On 04/07/2011,
in digital learning, elearning, instructional design, learning theories, memory, online learning,
by Daniel Christian
What is cognitive load? — from theelearningcoach.com by Connie Malamed
What causes too much demand on working memory? One cause comes from an abundance of novel information. More information than the person can process. But high cognitive load is also strongly influenced by the number of elements in working memory that interact with each other. Often, complex learning is based on interacting elements that must be processed simultaneously. For example, learning to drive involves understanding how several elements simultaneously interact, such as considering the pressure required to brake, the amount to turn the steering wheel and making adjustments for weather conditions and traffic.
Working memory is vulnerable to overload…
On 04/06/2011,
in digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, education technology, pedagogy, productivity / tips and tricks, teaching & learning, tools,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
Though I saw this posted at a variety of blogs/social learning sites,
it’s definitely worth relaying here for those who might have missed it.
On 04/06/2011,
in accessibility / UDL, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, tools, web-based collaboration,
by Daniel Christian
Accessibility
At VoiceThread, we believe universal accessibility means more than just saying we meet a few guidelines in Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act. We do want to make our software usable by all people, and Section 508 does a good job of encouraging that, but we want to go one step further and make it straightforward and pleasant for everyone to use, as well. We want to serve the needs of a person with dyslexia or ADHD, an outdoor classroom with mobile devices, a user in the developing world without high-speed internet, a kindergartner, or an elderly lifelong learner. In our experience, the only way to do this is by thoughtful and sensitive design, with lots of input from our differently-abled users, and that’s something that can’t be contained in any number of checkboxes.
Also see:
- A “universal” VoiceThread? Not quite. And, Google and Prezi
- http://voicethread.com/universal/guide/
- http://voicethread.com/about/features/accessibility/
On 04/04/2011,
in Adobe, digital learning, education technology, higher education, new media literacies, social learning / networks, social media, technology (general),
by Daniel Christian
April 2011:
Hear from analyst Ellen Wagner as she covers research showing the expansion of technology in higher education. Evolving expectations for digital skills for students and faculty require use of technology that have traditionally been used by art and design schools.
Also see:
On 03/30/2011,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, dangers of the status quo, digital learning, disruption, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, new business models, online learning,
by Daniel Christian
Does online education put traditional universities at a ‘grave risk’? — from eCampusNews.com by Denny
An expert on ‘disruptive innovation’ says ed tech could change the way powerhouse universities operate
Excerpt from article:
Christensen, a Harvard Business School professor and author of The Innovator’s Dilemma and The Innovator’s Prescription, delivered the keynote address to an audience of higher-education officials March 7 at the American Council on Education’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Christensen outlined the ways upstart, innovative businesses have toppled the giants of industry—such as Toyota’s rise coinciding with American automakers’ downfall—and how that model might translate to colleges and universities.
While online college classes have grown more available and affordable over the past decade, Christensen said a major shift had not yet occurred in higher education. Not until online learning grew in popularity was higher education even “amenable” to a major “disruption,” he said.
“When technology gets good enough, it sucks customers out of the old into the new,” he said, referring to institutions that have specialized in online learning, rather than traditional schools that have slowly adopted online college classes. “It doesn’t work the other way around.”
That move away from traditional powerhouses of education, he said, likely would happen in the next 20 years, and elite schools should be prepared.
…
National data support Christensen’s warning to traditional universities. Online student enrollment increased by 21 percent in 2010, according to the annual Sloan Survey of Online Learning. Overall, higher-education enrollment grew by 2 percent.
The survey of more than 2,500 colleges and universities showed online college classes gained 1 million students from 2009. More than 5.6 million students were enrolled in at least one web-based class in the fall 2009 semester.
Some example items from Christensen’s and Cizik’s keynote presentation:
The Innovative University: Changing the DNA of Higher Education From the Inside Out
- Clayton M. Christensen, Robert and Jane Cizik Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School:
Also relevant/see:
On 03/25/2011,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, Adobe, art, content development, aggregation, repositories, creativity, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, ideas, instructional design, interactivity, interface design, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, media/film, multimedia, new media literacies, online learning, online media, presentations, quality, teaching & learning, teaching online,
by Daniel Christian
Adobe Museum of Digital Media, A lecture by John Maeda
From DSC:
If online courses could feature content done this well…wow! Incredibly well done. Engaging. Professsional. Cross-disciplinary. Multimedia-based. Creative. Innovative. Features a real craftsman at his work. The Forthcoming Walmart of Education will feature content at this level…blowing away most of the competition.
This is also true for materials like the item below!
On 03/24/2011,
in 21st century, digital learning, education, education reform, innovation, lifelong learning, teaching & learning,
by Daniel Christian
21st century education requires lifewide learning — from Harvard Business Review by Chris Dede
I have decided to spend the remainder of my career helping to replace industrial era schooling with educational structures better suited to our 21st century, global, innovation-based economy. This sweeping goal of total educational transformation may seem overly ambitious for someone whose work centers in learning technologies. However, in my research I consistently find that new media are at the heart of innovative models for education: contributing to the obsolescence of traditional schools/universities as educational vehicles, while simultaneously empowering new forms of learning and teaching.
On 03/23/2011,
in change, changing business models, cost of getting a degree, digital learning, digital textbooks, disruption, e-readers, multimedia, new business models, publishing,
by Daniel Christian
Pearson & McGraw-Hill make multi-million dollar investment in Inkling — from Kirsten Winkler
It seems as if the latest study from Xplana in which they predict that the tipping point for digital textbooks is as near as 2015 has opened up the wallets of two major publishers for an undisclosed “multi million Dollar” investment.
Inkling, the maker of the iPad application and platform which delivers enhanced and engaging textbooks, leaving the “flat, PDF-based digital textbooks” behind is the beneficiary and it could give the startup a competitive edge over the well funded competitor the Kno.
But as money is not everything Inkling, Pearson and McGraw-Hill also made some significant content commitments, boosting the number of titles available on the Inkling platform…
Also see:
- Publishers Invest in Inkling, Producer of Digital Textbooks — from The Chronicle by Josh Keller
- Digitizing an Industry
Matt MacInnis — Founder and CEO, Inkling
On 03/23/2011,
in 21st century, change, changing business models, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, disruption, future of higher education, game-changing environment, leadership, new business models, online learning, pace of change, staying relevant, strategy, surviving, vision/possibilities,
by Daniel Christian
Blockbuster’s largest shareholder calls Blockbuster worst investment ever made — from FastCompany.com by Austin Carr
.
After years as Blockbuster’s largest shareholder, Carl Icahn, who at one point amassed some 17 million shares of the now-bankrupt company, has called Blockbuster “the worst investment I ever made.”
In a candid piece written for the Harvard Business Review, Icahn opens up about the rental giant’s struggles and failures in an ever-changing industry.
“[Blockbuster] failed because of too much debt and changes in the industry. It had too many stores, Netflix created a better business model, and then Redbox kiosks and the whole digital phenomenon eliminated the need for consumers to go to a separate DVD store,” Icahn wrote. “Maybe the board did make a mistake in picking Jim Keyes as [John] Antioco’s successor—Keyes knows retailing and did an excellent job with the stores, but he isn’t a digital guy.”
From DSC:
I write about Blockbuster — and I emphasize the items above — because Blockbuster did not respond to the changes that were occurring around them.
.
What about those of us in higher education?
How’s our response(s) coming along?
.
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5/2/11 addendum:
4/7/11 addendum:
On 03/22/2011,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, accreditation, active learning, career development, change, changing business models, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, digital learning, disruption, education reform, education technology, engagement / engaging students, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, global, higher education, informal learning, innovation, learning, learning ecosystem, more voice more choice more control, motivation, new business models, participation, personalized/customized learning, presentations, professional development, relationships, social learning / networks, staying relevant, strategy, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, surviving, teaching & learning, technology (general), traditional / tradition, trends, web-based collaboration, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
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From DSC:
For those of us in more traditional institutions of higher education, if this is where things are heading — or even if pieces of Anya’s presentation come to fruition — what is our response? Strategy?
On 03/11/2011,
in 21st century, digital learning, disruption, education technology, emerging technologies,
by Daniel Christian
Disrupting the learning dynamic with technology — from Cisco
So how can technology disrupt the academic learning dynamic as effectively as it has disrupted the process for becoming more adept with social engagements? A new PBS documentary, Digital Media: New Learners of the 21st Century, explores this subject in depth. View an excerpt from the documentary…
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On 03/11/2011,
in analytics, collaboration, digital learning, elearning, emerging technologies, flipping -- inverted learning, motivation, online learning, online media, pedagogy, student-related, vision/possibilities,
by Daniel Christian
Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education — March 2011
Salman Khan talks about how and why he created the remarkable Khan Academy, a carefully structured series of educational videos offering complete curricula in math and, now, other subjects. He shows the power of interactive exercises, and calls for teachers to consider flipping the traditional classroom script — give students video lectures to watch at home, and do “homework” in the classroom with the teacher available to help.
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From DSC:
Before rushing to a quick take/judgment on this, hear him out. Turning over more control to the students during the relaying of the information makes sense to me. They can pause, rewind, fast forward, etc. They can re-listen to the lecture again and again, without affecting the flow of a typical face-to-face classroom. Then they come into class and can get help on their homework, instantly and when they need the assistance.
- Flipped Model of Learning: A Podcast with Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams — from November Learning