Stephen's Web

OLDaily

by Stephen Downes
July 21, 2010

Newspaperism
If you're still among those doubting that newspapers are in crash and burn mode, these statistics may change your view. Graham Wegner comments, "The media corporations controlled what was newsworthy and ignored what was deemed unimportant. In a one paper town like Adelaide, that was publishing for a relatively captive audience. Now we have the web. Initially, newspapers just reproduced themselves in an online form, still curating news that they felt their readers needed. Graham Wegner, Open Educator, July 21, 2010 [Link] [Tags: Books, Australia] [Comment] [Tweet]

Mary Stewart
Mary Stewart is writing and posting a song a day for a year - she's up to song number 283. I just saw this today on the local CTV news (which is usually really awful, but this was a good story). Stewart explained that she's trying not only to stretch her limits but also to demonstrate the process of songwriting. You can see more from her at CBC's fabulous new music site. Mary Stewart, Website, July 21, 2010 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment] [Tweet]

Screenjelly - Quick and Easy Screencasting
"Screenjelly is a free web-based tool that allows anyone to quickly create a screencast video. To use Screenjelly all you need to do is go to Screenjelly.com and click the big red "record" button. Once clicked Screenjelly will begin recording your screen and your voice (if you choose) for up to three minutes. When you're done recording press "stop" and you can then share your video on Twitter and other social networks. You can also embed your Screenjelly recording into your blog or website." Cool! Richard Byrne, Free Technology for Teachers, July 21, 2010 [Link] [Tags: Twitter, Networks, Video, Web Logs] [Comment] [Tweet]

Some thoughts on tablets in education
Yes e-books have taken off (especially among older users) but I'm not convinced they're ready for learning. As Christoph Derndorfer writes, "I think tablet-style devices could be quite well suited for use by primary-school children however I don't think that the products currently available or foreseeable to be available within the next two or three years will be well suited for secondary-school use." This is because, as he says, "tablets are generally more suited for content consumption rather than content creation." Christoph Derndorfer, OLPC//News, July 21, 2010 [Link] [Tags: Schools] [Comment] [Tweet]

Knowledge sharing, one at a time
If something doesn't work at the institutional level, why would we think it works at the personal level? Harold JHarche cites David Jonassen, who argues convincingly, "Every amateur epistemologist knows that knowledge cannot be managed. Education has always assumed that knowledge can be transferred and that we can carefully control the process through education. That is a grand illusion." Quite so. So why does Jarche then say "While knowledge cannot be managed, we can work at managing our own knowledge?" We can, as individuals, manage our information artifacts. And maybe we can come up with learning plans or career aspirations. But I think these are a long way from personal knowledge management. Harold Jarche, Weblog, July 21, 2010 [Link] [Tags: Online Learning, Knowledge Management] [Comment] [Tweet]

Knowledge sharing, one at a time
If something doesn't work at the institutional level, why would we think it works at the personal level? Harold JHarche cites David Jonassen, who argues convincingly, "Every amateur epistemologist knows that knowledge cannot be managed. Education has always assumed that knowledge can be transferred and that we can carefully control the process through education. That is a grand illusion." Quite so. So why does Jarche then say "While knowledge cannot be managed, we can work at managing our own knowledge?" We can, as individuals, manage our information artifacts. And maybe we can come up with learning plans or career aspirations. But I think these are a long way from personal knowledge management. Harold Jarche, Weblog, July 21, 2010 [Link] [Tags: Online Learning, Knowledge Management] [Comment] [Tweet]

Business-Managed Democracy
Rose Grozdanic emailed and suggested I pass on this link about "Business-Managed Democracy." The website, by Sharon Beder, a visiting professor at the University of Wollongong, describes institutions, including schools, "in which the political and cultural arrangements are managed in the interests of business." She writes, "Business coalitions have persuaded governments around the world to turn schools into competing business enterprises where children are drilled and tested on a narrow range of skills. Despite their declining contribution to the costs of schooling, businesses are taking control of more and more aspects of schooling, not only to produce submissive employees with basic literacy and numeracy skills, but also to prevent the development of critical thinking skills. They are seeking to erode public schooling, as well as promote consumer values and business viewpoints and ideology." In related news, the widely criticized 'Common Core' standards are gaining traction across the United States. Sharon Beder, Website, July 21, 2010 [Link] [Tags: United States, Schools] [Comment] [Tweet]

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