On 02/15/2013,
in disruption, game-changing environment, higher education, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, online learning, research,
by Daniel Christian
On 02/15/2013,
in Daniel S. Christian, design, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, learning ecosystem, online learning, online media, productivity / tips and tricks, professional development, tools, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
First of, when I saw the article:
Lynda.com acquires online video training rival Video2brain to boost its international expansion — from thenextweb.com
…it reminded me of taking a class with Lynda Weinman years ago out at SFSU’s Multimedia Studies Program. She relayed a lot of very valuable information in a short time. She knows how to explain things well — using helpful techniques and understandable vocabulary. She struck me as not only a creative person with a heart for teaching and learning, but she surrounds herself with people who also can effectively teach others. Our institution gives a thumbs up to this solid resource and I wish Lynda & all of the other entrepreneurs at Lynda.com all the best.
On 02/14/2013,
in higher education, K-12 related, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, online learning,
by Daniel Christian
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Excerpt: (emphasis DSC)
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Building on the success of the Stanford Online High School (OHS), OHSx will allow middle- and high-school students everywhere to engage in real-time, seminar-based online courses without being formally enrolled in the OHS. Students who successfully complete a course through OHSx will receive a Stanford University Online High School transcript reflecting their achievement.
We are fortunate that our first course will be “Introduction to Mathematical Thinking,” by Dr. Keith Devlin, whose distinguished career includes authoring numerous textbooks as well as a recurring presence as “the Math Guy” on National Public Radio.
This course was originally designed for undergraduates considering a mathematics major in college and has been previously offered to over 70,000 students using the Coursera platform. OHSx is offering this course to advanced high school juniors and seniors. The OHSx course will incorporate Dr. Devlin’s absorbing lectures and will include additional material including regular real-time video-conference seminars should be lead by a Stanford OHSx instructor.
On 02/14/2013,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, collaboration, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, internet, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning spaces, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, online learning, online tutoring, second screen apps, smart classrooms, streams of content, TVs, ubiquitous learning, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
Below are some reflections after seeing these items:
- IBM’s Watson is better at diagnosing cancer than human doctors — from wired.co.uk by Ian Steadman
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- Watson is now commercially available, set to help doctors treat cancer — from singularityhub.com by Peter Murray
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- Watson supercomputer goes to college, Revenge Of The Nerds style antics imminent — not an exemplary article from geekosystem.com, but the underlying topic has enormous implications
Excerpt:
…the team developing Watson is sending the computer to college, where it will bone up on coursework in English and math.
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While the original Watson will be staying put at the IBM research center it calls home, the hardware to run the program is being installed at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate New York, where researchers and grad students will be spend the next three years teaching Watson all they can while also hoping to learn more about how the software learns and make it more effective.
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From DSC:
The current set of MOOCs are very powerful, but, like a bush that needs pruning, they can become unwieldy and hard to control. Not only do the current set of MOOCs help me to see the importance of instructional design, but trying to drink from the firehose often presents problems (i.e. wading through thousands of tweets, hundreds of blog posts, etc.). How can we still provide openness and yet provide people with better methods/tools for setting their desired level of drinking from this firehose? Tags are helpful, but for most people, they are not doing enough to filter/curate the content at this point.
Enter the technologies being developed in IBM’s Watson, Apple’s SIRI, or in Knewton’s product lines. End-user controllable setting might include:
- Full throttle — like current form of MOOCs — thousands of tweets, hundreds of blog posts, etc.
- IBM Watson-enabled curation/filtering only — each individual adjusts how many items they want to see in the various portions of the interface (see above); these settings control how many items and/or streams of content get presented to you
The ideas involving learning agents, artificial intelligence, intelligent tutoring, intelligent systems and more seem to get roped in here…hmm…just thinking out loud and sharing potentially-useful ideas.
On 02/06/2013,
in creativity, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, education technology, elearning, engagement / engaging students, interactivity, online learning, platforms, UK,
by Daniel Christian
FrogOS video walkthrough – The future of learning technology — from frogtrade
Excerpt:
Well here it is, two years in the making, 1000’s of man hours and finally we can proudly show you the new software we have been showcasing at Bett 2013.
What better way to whet your appetites than to give you a simple video walkthrough that shows you just how easy it is to create a site in FrogOS.
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On 02/03/2013,
in CMS/LMS, corporate universities / corporate training, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, informal learning, mobile learning, mobile technologies, online learning, professional development, social learning / networks, technology (general), training / L&D, trends,
by Daniel Christian
On 02/01/2013,
in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, active learning, adult learning, blended learning, Bring your own device (BYOD), cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, collaboration, communities of practice, convergence, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, face-to-face, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, interactivity, interface design, internet, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning spaces, lifelong learning, machine-to-machine communications, mirroring and/or multiple devices, mobile learning, mobile technologies, more voice more choice more control, multi-touch, multimedia, Near Field Communication (NFC), online learning, online media, participation, platforms, presentations, productivity / tips and tricks, project-based learning, real-world assignments, second screen apps, smart classrooms, social learning / networks, tablets, technologies for your home, technology (general), tools, training / L&D, transmedia, TVs, user experience (UX), user interface design, using teams, vendors, videoconferencing, web-based collaboration, webinars, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
As a team of us have been charged with putting together a new collaborative workspace/conference room, I’ve been thinking about some ideas for a new type of interface as well as some new types of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) to be used in group collaboration/web-based collaboration. I was thinking it would be good to not only display files from various devices but also to be able to share files/URLs/other resources with each other. (Some type of storage device that processes files — and scans them for viruses would be needed in addition to a large display or an interactive multitouch surface/wall.)
People within the same room could contribute files/items to a variety of “areas” — and so could others who joined in via the Internet. Here’s what I had wanted to be able to do and I had pictured in my mind:
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
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- People could select which files/URLs/resources that they wanted to contribute
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- People could select which files/URLs/resources that they wanted to download to their own devices (during and after the meeting)
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- Could be powerful in the next generation of our Smart Classrooms as well as in corporate training/learning spaces
. - Could be powerful in the what I’m envisioning in “Learning from the Living [Class] Room”
. - Could be powerful in conference room situations
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It’s very similar to what Tidebreak has created/envisioned in their product lines.
Check out their innovative work/products/concepts!
Transforming learning spaces: 3 big ideas — from Tidebreak
Also see:
On 01/30/2013,
in blended learning, blogs / blogging / vlogging, communities of practice, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, face-to-face, hearts -- matters of the heart, higher education, hybrid learning, innovation, learning ecosystem, more voice more choice more control, online learning, open courseware and systems, passions, personalized/customized learning, social learning / networks, strategy, tools, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
Excerpt from Beyond school choice — from Michael Horn
With the rapid growth in online and mobile learning, students everywhere at all levels are increasingly having educational choices—regardless of where they live and even regardless of the policies that regulate schools.
What’s so exciting about this movement beyond school choice is the customization that it allows students to have. Given that each student has different learning needs at different times and different passions and interests, there is likely no school, no matter how great, that can single-handedly cater to all of these needs just by using its own resources contained within the four walls of its classrooms.
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With the choices available, students increasingly don’t need to make the tradeoff between attending a large school with lots of choices but perhaps lots of anonymity or a small school with limited choices but a deeply developed personal support structure.
Excerpt from Cooperating in the open — from Harold Jarche
I think one of the problems today is that many online social networks are trying to be communities of practice. But to be a community of practice, there has to be something to practice. One social network, mine, is enough for me. How I manage the connections is also up to me. In some cases I will follow a blogger, in others I will connect via Google Plus or Twitter, but from my perspective it is one network, with varying types of connections. Jumping into someone else’s bounded social network/community only makes sense if I have an objective. If not, I’ll keep cooperating out in the open.
From DSC:
Perhaps helping folks build their own learning ecosystems — based upon one’s gifts/abilities/passions — should be an objective for teachers, professors, instructional designers, trainers, and consultants alike. No matter whether we’re talking K-12, higher ed, or corporate training, these ever-changing networks/tools/strategies will help keep us marketable and able to contribute in a variety of areas to society.
Addendum on 2/5/13:
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On 01/28/2013,
in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, digital textbooks, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, multimedia, new business models, online learning, personalized/customized learning, publishing, smart classrooms, trends, TVs,
by Daniel Christian
The object formerly known as the textbook –– from The Chronicle by Jeff Young
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Holly Gressley for The Chronicle
Excerpt:
Textbook publishers argue that their newest digital products shouldn’t even be called “textbooks.” They’re really software programs built to deliver a mix of text, videos, and homework assignments. But delivering them is just the beginning. No old-school textbook was able to be customized for each student in the classroom. The books never graded the homework. And while they contain sample exam questions, they couldn’t administer the test themselves.
One publisher calls its products “personalized learning experiences,” another “courseware,” and one insists on using its own brand name, “MindTap.” For now, this new product could be called “the object formerly known as the textbook.”
From DSC:
Imagine how this sort of thing might fit into the “chalkboard of the future” — as applications and content flow onto the “board” from open source repositories and/or from the publishers’ cloud-based repositories of content…
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or in learning from the living room…
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![The Living [Class] Room -- by Daniel Christian -- July 2012 -- a second device used in conjunction with a Smart/Connected TV](http://danielschristian.com/learning-ecosystems/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/The-Living-Class-Room-Daniel-S-Christian-July-2012.jpg)
Also see:
On 01/22/2013,
in design, digital learning, elearning, instructional design, learning theories, multimedia, online learning, pedagogy, personalized/customized learning, UK,
by Daniel Christian
Mayer & Clark – 10 brilliant design rules for e-learning — from Donald Clark
Excerpt:
Richard Mayer and Ruth Clark are among the foremost researchers in the empirical testing of media and media mix hypotheses in online learning. Their e-Learning and the Science of Instruction (2003) covers seven design principles; multimedia, contiguity, modality, redundancy, coherence, personalisation, and practice opportunities. Clear explanations are given about the risks of ignoring these principles – with support from worked examples and case study challenges. It should be a compulsory text for online learning designers.
On 01/19/2013,
in online learning,
by Daniel Christian
The 30 biggest myths about online learning — from edudemic.com by Julie DeNeen
Excerpt:
For as long as eLearning has been around, it has been haunted by the voices of those who aim to criticize its authenticity, viability, and quality. But is it true? Do students of traditional institutions boast more success than those who’ve chosen distance learning?
It’s time for some of these myths to die.
On 01/16/2013,
in experimentation, future of higher education, game-changing environment, leadership, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, online learning, strategy, vision/possibilities,
by Daniel Christian
Also from Campus Technology re: the elements in a collaborative classroom:
On 01/10/2013,
in Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, digital textbooks, future, innovation, more voice more choice more control, online learning, publishing, second screen apps, tablets, technologies for your home, textbooks,
by Daniel Christian
McGraw-Hill & Kno offer a peek into the future of textbooks: They’re dynamic, vocal, adaptive & bring stats to studying — from techcrunch.com by Rip Empson
Excerpt:
The suite leverages adaptive learning technology — one of the hottest topics in education this past year — which, simply put, seeks to personalize the educational experience by collecting data on student comprehension (knowledge, skill and confidence), employing algorithms to create customized study plans/paths based on that data. The goal being to keep students engaged (and improving) by helping them to identify and focus on areas where they’re struggling.
Prediction from DSC:
I’d like to take these developments one step further…
These developments will find their way into our living rooms, via second screen devices and interactions with Smart/Connected TVs. Highly-sophisticated, back-end, behind the scenes technologies will continue to develop (think Next Gen Knewton or IBM’s Watson) — aiding in the fulfillment of one’s learning objectives. Personalized, digital playlists will be presented and will feature multimedia-based content, with chances for more choice, more control, interactivity, social learning, and more. They will meet us where we are at (i.e. in our Zone of Proximal Development), and encourage us to keep learning via game-like interfaces…but will try not to overwhelm or discourage us. But live persons will either be instantly available to assist, and/or will help us walk through the steps, and/or perhaps we’ll go through these types of exercises in virtual cohorts (that come together quickly, then once finished with the badge or exercise, will disband).
On 01/09/2013,
in colleges, community colleges, higher education, online learning, trends, United States, universities,
by Daniel Christian
![Changing Course: Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States [Babson Survey Research Group and the College Board]](http://danielschristian.com/learning-ecosystems/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ChangingCourse-Babson2012Report.jpg)
I. Elaine Allen, PhD | Jeff Seaman, PhD
Co-Directors, The Babson Survey Research Group
Babson College
Babson Park, MA 02457-9985
January 2013