OLDaily

By Stephen Downes
April 13, 2005

NCQ Talk
I never link to content from Learning Times because of their login requirement - not simply because readers get enough spam, but also because I have long since forgotten my userid and password (who can keep track of hundreds of accounts?). So it's a bit of a surprise (and possibly temporary) to find this content available on the free and open non-spam internet: NCQ stands for 'Nerd - Canadian - Quaker' and consists of a set of biweekly podcasts along with some supporting documentation. I haven't listened to the podcasts (and am thinking about agitating more forcefully for podcast transcripts, especially when creators get carried away) but the documentation is worthwhile. By (Canadian) Dan Balzer, (Nerd) Kris Smith and (Quaker) Susan Manning, NCQ Talk, April 4, 2005 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Collaboration and Content Creation
James Richardson briefly describes the content of a briefing from Microsoft on their Learning Gateway Framework. He notes, "It's SIF compliant which means it could plug right into our Student Information System and deliver some pretty interesting tools to teachers and students." Microsoft has a large learning program, but they haven't been very good at getting the information out (from my perspective; your CEO's experience may vary). If anyone knows of a blog or RSS covering this area of e-learning, please let me know; I'd like to make sure it's part of regular OLDaily coverage. By James Richardson, Weblogg-Ed, April 13, 2005 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Mainstream Media Meltdown
Many people have scoffed about predictions that the internet would mean the end of traditional media. Even as journalism has been given a rough ride by a horde of fact-checking bloggers pundits have continued to hold that the media themselves are not in jeopardy. Well, the end is coming, and it's not just creeping forward, it is steamrolling. Music sales down 21 percent. Television audiences down a third. Radio listenership at a 27-year low. Via James Richardson. By Chris Anderson, The Long Tail, April 10, 2005 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Creative Archive Licence Group
Seb Schmoller sends along this link to a new licensing scheme launched in Britain. Pretty clearly modeled on Creative Commons (though you won't find that on the site anywhere, or at least, I couldn't find it), the license offers rights to content created by the BBC, Open University, and other British public institutions. One thing I'm not thrilled about is the addition of a 'UK-only' provision to some licenses. And the 'no endorsement' condition is just odd: "not for campaigning, soapboxing or to defame others! So don't use it to promote political, charitable, or other campaigning purposes..." What, may I ask, constitutes 'soapboxing'? Would OLDaily qualify? By Various Authors, April 13, 2005 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

The Carrick Institute
The Carrick Institute launches its new website. The institute's mission is to "promote and advance learning and teaching in Australian higher education," which it accomplishes via the usual means of supporting research and disseminating information. Via James Farmer. Brochureware. By Various Authors, April, 2005 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Golden Swamp
Judy Breck, who wrote the Small World Network Primer I listed yesterday, writes today to let me know that she relaunched her blog, Golden Swamp, about a week ago (the archive lists posts from April, 2004). On the left, you can read 'Sample the Gold', which posts open content webpages for learning. On the right is her coverage of learning and networks. She signs her email with this bit of wisdom from John Adams: "As long as knowledge and virtue are diffused generally among the body of a nation, it is impossible they should be enslaved." By Judy Breck, Golden Swamp, April 13, 2005 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Digital WPA Website
It's not for me, but the new Council of Writing Program Administrators website went live yesterday. "The Council of Writing Program Administrators is a national association of college and university faculty with professional responsibilities for (or interests in) directing writing programs." By Charlie Lowe and Dave Blakesley, April 12, 2005 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

Podcasting and Vodcasting
A definitive white paper, this essay begins with definitions of podcasting and vodcasting, explains how it works, outlines the skill sets required, and lists a number of potential applications. There's enough information in here to enable most people to learn how to podcast, and yet the writing is clear enough to allow non-technical people to follow the description. Good list of links and resources. By Peter Meng, University of Missouri, March 2005 [Refer][Research][Reflect]

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