New ADL #mLearning Design Reference model: adjust to your needs
Inge de Waard, Ignatia Webs, 2015/07/03

Inge de Waard reports that Peter Berking, lead of the MoTIF project, has released the newly adapted mLearning Design Reference model, and is now inviting us all to have a look at the reference model, and adapt it to our own needs." The MoTIF project (Mobile Training Implementation Framework) is an ADL initiative currently focused on a model that "embodies and integrates mobile learning constraints and best practices at the fundamental level of the design process itself, leading the ISD to consider using alternative learning approaches, unique mobile device capabilities, and leveraging context and usage patterns of users in ways that desktop DL and classroom learning do not usually address."

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Universities push for higher fees
Sean Coughlan, BBC News, 2015/07/03

British universities are learning very well what North American universities have known for some time, that it is easier to convince governments to increase fees paid by students than it is to increase direct government expenditures. Any old excuse will do. 'These changes should be made now to ensure universities can continue to provide high quality education that meets the needs of students,' she (Janet Beer, vice-president of Universities UK) said." Yeah. 'Quality'.

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Dutch boycott of Elsevier – a game changer?
Danny Kingsley, Unlocking Research, 2015/07/03

According to this article, "Koen Becking, chairman of the Executive Board of Tilburg University who has been negotiating with scientific publishers about an open access policy on behalf of Dutch universities with his colleague Gerard Meijer, announced a plan to start boycotting Elsevier." The Dutch have been attempting to negotiate open access, where content would be "born free" with no barriers or subscription fees, but have not been able to to come close to an agreement with Elsevier.

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Personal Learning Graphs (PLeG)
George Siemens, elearnspace, 2015/07/03

After connectivism and MOOCs George Siemens followed the path leading to learning analytics, while I took the path leading to personal learning. In this article it looks like he sees the paths as converging. Certainly a lot of what he is saying here is what has been current in personal learning. Witness this: "Many of the personalized learning systems now available begin with an articulation of the knowledge space – i.e. what the learner needs to know. What the learner knows is somewhat peripheral and is only a focal point after the learner has started interacting with content. Additionally, the data that is built around learner profiles is owned by either the educational institution or the software company. This isn’t a good idea. Learners should own the representation of what they know." There's a longish slide presentation to support the short post.

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