Stephen Downes

I think the main thing here is the Javascript library called three.js, which allows developers to create three-dimensional websites. Well, sort of three dimensional websites. Create advanced animations and immersive experiences with the best Three.js online courses. If you want to get a feel for what's possible, try out some of the many examples offered on website. Meanwhile, this link from Class Central suggests that "while the official Three.js documentation is comprehensive, it can be overwhelming for beginners" and offers links to some courses. With the impending closure of Mozilla Hubs, this may be the future go-to for open VR as an alternative to Unity and Unreal.

Some of the examples in this article are interesting (including especially the recasting of the movie Alien into the 1950s). Bryan Alexander concludes, "we are culturally responding to generative AI with a great deal of creativity, even when we oppose it. Some of us are using AI to make art, while others fear that very thing. Again, as I've been saying, we are deeply divided about generative AI, and that division will play out across all kinds of human domains including, and also beyond culture." I think the most problematic uses of AI in culture are when the real and artificial are blended - as, for example, the live video superimposes advertisements onto the field, ice or background of the sporting event.

"Digital platforms are routinely used in universities to support teaching and learning, but they can also challenge academic freedom and intellectual property (IP) rights," according to this post. The authors point to their recent report (66 page PDF) outlining the risk and suggesting steps to be taken. "Responses to issues of academic IP and academic freedom in relation to edtech platforms are fragmented and context-dependent, with no sector-wide standards or rules, and minimal guidance for institutions on these matters when engaging in licensing or procurement." The risk I see here is that sector-wide standards or rules are more likely to be defined by platform companies than by the academic sector, which would entrench the challenges to academic freedom currently being faced today. Still, the right starting point is to "make contractual processes between universities and edtech vendors much more transparent" so people know where they stand.

The authors offer "key considerations and ideas pertaining to the design and implementation of a public engagement laboratory" to encourage engagement between the scientific community and the general public. The focus is on a physical lab but of course online facilities can be imagined as well. They hope "members of the community will push for these types of spaces within their own institutions" and argue that "a clear and logical approach to lab management can lead to a range of benefits to staff, participants, and your wider community."

The most important paragraph in this article on the (generalized and widely construed) science of learning (SoL) is the last, and though it takes a lot of work to get to this point (some of which I would disagree with) the bottom line is sound: "Although there is a wealth of research exploring "what works best" in education (eg, John Hattie's Visible Learning), it's important not to confuse this work with SoL. Whenever experiments deal in strategy rather than mechanism, they are considered 'educational' research rather than 'learning' research. Without a doubt, educational research is highly important but, like all practical issues, it will forever be contextualised, naturalistic and value-laden. This means 'what works best' will necessarily change depending upon context and goal." That's why, for example, "teachers well versed in the science of learning are more likely to employ student-centered, constructivist approaches within the classroom." But let's also be clear: progressive educators don't dismiss the science of learning (lower case), but they do dismiss politically-motivated education research movements with the title 'Science of Learning' (upper case). And that's fine.

There's a long discussion of whether 'digital nomad' is the right term, or maybe 'migrant', or even 'hostage'. The authors also "consider digital identity formation as a complex set of practices whereby users of social media platforms form an outward presentation of themselves." There is also a "feeling of digital nostos, a longing to return to a digital place where we felt at home." Carving out a space for academics on social media platforms is difficult. "We asked – and we still ponder – whether these social media spaces could be something that academics could re-territorialize, differently." Finally, "As some of the established social media like the social network formerly known as Twitter 'go down' and others like Mastodon or Bluesky 'rise' we must finally realize that these or indeed any social media platforms will always continue to ebb and flow – they are out of our control." This, of course, has always been true. Image: Gondy Leroy.