OLDaily

Do Chairs Exist?
Michael Stevens, Curiosity Box, YouTube, 2021/09/15

This is a lovely introduction to ontology packaged as an entertaining 38 minute video. It asks the simple question "do chairs exist?" and through a series of considerations shows how this very simple question actually has a very complex answer. It's not merely a question of whether we can rely on the senses; it also calls into question how we identify and name objects at all. And how we count them. At a certain point, it all appears pretty arbitrary. "Ordinary objects may be unredeemably vague." Or "A chair is simples arranged chairwise." And that's the point. As a philosopher I appreciate the fun romp though the standard arguments; as an educator I appreciate the presentation and the clarity of the exposition.

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A conversation starter: Towards a common definition of micro-credentials.
Beverley Oliver, UNESCO, Google Docs, 2021/09/15

This is a draft of an upcoming report from UNESCO; as of right now it does not appear to have a permanent URL. Note that it's a discussion paper, not a definition endorsed by UNESCO. "This preliminary report proposes a definition arrived at through a consensus-building process by a global expert panel." Here's the proposal (quoted):

A micro-credential: 1. is a record of focused learning achievement verifying what the learner knows, understands or can do; 2. includes assessment based on clearly defined standards and is awarded by a trusted provider; 3. has stand-alone value and may also contribute to or complement other micro-credentials or macro-credentials, including through recognition of prior learning; and 4. meets the standards required by relevant quality assurance.

What follows is less a defense of the current statement and more an engaging discussion of some of the issues surrounding micro-credentials (for example, the credibility of providers, and the risk of diverting funding away from established programs), an overview of the process of drafting the definition, and an outline of places where consensus was not achieved. I personally prefer version 1 (and note with dismay that the provision microcredentials are "owned, portable and sharable by the learner" was dropped by the panel almost immediately). Related: national and international reports on micro-credentials.

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Teaching health and wellbeing to improve learning
The PIE News, 2021/09/15

This is the sort of thing that's important whether learning online or in person, and which during the pandemic we've learned was being addressed at least informally by in-person schools, but was overlooked in online learning. "It’s incredibly important for young learners to develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes which they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing now and in the future." That's why you will read about me traveling, getting outdoors and exercising, taking photos, and going to baseball and football games. It's all part of the same package. You don't get those brilliant insights without also getting cat photos. You just don't.

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Argos: Upcycling Course Design
Michael Feldstein, eLiterate, 2021/09/15

Yoiu have to read almost all the way to the bottom of this article to get at the real value proposition in Michael feldstein's description of Argos. "What if every educator who adopts a “textbook” could join one or more communities of adopters? What if they could edit, delete, and insert new content into the product they were upcycling? ... This is how Argos Education aspires to change the fundamental value proposition of the “textbook,” or “courseware,” or whatever awful name you want to invent for that freeze-dried course design that educators upcycle to meet their local needs." From where I sit it sounds like a cross between learning object repositories and a GitHub for texts (presumably with a price for admission, because textbooks exist to make money).

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The End of Blackboard as a Standalone EdTech Company
Phil Hill, Phil on EdTech, 2021/09/15

I won't do too much post-mortem on the end of Blackboard, but I would like to reference Phil Hill's post, since he has paid more attention to companies like Blackboard over the years than most. "Today’s news has the potential to be the latest nonlinear impact on the LMS market," he writes, "and it matters." Hill isn't crystal clear about why it matters, but I extract from Blackboard CEO Bill Ballhaus’ blog post (quoted by Hill) this telling snippet: "Combining the two companies... will enable us to break down data silos, and surface deeper insights about the learner so we can deliver unmatched personalized experiences across the full learner lifecycle."

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