OLDaily

How to build a chat bot in 10 minutes
Natalie Afshar, Australian Education IT blog, Microsoft, 2018/04/16

OK, despite the title of this post, you are not going to create a chatbot in ten minutes, despite what the headline says (I followed through and found that you have to have a FAQ already written, in which case (presumably) the chat bot is simply selecting the most likely response from your FAQ to type or say. But I am linking to this item in order to think about what would happen if you truly could make a chat bot in 10 minutes. Suppose, for example, I fed it all the contents of this website, and then asked it to answer questions with the most relevant sentence or paragraph from my work. It wobbles the mind.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

Creative Problem Solving
Adobe, 2018/04/16

Adobe has released a study (64 page PDF) that appears to be based on a survey of 'policymakes and influencers' and 'educators' (their terms) from the U.S., the U.K., Germany and Japan. The premise is to higjlight the importance of teaching creativity in schools, to suggest it's not happening as much as it should, and to identify the reasosn why (which are mostly related to policy, access to technology, and training). Maybe Adobe could consider lowering some prices to provide greater access to tools. Hm? The reports are lavishly over-illustrated PDF versions of PowerPoints. Via Campus Technology.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

Personalized precision education and intimate data analytics
Code Acts in Education, Ben Williamson, 2018/04/16

So now we have 'precision education' as described on the Blog on Learning and Development: "Scientists who investigate the genetic, brain-based, psychological, or environmental components of learning … aim to find out as much as possible about learning, in order to accommodate successful learning tailored to an individual’s needs." Ben Williamson notes, "the task of precision education requires the generation of ‘intimate’ data from individuals, and the constant processing of genetic, psychological, and neurological information about the interior details of their bodies and minds." He references the the private non-profit National University, which "has a ‘Precision Institute’ ... and is creating a Precision Education Platform for Personalized Learning." If you read one item today, read this.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

Change the title, change the work?
David Hopkins, Technology Enhanced Learning Blog, 2018/04/16

Am I an instructional designer (ID) or a learning technologist (LT), asks David Hopkins. "The only difference is that the ID role requirements are for commercial/corporate employers, and the LT ones for universities." Excpet that it feels like there should a difference - doesn't it? " Does the title/name given to your role even matter? Perhaps the difference here is time … what was once two distinct roles have now merged in outlook and intention and can be seen as the same, depending on which title the organisation prefers?"

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

Blogging is most certainly not dead
Jason Kottke, kottke.org, 2018/04/16

This is mostly just a set of links to some odds and ends in the blogging world, but there are comments I want to highlight. The first is this: "I refuse to let social media take everything. Those shapeless, formless platforms haven’t earned it and don’t deserve it... When I log into Facebook, I see Facebook. When I visit your blog, I see you." And this: "People are increasingly souring on the surveillance state Skinner boxes like Facebook and Twitter. Decentralized media like blogs and newsletters are looking better and better these days." Kottke (to whom I still subscribe) has been around for 20 years. Image: Hoder. Realted: How to make 29 different shapes of pasta by hand.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]

Google’s online learning platform to offer free basic digital skills
Naushad K. Cherrayil, Gulf News, 2018/04/16

According to this report, "Google has launched an Arabic online learning platform — Maharat min Google — in an effort to help people in the Middle East and North Africa to find jobs, advance their careers or grow their businesses by offering a free basic digital skills-building programme." They're working with Injaz Al Arab, a regional non-profit organisation, and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz (MiSK) Foundation. You can view the online platform (all in Arabic) here.

Web: [Direct Link] [This Post]