jerome Delacroix provides another confirmatory post on "co-operation" as the suitable term for what we do in networks [in French]. Jerome explains why his site is called Cooperatique and not Collaboratique - collaboration happens around some kind of plan or structure, while co-operation presumes the freedom of individuals to join and participate." Harold Jarche, Weblog, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Networks] [Comment]

A critical examination of Blackboard's e-learning environment
Interesting look into the Blackboard LMS. "Although Blackboard kept some of WebCT's features in the development of Blackboard CE 6, the intensely hierarchical nature of Blackboard persists producing a textualized approach to teaching and learning. This hierarchy reflects the power structure embedded in e-learning management systems." Stephanie J. Coopman, First Monday, June 1, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Blackboard Inc.] [Comment]

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