OLDaily

What’s the future for learning pods?
Joanne Jacobs, Linking and Thinking on Education, 2021/03/22

I think that one legacy of the pandemic is that a lot of parents took learning into their own hands. One example of this is the phenomenon of the 'learning pod', where a group of parents (presumably observing quarantine and social distancing protocols) shared the duties of providing supplemental education for their children. It wasn't always smooth sailing. Some were simply too expensive. Where parents did it themselves they found it a lot of work and time consuming, not to mention a source of disagreements about how best to protect children in a pandemic. From my admittedly distant perspective, I don't see a whole lot of difference between these and more widely accessible formats such as the Scouting movement, Boys and Girls clubs, 4H, and similar programs.

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Why is ‘AI and Ethics’ work mostly a waste of time?
Donald Clark, Donald Clark Plan B, 2021/03/22

"It’s rife with amateurism in ‘ethics’, confirmation bias, anthropomorphism and activism," argues Donald Clark, making it clear that there are at least four things he doesn't like. I'm not doing to disagree with his criticism of a lot of work in AI ethics, especially in the popular press. Many of the criticisms focus on design issues, focus on negative outcomes, and argue as though there is some sort of (activist-approved) common understanding of what, exactly, is 'ethical'. But where I disagree is with the assertion that it is "mostly" a waste of time. There's a very large body of work on the subject and the vast majority of it is nuanced and well thought out, and the issues raised can't be dismissed simply by appealing to the criticisms made here.

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Free educator training helps build confidence during hybrid learning
Microsoft Education Blog, 2021/03/22

According to this article, "Microsoft offers a variety of free training and professional development resources that help educators teach in any environment." By 'any environment' I get the sense that they mean 'Microsoft' (well, more specifically, Canvas and Microsoft Teams). Still, it's worth observing the role and impact of free online learning resources being offered in support of a product suite. There's more to be found in the the Microsoft Educator Center and while I'm not making any recommendations it seems reasonable to at least have a look, especially if you're already using Microsoft products (a book example: creating breakout rooms in Teams). See also their page on devices for education.

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Finally, an Online Advising Model That Actually Works
Wiley, 2021/03/22

When we read a title like this one we have to ask what the author means by "actually works", and in this case, we're not told, though presumably the usual indicators apply (completing programs, getting high grades). The author also expresses concern about students 'ghosting' online advising services (as though that doesn't happen in person as well?). Ther article itself is a mish-mash of pop theory and common sense, and focuses on four major areas: shame-free advising; proactive advising (a.k.a. 'coaching'); analytics and cognitive behavioral theory; and positive psychology. The main value of this article is that it stimulates thinking about online academic advising.The whole thing taken together is called the the Online Learning Advising Model (OLAM), though you could probably do better than to rely on a publisher to define an online advising strategy.

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Looking ahead to higher ed in fall 2021: struggling towards normalcy
Bryan Alexander, 2021/03/22

It looks like the worst of the pandemic may be over, which means northern hemisphere institutions are looking at getting back to normal in the fall. But what does that mean? Bryan Alexander, who has been closely tracking the impact of Covid on U.S. institutions, has some thoughts. he is not alone in predicting things like post-pandemic trauma, learning loss and difficulties paying bills. He also suggests we will continue to meet online and that there may be a greater interest in health-related curricula. But there are open questions: how much learning will continue to take place online? Will institutions improve their capacity and skills?  What will be the long-term impact on enrollment? Will the concerns about justice and equity persist into the new normal? All good questions.

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Faculty Awareness of OER Has Increased for 5 Years Straight, Yet Adoption Is Flat
Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology, 2021/03/22

This article summarizes a survey from Bay View Analytics titled Digital Texts in the Time of COVID (59 page PDF; note that the link in Campus Technology is incorrect). The headline is a bit misleading. While it is true that faculty awareness has increased in the last five years, it is only in the most recent year that use has not increased to the same degree, "marking the first time that growth in awareness was not coupled with growth in adoption." And the main point remains that overall faculty were four times more likely to have adopted an OER textbook if they were aware of OER.

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The Quest to Tell Science from Pseudoscience
Michael D. Gordin, 2021/03/22

This is a good article up to the point where it becomes mired in U.S. politics, after which it becomes unsatisfying. The author addresses the core question with reference to Karl Popper's principle of falsifiability, then counters with Larry Laudan's well-known critique. But then, instead of turning to contemporary discussions (which include topics such as paradigms, scientific programs, measurement, data and instrumentation, among others) Michael D. Gordin looks at some court decisions related to evolution, and concludes that "as a matter of legal doctrine it (falsifiability) was enshrined." This may be true, but it's irrelevant. U.S. courts do not have jurisdiction over whether something is or is not scientific.

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