the attitude or the technology?

Just noticed this short article on Wired Campus 


So I've just copied it >>>

"Faculty members and information-technology staff members alike say technology is useful for teaching and learning, but professors take a narrower view of what technology belongs in today's classroom, according to a report released on Monday by the technology company CDW Government Inc.

Eighty-eight percent of the 303 faculty members surveyed said technology was essential or useful for student learning, and over 60 percent said they used electronic materials in their teaching, according to the report.

The most popular tools cited by professors were e-textbooks and online documents, with faculty members reporting far less enthusiasm for other electronic tools. Under a quarter of faculty members surveyed use wikis or blogs in their teaching, and only 31 percent of professors surveyed considered online collaboration tools "essential" to today's classroom, compared with 72 percent of over 300 IT employees surveyed.
That suggests an interesting gap between technology staff members and professors when it comes to how smart classrooms need to be. How wired should teaching spaces be?
"

It's only a short article but really resonates with the situation here in the UK education arena. i.e. some see the benefits of the technology, and strive to create environments to nurture 21st century learning expereinces. This is often hampered by differeing levels of support (both IT and senior management) .

The comments about the reluctance to grasp the significance of collaborative platforms also does not surprise me - sadly.  The thread of comments posted under the article could have been penned by any UK educator - which is also quite scary. I advise you to read them - very insightful to see the interpretation of technology enhanced learning from differing perspectives. I especially like this comment :

If you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

My advice is to get back to basics and work from curriculum up - redesign to incorporate these (collaborative) learning methods - or they'll always be bolt-on. And also ensure the support mechanisms are in place - implementing technology is so about the people and so not about the "systems"
Use the JISC infokit to help redesign your courses - you know it makes sense !o) , it really is very good :

Transforming Curriculum Design and Curriculum Delivery through Technology

distance nursing

At last, a positive report on a real success story of how distance learning can really make a difference to education. Lead by the UK's most experienced distance learning organisation.  Take note all - distance learning actually works if well designed (using synchronous + asynchronous modes) and very well supported.

Read the full story.>>>>>>>>>>


"...The quality and consistency of support provided on distance-learning programmes is crucial to minimise dropout rates. On the OU nursing course, students are assigned a tutor for each module they take, while another supports individual students throughout their four-year period of study. OU-trained personal mentors, typically a registered nurse, support and assess students in the workplace.

"The workbooks direct your learning, but you got a tutorial every month by video link. We also met our tutor face-to-face once a month with the rest of the group," says O'May. "There were also phone tutorials, emails and online forums. It worked fantastically well."

From 2012, the OU will offer nursing degrees as part of the government's policy to make nursing training degree-standard. But entry criteria will remain the same so that healthcare workers seconded by their employers are still able to study for the degree."

Online Learning Task Force

I've just skimmed through the March 2010 update of the HEFCE Online Learning Task Force.  Makes for some very interesting reading.  Basically it boils down to 3 things that need to be adhered to;

• Do the market research (who is doing what well, & learn from others mistakes), the OU is obviously a good model to learn from, and conversely so was the UKeU!!  Often I see HE going "off on one", blissfully ignorant of the good practice that's gone before by others who've done this well (Ultraversity is a good model, as it Sheffield College Net trainers courses, so is Oxford Brookes, to name but a few). Professor Gilly Salmons 5 stage model & emoderators books are a good place to start.

• "Traditional" distance courses are built around a vocational model, relying heavily on adult leaning and work based motivational needs (see also Maslow). Paper behind glass would form the basis of this experiences. This model is a cost saving model.  I'd guess very little moderator/facilitator interaction or even less peer2peer engagement.  Good online/distance learning takes time to nurture & support and promote student centred & active learning. It is not cheap, and requires skill & time to design and support. I repeat, it it not a cheap alternative to F2F delivery.
  
  
  
• And finally, this interim report acknowledges that effective pedagogy and the supporting organisational infrastructure is the key to successful online/distance learning.
  
• The technology is here, now all we have to do is catch up. See also USA, North America & Australia for exemplars of effective distance learning :O)

Snippets from the report.....


Online learning: the current picture in the UK....This research suggests that:


a. More should be done to provide a simple taxonomy of the wide range of
student experiences that currently fall under the broad title of ‘online distance
learning’.


b. The vast majority of online distance learning offered by HEIs is focused on
postgraduate-level provision.


c. Most online distance learning can be identified as professional development,
or as having a strong vocational focus.


d. It can be challenging for potential students to find out about online distance
learning courses, with information often hidden in complex institutional web-sites.
Where details are available, they frequently fail to provide the full range of
information that a potential student needs to make a decision about studying
online.


e. We need to improve the market intelligence available to give a clearer picture
of the position of UK online distance learning in an international context.

and further more :

We have examined what lessons the UK HE sector can learn from previous online

learning ventures, whether successful or ones that no longer exist. ...some interesting points noted so far include:

1. It is important to clarify the purpose of the venture, including a viable, robust

business model.

2. Building on existing success tends to be most effective: in general it seems

wise to grow in, and from, subject areas and markets where institutions have an

established reputation.

3. Clear leadership and ownership is required to maintain strategic focus and

avoid an attitude that online learning is an ‘add-on’ or peripheral activity.

Finally these excerpts caught my eye:

• It is also clear that technology platforms are not a barrier to success. The OLTF does not intend to dedicate significant attention to this area. We intend to pay more attention to business models to ensure sustainability and cost-effectiveness, and to pedagogical good practice to support academic quality.

• ...the importance of good pedagogy to the design and delivery of excellent online learning, recognising similarities and differences between on-site, blended and fully online models different organisational structures and business models that are used to support the development and expansion of online learning for the benefit of newer entrants..

Creating an ePortfolio with Wikispaces

This is how to do it. Nice & easy. Web 2.0 = PLE. Why pay more, when the web does it for free. And note this is not using any HTML/scripting, it's just editing, copy , paste, insert, link. No more difficult than using a word processor. Neat solution to creating a simple e-folio :oD.. 


I tried the same with my CMALT folio recently using the now defunct Google pages.

Why projects go Wr0nG

I recently attended a webinar run by the elearning network + ALT entitled "Why eLearning Projects Go Wrong". The recording of the ALT/ELN Why eLearning Projects Go Wrong webinar which took place on the 17th February is now available via the ALT Open Access Repository at: http://repository.alt.ac.uk/view/divisions/projectsgowrong/2010.html

Capture your screen in seconds

The above screencast was recorded by myself just to illustrate how Prezi can be used effectivly as a presentation tool during an online webinar. In this instance we were using Elluminate. Anyhoo back to the meat of the webinar.

Rob Hubbard kicked us off. Rob is a memeber of the eLN, and runs his own company http://www.learningagesolutions.com/index.htm.

Robs many years of experiences in designing and executing bespoke elearning solutions for large compaines was spot on the mark in terms of promoting a plethora of pragmatic tips to guide us through the maze of designing an e-learning "product" that satisfies a clients spec'. Rob ran through a set of pitfalls to avoid whilst running his prezi "slides";

• Work closely with stakeholders, as their time to review is critical - ensure they understand the entire process,
• ensure that stakeholders understand the time needed to review the project steps at critical sign-off stages. Book these review stages in their calendars, be explicit about scope and range of "agreed changes",
• ensure ALL stakeholders are identified and have indepth knowledge of their required input/review at each stage of the design. Document ALL comm's with them in a central place accessible to all – Robs uses basecamp for this (web based) project management of key stages, decisions, and all project doc's,
• unstuff! - use a method like Kathy More's - action mapping - identifying what needs to be acheived – which ends up at content - keeps it (planning meetings) focussed,
• has the "thing"/tool/ training package/ changed behaviours - made money / increase in sales, etc? Measure the business metrics. And does it fit with marketing and other promotionals?
• test on target market – it is fundamental to adopt true user centred design process – do not be tempted to shortcut this stage of the inital design process – do so at your peril!
• Identify learner needs - active, real world based, skills ,etc.. put yourself in your learners shoes - identify tangible outputs - that could be measured!
• Implment a multi stage (sign off) process of protoyping and final output - identify a gatekeeper at the client end, to keep everyone in the loop. Test, test, test, on a sample of target users - to feedback users comment into the final design.
• Adopt a "Plain "English" approach to writing copy + screen design (rememeber less is more for the web), ie. writing for screen and for elearning efficiency & learning efficacy.

Next up was David Wilson of elearnity

David also has many years experience of managing large scale e-learning projects. Davids tips complimented Robs;
Issues emanate mainly around execution - design and delivery - but also around the output - i.e. what's in it for me. 

• 4 main points of going wrong Alignment, outcomes, adoption, and execution. See also the Towards Maturity research which backs this up. Alignment is key - if this is wrong, everything else is skewed and will not work (backed up by Towards Maturity research).
• Most elearning is built for compliance (bigger companies) - so elearning is looked at as "boring", as most peoples experiences are primairy concerend with consuming legalities/rules, etc - not interesting!! i.e. most elearning is paper behind glass / click through pages of text + the occaisional self assessment. Dull dull dull.......
• Drivers and barriers for acceptance and utilisation - need to be identified and designed in - often they are just ignored. Is e-learning the answer at all, and indeed is it a learning problem in the first instance? Is it just a communication issue?
• Initiative overload - end users being bombarded by new stuff - need to decide how and if to implement.
• test test test on target platforms and people!! Especially when using other vendors to built the end product.
• Adoption: support from line managers to actually learn whats been created! Marketing and; relevance and; currency.
• Outcomes: measuring success ,how to anaylse ROI? Evalaution evaluation evaluation is key. How has the knowledge being retained and used down stream, most elearning companies shy away from this and factor ROI around design and delivery of the project - not measuring improved business performance. n.b. again the Towards Maturity report backs this up.

new research paper "e-learning authoring: the shifting landscape"

See also the free guide from Kineo managing stakeholders + their very useful top tips pages

Finally I pushed for any advice on the touchy subject of useful evaluation of such projects. I suggested that we could use the Kirkpatrick Model ??: But I was somewhat rebuffed as to it's usefulness. The answer I received was "it kind of works" - but at a higher level - not useful for business metrics - ie. performance improvements. So I did not really get a satisfactory answer for this, but I guess that this two companies needed to keep somethings back, to retain a competitive edge? Unless - this is such a grey area, (read expensive) - no one really knows/can afford to correctly evaluate multimedia type projects???? Answers on a postcard please :OD

Above all a really useful webinar for those who are designing, and implementing any for of elearning into a large organsiation. It struck me how the whole process was simialr to managing any multimedia projects, including websites. From a project management perspective, effective (client) communication is key, as is robust user centred design.

From an end user perspective, desinging rich engaging material is the key. In fact we discussed adopting a much more social, collaborative, reflective, real world, type of expereince. Much like Rob Hubbards own RED course, or by adopting the http://www.connectivism.ca/ approach.

(in)formal learning

Download the Towards Maturity Impact Indicator report

The learning technologies conf' was very interesting - sponsored by Kineo.  Expect a few blog posts on some of the tools I heard about.

Looks like LMS' (VLEs) are in gradual decline in the business arena as well as education! No one really "likes" them, tho' they all feel that the LMS is here to stay, but will be part of a larger collection (cloud) of e-systems (incl' plenty of Web 2.0 apps). The word free application seems to resonate with our cash strapped training/learning and development dept's.  Strangly tho' not many seem to understand that eportfolios are part of the answer!!  Most seem to be gravitating towards informal learning or Presonal learning Environments (PLEs ) - aggregated social networks, etc,  as an anitdote to shrinking training budgets - but not really  understanding far reaching implications. And no mention of underpinning pedagogies/scaffolding.

There seems to be a collective thought that, "if we find the right tools (Yammer, Huddle, etc), they will come - and all learn informally hapily ever after!!  Tho' many cite internal communities of practice - and knowledge of,  are needed to drive business efficiencies. Another Web 2.0 / elearning bandwagon is being jumped on, with little thought as to why - apart from most of these tools are free!

But some are more cautious tho' - citing our frivolous trends in this rapidly changing web 2.0 world, i.e. friends re-united was hot, now it's not - is that what will happen to Facebook in a couple of years time? One company blocked access to Facebook @ work and reported an  immediate 11% increase in productivity .  And plenty of talk about what impact e-learning is having on business upskilling and driving efficiencies. No one seems to be evaluating past e-learning successes, to their peril, as senior managers still don't "get it" - as the strong businesses cases are not being promoted. The age of BS "smoke and mirrors" selling e-learning to business is well and truley over. Strong tangible business benefits is what SMT are only (and have always been) interested in.

Laura Overton (see my doctored image above) did talk about a very revealling benchmarking research study Towards Maturity enterprises conducted recently.  Analysing perceived and tangible impacts of e-learning had on business' bottom line.  Unsuprisinlgy not many had really analysed these business savings as a result of implementing previous VLEs/LMS'.

IMPACT is the new mantra.  Implement, anaylse, and evaluate, or die trying.  If you don't do this, the bean counters are more likely to say, "why sould we pay for a new microblogging platform" when we've got email?"  Unless e-learning companies or inhouse dept's can present quantitave data clearly illustrating improvement in business efficiences and cost savings, those bean counters, are quite at liberty to say.

"No thanks, we'll stick with our intranet, email, free web 2.0 tools, and less (more focussed) F2F training. "

And who could blame them? That goes for UK education as well. "Will this new web 2.0/ Open Source tool save us money ? If so how much?"

A recent report will help to convince some about potential costs savings for OS tools

Informal learning, internal knowledge transfer, eliminating travel to training, Communities of practice are "trending" - but very few have cracked it - apart from BT's "Dare2Share" social networking portal. See also the vid below:




That's the main feeling - but e-learning business is still strong - as training dept's are being forced to use e-learning due to reduced budgets and reduced personell -and they are doing it well! Blended and distance training (webinars) are looking stronger - with good reports of trainees really taking to these new methods.  Pricewaterhousecoopers ran an excellent presentation on their global training stratgey - drastically revamped to use primarily webinars. So, at last, it's taken a global recession for business to start being forced to use e-learning to make significant training and devleopment savings. With the added benefit of employees actually taking to it!!  There's hope for us all, maybe the education sector is next - considering cuts in funding are iminent. HFECE has announced serious cuts today - and it's splashed all across the news.  Time to blend learning UK HEIs , time to give some serious thoughts to integrating "e" solutions into F2F delivery, rather than ignoring it/us, and hoping we'll go away to play with shiny ipads - we wish!

evaluate or fail?

Robin courtesty of FlickrCC

 I'm embarking upon a large scale eportfolio project very soon, and as part of that I'm giving advice on evaluating an eportfolio pilot.  I'd though I'd share this list &exemplar matrix with you. essentially I'm giving local learning providers a chance to "try before you buy" a selection of Open Source eportfolio tools.  

• Go to this wiki page to get the full skinny : http://wiki.rscwmsystems.org.uk/index.php/Eportfolio-platforms

BTW, the matrix was provided by the talented Kirstie Coolin of the very successful LEAP Ahead project in the  East Midlands. Thanx for sharing the matrix Kirstie.

Typical evaluation matrix

Name of project and institution
Purpose/Context	Process	Information capture	Information retrieval	Planning	Reflection	Feedback	Collaboration	Presentation
Assessment
Personal Development Planning/ Continuing Professional Development
Work Based Learning/ Employment
Transition/ Application
Other purpose

Sources of information regarding elearning evaluation & criteria:

• http://electronicportfolios.org/blog/2009/12/motivation-and-selecting-eportfolio.html
• http://epac.pbworks.com/Evolving+List%C2%A0of%C2%A0ePortfolio-related%C2%A0Tools
•  http://kev-brace.blogspot.com/2009/10/eportoflio-evaluation-survey.html
•  http://kev-brace.blogspot.com/2009/11/eportfolio-book-review.html
•  http://edtechpd.blogspot.com/2008/11/eportfolios-finding-tool.html
•  http://www.wlecentre.ac.uk/cms/files/occasionalpapers/op5_eportfolios_models_and_implementation.pdf
•  http://www.wlecentre.ac.uk/cms/files/occasionalpapers/evaluation_of_online_courses_25th.pdf
•  http://edtechpd.blogspot.com/2008/10/eportfolios-where-to-start.html
• http://www.qmu.ac.uk/eportfolio/documents/finalreportqmu2007.pdf
• http://www.franklin-consulting.co.uk/LinkedDocuments/framework_for_evaluation.doc 
• http://www.businessballs.com/kirkpatricklearningevaluationmodel.htm

have a pumpkin dance xmas

It what the web is for! Not much more to say really, is there? Have a merry berry sherry crimbo :OD -

Here's some holiday reading to keep you occupied :

• The Learnovation project is aimed at stimulating a consensus-based definition of eLearning and Technology-Enhanced Learning, in order to inspire their total exploitation in implementing lifelong learning strategies across Europe.
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  Plus the new futurelab publication is online at URL: http://www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/vision/VISION10.pdf
  
  
  
  
  
  • And,  The New Media Consortium's Emerging Technologies Initiative focuses on expanding the boundaries of teaching, learning and creative expression by creatively applying new tools in new contexts, at URL: http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2010-Horizon-Report-Preview.pdf
    
    
  • Finally-The impact of web 2.0 in Europe. In order to investigate how social computing applications can be used in organised learning settings to enhance learning activities and promote innovation and inclusion in Education and Training......, at URL: http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC55629.pdf
   
  

buzzin with mind maps

The use of mind mapping can help promote creative thinking,  visual learning preferences,  and especially to help dyslexic learners.  I've provided a list of mind mapping tools at the bottom of this post.

This blog post was inspired after attending a mind mapping course by a Tony Buzan (creator of mind mapping techniques) accredited trainer.  We used imindmap, which I must admit blows all of the other mind mapping tools out the water for shear versatility, adherence to the mind map methods and its rich feature set. It's due to be released online soon ( to allow for collaboration), and as an iphone app' :OD..  But Mindmeister (above) comes close as a good free alternative.


dyslexia an overview from kevbrace on Vimeo.

By the way, I was told by our trainer, that the research of predominantly left or right brain processing is not outdated. Current research points to more of a complex trigger of neurons across both hemispehres. But there is still a great deal of research that supports the differences between left & right hemisphere differences for creative Vs logical modes of thought.

Other mind map tools to consider as alternatives to imindmap;

• bubb.lus (free online) = ok, as a basic tool.
• freemind  (Free / Open Source) = good basic tool
• Xmind (Free / Open Source) =  I'm advised that this is very good
• Mind genuis (buy licence) = a good all rounder - exports to Word & PPT - ideal to brainstorm projects, essays, etc.
• inspiration (buy licence) =one of the market leaders, often quoted as a very versatile tool adhering to the orginal mind map principles. 
• Compendium (Free / Open Source)
• mindomo   (online)

See also my shared book marks on mind mapping

leave a comment if you know of any more tools I've missed out on

Excellent case studies

Here are the latest case studies from the rest of the RSCs that have gone live during the past month: http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/page.aspx?o=case-studies-all

• Gateshead College's Hair and Beauty department uses IT for both effective course management and teaching and learning. Technologies such as interactive whiteboards, video, electronic individual learning plans (e-ILPs) and online course files have improved teaching and learning, as well as simplified course administration.

• Blackpool and The Fylde College: Feeling secure with an award-winning campus-wide wireless network. Blackpool and The Fylde College has implemented a campus-wide wireless network that allows secure connectivity to College systems and services for learners and staff using their own laptops. The development has won a Cisco 'Secure Campus' award. Via a future development, the College hopes to provide learners with access to the College systems and services when out and about in Blackpool town centre.

• Northampton College has introduced a commercial system (ClickView) for recording and then digitally distributing TV programmes within the classroom. This has allowed greater integration of video into traditional teaching methods than was previously happening via DVD-based resources.

 

• The Adult Education Services from six local authorities in the North East joined forces to set-up a shared virtual learning environment (VLE) called TeesLearn. It provides their learners with new and inspiring learning opportunities, and supports them across a rural and wide geographical area.

• The staff responsible for the employability programme at Hillcroft have developed the College's use of blended learning in response to the needs and requirements of learners and their specialist tutors, some of whom live some distance away.

• Bromley College offers a diverse range of learning opportunities from A-levels, BTECs and NVQs through to work-based learning and Train to Gain programmes. This diversity presents a major challenge in how to monitor the performance of its learners to ensure they achieve their potential. eTracker is an electronic individual learning plan (eILP) solution that enables lecturers to take a highly personalised approach to the individual needs of their learners. It enables them to identify issues early and intervene quickly – not just academic issues but also pastoral and behavioural. eTracker has been a motivating force for the learners at Bromley College and it facilitates good communication across the College.

• Southport College has been improving audibility in classrooms by installing a ceiling-mounted microphone at the front of the room above the interactive whiteboard. Linked to an amplifier and ceiling-mounted speakers, this distributes sound clearly and evenly across the classroom.

• Southport College has installed 24 centrally-controlled digital information display screens across the College to display a wide range of information. A user-friendly touch-screen facility has been developed and implemented on two of these screens, enabling students, visitors and staff to select college information they would like to view such as course details, news, events and videos. This information is presented to users in a virtual panel that automatically appears at a height suited to their needs.

• Calderdale College is creating a radically different learning culture and environment, based on using the most appropriate space for each "learning event".

• This case study examines how one EFL (English as a foriegn language) lecturer at Southampton City College decided to ‘raise his ILT game' by making full use of the Moodle virtual learning environment (VLE) to create blog-style resources and interactive forums to increase the levels of engagement, motivation and collaboration for four of his student classes. As a result, his courses have received a Gold Award under the College's Gold, Silver and Bronze Moodle benchmarking initiative.

• Southampton City College: Southampton City College strives for Gold with Moodle benchmarking scheme. How do you answer the question: “How well is your VLE being used?” Southampton City College rose to the challenge with the creation, development and implementation of a highly motivational ‘Gold, Silver and Bronze' benchmarking system to evaluate and recognise quality of content and activity on its College Moodle system. The results are impressive.

• South East Derbyshire College: Media server – one college's approach to providing video resources. Getting video resources to staff and learners at South East Derbyshire College was a relatively costly and time-consuming process until the College adopted a new piece of cheap software and created their own media server. This has allowed far greater use of video resources and improved the quality of the picture.

• RNIB College Loughborough: Visually-impaired learners benefit from audio and synchronised text on their mobile phones. Using DAISY Player software on a mobile has allowed visually-impaired learners at RNIB College Loughborough to copy e-books to their mobile phones and to listen at their convenience.

key drivers

Short & Sweet collection of key PDP drivers.>>

Key Factors Driving PDP in the UK, Europe and the USA

View more presentations from Britta Bohlinger.

While I'm on the topic of eportfolios I'll share some other resources/links I've stumbled across in the past week or so;

1) Dr Helen Barrett has set up a Google site covering Google apps / web 2.0 tools for personal learning environments. She also has a site covering evaluation strategies. Both well worth bookmarking.

2) A very useful blog covering eportfolio developments & research at the University of Nottingham

3) An Open article entitled general framework for constructing such personal learning environments based on Ambient Learning realized by learning agents and the use of Enterprise Mashup servers

4) Case study of Sport and Outdoor Recreation module that makes use of eportfolio technologies

5) A very interesting article on eportfolio uptake (or not) across HE. Have We Reached an IT Dead End -- Campus Technology


See the rest of my aggregated eportoflio resources/links at
• http://wiki.rscwmsystems.org.uk/index.php/Eportfolios
• http://delicious.com/deliboy/eportfolio

Managing Curriculum Change

New JISC publication

Institutional approaches to curriculum design explores through the work of 12 projects ways by which technology can make the systems and processes underpinning curriculum design more efficient, flexible and adaptive – systems such as those used in review, validation and audit; learning and assessment; course documentation and marketing information; the allocation and management of teaching spaces and other resources, and administration of learner records and interoperability of this data with other systems.

There is also a very useful web based curriculum Design Studio that is choc full of links to associated models, case studies, and resources. go to URL http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/curriculum

dload : Managing Curriculum Change doc

Research based eportfolios. Or are they?

Following a link from Twitterfall lead me to the 2009 award pages for the Warwickshire University research based eportfolios. Congrats to all winners, and to Warwickshire Uni for promoting the importance of eportfolios for research.

I was looking forward to some rich threaded engaging accounts of the trials and tribulations of conducting PHd level research. But all I saw was a series of personal static type websites? Now, I'm not claiming that there has been a lot of effort involved in these "eportfolios" but they seemed very, erm, well, clinical? In most apsects they could be construed as a glorified CV, which I spose most people would call an eportfolio? I guess I was looking forward to some rambling narratives peppered with snippets videos and podcasts, gradually unfolding over time - with some rich reflective prose + comments from others. but alas. Then again if you think about how important research is to swelling the coffers of UK Univerisites Ltd, it's a clever marketing exercise in itself?

This also re-opens the debate about just what is an eportfolio ( again), which was swilling around the net a week or so ago - neatly summarised in a couple of blog posts and by Stepehen Downes who has been discussing the International Development of ePortfolio Model created by Helen Barrett (seee image above) and a related Spanish blog post expanding upon the model. It's all pointing to personal learning spaces, or is that personal learning environments? Who knows, and indeed who cares? Can we all just move on a little? Or does someone want to restart the debate about dropping the "e" from elearning.... again :O(

A California (pipe) Dream

Two big Californian Universities are attempting to put forward plans to create a cyber-campus. Allowing online students to recieve the same level of education as F2F delivery. Tho' the article starts off with a dramatic statement about the USA's credit crisis, and how some of the most prestigious learning organsiations can hope to stay "open". So the main driver appears to be a totally misguided comprehension that online/distance learning is very much cheaper than F2F delivery!! Oh how wrong that assumption is. Just take a look at our abismal attempt in recent years in the shape of the UK EU that fell apart before it began.

If the intention was to make flexible, engaging, acessible, and collaborative learning a reality to all of us working and wanting to up skill. Or saving teenagers the daunting propsect of a a 20K debt , by allowing them to study flexibly online, then a strong business case could be made. If it's all about the money, you'll end up with excessivly poor micro chunked "courses" of a drill and practice nature. We might as well bring Dorling Kinderlsey back, and pay them to create multimedia "learning objects" for HE! Without a trace of a collaborative/active web 2.0 tool in sight. NoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOO

Visit the link & take a time reading the comments, it's interesting stuff. Especially the comments about the impending spectre (for some) of corporate Higher Education. It wll happen.

this comment sums it up for me:

"If the primary intent is to make money, then UC is following the same path as many other failed and/or failing online programs. If the primary intent is to provide more flexibility and options to students, then the money will follow."

Facebook gives you cancer!

And Twitter gives you piles. Well it does if you sit on your phone! OUCH.

I bet you trying to guess where I'm going with this one, well it's all in the pursuit of eradicating pseudoscientists out of practice. I noticed a remark Ben Goldacre made in his Bad Science column last week in the Guardian. It's always a fantastic read about the way eminent researchers pick and choose the bits of supposed rigourous reasearch to make their product/trial/paper look better than it should, or discredit others. The big pharmaceuticals are past masters at this malpractice. Ben Goldacre even managed to spend about 1/2 a year having a pop at Dr Gillian McKeith for her "Dr" status, that she purchased off the internet for a quid. Surprinsingly she's no longer a Dr!

Anyhoo back to the plot. last week Ben reported on how Professor Baroness Susan Greenfield. The Oxford University professor is head of the Royal Institution of Great Britain started to spout on about the horrors of social network sites that are frying our brains - well- "generation Y's" delicate brains. Apparently she bleats on like some quack snakeoil doctor in the gold rush. Didn't we have all of this when TV first came in?

Doktor Baroness Greenfield, continued to pick out randon bits of research to back up her rants, making little or no sense. It makes for interesting reading, as does the replies from readers on Ben's on Bad Science website forums:

http://www.badscience.net/2009/05/professor-baroness-susan-greenfield-cbe/

The way the Ben teaches us about the way the Media twists the results of empirical data is very interesting and even makes the whole subject of strict clinical trials interesting. His reports on the way the more recent Omega oils trials were handled by the scientists and media also exemplify malpractice of picking out the bits that make your product look useful - when in fact it's was all very very questionable.

Sony PSP for learning

We are running the final day of our online conference today and have a ful day of presentations focussing on gaming technologies applied to educational contexts. We have been handed a few videos that discuss the use of the Sony PSP. I thought I'd share them with you. Very interesting stuff - especially the Second sight video.

second sight on PSP Consumer unit from kevbrace on Vimeo.

the use of hand held games (Sony PSP) from kevbrace on Vimeo.

Sony PSP handheld consoles use in education from kevbrace on Vimeo.

We also had a live session run on the DimDim webinar platform by Karl Royle who talked about the use of gaming technolgoies generally in education. A very intersting session. Watch it online here:

• Click here to view Recording
  
• Click here to view Chat Transcript