Stephen's Web

OLDaily

by Stephen Downes
June 12, 2009

80+ Videos for Tech. & Media Literacy
This list has been around for a couple of weeks, and the body of comments it has amassed is almost as impressive as the list itself. I don't recommend or endorse every item on the list, but there will be something for almost every reader in there. Alec Couros, open thinking, June 12, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Video] [Comment]

Guerrilla Education: Teaching and Learning at the Speed of News
Tony Hirst references a "linkbait" post by Don Tapscott (jumping on the recently resurgent 'end of the university' meme) and, after musing on some items of greater news value, ponders, "should we as academics be engaging with the news cycle in order to deliver informal, opportunistic 'teaching' at the point of need?" My answer: no. Not when 'need' is defined as 'powerful' or 'influential'. Because then it's not teaching, it's just lobbying, or worse, pandering. Tony Hirst, OUseful Info, June 12, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Academia] [Comment]

Bentham Editors Resign
Some editors at journals published by Bentham have resigned in the wake of revelations that nonsense papers were accepted for publication, including Bambang Parmento, editor of the journal in question. "I didn't like what happened," Parmanto told The Scientist. "If this is true, I don't have full control of the content that is accepted to this journal." Meanwhile, in response to the incident, the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA) has launched a blog, saying "there is a particular need to ensure that authors and readers can have confidence in the editorial standards enforced by these new [open access] journals and publishers." Peter Suber, Open Access News, June 12, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Books] [Comment]

The Newsweek High School Rankings Sham
The Washington Post is leaning on teachers. One wonders why. Could it have something to do with the sham school ratings and connections to test prep companies? Maybe? Yes. The politicization of learning, it seems to me, has very base economic motives. Here's some more on what would be a scandal if the press weren't so deeply involved. A Faire Alchemist, Teach Paperless, June 12, 2009 [Link] [Tags: Schools] [Comment]

Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
I've seen this cited in a couple of places. It's a summary of a book of the same title. From where I sit, the methods described may or may not be scientifically proven, but what is important is that there are non-rational ways of persuading people that can work. People who are unaware of such methods have no defense against them. These sort of tactics may always have existed, but it's only in the information age that they have become so blatantly pervasive and manipulative. Knowing about them is therefore to me a type of what might be part of '21st century knowledge', a part of the basic critical capacities that people need today. Alex Moskalyuk, Weblog, June 12, 2009 [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.