OLDaily

Warsaw
Stephen Downes, Flickr, 2017/08/31

I'm back from Poland and have stuff to share. For today, it's photos from my visit - Warsaw, where I spent most of my time, but at from short side-trip to Krakow and Lodz. Enjoy! :)

[Link] [Comment]

Education and employability: Can the gap be closed?: CIBC report
Benjamin Tal, Royce Mendes, CIBC, 2017/08/31

According to this report (5 page PDF), "students are starting to get the message as more enroll in high-demand, high-paying fields of study but momentum is hindered by rising tuition and an inflexible system." programs leading to higher-paying jobs are beginning to cost more as tuiotion fees rise. Also, "the simple reality is that the current education system is not flexible enough to fully accommodate the needs of today’s students.... The system ought to be flexible enough to combine passion and practicality. A much higher level of collaboration between colleges and universities is clearly needed."

[Link] [Comment]

German publishers are joining forces against the duopoly
Jessica Davies, Digiday, 2017/08/31

On discussion lists recently the subject of personal identification schemes has resulted in considerable debate - should, for exam ple, ORCID be required by funders, or should the principle of an open, distributed and non-proprietary scheme be encouraged. Meanwhile, acyual web users are facied with an increasing number of sites requiring that they use their social media IDs - especially those from Facebook and Google - with the consequence that they surrender their privacy. In Germany an effort is underway to establish a third-party identification system that opreserves privacy and reduces the overhead required for authentication. This has been prompted by new data privacy regulations (General Data Protection Regulation) which will be enforced starting next May. According to the article, "The sign-in platform will be marketed to consumers as 'Verimi' — a mix of the English words “verify” and “me.” A dedicated website explaining the service and how to use it is starting to familiarize people with the initiative before the product’s launch."

[Link] [Comment]

How Microlearning Will Shape the Future of Work
Alex Khurgin, Association for Talent Development, 2017/08/31

This post explores the timing of microlearning in the workplace. It's a good point. The centrepiece is the pair of diagrams of mis-aligned and aligned microtraining (figures 2 and 3). The overall point applies to learning generally, I think: that it needs to be aligned to the current interests and motivations of the learner. Failing to do this creates an environment where learning is a distraction from the events and work of the day, rather than something helpful and supportive. As Alex Khurgin writes, "The moments of need become motivational anchor points surrounded with microlearning experiences and resources. They also present entry points for difficult challenges like addressing bias by tying them to specific events, such as an upcoming interview."

[Link] [Comment]

Globe brings e-learning to Quezon City public schools
BrandRoom, Inquirer.net, 2017/08/31

What's interesting about this development effort in the Philippines is the combination of internet, pedagogy and hardware. "Schools covered by the program receive a) infrastructure support and free internet for 2 years, b) Project-Based Learning and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) training for teachers, and c) a GFS mobile cart, which contains gadgets like netbooks, tablets, projectors, and Globe Prepaid Pocket WiFi that can be used to teach different subjects both inside and outside the classroom." I think it's a step forward to realize that simply using computers in a traditional classroom will not result in the best benefits from the technology.

[Link] [Comment]