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What are our motivations? What’s the state of our hearts?

On 10/18/2010, in analytics, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Daniel S. Christian, data related items, ethics, faith, future, intelligent tutoring, learner profiles, learning agents, morals/values, pace of change, by Daniel Christian

We need to be constantly checking and praying about the state of our hearts.

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The State of the Heart

From DSC:
My conscience prompts me to write this…as my recent posting on developing and using web-based learner profiles was not meant to try and ultimately recreate the human brain.  I don’t think that’s possible. Rather, I was hoping that we could use such methods and breakthroughs to promote the personalization, customization, and engagement levels of the learning materials and experiences that we are able to offer each other.

But the posting got me to reflecting on a variety of technological advancements…and I couldn’t help but wonder about the motivations at play sometimes here.

That is, things can begin innocently enough and with excellent intentions.  For example, with stem-cell research, such research can offer understanding on how stem cells might be able to help treat debilitating conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, traumatic spinal injury, or be used for positively affecting other clinical and therapeutic applications. And that’s great! Excellent!

But the problem for me in many of these endeavors lies in the hearts of mankind. Because, who knows where things could go from there…

Will we one day find ourselves being able to create fellow human beings? If so, who determines what those fellow human beings are like? Will we be able to program a robot to continually learn? If so, how will such devices be used by individuals? Corporations? Governments? Nations?

I know…it sounds rather bizarre and far-fetched. But with the rate of technological advancements, I just think we need to take a pulse check on the motivations involved. I’m suspect that the motivations of many folks out there are not in mankind’s ultimate best interest…plus…sometimes these individuals and organizations just don’t have the heart.

Ezekiel 11:19 (NIV)
19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them;
I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

P.S. from DSC:
I need to say that my heart is in constant need of attention as well;
I don’t claim to be perfect…but I also don’t claim to want to play God.

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The Best of the Web 2010 — by Richard Byrne

On 10/16/2010, in creativity, education technology, innovation, K-12 related, pace of change, productivity / tips and tricks, tools, vendors, by Daniel Christian

The Best of the Web 2010 -- by Richard Byrne

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From DSC:
Great finds here…but the number of apps here made me feel like I was drowning in all of these possibilities/tools, with tidal waves of innovation sweeping over me.


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EDUCAUSE 2010 Day 2: Hamel, Gates, lecture capture, and tough publishers

On 10/14/2010, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, adult learning, change, changing business models, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, education reform, education technology, emerging technologies, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, leadership, online learning, organizational change, pace of change, publishing, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

EDUCAUSE 2010 Day 2: Hamel, Gates, lecture capture, and tough publishers — from InsideHigherEd.com by Joshua Kim

From DSC:
Especially of interest here to me was the item about TechSmith and Sonic Foundry…veerrry interesting. Also, administrators, deans, and department chairpersons NEED to hear Hamel’s presentation/thoughts. To me, it held some of the most lasting value from any presentation that was offered online yesterday.

Gary emphasized the need for us to keep reinventing ourselves — and I would add, given the pace of change, this is just as true of each of us as individuals as our collective organizations.  He noted the accelerating pace of change, that knowledge itself is changing…and that most organizations today were never built to handle this kind of change. He stressed the need to be more nimble.

The web:

  • Dematerializes
  • Disintegrates
  • Disintermedites
  • Democratizes

Too often organizational change is episodic, convulsive — reacting to a time of crisis. (From DSC: Read…when the organization has been broadsided.)

We are broadsided not because we couldn’t see things coming down the pike, but because those things were not pallatable to us….hmmm…sounds of online learning and web-based collaboration are ringing in my ears…

Try to imagine the unimaginable.




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Talk about Moore’s Law!

On 10/11/2010, in education technology, pace of change, technologies for your home, tools, vendors, by Daniel Christian

LaCie Rugged goes 1TB — from Terry White’s blog

From DSC:
Talk about Moore’s Law !!!  (Beyond the use of integrated circuits that is.)

Now you can carry around 1 terabyte (1000 gigabytes or 1 trillion bytes) worth of data in your pocket — all for $199!  Man o’ man.

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Also, as Terry mentioned in the comments, you can get larger desktop drives for desktop systems even cheaper. For example: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/

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The staggering pace of technology

On 08/31/2010, in pace of change, by Daniel Christian

The staggering pace of technology — cnn

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The pace has changed significantly and quickly

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From DSC:
Briefly reviewing the article, some of this is good…and some of this is a bit scary. Especially given the state of the heart these days.

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The future of the Internet

On 08/12/2010, in future, innovation, internet, pace of change, by Daniel Christian

The future of the Internet — from SmashingMagazine.com by Dan Redding

The Internet is a medium that is evolving at breakneck speed. It’s a wild organism of sweeping cultural change — one that leaves the carcasses of dead media forms in its sizeable wake. It’s transformative: it has transformed the vast globe into a ‘global village’ and it has drawn human communication away from print-based media and into a post-Gutenberg digital era. Right now, its perils are equal to its potential. The debate over ‘net neutrality’ is at a fever pitch. There is a tug-of-war going on between an ‘open web’ and a more governed form of the web (like the Apple-approved apps on the iPad/iPhone) that has more security but less freedom.

Also see:

From Google via TechCrunch.com: Internet and web-growth

From DSC:
I very much relate to Dan Redding’s statement, “The Internet is a medium that is evolving at breakneck speed.”


The pace has changed -- don't come onto the track in a Model T

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…and, speaking of leaving things in the wake….here’s another graphic that comes to mind:

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From Daniel S. Christian

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Why one’s learning ecosystem will need to constantly change…

On 08/05/2010, in Apple, change, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, education technology, Google, learning ecosystem, pace of change, strategy, tools, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
Two items I read this morning remind me of the need to be very flexible — as the world is full of change:

  1. RIP Google Wave
    NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Google’s attempt to reinvent e-mail has fizzled. The company said Wednesday it is pulling the plug on Google Wave, a collaborative tool that drew intense attention when it debuted last year. “Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked,” Urs Hölzle, Google’s senior vice president of operations, wrote in a post on the company’s blog. “We don’t plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product, but we will maintain the site at least through the end of the year and extend the technology for use in other Google projects.”
  2. Apple will be phasing out the ALI website
    On September 3, 2010, Apple will be phasing out the ALI website and folks are encouraged to visit iTunes U instead.  Apple believes that iTunes U is the best way to meet the growing needs of teachers and students demanding flexible access to world-class curriculum and learning resources.

From DSC:
These two items are in addition to the fairly recent announcement that NING-based groups would be charged for services that were previously free of charge.

As an instructional technologist, these waters are rough. Picking the right vendor and the right product is not easy — but one develops some principles over time. As an example:  For best adoption, follow the “KISS principle.” Google Wave floundered because it was too complex — it was understood by the programmers at Google who were joined by a very limited # of folks after that…but the product was not comprehended by the masses.

Furthermore, this move by Google to pull the plug here is troubling for various types of institutions — whether they be in higher ed, K-12, or in the corporate world — as we look towards cloud-based applications to help serve the needs of our organizations. If those apps have a life span of 12-18 months…that’s not going to cut it. We need greater stability than that.

But we may not get it…so how do we respond? We need to be able to change — quickly; and we don’t implement a product without having an escape plan/backup plan in place.

I wonder…will organizations take more of a “wait and see” approach before implementing cloud-based apps? Perhaps.

Further info on iTunes U:
There are over 800 universities with active iTunes U sites. Nearly half of these institutions — including Stanford, Yale, MIT, Oxford, and UC Berkeley — distribute their content publicly on the iTunes Store.  In addition, cultural and education institutions such as the Library of Congress, public broadcasting, and state departments of education also contribute to this growing educational content repository which now includes over 325,000 free lectures, audiobooks, lesson plans, and more. iTunes U is the ideal resource for educators who want to gain insight into curriculum being taught world wide, get access to primary resources, and find inspiration for enhancing teaching and learning with technology.

A sampling of the amazing resources available for both K12 and HIED on iTunes U include:
KQED
Arizona IDEAL
Virginia Department of Education
University of South Florida
Virginia Department of Education
Texas A&M
Poynter Institute
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From DSC: Whether you agree with everything here, you *need* to read this one…

On 07/21/2010, in 24x7x365 access, business, business side of he, career development, change, changing business models, colleges, community colleges, competency-based learning/education, corporate / business world, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, disruption, education reform, education technology, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, face-to-face, faculty/staff, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, higher education, innovation, leadership, learning ecosystem, lifelong learning, more voice more choice more control, new business models, online learning, online tutoring, open courseware and systems, pace of change, personalized/customized learning, strategy, teaching & learning, traditional / tradition, universities, using teams, workplace, by Daniel Christian

The future of colleges and universities -- from the spring of 2010 by futurist Thomas Frey

From Spring 2010

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From DSC:

If you are even remotely connected to higher education, then you *need* to read this one!


Most certainly, not everything that Thomas Frey says will take place…but I’ll bet you he’s right on a number of accounts. Whether he’s right or not, the potential scenarios he brings up ought to give us pause to reflect on ways to respond to these situations…on ways to spot and take advantage of the various opportunities that arise (which will only happen to those organizations who are alert and looking for them).


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Different visuals — same concept! :)

On 06/23/2010, in change, game-changing environment, pace of change, by Daniel Christian

From The Explanation

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From DSC:

The pace has changed significantly and quickly

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From Daniel S. Christian

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Education’s Big Shift: Institutions of Learning to Learning Institutions — from Education Innovation

On 05/06/2010, in learning ecosystem, lifelong learning, pace of change, by Daniel Christian

Education’s Big Shift: Institutions of Learning to Learning Institutions — from Education Innovation

In their new book The Power of Pull, authors John Hagel III, John Seely Brown, and Lang Davison describe what they call the “Big Shift.”

The Big Shift for Education

“Our educational institutions are grappling with the need to move from being institutions of learning to learning institutions that rapidly evolve in response to the quickly changing learning needs of students and then find ways to extend the learning process well beyond the walls and semesters that define courses today.”

Personal Implications of the Big Shift

“We discover, to our dismay, that the significant investments we made in education in the early part of our lives was just the beginning. In order to stay successful in a world of accelerating change, we need to find ways to learn faster, often in areas that we once viewed as quite peripheral to our professions.”

“What we knew yesterday—either as employees or in terms of what our institutions as a whole knows about its business—is proving to be less and less helpful with the challenges and opportunities we confront today.”

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YouTube is 5 years old! — from Jane Hart

On 04/24/2010, in digital video, online media, pace of change, by Daniel Christian

YouTube is 5 years old! — from Jane Hart

From DSC:
Wow…5 years is not traditionally a long time; look at what has occurred in these last 5 years! Man…YouTube is but one example.

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Another example of the pace of change — and disruption

On 04/21/2010, in disruption, K-12 related, legislatures / government / legal, pace of change, policy, virtual K-12 schools, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
Consider the following timeline of the Florida Virtual School according to this article:

1997: Florida Virtual School is founded.

2002: Hillsborough County establishes a virtual school program for high school classes.

2007: Hillsborough County starts offering middle school classes.

2008: Hillsborough County starts the elementary program.

2009: New state law requires school districts to offer full-time virtual classes for K-12 students.

Now consider that they started with 77 students.

Now consider that the “…program served more than 71,000 students during the 2008-2009 school year, according to its Web site.” (emphasis DSC)

The pace has changed significantly and quickly

Do not underestimate the disruptive impact of technology.
And I realize it’s not just about the technology…it’s about people.
But technology can connect people to each other at ever-increasing speeds.

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From DSC: From timetoast.com to reflections upon prior technologies — they really didn’t disappoint those of us in education afterall!

On 04/17/2010, in digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, education technology, emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, faculty/staff, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, higher education, history, internet, learning ecosystem, multimedia, new media literacies, online media, pace of change, tools, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
In an assignment for a class last week, I ran across a time-saving tool offered via timetoast.com. If you want to put together interactive timelines — without having to know programming languages or scripting languages — you might be interested in kicking the tires on this web-based tool. As an example, I was able to put together the following timeline of instructional media* in an hour or so:

Daniel Christian: Example of a timeline created at timetoast.com

Further reflections on this from DSC:

  • As I was putting this timeline together, I saw how Thomas Edison and others proclaimed that technology X would make _____ obsolete…or that invention Y would change education forever. (I made a note to myself that I didn’t want to make such bold proclamations…and appear so foolish…but I’m probably too late in this area!) 🙂
  • But anyway, I reflected on how school museums were first used, on how radio and instructional television had an impact for a while but then died down in terms of educational use, how the training films of WWII impacted what we know and do today, and the post WWII research in audio-visual-based arenas , and then the advent/rise of the personal computer as well as other educational technologies and the Internet……….and I thought of how disappointed people probably were after the hype ended. But then I reflected upon these technologies as seeds that were planted over time and later produced a harvest. They changed our “wineskins” (see below):

    • Radio didn’t really disappear or disappoint. We still use it today; however, not necessarily for education, but we appreciate the audio it delivers to us (whether that be in music or in talkshows). Some seeds were planted…and the wineskins were changed**.

    • Motion picture films and TV didn’t disappear or disappoint either, really. We still use these technologies today…but again, not necessarily for education (though some programs are definitely educational in nature and intent). We are used to viewing films and consider it second nature to watch video. So, other seeds were planted…and the wineskins were changed again.**

    • Neither did the computer disappear or disappoint. We are still using computers today and they present another piece of the communications juggernaut that’s been created. Again, more seeds were planted…and the wineskins were changed yet again.**

    • The Internet is here and growing as well. A significant ROI is being enjoyed with each passing day — and from educational perspectives no doubt. Again, the fields are starting to grow, and are growing quickly now. The seeds are no longer seeds and the wineskins we have today are not like the wineskins from 100+ years ago. **

So what am I saying here?
I’m saying that we are used to using/hearing/seeing audio, video, interactivity, multi-directional communications because of these technologies. They cultivated the ground for people using the technologies that we are:

  • Comfortable with
  • Using
  • and innovating with today.

So when we employ highly-powerful, multimedia-based, educationally-beneficial items on the Net today — when we contribute podcasts, vodcasts, lectures, exercises, animations, etc. to the Net — we can thank these technologies for being the technological ancestors in the tech-family tree. They really didn’t disappoint after all. They were the seeds that were planted over time to create a wonderful harvest….a very powerful communications network…the most powerful one the world has ever known. Not bad for 100 years.



* Based upon article by Robert Reiser:

Reiser, R. (2001). A history of instructional design and technology: Part I: A history of instructional media. ETR&D. Vol. 49(1). pp. 53-64.

**As Jesus once responded when asked about why his disciples didn’t fast, he replied:

16“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

These technologies created the environment…the proper wineskins…to lay the foundation for the “new wine” to be poured into our worlds without this new wine “running out” and ruining the wineskins. Can you imagine if someone had been able to introduce these technologies within 10-20 years…would they have taken? Given human nature, I doubt it. The wineskins took time to change. The thing is, the pace of change is quickening and is increasingly more difficult to keep up with.

I wonder…will the current wineskins hold? Or are our wineskins now very used to this pace of change?


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Real-time scholarship — from academicevolution.com

On 03/24/2010, in data related items, learning ecosystem, pace of change, publishing, research, by Daniel Christian

Real-time scholarship — from academicevolution.com by Gideon Burton

“The tools are only getting better and better for discovery, networking, data mining, networking, collaborating, representing findings and disseminating learned communication. I pity my colleagues trapped in the print paradigm. By the time a journal article appears (or even an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education), what they report on will be secondary to the real conversation. The real scholars are the real-time scholars (emphasis DSC). We use legacy knowledge systems and respect them for what they do, but we don’t wait for them to fossilize the conversation; we’re too busy growing live knowledge with the more intellectually agile tools of mobile phones, microblogging, and live update streams.”

From DSC:
Gideon Burton expresses my viewpoints on this topic as well. The pace of exchanging information and learning about new information has picked up considerably. Those who rely on getting their information via printed journals are going to be at least 1 step behind. (This goes for textbooks as well.)

But my larger concern here is that if we aren’t connected in real-time to a global network of colleagues and peers, our knowledgebases may be a version or two behind — and worse yet, we may be relaying inaccurate information. We need a real-time, up-to-date, ever-growing, ever-adapting learning ecosystem.

Once again I ask, “Can you hear the engines roaring? As for myself, I’m trying not to come out onto the racetrack in an old “Model T”, as I have a significant co-pay on emergency room visits!

The pace has changed significantly and quickly

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Becta is Fit for the Future (March 2010)

On 03/24/2010, in cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, future, future of higher education, global / globalization, higher education, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, pace of change, strategy, UK, by Daniel Christian

Becta is Fit for the Future (March 2010)
This project will identify opportunities that technology will bring to education over the next few years…

Fit for the future is an exciting new project which aims to identify the opportunities and challenges that technology will bring the education and skills sectors over the next 5-6 years and work with leaders, practitioners and the technology industry to develop practical, real-world solutions.

The rapid pace of change and innovation in technology means that the education and skills sector constantly needs to adapt to the technical and social impact of new developments. Fit for the Future is about looking several years ahead and making decisions today that will make us ready for tomorrow’s world (emphasis DSC — and a quick comment: this is a very smart strategy).

The project began in Autumn 2009 and will run until Summer 2011. Becta is currently working with key leading educationalists, technologists, thinkers and experts to develop propositions in response to the key trends identified in the DCSF-funded programme Beyond Current Horizons.

Focusing on five themes, the ideas that these response groups generate will then be tested in real-world situations to assess if and how they could work on a wider scale.

The five themes are:

Theme 1 – Learners’ personal cloud: this theme explores the capacity of learners to constantly connect or engage with a network or school at any time or place and investigates their experiences and expectations of personal virtual environments and personalised data.

Theme 2 – Learning beyond a single setting: this theme looks at how learning is increasingly taking place across multiple institutions or places (school, home libraries, museums, employers) and explores how technology can support this in a revised 14-19 curriculum.

Theme 3 – Making the most of data: looks at how technology can be used to make better use of the huge amount of data that is constantly generated in the life of a learner and increasingly being used to build profiles about them.

Theme 4 – New Knowledge Skills: Our future economy will be heavily reliant on innovation, research and development, problem solving and digital capability. This theme aims to better understand what competencies, skills and knowledge will be required of both students and teachers, particularly in relation to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths).

Theme 5 – Education across borders: Learners and educators now have access to resources not just from their immediate surroundings but from across the globe. This theme explores the potential creation of educational franchises across national boundaries supported by technology-based resources and networks.

Beyond Current Horizons -- UK

Beyond Current Horizons -- 6 possible scenarios for higher ed

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