By Stephen Downes
April 15, 2004
John Seely Brown Interviewed by Seth Kahan
I've never really bought into the
'storytelling' aspect of new forms of online learning (and
things like blogs and social networks) touted in this
interview with John Seely Brown and similar articles. Maybe
it's just me. I get really impatient with stories - as I
sit there, listening to irrelevant stage setting I want to
grab them by the collar and say, "Get to the point
already." So why does the story seem so attractive? Part of
it is the narrative - it takes us in a nice linear path
through difficult terrain. Part of it is the
personalization - stories are about real people (me, even)
and events, and related to this, the ability to represent a
concept from multiple points of view or contexts. Part of
it is the informality. And part of it is the wider range of
expressive elements a story may contain. But none of this
is particular to storytelling specifically, and so it seems
to me that the concept of storytelling is itself no more
than a metaphor for linear (but non hierarchal),
context-specific, expressive discourse. Now all this I
do buy into. Of course, put like that - who's
interested? The trick here is to not get caught up in the
metaphor - people like Brown may say storytelling,
but they're lulling you into accepting an idea that's a lot
more complex, and a lot more important. Via Seb's Open
Research, via Jay Cross. By Seth Kahan, February 10, 2003
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
'Be a Freeporter!': Enabling a Mobile News
Publishing Community
Interesting presentation
outlining the idea of a network of independent, interactive
'freeporters' (see more on my thoughts about their gear
below). Good discussion of the way relationships work
between sender and receiver in networks. By Tom Nicolai,
Mobile Entertainment: User-Centred Perspectives, March 27,
2004
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Government of Canada versus
BlogsCanada
As I said when I originally posted an item on Blogs Canada
last August, it would be a mistake for the Treasury Board
to complain against the site's look and feel. Nobody
listens. This mistake has now been made, with the official
Cease and Desist notice having been sent
April 8. In its press release Blogs Canada's Jim Elve
stands his ground, as he should. Mockery is too great a
freedom to give up without a fight. By Jim Elve, Blogs
Canada, April 15, 2004
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Wireless LAN, High Quality MPEG-4 Video
Conferencing
This is cool. But take it further.
Send a person with this sort of set-up to a live
conference. Webcast the proceedings as experienced by the
person, but also the conversations in the hall, the
receptions and the parties. Allow online participants to
interact with the person and in this way, either directly
(via a small speaker) or by proxy, converse with conference
participants. Webcast the whole thing live so that hundreds
of viewers can watch the mayhem. And to take it even
further: stage a conference where only people so equipped
may attend. What fun! Via Unmediated. By Announcement,
VisiWear, April, 2004
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
IBM Predicts Age of Open Media
In
concord with my own projections: “The winners will be more
open, will deliver protected information through variable
packaging and pricing, will know their consumers and
business partners intimately, and will deliver media to
them how, when, and where they want it.” This applies to
e-learninmg as well as media. Note well. Via Unmediated, which in turn was found via
elearnspace. By Leigh Phillips, Digital Media Europe, April
13, 2004
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
The Blogging in Schools
Question
Thanks to Will Richardson for
organizing the many blog posts from this week's discussion
of blogging in schools. And for nailing the issue with some
well chosen comments: "For blogging to be of value," he
writes, "it has to be born of passion." So, "By its very
nature, assigned blogging in schools cannot be blogging.
It's contrived." So? "My students drop blogging like wet
cement when the class is over. And it's because I can't let
them blog in the first place." For after all, "I can let
them write about their passions, but I can't let them do it
passionately due to the inherent censorship that a high
school served Weblog carries with it." By Will Richardson,
Weblogg-ed, April 13, 2004
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
Eduplone Reveals Initial IMS Learning Design
Support
Plone is an open source content
management system (CMS) that has won a wide following for
its ease of use and functionality. This article describes
one of the advantages of open source: it allows people to
innovate in ways not considered by the original designers.
Hence, eduplone is the same CMS platform rigged to work
with learning objects. Specifically, Plone's workflow
engine can be used to export using IMS learning design
specification. This is a nice step forward in content
authoring. "The Plone system itself makes the process of
authoring content rather simpler than what is typical in
the SCORM world. Eduplone learning sequences presume just
two people with moderate technical skill sets. SCORM
presumes a team of experts in instructional design, web
coding, graphical design, subject experts etc." By Wilbert
Kraan, CETIS, April 15, 2004
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
The Innovation/Productivity
Quotient
E-learning is listed as one of the
major innovations (grid computing, service oriented
architecture, social networking and access devices are the
others) that will allow companies to achieve the next major
gain from using IT, by fostering innovation. All of these
are network technologies; no centralization here. But some
of these are technologies that will work a lot better on a
private network than the wider internet - grids and
services especially - leading me to think that their impact
will not be felt as much by individuals. Via elearningpost,
e-clippings. By John Hagel III and John Seely Brown,
Optimize, February, 2004
[Refer][Research][Reflect]
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