OLDaily

Is f2f better than online?
Tanya Joosten, learning technology.......juice, 2020/05/14

"If you are asking this question," says Tanya Joosten, "you should probably continue teaching f2f." I think that was a very restrained way to make the point.  Because if you're still asking this question, you've been oblivious to the last two decades of evidence that has piled up showing that online can work just as well as face-to-face. Yes, you have to do it differently - what did you expect? For those people who are still sceptics, this post is filled to the rafters with references proving the point. And as Joosten says, instead of asking which is better, you should be asking "how do I take advantage of the online medium and associated technologies to effectively support my students' learning?" See also Quality Indicators of Online Learning.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

Dithering and Open Versus Free
Ben Thompson, Stratechery, 2020/05/14

I'm including this post not to promote a new paid podcast (though that's what the article does) but rather to point again to what's happening in the world of podcasts. Back in the days when Google still allowed RSS to exist you could subscribe to many podcasts from many providers, using the podcatcher of your choice. Now, though, they're largely being streamed through a single service owned by Spotify. Spotify is obviously trying to do to podcasting what Google and Facebook did to news, that is, to become the only provider. This new podcast bucks the trend (as does my own, though I'm not what anyone would call a regular podcaster). As regards this for-pay podcast, well it's the same as for news: it will reflect the interests and values of those with the money to pay. Charging money does not create equity of access and/or content, which is why subscription content is not free content.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]