content development, aggregation, repositories

Why the Science of Teaching Is Often Ignored — from chronicle.com by Beth McMurtrie
There’s a whole literature on what works. But it’s not making its way into the classroom.

Excerpts:

Yet, teaching reformers argue, the dangers of ignoring the expanding body of knowledge about teaching and learning are ever more apparent. Traditional teaching may have sufficed when college campuses were more ivory tower than lifeboat, educating future generations of scholars and other elites rather than trying to lift up a diverse group of students and prepare them for an increasingly complex world.

Studies have also shown that faculty members are more likely to try evidence-based teaching practices if they feel they have supportive colleagues and departments. Faculty learning communities can be particularly helpful, teaching experts say, because instructors meet regularly over a series of months to tackle complex challenges, often by exploring the research and experimenting with small changes to their teaching.

Reforming teaching evaluations so that they reflect the hard work of reading and reflecting on teaching scholarship is also a critical lever for change.

Instructional strategies to make your knowledge workers love learning — from blog.commlabindia.com

Excerpt:

As a training manager, you need to step up your game to cater to the corporate training needs of these thinkers. Functional and creative instructional strategies should be used to engage learners and offer sticky learning, in the classroom and online. The strategies need to involve learners emotionally, offer an experiential set up, and appeal to their creative side.

From DSC:
I haven’t tried this Chrome extension, but it looks interesting.

lunanotes.io — website — Chrome extension page

LunaNotes helps you take notes within YouTube, while still watching the video(s). You can customize your notes with their easy-to-use editor, take screenshots of the video and write, draw or add shapes over the screenshot with their screenshot editor.

28 Website Accessibility Terms to Know in 2022 [Juviler]

On 12/29/2021, in accessibility / UDL, assistive technologies, business, colleges, communications, communities of practice, community colleges, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate universities / corporate training, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, higher education, instructional design, K-12 related, law schools, legislatures / government / legal, Metaverse, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, multimedia, neurodivergent/special needs, online learning, online media, online tutoring, society, student-related, teaching & learning, United States, universities, usability, user experience (UX), vendors, web design and production, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

28 Website Accessibility Terms to Know in 2022 — from blog.hubspot.com by Jamie Juviler

Excerpt:

No matter the type of website you run or the industry that you’re in, prioritizing web accessibility is key to your success.
…
To ensure your website meets today’s standards for web accessibility, you’ll first need to understand the terminology. Accessibility is a big, dense area with a lot of jargon, acronyms, and codes — enough to steer a new website owner away from the topic altogether.

That’s why we’ve put together this glossary of 28 essential web accessibility terms any website owners should be aware of. By knowing the language, you’ll find it much easier to adopt accessibility principles on your own site and better serve visitors with disabilities.

Addendum on 12/31/21:

Accessibility awareness is on the rise, but is it turning into action? — from techcrunch.com by Joe Devon

Excerpts:

A Harris Poll reveals that more than half of American adults increased their online activities because of the pandemic. That number grows to 60% for people with disabilities.

The increase in online activities does not mean that everyone is able to achieve their goals. So, what kind of impact is the crisis having on accessibility? Are organizations finally getting the message on the importance of accessibility?
…

With that, here are the key results from the Alexa top 100 website testing:

- Out of the websites tested, 62% were accessible to screen readers, up from 40% in 2020.
- Every single page passed for having the valid document “lang” attribute.
- Only 11% of websites tested had errors in input field labels.
- The most common error was the use of ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications specification)
- The second most common error was color contrast.

From DSC:
That last article linked to:

The 2021 State of Accessibility Report (SOAR) report

From DSC:
As with many emerging technologies, there appear to be some significant pros and cons re: the use of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens).

The question I wonder about is: How can the legal realm help address the massive impacts of the exponential pace of technological change in our society these days? For examples:

How is — or should — the American Bar Association respond?
Law schools?
Lawyers?
Legislatures?
Judges?
Politicians and others?

Technicians, network engineers, data center specialists, computer scientists, and others also need to be asking themselves how they can help out in these areas as well.

Emphasis below is mine.

NFTs Are Hot. So Is Their Effect on the Earth’s Climate — from wired.com by Gregory Barber
The sale of a piece of crypto art consumed as much energy as the studio uses in two years. Now the artist is campaigning to reduce the medium’s carbon emissions.

Excerpt:

The works were placed for auction on a website called Nifty Gateway, where they sold out in 10 seconds for thousands of dollars. The sale also consumed 8.7 megawatt-hours of energy, as he later learned from a website called Cryptoart.WTF.

NFTs And Their Role In The “Metaverse” — from 101blockchains.com by Georgia Weston

Many people would perceive NFTs as mere images of digital artworks or collectibles which they can sell for massive prices. However, the frenzy surrounding digital art in present times has pointed out many new possibilities with NFTs. For example, the NFT metaverse connection undoubtedly presents a promising use case for NFTs. The road for the future of NFTs brings many new opportunities for investors, enterprises, and hobbyists, which can shape up NFT usage and adoption in the long term.

NFTs or non-fungible tokens are a new class of digital assets, which are unique, indivisible, and immutable. They help in representing the ownership of digital and physical assets on the blockchain. Starting from digital artwork to the gaming industry, NFTs are making a huge impact everywhere.

The decentralized nature of the blockchain offers the prospects for unlimited business opportunities and social interaction. Metaverse offers extremely versatile, scalable, and interoperable digital environments. Most important of all, the metaverse blends innovative technologies with models of interaction between participants from individual and enterprise perspectives.

From DSC:
How might the developments occurring with NFTs and the Metaverse impact a next-gen learning platform?

—–

Artist shuts down because people keep their work to make NFTs — from futurism.com by Victor Tangermann
NFT theft is a huge problem

Someone is selling NFTs of Olive Garden locations that they do not own — from futurism.com by
And you can mint a breadstick NFT — for free, of course

Animating Kids — Learn Media-Making Superpowers!

On 12/22/2021, in A/V -- audio/visual, animation, art, career development, content development, aggregation, repositories, creativity, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital video, education technology, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, instructional design, interactivity, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, media/film, participation, passions, project-based learning, skills, story, storytelling, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, technologies for your home, tools, vendors, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, youth, by Daniel Christian

AnimatingKids.com — with thanks to Mrs. Julie Bender (an excellent art teacher within the K-12 space) for this resource

Free examples:

4 New Animation Kits Below
PDFs with How-to videos, secret animation recipes, and printable coloring sheets.

Wow! Here’s a new idea! Digital art as an ever-changing subscription!

On 12/17/2021, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, art, business, change, changing business models, content development, aggregation, repositories, creativity, innovation, new business models, by Daniel Christian

RE:WIRED 2021: Beeple on Art as a Subscription — from wired.com by Greg Williams and Mike Winkelmann
Digital artist Mike Winkelmann, a.k.a. Beeple, shares how his latest piece, “Human One,” will continue to update over time—and what that means for how digital art will be viewed in the future.

From DSC:
The idea was that you buy some digital art — and that art can change at any time. One day, you walk down the stairs, and it looks one way. The next day, things have changed in it.

NOTE:
I saw a much longer version of the above excerpted video when I was viewing the article at “LaTurbo Avedon Is Way Ahead of the Metaverse.” It looked like this:

From DSC:
I’m not saying not to go there…but one has to be very careful when dealing with cryptocurrencies. As the items below show, you can mess up…big time.

A Man Accidentally Threw Out a Hard Drive Worth $357 Million in Bitcoin — from interestingengineering.com by Chris Young
And he’s been searching for it for a decade.
Crypto scammers stole almost $8 billion in 2021, up 81% from 2020 — from protocol.com by Benjamin Pimentel
More than a third of losses came from rug pulls, where developers rolled out crypto projects before vanishing with investor money
Frequently Asked Questions About Cryptocurrency — from 101blockchains.com by Georgia Weston
Coin Worth $0.00004893 Highlights Crypto’s Wild Decimal Frontier — from bloomberg.com by Michael Regan

From DSC:
And that bit about the decimal point is key! I tried to locate an article that I recently read that described how one person lost hundreds of thousands of dollars because he misplaced the decimal in his asking price for a cryptocurrency. It was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, but he said that his big thumbs got in the way. He mistyped the asking price and hit the Enter key before he recognized his mistake. He sold the cryptocurrency for a fraction of its real value. In that case, one would hope that the buyer would extend some grace and readjust the price. But that didn’t happen in this case. Ouch!

From DSC:
Again, I’m not saying that this area may not represent an enormous new, impactful, prosperous wave to ride. But I need to do a whole lot more learning before I feel comfortable jumping into this ocean.

That said when I read the quote below…I wondered:

DC: I wonder if that sentence could also read:

“Crypto needed a use case, and it found it in a next generation learning platform.”#cryptocurrency #Cryptos #cryptocurrencies #lifelonglearning #onlinelearning #learning #CMS #LMS #platform

— Daniel Christian (he/him/his) (@dchristian5) December 17, 2021

Digital Learning Talent In Demand & More 2022 Hiring Trends [teamedforlearning.com]

On 12/17/2021, in 21st century, career development, colleges, communities of practice, community colleges, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, design, digital learning, distance education, education, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, hybrid learning, instructional design, K-12 related, law schools, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, online learning, remote teaching and learning, skills, training / L&D, universities, using teams, vendors, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Digital Learning Talent In Demand & More 2022 Hiring Trends — from teamedforlearning.com
2022 Hiring Trends in digital learning put job seekers in the driver’s seat. Learn how to use these trends to your advantage in education or corporate L&D.

Excerpt:

Now is an amazing time to look for a job in digital learning. The events of the last few years have boosted the demand for digital learning experts in all areas. That includes corporate L&D, higher ed, K-12, edtech, and commercial e-learning. As more organizations embrace a digital learning model, the demand for talent will continue to grow. The 2022 Hiring Trends in Digital Learning are all headed in one direction: up.

Our work connecting talented digital learning professionals with the organizations that need their skills has given us a sneak peek at the 2022 hiring trends in digital learning. And we’re ready to share those insights with you. Here’s what you need to know if you’re a job seeker in the digital learning industry.

UNC’s $97 Million Plan to Reach Adult Online Learners [Smalley]

On 12/17/2021, in adult learning, content development, aggregation, repositories, higher education, lifelong learning, online learning, United States, universities, by Daniel Christian

UNC’s $97 Million Plan to Reach Adult Online Learners — from insidehighered.com by Suzanne Smalley
University of North Carolina will create an internal unit to build and manage online programs from the system’s 17 campuses for learners largely ignored by many universities.

Excerpt:

The University of North Carolina system is leveraging $97 million in pandemic recovery funding to launch a nonprofit ed-tech start-up intended to bolster adult online education in a state with a looming need for more skilled workers.

Project Kitty Hawk is named after the North Carolina beach town the Wright brothers returned to repeatedly before achieving their dream of flight, an apt metaphor for an undertaking that UNC leaders herald as a transformative effort to reach the state’s estimated one million working adults who have some college education but no degree.

Adobe’s Creative Cloud Express brings content editing to the masses [Lawrence]

On 12/16/2021, in Adobe, art, business, communities of practice, content development, aggregation, repositories, design, digital audio, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital video, engagement / engaging students, graphics, by Daniel Christian

Adobe’s Creative Cloud Express brings content editing to the masses — from protocol.com by Lizzy Lawrence
It’s competing directly with Canva, a template-builder for non-professionals.

Excerpt:

Historically, Adobe’s software was made for the pros. Applications like Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere Pro all require a paid Creative Cloud subscription and a certain level of expertise. But with Monday’s launch of Creative Cloud Express, Adobe is targeting anyone who might find graphic design useful: small businesses, students and social media influencers.

Also see:

Introducing Adobe Creative Cloud Express — from adobe.com by Mala Sharma

Also see:

The 35 Best Apple and Google Apps of 2021 [Nicander Mohr]

On 12/15/2021, in Apple, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, computer science, content development, aggregation, repositories, Google, platforms, productivity / tips and tricks, programming, tools, by Daniel Christian

The 35 Best Apple and Google Apps of 2021 — from wonderoftech.com by Carolyn Nicander Mohr

Excerpt:

As 2021 draws to a close, Apple and Google have been busy creating their lists of the best apps of the year. These lists may include apps you already have or are familiar with. You may also discover your new favorite must-have app you’ll be eager to share with your friends.

ELC 070: Conversation Design for the Voice User Interface [Malamed & Roldan]

On 12/14/2021, in 21st century, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate universities / corporate training, education technology, elearning, emerging technologies, innovation, instructional design, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, training / L&D, user experience (UX), user interface design, vendors, voice recognition / voice enabled interfaces, by Daniel Christian

ELC 070: Conversation Design for the Voice User Interface — from theelearningcoach.com (ELC) by Connie Malamed
A Conversation with Myra Roldan

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

Do you wonder what learning experience designers will be doing in the future? I think one area where we will need to upskill is in conversation design. Think of the possibilities that chatbots and voice interfaces will provide for accessing information for learning and for support in the flow of work. In this episode, I speak with Myra Roldan about conversation design for the voice user interface (VUI). We discuss what makes an effective conversation and the technologies for getting started with voice user interface design.

If the vision of the “Web3” comes to fruition, how might these developments impact the future of lifelong learning? [Christian]

On 12/13/2021, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, adult learning, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Asia, Australia, Blockchain, Canada, career development, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, colleges, content development, aggregation, repositories, copyright/ownership/NFTs, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, credentialing, cryptocurrencies, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, disruption, education technology, emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, Europe, experimentation, Facebook / Meta Platforms, faculty/staff, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, higher education, ideas, India, innovation, instructional design, internet, IT in HE, K-12 related, law schools, learner profiles, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning preferences, learning spaces, lifelong learning, Metaverse, Michigan, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, more voice more choice more control, online learning, online media, skills, society, staying relevant, streams of content, surviving, teachers, teaching & learning, teaching online, tools, training / L&D, UK, United States, vendors, web-based collaboration, Web3, by Daniel Christian

The next age of the internet could suck power away from Big Tech while living on the same backbone as cryptocurrencies. Here’s what to know about Web3. — from businessinsider.com by Katie Canales

Excerpts (emphasis DSC):

Web3 is the next generation of the internet and will exist on the blockchain.
It will be decentralized, meaning it won’t be controlled entities like Facebook or Google.
Twitter, GameStop, Reddit, and VC firm a16z are all putting resources into building Web3.

…

One aspect of the metaverse is that users will hopefully be able to go virtually from platform to platform with one single account — just like we will in Web3.

And NFTs, one-of-a-kind tokens representing your ownership of a virtual good, could be more easily bought and sold with cryptocurrencies within a space like Web3.

From DSC:
How might “Web3” translate into the future of lifelong learning? Here’s one vision/possibility:

Each person would have a learner profile/account that could seamlessly log into multiple education/training providers’ platforms and services. The results of that learning could be stored in one’s cloud-based learner profile. This type of next-generation learning platform would still need subject matter experts, instructional designers, programmers, and other team members. But the focus would be on building skills — skills that an artificial intelligence-backed interface would demonstrate are currently being requested by the modern workplace. This constantly-being-updated list of skills could then link to the learning-related experiences and resources that people could choose from in order to develop those skills.

The following vision/graphic also comes to my mind:

Reflections on “The Humanities May Be Declining at Universities — But They’re Thriving on Zoom” [Koenig]

On 12/13/2021, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, art, colleges, community colleges, content development, aggregation, repositories, culture, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, drama/theater, education technology, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, higher education, history, ideas, instructional design, languages and translation, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning preferences, learning spaces, liberal arts, library / librarians, lifelong learning, love of learning, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, music, new business models, online learning, participation, platforms, religion, society, United States, universities, user experience (UX), vendors, videoconferencing, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, webinars, writing, by Daniel Christian

The Humanities May Be Declining at Universities — But They’re Thriving on Zoom — from edsurge.com by Rebecca Koenig

Excerpt:

Throughout the pandemic, versions of this close-reading conversation have taken place week after week. Organized through new nonprofits and small startups including the Catherine Project, Night School Bar and Premise, they bring together adults who want to spend their free time talking to strangers about literature and philosophy.

It sounds at first like an ambitious book club—except for the fact that many of these seminars are organized and led by college professors, some so eager to participate that they do it for free.

“Mostly it’s a way for them to do a kind of teaching they can’t do at their regular jobs,” explains Zena Hitz, founder of the Catherine Project and a tutor (faculty member) at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland.

From DSC:
I’ve often thought that online-based learning may be the thing that saves the liberal arts (i.e., available throughout one’s lifetime and would be far less expensive). It would be ironic though, as many liberal arts institutions have not been proponents of online-based learning.

Learning Ecosystems

Why the Science of Teaching Is Often Ignored [McMurtrie]

Instructional strategies to make your knowledge workers love learning [CommLab India]

Several items re: NFTs and the pros and cons of using them in our society today. How can the legal realm assist here?

Wow! Here’s a new idea! Digital art as an ever-changing subscription!

DC: Here are some things I’m learning about dealing with cryptocurrencies. Will a next-gen learning platform be a solid use case for cryptocurrencies?

UNC’s $97 Million Plan to Reach Adult Online Learners [Smalley]

Adobe’s Creative Cloud Express brings content editing to the masses [Lawrence]

The 35 Best Apple and Google Apps of 2021 [Nicander Mohr]

ELC 070: Conversation Design for the Voice User Interface [Malamed & Roldan]

Reflections on “The Humanities May Be Declining at Universities — But They’re Thriving on Zoom” [Koenig]

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