Ed Tech is far from the great savior of the human race that many make it out to be. There are major inequalities that still exist within Ed Tech, the technology that supports Ed Tech, and the ideas that propel it forward. Watters takes a detailed look at many of the questions we should all be asking ourselves.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2015-04-12
I have always found that those TED talks on creativity by Sir Ken Robinson were off. Something in the back of my mind told me that the research didn't support what was being said. Donald Clark runs through why the creativity videos are wrong (and really, really wrong in some places). Also surprised to see how brainstorming actually doesn't work very well, either. Interesting educational concepts to read about even if you could care less about TED talks.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2015-04-12
Even though this focuses on MOOCs, the same ideas can be applied to any online course. Sometimes video is not the answer.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2015-04-02
This post takes a good look at why projects like Known are important: they help simplify more complex processes so that learners can focus on learning rather than setting up tools.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2014-12-15
More important thoughts on what we are sharing online; especially about how it may affect certain parts of society. Also important to read to get a sense of how dangerous the online world is for some people.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-10-12
I like the way this article frames the progression of learning through a continuum, not as an "either/or" fight. It really shows how various forms of learning are needed in modern educational situations.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings heutagogy ... 2014-09-22
This interview makes a great case of open learning. It really has nothing to do with cost, but valuing community, the voice of your students, and connecting with a larger world surrounding any given subject.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-09-22
This is an issue I have been considering a lot recently, also. Many of my comments I could care less about, but some of them I would really like to keep and dig into later.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-09-22
The debate over the LMS is heating up, and Jim Groom again brings a gun to a knife fight. In a good way. The supporters of the LMS just don't seem to realize how low their expectations have become.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-09-18
While this article does get to what the title refers to, it takes a winding path to get their through misunderstandings of learning, MOOCs, and data. Many great points along the way.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-09-16
This is an important summary about what went wrong with the LMS, why it went wrong, and how MOOCs are following the same path. This is of course another angle on the owning your own data idea, an important one in today's educational landscape that is mostly ignored by the powers that be.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-09-06
Very interesting experimental work from Groom and company. Ed Tech needs to get caught up on what is possible through APIs.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-08-25
Interesting analysis, although I think they get the real need for competency based learning wrong. They still seem to want to dictate what students need to learn. Heutagogy would be a better goal - teaching learners how to learn, set their own competencies, etc.But anything that takes a step away from "sage on the stage" approaches is a good step in my book.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-08-25
Interesting initial thoughts on starting a new school idea from scratch. The interesting thing about this article is that it takes a look at the holistic approach to school reform that is most needed but usually ignored by reform efforts.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-08-19
APIs are changing the web, and Universities need to get on board. This is a bit more in-depth white paper for people seriously considering APIs - but those that aren't convinced might get a good idea of what they are missing, too.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-08-17
While the idea of breaking courses into modules is not new, MIT has just heard of it so we must act like it is new. Use of music metaphors must stop, because the reason consumers don't buy albums as much is because in general most hit albums contain a couple of good songs and a lot of boring filler.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-08-11
Peggy Semmingson gives a quick update on her tour of the HarvardX. Interesting feedback on what they are doing there.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-08-01
This is an issue that gets ignored far too much. Things like this should not happen in the tech conference world, and I wish organizations would take a tougher stand on these issues.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-07-27
Good thoughts on the future of Education from Jim Groom.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-07-27
All of the rhetoric around the disruption of education seems to be missing the point quite often. George Siemens takes a good look at one of many misunderstandings.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-07-27
Interesting study that really lays a lot of good philosophical groundwork for the different epistemologies in education.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-07-27
Some interesting concepts explored in this paper, but it seems that all questions in Ed Tech HAVE to come back to either the LMS or the teacher. In reality, the MOOC in this study is an xMOOC because the power still rests with the instructor.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-07-27
I'm sure many will argue the conclusions in this article, but many good points are made. Is it really "learning" if "learners" are just clicking through, memorizing for the test, etc? Heutagogy is really applicable hear. One idea behind Heutatgogy is the blending of formal and informal learning. But in reality it is taking more of an approach like this blog post suggests - there is only learning, and most of what we do that is labeled "informal learning" is really were learning happens.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-03-31
I don't doubt the findings of this report. Taking notes by hand usually does require you to think more. The bigger question that the researchers are not looking at is "what is the best way to use notes"? We are still looking primarily at empirical/behaviorist stimulus and response here. The instructor passes out a stimulus (lecture), and students have to prove in their response (test) that the correct information was received. When we have all of the information that we need online, and when even students that score well will forget most of what they learned in a few hours... why do we need to use information this way? I would be more interested in what they can do with those notes on a real world project, or even more so in a group project. If you let the students taking notes on the laptops socially construct something new based on those notes - I would bet it would blow those test results out of the water.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-03-28
Detailed look at the evolution of university/college spaces on the web from the mid-90s to the present. Kind of a "how did we let this all go wrong" summary - but an important one to consider if you want to be part of the future of open learning.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-03-24
Interesting way to create screen capture tutorials. I haven't tried it, but I like the idea of using a simpler technology when convening a simpler idea (obviously wouldn't work for complex processes that require narration).
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-03-07
More deep thoughts into the ideas of personal learning environments.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-03-05
"Learning is visual, learning is social, learning is emotional, and learning is mobile." Something that many classes forget is interface design. Putting this book on my must read list.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-03-05
Groom asks "Why isn't everyone considering something like this?" and that is my question also. Why aren't we giving more students and faculty the ability to do this? Take control of your online identity.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-01-31
Interesting look at the next year in Ed Tech. A bit long, but there are several predictions worth taking note of in this list. Ultimately, I think 2014 will be the make or break year for MOOCs and data analytics - will they emerge from a "trough of disillusionment", or will they just die a painful hype-term death?
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-01-24
Siemens touches on a side of learning that is often ignored in many educaional circles - learning how we learn by processing our feelings about learning. Heutagogy covers similar ground.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings gsiemens ... 2014-01-20
Interesting thoughts about the differences between informal learning and formal learning, personal learning networks and classrooms, etc.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2014-01-08
"Running your online course with an alternative identity is just one example of interrogating digital identity online through an experimental pedagogy of uncertainty"
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-11-25
This article touches on something that few seem to get: people trapped in poverty often aren't lazy. They are trapped by a system stacked so high against them that they often can't see over or around the obstacles.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-11-20
Many people, myself included, called this death of hype a long time ago. Siemens looks at what the last big news in the MOOC market really means. Who failed? What wasn't working? Was anything working at all?
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-11-15
The "big picture" on why having a domain of your own is important. Of course, if you have ever tried it out yourself, you have noticed that the tools to control your online identity are lacking. This project should fix all of that in the future.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-11-04
A much better way to look at technology groups on college campuses. Makes me wish I worked for this one!
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-10-28
Polls like this one are interesting, but they also show just how far we have to go as educators to get the public on board with the realities of online learning.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-10-15
Open assignment creation for courses. This is true revolutionary thinking in education.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-10-14
Know what the weakness of the current PLE tools is? They still rely on a hub at the center of all the student nodes doing all of the work and looming large in every learner's window. This idea finally equalizes that equation, make the learners as important as the class hub and allowing you to push content out to the course rather than the other way around. Brilliant.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-09-19
There is really only a little bit about Arne Duncan and a lot on what can be done to change education. Not an exhaustive list of course, but the idea is that we are not doing what is necessary to really improve schools. While the situations are very complex and difficult to change, we also know many things that work that we aren't doing.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-09-11
"YouTube" for classes seems like an interesting idea - but what tools will they use? How open will they really be? If there are ways to share content, interact with other classes, and cross boundaries, that would also be interesting. Would also like to see some deconstructed courses that allow learners to take certain parts, skip the ones they know, and re-take ones they need more help on.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-09-11
Are universities dying? Not according to the data. George Siemens makes an excellent case that universities are not dying at all, but entering a "golden age."
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-09-04
Interesting hoe public awareness of MOOCs is much less than it was for Second Life or Google Wave, two other so-called "disruptive" technologies for education. I'm starting to wonder if we really understand what "disruptive" really means. Maybe what happened in the music/movie industry was just a random event?
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-06-26
A bit behind on reading, but this article looks at some important issues that are getting lost in the MOOC-obsessed world. Digital archives, controtlling your digital identity, etc.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-06-12
Food for thought - are we focusing too much on what is wrong and not what others are doing that is good?
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-05-22
Interesting - maybe all the obituaries about the death of the University were premature?
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-05-20
Even if you don't agree with all of the conclusions, these are some good questions to always ask... especially of the things we love to praise. Question everything.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-05-08
For my money, this work by Jim Groom and others is much more interesting and important than anything coming out of the xMOOC front.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-04-03
Interesting discussion. There seem to be about 3-4 ideas or technologies that are supposed to disrupt or revolutionize education, but I am thinking the CD comment in this article is probably more likely what will happen. You usually don't see disruption coming. It really can't disrupt if it does.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-02-20
This is sadly how educational criticism goes - someone dares to question the savior of education, and then they get slammed by people that think their solution is perfect. We need critical voices like this, even if they disagree with our pet tool.
to edugeekjournal bpnsoundings ... 2013-02-06
I think this post nails the point about where MOOCs fail and why we (should) always need teachers.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2012-12-26
Interesting look at how games draw people in. No research to back it up, but a lot of interesting information to dig into and research.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2012-12-17
Interesting look at where all of the MOOC hype may end up going - for good or for bad.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2012-11-26
Interesting concept - I have heard of several of these "mix-and-match" ideas, but the ability to access the vast Pearson library and get a quote on a custom book is a step in the right direction. I just hope they don't over price e-books like other companies tend to.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2012-11-05
This is declaring victory a bit too early, but the results will be interesting no matter happens. I am especially interested in the opinions of the students on taking a flipped classroom approach to learning.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2012-10-22
Some interesting questions are asked in this article. I'm not convinced we will see all of the changes mentioned here. For example, I remember in the 80s when we were told that grade schools would stop having breaks over the summer and go to a year-round model by 2010. Here we are and that looks to still not be happening any time soon. Sometimes we keep structures the way they are is because we like them as a culture.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2012-10-17
Jim Groom discusses current directions in online learning, why those are going wrong, and where they should go in the future. Universities keep giving control of their systems and content to other institutions.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2012-10-02
Interesting overview, but the real meat of this presentation is the last section that gives a how-to guide on running a connectivist MOOC.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2012-09-04
Short but good article about some of the key differences between the two emerging models of MOOCs.
to bpnsoundings edugeekjournal ... 2012-08-27