OLDaily

How to End a Discussion: Consensus or Hegemony?
Ásgeir Tryggvason, Democracy and Education, 2019/10/17

I enjoyed this article as it grapples with the question of how to close the discussion of political or controversial topics in a classroom. Two major schools of thought are presented: the idea of deliberative democracy, which aims to use rational debate to reach a consensus, and agonism, which allows that people may remain on different sides even after the discussion. The author appears to advocate a middle position, hegemony, which allows one side to win (if you will) while accepting that there will be another side that did not prevail on this day. A good object lesson for how to handle such debates as adults. There are good side-discussions on the role of rationality and identity in such discussions, and how to decide what points of view ought to be excluded from any such discussion. Image: an Interview with Chantal Mouffe.

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Expanding Opportunities: Defining Quality Non-degree Credentials for States
Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield, Bryan Wilson, Kermit Kaleba, Jenna Leventoff, National Skills Coalition, 2019/10/17

There's a lot of stuff in this report (32 page PDF) talking about what non-degree credentials (NDC) are, why they're needed (TLDR: because not enough full degrees are being granted, and states need another way to meet their goals), and why a determination of NDC quality is essential. Eventually (p.13) we get to the definition (paraphrased): a quality NDC is student focused; supports equitable credential attainment; is supported by valid, reliable, and transparent information; allows flexibility in operationalizing the definition; and is the outcome of a public process to determine which credentials are quality credentials. We then get an additional definition of "the criteria that constitute quality" (paraphrased): substantial job opportunities as-sociated with the credential, competencies that align with expected job opportunities, evidence of employment and earnings outcomes after obtaining the credential; and stackability to additional education or training. This IMO is a very narrow definition of quality. Too narrow. Via eCampus News. Thanks to John H. Steitz for the suggestion.

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Highlights From the 2019 Connected Learning Summit
Jamieson Pond, Connected Learning Alliance, 2019/10/17

I'm passing this along because it's interesting to see what Henry Jenkins is up to these days, but not without warning of platitudes and flatitudes in the content overall. The post is a summary of the highlights of the 2019 Connected Learning Summit, held at the University of California, Irvine earlier this month (nothing to see at the link; I include it for completeness) including videos of the aforementioned Jenkins, two other keynotes, and 14 of the short 'Ignite' talks.

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JAMstack Tools and The Spectrum of Classification
Chris Coyier, CSS-Tricks, 2019/10/17

It's impossible to keep up with the range of web development tools available, but that doesn't stop one from trying. This article focuses on some key features of some JAMstack applications - sites based on Javascript, APIs, and Markup (JAM). Three major categories are presented: headless CMSs, static site hosts, and static site generators. I'm most interested in the first of these because of the potential to work with a range of services across a distributed network. Something like KeystoneJS, for example.

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Do MOOCs contribute to student equity and social inclusion? A systematic review 2014–18
Sarah R.Lambert, Computers & Education, 2019/10/17

This study offers a useful and important counterweight to studies focused on U.S.-based MOOCs. "The most well-known for-profit MOOC providers are used for widening participation," writes Sarah Lambert, "but they are certainly not the whole picture." From the abstract: "In contrast to the existing literature, this study found that there was a flourishing of multi-lingual and Languages other than English (LOTE) programs and those addressing regional socio-economic disadvantage." Interestingly, "the review also found that the legal status of the learning materials (copyright or openly licenced) was of little consequence so long as it was free to the end user." And, "What seemed to matter most was the intentional and collaborative design for disadvantaged cohorts."

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Blockchain in Higher Education: Are we on the Cusp of Transformation or Still Gathering Information?
Megan Raymond, WCET Frontiers, 2019/10/17

After a quick introduction defining blockchain, this article then shifts to its main focus, an interview with three experts on the following potential applications:

• “blockcerts” for certifications and credentials,
• bitcoin for paying for tuition,
• blockchain for transcripts, and
• using blockchain technology to retain authorship and attribution in open education resources.

The focus isn't exactly where I would place it, though it does represent what seem to be the  the core values of academia today: granting degrees, charging fees, and getting credit. There seems to be at least some recognition of this as Spencer Ellis comments, "Until proven to support the longstanding challenges we face in higher ed. (inequities, costs, program completion, etc.) any strategy could be considered hype. If strategies begin to address and change these outcomes, then they truly prove their worth."

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