OLDaily

By Stephen Downes
October 15, 2004

Stephen Downes' Aussie blog
So I'm back, having returned safely from my marathon flight from Perth, via Singapore and London, to complete my round the world trip. This link is an interesting take on this OLDaily category feed, which because of recent content has effectively become a blog of my Australia trip. By Unknown, Australian Flexible Learning Framework, October 15, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

E-Learning Reviews
Raimond Reichert writes that E-Learning Reviews does indeed have a prominantly displayed RSS feed. :) By Various Authors, October 15, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

OAI-PMH facilities for Python, Zope, Silva, and Railroad
I guess while I'm messing around with Edu_RSS to make it harvest Atom, I should also add the capacity to harvest OAI as wekk. With the release of this suite of tools, we may be seeing many more OAI feeds. By Various Authors, October, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Tracing the Evolution of Social Software
Nice history of the concept of social software, beginning with the days Memex and Linklider through to Clay Shirkey and Orkut. Keep this one handy for future reference. Via George Siemens. By Christopher Allen, Life With Alacrity, October 13, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Google Desktop
The web is agog over Google's new desktop search tool, which combines a single search through your Outlook files, AOL Instant Messengr text, PowerPoints, and Word Documents. Seems nifty, but is way too Microsoft centered for my tastes. By Various Authoes, October, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Zoom In
Jasc, the company that makes Paint Shop pro, has been sold to Corel. I use Paint Shop Pro for all my photo editing and graphics work, so I view the sale with some apprehension. Jasc has done a lot of things right over the years, encapsulated in the latest version of their newsletter - note the combination of information, advertising and learning. The promotion with My Publisher caught my eye - a way for people to create their own coffee table photo books. People in e-learning should really be watching this sort of thing - it's easy, far too easy, to exist in an academic blanket, and to miss the world as it goes by. By Various Authors, October, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

The Disseminary
Scott Leslie passes this link along, noting from the site's description: "The Disseminary stands for an approach to education and educational materials apart from the constraints of institutional education: credits, fees, restrictive copyright limitations, grades, and other limitations. The project envisions a variety of educational resources offered at no charge, for no formal credit. Such resources may in the long run include publications, asynchronous seminar discussions (kept available in archives), chats, interviews, audio and video recordings." The model of free and open learning, of course, is the important thing, though it is worth noting in passing the use of the model to provide what might be called alternative education. Thin edge of the wedge. By Various Authors, October, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Memorandum of Understanding - PanCanadian ePortfolio
Information on the developing pan-Canadian memorandum of understanding on e-portfolios has been posted on the Learning Information Forum (LIFIA) website. From Kathryn Barker: "LIfIA has proposed to serve as an ePortfolio institute or agency for Canada, with established links to the European Union and the Americas. The MOU indicates that we have strong support for collaboration, and we look forward to working with the Government of Canada and others to promote 'an ePortfolio for each and every Canadian.'" By Various Authors, LIFIA, October 15, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

ODRL - Version 2.0 Development
The first draft of version 2.0 of the Open Digital Rights Language (ODRL) requirements list has been released. Susanne Guth writes, "The document results from the work in standardization groups (e.g. LTSC REL), the ODRL Workshop 2004, and several publications that are discussing ODRL." By Various Authors, October 15, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Podcasting
James Farmer reports on some problems with Audacity, the sound editing software I have been using to record my talks. Also a mention for Ed Radio, my RSS audio aggregator. More on personal radio, via John Hibbs. By James Farmer, Incorporated Subversion, October 14, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Clark Kent Solutions Have Super-Powers - Well Sort Of!
The core of this article looks at an open sourse content manaagement system, Plone, and some of the extensions that have been made to it to create eduPlone and the Harvey project. Underlying the core are observations about the danger of 'open source lock-in' and reflections on the modular approach to developing e-learning technology. Good read. By Derek Morrison, Auricle, October 15, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Paralysed Man Sends E-mail by Thought
The potential here is not just another way to send email - the last thing the world needs is more email - but a genuine way for the brain to interact directly with a computer. By Roxanne Khamsi, News @ Nature.Com, October 13, 2004 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

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