May 12, 2006

OLDaily

Jason Kottke[Edit][Delete]: Creating Talent, Kottke.org [Edit][Delete] May 12, 2006
[link: 3 Hits] I saw the Brain Trainer mentioned somewhere a few weeks ago, but haven't seen a link until now. I find this phenomenon - the widespread popularity of a 'game' that is intended to help you become smarter - very interesting. The popularity itself belies the claims of those who assert that people will not make good choices when given the opportunity to improve, or not improve, their education. The other thing that interests me is the assertion that "people who are good at things got good at them primarily through practice and not because of innate talent." This again sounds right to me. What does it take to learn? Practice and reflection. There are no short-cuts, no magic elixirs, no matter what the salesmen tell you. [Tags: Games and Gaming] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Terry Mockler[Edit][Delete]: Blogging as Pedagogic Practice, May 12, 2006
[link: 1 Hits] Good article, but it will leave you pleading for paragraphs or any other sort of text formatting. "We need to look at blogging, not as an isolated phenomenon, but as part of a broad palette of 'cybercultural' practices, which provide us with both new ways of doing and new ways of thinking... Unlike other tools that support conversations, weblogs provide their authors with a personal space simultaneously with a community space. As a result, at any given time a blogger is involved in two types of conversations." [Tags: Web Logs] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Michel Serres[Edit][Delete]: Revisiting The Natural Contract, CTheory [Edit][Delete] May 12, 2006
[link: Hits] I don't think you should necessarily accept the argument presented in this paper, but it is work considering the reconceptualization of some of our typical frames that is offered by the author. The idea, in a nutshell, is to include the object - that is, for example, the world around us - as a signatory in the social contract. How does the object participate? As in, for example, the Goya painting: "A pair of enemies are fighting in quicksand... the game is no longer played by two parties, but by three; no longer two subjects, but a pair and the object." [Tags: Games and Gaming] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Phil Haack[Edit][Delete]: An Developer's Introduction to Microformats, DevSource [Edit][Delete] May 12, 2006
[link: Hits] A good general introduction to microformats; don't let the title prevent you from looking. Microformats are "a set of open data formats used to mark up XHTML content to provide a bit of semantic meaning." Think of them as though they were XML tags embedded directly into a web page, instead of in a separate XML file. The idea is that this mark-up, usually very specific to a bit of information, can be mixed and matched with other bits of information. "Microformats already have a very specific task in mind when created and build upon prior work. This helps to avoid the extremely large and complicated specs that have become associated with XML languages." [Tags: XML, Metadata, Semantic Web] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Bryan Alexander[Edit][Delete]: Web 2.0: A New Wave of Innovation for Teaching and Learning?, EDUCAUSE Review [Edit][Delete]EDUCAUSE REVIEW [Edit][Delete] May 12, 2006
[link: 5 Hits] This article came out while I was gone. The author offers a detailed overview of Web 2.0 and examines some of the implications for learning. I think the emphasis on search is a bit misplaced, but the article still captures the essence of web 2.0, pointing out, for example, that it allows people to create their own content and to use several distributed services simultaneously. The impact on education is discussed near the end of the article, but is cautious in tone: "The story of this wave of innovation, whether we call it Web 2.0 or something else, is itself emergent and uncertain." Related: List of Web 2.0 applications. [Tags: Web 2.0] [Comment] [Edit] [Delete] [Spam]

Projects&Collaborations
Browse through the thousands of links in my knowledge base sorted according to topic category, author and publication.

Research
Browse through the thousands of links in my knowledge base sorted according to topic category, author and publication.


Stephen Downes

About Me
Bio, photos, and assorted odds and ends.

Publications
You know, the ones that appear in refereed journals of Outstanding Rank.

Presentations
Lectures, seminars, and keynotes in a wide variety of formats - everything from streaming video to rough notes.

Articles
All my articles, somewhere around 400 items dating from 1995.

Audio
Audio recordings of my talks recorded in MP3 format. A podcast feed is also available.

Calendar
What I'm doing, where I'm doing it, and when.

Photos
Newly updated! A collection of my photographs. Suitable for downloading as desktop wallpaper.

Stephen's Web
Since 1995

About this Site
Why this site exists, what it does, and how it works.

OLDaily RSS Feed OLDaily
Edu_RSS RSS Feed Edu_RSS
FOAF (Friend of a Friend) FOAF
Podcast Link
OLDaily Audio

OPML

About the Author

Stephen Downes

Copyright � 2006 Stephen Downes
National Research Council Canada

Contact: stephen@downes.ca

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License

.

I want and visualize and aspire toward a system of society and learning where each person is able to rise to his or her fullest potential without social or financial encumberance, where they may express themselves fully and without reservation through art, writing, athletics, invention, or even through their avocations or lifestyle.

Where they are able to form networks of meaningful and rewarding relationships with their peers, with people who share the same interests or hobbies, the same political or religious affiliations - or different interests or affiliations, as the case may be.

This to me is a society where knowledge and learning are public goods, freely created and shared, not hoarded or withheld in order to extract wealth or influence.

This is what I aspire toward, this is what I work toward. - Stephen Downes

Feeds

[0xDECAFBAD]
[2 Cents Worth]
[42/1]
[A Difference]
[A List Apart]
[A poke with a sharp stick]
[Abel Newsletter]
[Abject Learning]
[Academic Commons -]
[ACRLog]
[ADLNet.org Event RSS Feed]
[ADLNet.org General News RSS Feed]
[adult and community e-learning: uk [ace:uk]]
[adult literacy meets technology (AL-T)]
[Alan November Weblog]
[alt tags]
[Andy Carvin's Waste of Bandwidth: The DDN Edition]
[Archer central]
[Around the Corner - MGuhlin.net]
[AssortedStuff]
[Auricle]
[Australian Flexible Learning Framework Case Studies]
[Australian Flexible Learning Framework News Headlines]
[b.cognosco]
[B.Mann Consulting - Technology Consulting in Vancouver]
[blog of proximal development]
[Blogarithms]
[Blogging IT and EDucation]
[BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog]
[Brad Jensen's Posts]
[Bud the Teacher]
[BuzzMachine]
[Canadian Journalist]
[Central Ranges LLEN News]
[CETIS: Standards in Education Technology]
[Chris Correa]
[Christopher D. Sessums : Weblog]
[Chronicle.com - Today's News]
[CIDER]
[Civilities - media structures research]
[Clay Shirky's Essays]
[CNN.com - Education]
[CogDogBlog]
[cogdogblog]
[Cognitive Daily]
[Cognitive Dissonance]
[Column Two]
[Connect Learning, with David Warlick]
[connect.educause.edu - Technology In Academia -- Connect @ EDUCAUSE]
[Connectedness]
[Connectivism Blog]
[considering education]
[considering education]
[Cool Cat Teacher Blog]
[Copyfight]
[Couros Blog]
[Creative Commons Blog]
[CU-Online]
[Curb Cut Design]
[D'Arcy Norman Dot Net]
[Dan Atkins on CLEAR]
[Dan Gillmor's blog]
[Daring Fireball]
[Dave Tosh : Weblog]
[Dave's Educational Blog]
[David Davies' Weblog]
[DEOS-L]
[Distance-Educator.com's Daily News]
[DJ Alchemi]
[e-Clippings (a division of blogoehlert)]
[e-Learning Acupuncture]
[E-Learning Queen]
[e-Literate]
[E-Portfolios for Learning]
[Eamonn's Home]
[eContent]
[Ed-Tech Insider]
[EdBlogger Praxis]
[Edge Perspectives with John Hagel]
[editThisPage News]
[EdNA Home Page Headlines]
[EdTechPost]
[EdTechTalk - Educational Technology That Talks -]
[EdTechUK]
[EduBlog Insights]
[edublogs]
[Education/Technology]
[Education/Technology - Tim Lauer]
[Educational Technology]
[Educational Weblogs]
[EDUCAUSE RSS | Recent Recent Library Submissions Listings]
[EduResources Weblog--Higher Education Resources Online]
[eGram@sd40.bc.ca]
[eLearn]
[eLearning Technology]
[elearning-reviews.org: new reviews]
[elearningpost]
[eLearnopedia]
[elearnspace]
[eSchool News Top Stories]
[everyhuman]
[Ferl Newsfeed]
[FLOSSE Posse]
[Fortnightly Mailing]
[Forum on Information Technology and Research Universities]
[foss4us blogs]
[Full Circle Online Interaction Blog]
[Golden Swamp]
[Graham Glass, etc.]
[Gurteen Knowledge Log]
[hackdiary]
[Half an Hour]
[Harold Jarche]
[HeadspaceJ: Instructional Design and Technology Blog]
[Here at WCER]
[Higher Education Insight]
[How to Save the World]
[ICT in Education]
[Ideas and thoughts from an EdTech]
[IDxchange]
[IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee]
[incorporated subversion]
[incsub - online community projects and publications]
[Infocult: Information, Culture, Policy, Education]
[Informal Learning]
[Innovate]
[Inside Higher Ed]
[International Education Webzine]
[Internet Time Blog]
[Ipseity]
[IT Forum]
[iterating toward openness]
[iterating toward openness]
[J-blawg]
[Jeffrey Zeldman Presents The Daily Report]
[jg's ramblings]
[JISC e-Learning Focus]
[Joho the Blog]
[Joi Ito's Web]
[Jon's Radio]
[Just Learn News Review]
[Kairosnews - A Weblog for Discussing Rhetoric, Technology and Pedagogy]
[Keith's weblog]
[kottke.org]
[kuro5hin.org]
[Lanny on Learning Technology]
[Latest Issue of SourceOECD Education & Skills]
[Lawrence Lessig]
[learndogpup]
[Learning - Educational Technologies :: Robin Good's Latest News]
[Learning in Hand]
[Learnlets]
[Lessig Blog]
[Lifehacker]
[little train]
[Lost Remote]
[Many-to-Many]
[Marc's Voice]
[Mark Berthelemy's Connections]
[markhemphill.com]
[Mathemagenic]
[McGee's Musings]
[McToonish]
[Meir Navon's Blog]
[Michael Geist Law RSS Feed]
[Michelle's Online Learning Freakout Party Zone]
[MicroContent Musings (RSS 2.0)]
[Mike Klonsky's Small Talk]
[Multiple Intelligences]
[Musings]
[National Coalition for Electronic Portfolio Research blogs]
[News Forum]
[NEXTTEXT - ]
[Nouvelles de la Télé-université]
[ongoing]
[Online Journalism Review]
[Online Learning Update]
[Online Rights Canada]
[Open Mind]
[Open Social Forum]
[OSS Watch Announcements]
[OSS Watch Reports]
[OSS Watch Summary]
[OUseful Info]
[Portals and KM]
[Powered by Mambo 4.5.2]
[Practical Theory]
[PressThink]
[Random Walk in Learning]
[randomselections]
[Reflective Ramblings About Teaching and Learning and Other Inconsequential things]
[Release1.0 - The Conversation Starts Here]
[Relevancy]
[Remote Access]
[Rick's Café Canadien]
[Rik Abel]
[Robert Paterson's Weblog]
[Ross Mayfield's Weblog]
[Ruminate]
[Sakai Project News]
[Sasan Salari's blog]
[Scott Sorley's Education Technology Guidebook]
[Scott Wilson's Workblog]
[Seb's Open Research]
[SEGA Tech]
[Simon Willison's Weblog]
[Slashdot]
[Smelly Knowledge - Exploring the depths of learning, identity, and community over technology.]
[Socrates Technological University]
[spokenwordmatters News]
[Stephen's Web ~ by Stephen Downes ~ OLDaily RSS 2.0]
[Stievie's adventures in e-Learning]
[StigmergicWeb]
[Student Self Directed Learning]
[Teach and Learn Online]
[Teach42 - Education and Technology, by Steve Dembo]
[Teachable Moment]
[Teaching and Developing Online.]
[Teaching Generation Z]
[Technologic]
[The Business of Emotions]
[The Chronicle: Wired Campus Blog]
[The Community Engine Blog]
[The Educational Mac]
[The Google Weblog]
[The Illuminated Dragon]
[The Intuitive Life Business Blog]
[The Learned Man!]
[The Learning Circuits Blog]
[The PLE Blog]
[The Shifted Librarian]
[The Wales-Wide Web]
[think:lab]
[Thot]
[timbl's blog]
[TLN Teacher Voices]
[Trends in the Living Networks]
[Tuttle SVC]
[U.S. Department of Education]
[Virtual Canuck]
[VRoot.org -]
[Weblogg-ed]
[WeblogsInEducation News]
[What is the (Next) Message?]
[wiley.ed.usu.edu - thinking]
[Will at Work Learning]
[WiseWordPress]
[Write Technology]
[XplanaZine]
[XplanaZine]
[Zeugma]