OLDaily

Welcome to Online Learning Daily, your best source for news and commentary about learning technology, new media, and related topics.

It's time to discuss the problem with 'owning your own development'
Matthew J. Daniel, Chief Learning Officer, 2023/03/01

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This post takes its cue from a report from McKinsey. The report is worth a look; briefly, it says retention and attrition are most influenced by pay, meaningful work, flexibility, and development opportunities. This article focuses on the last, saying that companies that support 'own your own development' are not succeeding in reducing attrition. There's a good case that such companies are doing it badly; The suggestions offered aren't bad, but this is a topic that could fill a book.

p.s. To write professionally, don't write "all employees are not on an equal footing" when you mean "not all employees are on an equal footing." The first means 'no employees are on an equal footing', which is probably false. The latter means 'some employees are not on an equal footing', which is most likely true.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

About Why Static, Online, Competency-Based Microcredential Courses Are Boring
Justin Mason, stinjitsu, 2023/03/01

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This article takes a critical look at microcredentials as depoyed by higher education institutions. "If our modus operandi in higher education is creating courses, then likely that's how we'll try to address every learning and recognition opportunity we encounter... But it's unfortunate if our ideas stop there because there are other ways to assess and recognize learning beyond the campus." In his criticism, Doug Belshaw also observes, "In theory, we could develop practical microcredentials for all the contexts. But who has the resources to do that? You know who has the resources to at least try? LinkedIn, and huge companies like it."

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

China and Open Access
Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, The Scholarly Kitchen, 2023/03/01

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The Scholarly Kitchen reports on the International Association of STM Publishers and the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) released a report on Open Access Publishing in China. As the article notes, the report (103 page PDF) is openly available in both English and Chinese. "This interview with Mark Robertson, consultant to the STM Association on the project, highlights the findings of the report and their implications for the scholarly publishing industry." TL:DR - it's increasing.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

Canadian Copyright, Fair Dealing and Education, Part Five: Open Textbooks Saving Students Millions of Dollars
Michael Geist, Michael Geist, 2023/03/01

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The utility of this article is that it provides a good overview of some of the agencies supporting OER across Canada. Michael Geist focuses on the savings for students: "(OER) has saved students millions of dollars, provided faculty with more flexible, adaptable materials, and eliminated the need for either additional licences or a fair dealing analysis." The statistics feel a bit second-hand and cherry-picked, but the argument is still a good one. "Creating a content library and having a philosophy of 'develop yourself' isn't enough for the majority of your workers to understand how to develop into the talent pipeline you need for the future."

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

I Will Dropkick You If You Use That Spreadsheet
Ludic, Ludicity, 2023/03/01

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I'm afraid I had to edit the title, and I pass on this link with a  language warning, because some people have not yet learned that such language simply alienates a large percentage of their readers. If you can get past the casual swearing that makes the writer sound like an entitled juvenile, there's a good point in there. "Just put the spreadsheet down and we can work with databases. Do you remember databases, and possibly happiness?" Actually, don't bother reading the article. That short quote is essentially the whole message. Though the article is a look into the mindset of a certain class of software developers. Via Dave Lane, who writes much btter, promise.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

"if boredom should prevail": A Few Thoughts on Student Engagement
Sean Michael Morris, 2023/03/01

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This is an article that resonates in light of the remarks from Tony Bates on motivation last week, but at the same time it feels like the author is struggling to find a point in the light of a dilemma that can't really be solved. It's a dilemma between, on the one hand, the idea that the teacher is responsible for making sure that students learn a certain body of content, however unwillingly, and on the other hand, the idea that education should be about helping student resist precisely that sort of coercion, to think for themselves, and to follow their own interests. I tend toward the latter school of thought, which is why in my career I have tended away from a path where other people tell me what my students are required to learn. But to move the entire educational system away from that path - well, that's a little more daunting.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

We publish six to eight or so short posts every weekday linking to the best, most interesting and most important pieces of content in the field. Read more about what we cover. We also list papers and articles by Stephen Downes and his presentations from around the world.

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