Edu_Rss

For CMS vendors: Website usability and accessibility
"They need to organise the information better so people can find what they need." Websites, especially those produced by sophisticated content management systems, should be functional on a range of platforms and browsers. They should also be clear and... From Column Two on June 3, 2005 at 9:47 p.m..

Global IA questions
Peter Van Dijck has written a blog entry that lists a lot of good global IA questions. To quote: In the spirit of "look for the right question, not the right answer", what are the big questions around global IA?... From Column Two on June 3, 2005 at 9:47 p.m..

University of Calgary ID position
Dean Caplan sent this job announcement: The Learning Commons at the University of Calgary is looking for an instructional designer. This is a full-time permanent position. If you are interested, or know of someone who might be, please check out... From Rick's Café Canadien on June 3, 2005 at 8:46 p.m..

Outsourcing VoIP Management Best for Smaller Firms
According to an article by Matthew Friedman, the use of VoIP by most businesses is all but inevitable. The big question is whether to manage VoIP in house or to outsource it. The article explains that smaller firms (with smaller... From Indiana IT on June 3, 2005 at 6:55 p.m..

Digital divide has not disappeared
If you read only the big picture statistics, you might be fooled into believing that the digital divide has indeed been bridged Digital divide has not disappeared... From Teaching and Developing Online. on June 3, 2005 at 6:55 p.m..

Macromedia Flash
Here's a summary of my view of the strengths and weaknesses of Macromedia Flash. Macromedia Flash is a powerful piece of software that allows designers to create animations and interactive interfaces. e-Learning Acupuncture: Macromedia Flash... From Teaching and Developing Online. on June 3, 2005 at 6:55 p.m..

Shutting Out Blogs
So here is the update from the heartland: blogs, wikis, Flickr...almost anything where kids can post content online is being blocked by schools. An elementary school teacher told me that the schools just don't want the potential problems of students... From Teaching and Developing Online. on June 3, 2005 at 6:55 p.m..

Web 2.0: Is it a Whole New Internet?
Ich weiss gar nicht, ob "Web 2.0" ein eingeführter Begriff ist. Er wird jedenfalls regelmäßig verwendet, um zu beschreiben, was das "neue" vom "alten" Internet unterscheidet. Die folgende Gegenüberstellung bringt den Übergang auf den Punkt: In der Präsentation finden sich... From www.weiterbildungsblog.de on June 3, 2005 at 6:51 p.m..

Web: One Tenth of Trillion Dollar Marketing Spend
Web development and PR are earmarked to capture $100B of this year's marketing expenditures. From ClickZ Stats on June 3, 2005 at 6:45 p.m..

Summercasting
So here's yet another way that podcasting can work with students...summer trip narratives. Hey Anne, are the possibilities limitless here too??? From weblogged News on June 3, 2005 at 5:47 p.m..

Re: Why Did e-Learning Go Bust in the USA?
A spirited debate has eruped following the publication of Thwarted Innovation: What Happened to e-Learning and Why by Robert Zemsky and William F. Massy. Probably the best response comes from Carol A. Twigg and is reporduced here in this DEOS post from Catherine Chambers. Twigg writes (accurately), "Most of the 'study' is based on their views of what 'happened to e-learning' rather than on their research." Al Powell offers OLDaily on June 3, 2005 at 5:45 p.m..

LAMS and Moodle Integration
Big news here as the creators of LAMS and Moodle - both open source e-learning applications - announce plans for integration. The New Zealand Ministry of Education is sponsoring the integration. "The Moodle/LAMS integration will achieve 'Single-Sign-On' between the systems, meaning only one name and password is needed for each user across the two systems. Teachers will also benefit from easy ways to add LAMS activity sequences to Moodle course pages. In addition, a new "course format" will be developed for Moodle centred on LAMS activities." By Press Release, LAMS, May 31, 2005 [OLDaily on June 3, 2005 at 5:45 p.m..

The Living Arts
Brad Carson has very kindly sent along a 1 megabyte version of this PowerPoint presentation - the talk I gave in Guelph - to replace the 7 megabyte version I posted last week. He also tells me how I could have done it in a few seconds myself: "1. Double-click an image in the presentation; 2. Click the 'Compress' button; 3. Select 'All Pictures in document' and 'Web/Screen resolution'; 4. Click OK; 5. Save (with a different filename if you want to be safe), compare and marvel." By Stephen Downes, Stephen's Web, June 3, 2005 [OLDaily on June 3, 2005 at 5:45 p.m..

Online Forum on Intellectual Property in the Information Society
In preparation for the upcoming World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) conference, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is hosting discussions during the first half of June intended to inform its submission. The discussions are primed with ten themes addressing aspects of intellectual property and social development, and while the authors have tried to be fair in their treatment of the issue (scrupulously fair, and they should be commended) I nonetheless chafe at the assumptions underlying much of the debate: that IP laws are necessary for creativity, that IP fosters eco From OLDaily on June 3, 2005 at 5:45 p.m..

2 Steves And a Blog
Two well-known and recognized Steves - Gilbert and Ehrmann - have teamed up to offer this new blog. There's some pretty good content here, including yesterday's post on the relation between virtual learning and alumni donations. Write to them and urge them to post more frequently; this sort of contribution is invaluable. By Steve Gilbert and Steve Ehrmann, June, 2005 [Refer][OLDaily on June 3, 2005 at 5:45 p.m..

North Bay
Photos from North Bay, taken from the wilderness north and west of the city. The river pictured is Duchesnay Creek and thge lake is, of course, Lake Nipissing. By Stephen Downes, Stephen's Web, June 3, 2005 [Refer][Research][Reflect] From OLDaily on June 3, 2005 at 5:45 p.m..

E-Learning 2.0
Slides from my online presentation today for the Canadian Institute for Distance Education Research (CIDER). I argue that e-learning is evolving into a distributed and learner centered mode. You'll notice that they look a lot like the last three sections from the presentation I gave a couple of days ago (except these have been optimised for easy download). The recording from the session, which was held using Elluminate, should be available on the CIDER website soon. By Stephen Downes, Stephen's Web, June 3, 2005 [OLDaily on June 3, 2005 at 5:45 p.m..

CAIW selects Scientific-Atlanta solution for digital cable television programming
Scientific-Atlanta's Prisma IP multi-protocol label switching/resilient packet ring (MPLS/ RPR) network can be used to deliver video, data, and voice services on a single network. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 2:55 p.m..

Central, Eastern European PC shipments reach 2.6m in Q1 HYPHEN report
Notebooks unit shipments surged by 68.6 per cent in the first quarter over the same period last year, while desktop shipments rose by 15.3 per cent. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 2:55 p.m..

UK northeast councils join forces on e-democracy
Twenty-five local councils in the northeast of England have partnered to take a joint approach to promoting local e-democracy. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 2:55 p.m..

Character
Many know about the Iron Curtain speech delivered by Winston Churchill in a lecture at Westminster College, in Missouri in 1946, but I recently enjoyed hearing the introductory remarks -- presumably by Westminster's President McClure. The speaker describes the Green Foundation's lecture series, which seeks to foster the art of fearless, discerning, and effective public discussion on matters... From Weblogs in Higher Education on June 3, 2005 at 2:52 p.m..

Trackbacks off
I've turned off trackbacks on this site because I'm getting about 100 a day, of which a tiny percentage aren't spam. Too bad. Trackbacks address a real need.... From Joho the Blog on June 3, 2005 at 2:48 p.m..

2m internet users in Belarus
The size of the dial-up services market in the country totalled €19.5m in 2004. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 1:55 p.m..

HP adds iPod Mini to digital music player line
HP also unveiled its HP Printable Tattoos for the Apple iPod mini, allowing consumers to personalise their digital accessories with artwork, designs and photography. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 1:55 p.m..

KPN, Telefonica Wholesale to interconnect data networks
Telefonica Wholesale is to extend its coverage through KPN's network in Europe, while KPN is to extend its coverage in Latin America through Telefonica's network. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 1:55 p.m..

Commission approves public funding to bridge broadband access gap in Wales
The measure by the Welsh Assembly Government, which will be co-financed by EU funds, is to bring first generation broadband to currently underserved regions of Wales. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 1:55 p.m..

Doubt and Toilet Soap
[via Chris]Spiked have just done a science survey to celebrate Einstein Year, asking a range of renowned scientists what one thing above all they would teach the world about science. There were two gems. From Frances M Ashcroft:Science is the... From Monkeymagic on June 3, 2005 at 1:53 p.m..

RageBoy is not a blood-drinking lizard. Probably.
RB blogs about a very very strange guy. Holy mother of Rodan! And, by the way, when you heard that someone had been appointed Chief Blogging Officer, did you ever ever think that this is the sort of stuff he'd be writing about? [Technorati tag: RageBoy]... From Joho the Blog on June 3, 2005 at 1:48 p.m..

ICANN to grant new '.XXX' domain for adult sites
Internet sites containing sexually explicit material will be encouraged to move to the new 'red light district': the .xxx domain. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 12:55 p.m..

Virgin Mobile, BT launch live digital mobile TV pilot
Virgin Mobile and BT Livetime are to pilot the service over a four-month trial in the M25 region. The TV service will be broadcast over the DAB digital radio network. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 12:55 p.m..

Edges
I'm in the middle of writing deadlines, so just a piece from Life between buildings that was hanging in my blogging notes for ages:At the edge of the forest or near the façade, once is less exposed than if one is out in the middle of a space. One is not in the way of anyone or anything. One can see, but not be seen too much, and the personal territory is reduced to a semicircle in front of the individual. When one's back is protected, others can approach only fron From Mathemagenic on June 3, 2005 at 12:51 p.m..

London crawling
Tomorrow we fly to London to see old friends and new sights, spend time with family, and speak at a new conference featuring some of the top names in standards-based design. From Jeffrey Zeldman Presents: The Daily Report on June 3, 2005 at 12:48 p.m..

Telecoms carrier market for revenue assurance software, outsourcing to reach €116m in 2009 HYPHEN report
The software/outsourcing market is to gain ground against consulting work, which owns the largest share of the revenue assurance market today, according to Dittberner Associates analyst Dan Baker. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 11:56 a.m..

Teliasonera Denmark introduces business IP telephony
Teliasonera Denmark is to offer IP telephony to the Danish business sector through collaboration with the network company Axcess. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 11:56 a.m..

Sun to acquire Storagetek for €3.3bn
Sun's technology and customer base grows beyond Solaris and Java to include information lifecycle management solutions. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 11:56 a.m..

Business law database launched in Belarus
The new, specialised online database contains some 100 legal acts on business, international trade and investment policies in Belarus. An English version of the database will be made available by the end of the year. From Digital Media Europe - digital media news from across Europe on June 3, 2005 at 11:56 a.m..

Slimming the feed back down
Have just scrapped my short experiment with fat feeds. My bloglines citations page was getting full of me mentioning me mentioning me. Which was as tedious online as off. Now have an eye on Jack Vinson's approach to see how... From Monkeymagic on June 3, 2005 at 11:53 a.m..

Innovate - June/July 2005
The June/July 2005 issue of Innovate is now available at http://www.innovateonline.info Innovate is a peer-reviewed, bimonthly e-journal published as a public service by the Fischler School of Education and Human Services at Nova Southeastern University. It features creative practices and... From Rick's Café Canadien on June 3, 2005 at 10:53 a.m..

Don Cochrane Receives Commemorative Medal
Many of you will know Don Cochrane and may have taken classes from him. Don is one of the strongest human rights advocates I've ever known, and beyond that, he's an excellent scholar and a genuinely nice guy. How nice... From Rick's Café Canadien on June 3, 2005 at 10:53 a.m..

More on Shutting Out Blogs
So here is the update from the heartland: blogs, wikis, Flickr...almost anything where kids can post content online is being blocked by schools. An elementary school teacher told me that the schools just don't want the potential problems of students doing this. (Ironically, another teacher in the discussion then said that students have all sorts of hacks to get around this anyway.) And I have to say, that out of the 40 or so presentations I've given now on these technologies, yesterday's was without question the most angst creating one From weblogged News on June 3, 2005 at 10:47 a.m..

Wifi, Cafes and Solitude
Coffee shops are waking up to some problems with wifi, it seems. [via the excellent Crumb Trail and IFTF].In Seattle, afive-year-old cafe added free Wi-Fi when it seemed their customers wanted it a couple of years ago. It initially brought... From Monkeymagic on June 3, 2005 at 9:53 a.m..

Instructional Blogging: Promoting Interactivity, Student-Centered Learning, and Peer Input
Dieser Erfahrungsbericht bietet eine ausgewogene Mischung aus Theorie und Praxis. Der Autor setzt in seinen Online-Kursen seit mehreren Jahren Weblogs ein und beschreibt hier, welche Prozesse und Aktivitäten durch Blogs sinnvoll unterstützt werden können. Sehr anschaulich wird darauf hingewiesen, dass... From www.weiterbildungsblog.de on June 3, 2005 at 8:51 a.m..

Periodistas y bloguers: convergencias y conflictos
Enlaces de apoyo a la sesión del Seminario de doctores de la Facultad de Comunicación: Referencias Primera Parte (José Luis Orihuela) Weblogs Dan Gillmor's blog: nuevo weblog del pionero del movimiento de medios sociales editorsweblog.org: weblog grupal de los miembros... From eCuaderno v.2.0 on June 3, 2005 at 7:52 a.m..

HD TV
There are many more important things to write about, but I've been meaning to share a strange set of perceptions I've had since getting a monitor through which I can watch HDTV.My main reaction is that it's weird. McLuhan considered TV a "cool" medium, in that it required the participation of the audience to resolve those blurry black and white pixels into a real image. While film and radio enjoyed higher fidelitiy, and constituted hot media, TV was cool - and invited the cynicism and objectivity of distance. HDTV is anything but cool, in that From rushkoff.blog on June 3, 2005 at 7:45 a.m..

Apple Settles IPod Batteries Suit
Poorly performing power sources may spell a massive payout for the computer company: Nearly 2 million people with older iPods could get $50 coupons and extended warranties. From Wired News on June 3, 2005 at 6:46 a.m..

DreamWorks Oils Its Machine
Animation vet Jeffrey Katzenberg knows his toon factory can't compete with Pixar on quality. So he's making it up on volume. By Robert La Franco from Wired magazine. From Wired News on June 3, 2005 at 6:46 a.m..

Dinner Comes With a Side of Games
A new eatery from Atari's founder looks to lure customers with hot food and cool games. But some might not be ready to get frags with their fries. By Rachel Metz. From Wired News on June 3, 2005 at 6:46 a.m..

Build Your Dream Sex Machine
Ready to dive into teledildonics? An upstart robotics engineer from the Midwest shows you how to create your own internet-enabled sex toys. It's educational. Really. Commentary by Regina Lynn. From Wired News on June 3, 2005 at 6:46 a.m..

Stem-Cell Patient Roasts Lawmaker
Opponents of embryonic stem-cell research jump on the remarkable case of Susan Fajt as evidence that adult stem cells can cure spinal-cord injuries. Now exhibit A is kicking back. By Kristen Philipkoski. From Wired News on June 3, 2005 at 6:46 a.m..

Coders Want Fatter Paychecks, Too
While unionized voice-over actors make noise about striking to demand better wages, video-game developers say they should be first to enjoy a thicker slice of the sweet profit pie. By Xeni Jardin. From Wired News on June 3, 2005 at 6:46 a.m..

Gadget Promos Creep Into TV Shows
CSI and 24 are chock-full o' gizmos, but it's no accident -- it's the future of advertising. Soon, most marketing will be integrated into shows, and products will be ordered by remote. By Michael Grebb. From Wired News on June 3, 2005 at 6:46 a.m..

Hackers target voice over IP - Robert Jaques, VNunet
Service providers need to focus more resources on voice over IP (VoIP) security if they are to provide the level of reliability and trust that subscribers have come to expect with traditional telephone services, analysts have warned. According to a white From Techno-News Blog on June 3, 2005 at 4:50 a.m..

Banks try new systems to protect online users - The Associated Press
Several small banks are launching heightened security programs this month to try to thwart identity theft and make customers feel more comfortable with online transactions. West Chester, Pa.-based Stonebridge Bank and Corpus Christi, Texas-based American From Techno-News Blog on June 3, 2005 at 4:49 a.m..

Panel paints grim picture of cybercrime battle - Joris Evers, CNET News
Consumers, government and technology companies have to step up to the plate to thwart increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, experts on a security panel said Wednesday. In a discussion before a group of Silicon Valley businesspeople, a panel including From Techno-News Blog on June 3, 2005 at 4:49 a.m..

ELPAIS.es en abierto y EP3
La versión electrónica del diario El País se ofrece desde hoy en abierto: ELPAIS.es para todos. Además hoy se ha lanzado el rediseño del suplemento Tentaciones, rebautizado como EP3 (papel, internet, móvil) y su correspondiente sitio web.... From eCuaderno v.2.0 on June 3, 2005 at 3:48 a.m..

The Federal Web Content Managers Toolkit
I have just become aware of the The Federal Web Content Managers Toolkit, a resource for those involved in managing US Government websites. To quote: The Federal Web Content Managers Toolkit is a practical guide to help you manage your... From Column Two on June 3, 2005 at 2:47 a.m..

Grocery Store Wars
May the farm be with you. Just silly...but funny. Grocery Store Wars | Join the Organic Rebellion... From Teaching and Developing Online. on June 3, 2005 at 1:54 a.m..

Museum Quits as Film Sponsor
The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History has withdrawn its co-sponsorship of a showing later this month of a film that supports the theory of "intelligent design." From New York Times: Education on June 3, 2005 at 1:45 a.m..

Teachers Pack the Garden to Demand a City Contract
Nearly 20,000 city educators packed Madison Square Garden for a rally to demand a new contract and denounce the mayor and his handling of the schools. From New York Times: Education on June 3, 2005 at 1:45 a.m..

Study on Special Education Finds Low Graduation Rate
Most students who are enrolled in special education classes in New York City are failing to earn regular high school diplomas, according to a study. From New York Times: Education on June 3, 2005 at 1:45 a.m..