On 04/10/2017,
in A/V -- audio/visual, Apple, digital audio, digital storytelling, digital video, Media/film, Mobile learning, multimedia, new media literacies, story, storytelling, tools,
by Daniel Christian
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On 04/06/2017,
in 21st century, 3D, adjunct faculty, analytics, animation, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning, assessment, augmented reality, Australia, blogs / blogging, bots, business side of he, Canada, change, chemistry, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, collaboration, colleges, communications, community colleges, computer science, creativity, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital citizenship, digital learning, digital photography, digital video, e-books, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), education technology, educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, Europe, gifted students, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), India, innovation, interactivity, internet, K-12 related, Languages and translation, learning, learning ecosystem, literacy, maker movement, mathematics, Media/film, memory, Mobile learning, multimedia, online learning, participation, pedagogy, platforms, play, productivity / tips and tricks, programming, robotics, science, story, storytelling, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, teachers, Technologies for your home, tools, UK, United States, universities, vendors, virtual field trips, virtual reality / worlds / learning, writing, youth,
by Daniel Christian
The 82 Hottest EdTech Tools of 2017 According to Education Experts — from tutora.co.uk by Giorgio Cassella
Excerpt:
If you work in education, you’ll know there’s a HUGE array of applications, services, products and tools created to serve a multitude of functions in education.
Tools for teaching and learning, parent-teacher communication apps, lesson planning software, home-tutoring websites, revision blogs, SEN education information, professional development qualifications and more.
There are so many companies creating new products for education, though, that it can be difficult to keep up – especially with the massive volumes of planning and marking teachers have to do, never mind finding the time to actually teach!
So how do you know which ones are the best?
Well, as a team of people passionate about education and learning, we decided to do a bit of research to help you out.
We’ve asked some of the best and brightest in education for their opinions on the hottest EdTech of 2017. These guys are the real deal – experts in education, teaching and new tech from all over the world from England to India, to New York and San Francisco.
They’ve given us a list of 82 amazing, tried and tested tools…
From DSC:
The ones that I mentioned that Giorgio included in his excellent article were:
- AdmitHub – Free, Expert College Admissions Advice
- Labster – Empowering the Next Generation of Scientists to Change the World
- Unimersiv – Virtual Reality Educational Experiences
- Lifeliqe – Interactive 3D Models to Augment Classroom Learning
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On 11/30/2016,
in 21st century, business, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, digital storytelling, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, Microlearning, story, storytelling, tools, trends, United States, virtual reality / worlds / learning, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
Learning Themes
Curated Content from Learning 2016
Open Source eBook – No Cost
http://www.masie.com/eBookL16
From an email from Elliott Masie and the Masie Center:
This 35-page eBook is packed with content, context, conversations, video links, and curated resources that include:
- Learning Perspectives from Anderson Cooper, Scott Kelly, Tiffany Shlain, George Takei, Richard Culatta, Karl Kapp, Nancy DeViney, and other Learning 2016 Keynotes
- Graphic Illustrations from Deirdre Crowley, Crowley & Co.
- Video Links for Content Segments
- Learning Perspectives from Elliott Masie
- Segments focusing on:
- Brain & Cognitive Science
- Gamification & Gaming
- Micro-Learning
- Visual Storytelling
- Connected & Flipped Classrooms
- Compliance & Learning
- Engagement in Virtual Learning
- Video & Learning
- Virtual Reality & Learning
- And much more!
We have created this as an open source, shareable resource that will extend the learning from Learning 2016 to our colleagues around the world. We are using the Open Creative Commons license, so feel free to share!
We believe that CURATION, focusing on extending and organizing follow-up content, is a growing and critical dimension of any learning event. We hope that you find your eBook of value!
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The New Media Consortium (NMC) has released Digital Literacy: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief
On 10/25/2016,
in 21st century, adjunct faculty, Adobe, collaboration, colleges, communications, community colleges, creativity, curriculum, Daniel S. Christian, design, digital audio, digital citizenship, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, education technology, faculty, Graphics, higher education, ideas, library / librarians, maker movement, Media/film, multimedia, online media, pedagogy, photography, storytelling, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, teaching & learning, tools, universities, vendors, web-based collaboration, workplace, youth,
by Daniel Christian
The New Media Consortium (NMC) has released Digital Literacy: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief in conjunction with the 2016 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference.
…
In analyzing the progress and gaps in this area, the NMC’s report has identified a need for higher education leaders and technology companies to prioritize students as makers, learning through the act of content creation rather than mere consumption. Additionally, the publication recommends that colleges and universities establish productive collaborations with industry, government, and libraries to provide students with access to the latest technologies and tools.
…
Based on the variety and complexity of these results, NMC cannot identify just one model of digital literacy. Instead three different digital literacies are now evident, each with distinct standards, potential curriculum, and implications for creative educators.
The aim of this publication is to establish a shared vision of digital literacy for higher education leaders by illuminating key definitions and models along with best practices and recommendations for implementing successful digital literacy initiatives.
To be digitally literate, you need to be:
fluent at critical thinking, collaborating,
being creative, and problem-solving in
digital environments.
Computer science and digital media classes can instruct on everything from office productivity applications to programming and video editing, for example. Sociology courses can teach interpersonal actions online, such as the ethics and politics of social network interaction, while psychology and business classes can focus on computer-mediated human interaction. Government and political science classes are clearly well equipped to explore the intersection of digital technology and citizenship mentioned above. Communication, writing, and literature classes have the capacity to instruct students on producing digital content in the form of stories, arguments, personal expression, posters, and more.
From DSC:
If faculty members aren’t asking students to create multimedia in their assignments and/or take part in online/digitally-based means of communications and learning, the vast majority of the students won’t (and don’t) care about digital literacy…it’s simply not relevant to them: “Whatever gets me the grade, that’s what I’ll do. But no more.”
This type of situation/perspective is quite costly. Because once students graduate from college, had they built up some solid digital literacy — especially the “creative literacy” mentioned above — they would be in much better shape to get solid jobs, and prosper at those jobs. They would be much better able to craft powerful communications — and reach a global audience in doing so. They would have honed their creativity, something increasingly important as the onward march of AI, robotics, algorithms, automation, and such continues to eat away at many types of jobs (that don’t really need creative people working in them).
This is an important topic, especially as digitally-based means of communication continue to grow in their usage and impact.
Part of digital literacy is not just understanding how a tool works but also why it is useful in the real world and when to use it.
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On 09/26/2016,
in A/V -- audio/visual, attention, augmented reality, computer science, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital video, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, future, Google, health, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, immersion, innovation, interactivity, journalism, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, Microsoft, Mixed reality, Mobile technologies, online learning, online media, programming, society, story, storytelling, UK, user experience, UX, vendors, virtual field trips, virtual reality / worlds / learning,
by Daniel Christian
10 Incredible Uses of Virtual Reality — from fortune.com by Rose Leadem
It’s not just for video games.
Excerpt:
Virtual reality technology holds enormous potential to change the future for a number of fields, from medicine, business, architecture to manufacturing.
Psychologists and other medical professionals are using VR to heighten traditional therapy methods and find effective solutions for treatments of PTSD, anxiety and social disorders. Doctors are employing VR to train medical students in surgery, treat patients’ pains and even help paraplegics regain body functions.
In business, a variety of industries are benefiting from VR. Carmakers are creating safer vehicles, architects are constructing stronger buildings and even travel agencies are using it to simplify vacation planning.
Check out these 10 amazing uses of VR.
Visit the U.K. Prime Minister’s Home in This Virtual 10 Downing Street Experience — from uploadvr.com by
Excerpt:
Google has unveiled a new interactive online exhibit that take users on a tour of 10 Downing street in London — home of the U.K. Prime Minister.
The building has served as home to countless British political leaders, from Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher through to Tony Blair and — as of a few months ago — Theresa May. But, as you’d expect in today’s security-conscious age, gaining access to the residence isn’t easy; the street itself is gated off from the public. This is why the 10 Downing Street exhibit may capture the imagination of politics aficionados and history buffs from around the world.
The tour features 360-degree views of the various rooms, punctuated by photos and audio and video clips.
Microsoft’s HoloLens Now Helps Elevator Technicians Work Smarter — from uploadvr.com by Charles Singletary
Excerpt:
In a slightly more grounded environment, the HoloLens is being used to assist technicians in elevator repairs.
Traversal via elevator is such a regular part of our lifestyles, its importance is rarely recognized…until they’re not working as they should be. ThyssenKrupp AG, one of the largest suppliers for elevators, recognizes how essential they are as well as how the simplest malfunctions can deter the lives of millions. Announced on their blog, Microsoft is partnering with Thyssenkrupp to equip 24,000 of their technicians with HoloLens.
Insert from DSC re: the above piece re: HoloLens:
Will technical communicators need to augment their skillsets? It appears so.
Phiona: A Virtual Reality Portrait of ‘Queen of Katwe’ — from abcnews.com by Angel Canales and Adam Rivera
Get a front-row seat in Harvard’s largest class, thanks to virtual reality — from medium.freecodecamp.com by Dhawal Shah
Intro video here: This is CS50 2016
The future of mobile video is virtual reality — from techcrunch.com by Mike Wadhera
Excerpt:
But in a world where no moment is too small to record with a mobile sensor, and one in which time spent in virtual reality keeps going up, interesting parallels start to emerge with our smartphones and headsets.
Let’s look at how the future could play out in the real world by observing three key drivers: VR video adoption, mobile-video user needs and the smartphone camera rising tide.
Now, a virtual reality programme to improve social skills in autistic kids — from cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com by
The VR training platform creates a safe place for participants to practice social situations without the intense fear of consequence.
Excerpt:
“Individuals with autism may become overwhelmed and anxious in social situations,” research clinician Dr Nyaz Didehbani said.
“The virtual reality training platform creates a safe place for participants to practice social situations without the intense fear of consequence,” said Didehbani.
The participants who completed the training demonstrated improved social cognition skills and reported better relationships, researchers said.
Also see:
- The Top 10 Companies Working on Education in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality — from touchstoneresearch.com by Drew Lewis
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On 09/16/2016,
in 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, attention, blended learning, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, creativity, Daniel S. Christian, design, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital video, drama/theater, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, hybrid learning, ideas, innovation, interaction design, interactivity, online learning, pedagogy, play, story, storytelling, teaching & learning, tools, training / L&D, user experience, user interface design, Using teams, vendors, vision,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
Interactive video — a potentially very powerful medium to use, especially for blended and online-based courses or training-related materials! This interactive piece from Heineken is very well done, even remembering how you answered and coming up with their evaluation of you from their 12-question “interview.”
But notice again, a TEAM of specialists are needed to create such a piece. Neither a faculty member, a trainer, nor an instructional designer can do something like this all on their own. Some of the positions I could imagine here are:
- Script writer(s)
- Editor(s)
- Actors and actresses
- Those skilled in stage lighting and sound / audio recording
- Digital video editors
- Programmers
- Graphic designers
- Web designers
- Producers
- Product marketers
- …and perhaps others
This is the kind of work that I wish we saw more of in the world of online and blended courses! Also, I appreciated their use of humor. Overall, a very engaging, fun, and informative piece!
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On 08/26/2016,
in 21st century, algorithms, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning, career development, change, content development, corporate / business world, creativity, design, emerging technologies, engineering, ethics, future, higher education, ideas, internet, K-12 related, Microsoft, morals/values, pace of change, professional development, reinvent, robotics, staying relevant, story, storytelling, strategy, student-related, surviving, UK, workplace, youth,
by Daniel Christian
Future proof yourselves — from Microsoft & The Future Laboratory
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
Executive Summary
Explore the world of work in 2025 in a revealing evidence-based report by future consultants The Future Laboratory and Microsoft, which identifies and investigates ten exciting, inspiring and astounding jobs for the graduates of tomorrow – but that don’t exist yet.
Introduction
Tomorrow’s university graduates will be taking a journey into the professional unknown guided by a single, mind-blowing statistic: 65% of today’s students will be doing jobs that don’t even exist yet.
Technological change, economic turbulence and societal transformation are disrupting old career certainties and it is increasingly difficult to judge which degrees and qualifications will be a passport to a well-paid and fulfilling job in the decades ahead.
A new wave of automation, with the advent of true artificial intelligence, robots and driverless cars, threatens the future of traditional jobs, from truck drivers to lawyers and bankers.
But, by 2025, this same technological revolution will open up inspiring and exciting new career opportunities in sectors that are only in their infancy today.
The trick for graduates is to start to develop the necessary skills today in order to ensure they future proof their careers.
This report by future consultants The Future Laboratory attempts to show them how to do just that in a research collaboration with Microsoft, whose Surface technology deploys the precision and versatility of pen and touch to power creative industries ranging from graphic design and photography to architecture and engineering.
In this study, we use extensive desk research and in-depth interviews with technologists, academics, industry commentators and analysts to unveil 10 new creative job categories that will be recruiting tomorrow’s university students.
These future jobs demonstrate a whole new world of potential applications for the technology of today, as we design astonishing virtual habitats and cure deadly diseases from the comfort of our own sofas. It is a world that will need a new approach to training and career planning.
Welcome to tomorrow’s jobs…
65% of today’s students will be doing jobs that don’t even exist yet.
One of the jobs mentioned was the Ethical Technology Advocate — check out this video clip:
“Over the next decade, the long-awaited era of robots will dawn and become part of everyday life. It will be important to set out the moral and ethical rules under which they operate…”
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On 07/14/2016,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, adult learning, algorithms, analytics, Apple, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning, Blockchain, business, career development, change, changing business models, Christian education, communities of practice, competency-based learning/education, content development, content repositories, convergence, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, cost of getting a degree, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, disruption, distance education, education technology, elearning, emerging technologies, formal learning, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, heutagogy, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, informal learning, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, internet, iPad, iPhone, iPods, K-12 related, learner profiles, learning, Learning Agents, learning ecosystem, learning from the living [class] room, learning hubs, learning preferences, learning spaces, Lifelong learning, Microlearning, mirroring and/or multiple devices, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, more choice more control, multimedia, online learning, online tutoring, open courseware and systems, pace of change, participation, passions, personalized/customized learning, platforms, reinvent, second screen apps, Smart/Connected TV, social learning / networks, staying relevant, storytelling, streams of content, student-related, surviving, Technologies for your home, telecommunications, telepresence, television, tools, training / L&D, transmedia, tvOS-based apps, user experience, UX, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, virtual tutoring, vision, web-based collaboration, webinars, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
I read the article mentioned below. It made me wonder how 3 of the 4 main highlights that Fred mentioned (that are coming to Siri with tvOS 10) might impact education/training/learning-related applications and offerings made possible via tvOS & Apple TV:
- Live broadcasts
- Topic-based searches
- The ability to search YouTube via Siri
The article prompted me to wonder:
- Will educators and trainers be able to offer live lectures and training (globally) that can be recorded and later searched via Siri?
- What if second screen devices could help learners collaborate and participate in active learning while watching what’s being presented on the main display/”TV?”
- What if learning taken this way could be recorded on one’s web-based profile, a profile that is based upon blockchain-based technologies and maintained via appropriate/proven organizations of learning? (A profile that’s optionally made available to services from Microsoft/LinkedIn.com/Lynda.com and/or to a service based upon IBM’s Watson, and/or to some other online-based marketplace/exchange for matching open jobs to potential employees.)
- Or what if you could earn a badge or prove a competency via this manner?
Hmmm…things could get very interesting…and very powerful.
More choice. More control. Over one’s entire lifetime.
Heutagogy on steroids.
Micro-learning.
Perhaps this is a piece of the future for MOOCs…
![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)
Apple TV gets new Siri features in tvOS 10 — from iphonefaq.org by Fred Straker
Excerpt:
The forthcoming update to Apple TV continues to bring fresh surprises for owners of Apple’s set top box. Many improvements are coming to tvOS 10, including single-sign-on support and an upgrade to Siri’s capabilities. Siri has already opened new doors thanks to the bundled Siri Remote, which simplifies many functions on the Apple TV interface. Four main highlights are coming to Siri with tvOS 10, which is expected to launch this fall.
Addendum on 7/17/16:
CBS News Launches New Apple TV App Designed Exclusively for tvOS — from macrumors.com
Excerpt:
CBS today announced the launch of an all-new Apple TV app that will center around the network’s always-on, 24-hour “CBSN” streaming network and has been designed exclusively for tvOS. In addition to the live stream of CBSN, the app curates news stories and video playlists for each user based on previously watched videos.
The new app will also take advantage of the 4th generation Apple TV’s deep Siri integration, allowing users to tell Apple’s personal assistant that they want to “Watch CBS News” to immediately start a full-screen broadcast of CBSN. While the stream is playing, users can interact with other parts of the app to browse related videos, bookmark some to watch later, and begin subscribing to specific playlists and topics.
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On 06/29/2016,
in 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, change, communications, digital learning, digital storytelling, health, hearts -- matters of the heart, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, immersion, innovation, journalism, learning, learning ecosystem, platforms, psychology, relationships, research, society, story, storytelling, surviving, United States, universities, user experience, UX, virtual field trips, virtual reality / worlds / learning,
by Daniel Christian
Stanford’s virtual reality lab cultivates empathy for the homeless — from kqed.org by Rachael Myrow
Excerpt:
The burgeoning field of Virtual Reality — or VR as it is commonly known — is a vehicle for telling stories through 360-degree visuals and sound that put you right in the middle of the action, be it at a crowded Syrian refugee camp, or inside the body of an 85-year-old with a bad hip and cataracts. Because of VR’s immersive properties, some people describe the medium as “the ultimate empathy machine.” But can it make people care about something as fraught and multi-faceted as homelessness?
A study in progress at Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab explores that question, and I strapped on an Oculus Rift headset (one of the most popular devices people currently use to experience VR) to look for an answer.
A new way of understanding homelessness
The study, called Empathy at Scale, puts participants in a variety of scenes designed to help them imagine the experience of being homeless themselves.
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On 06/15/2016,
in 21st century, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning, attention, cognitive computing, communications, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital video, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, higher education, history, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interaction design, interactivity, learning ecosystem, Microsoft, Mixed reality, platforms, story, storytelling, United States, universities, user experience,
by Daniel Christian
Holographic storytelling — from jwtintelligence.com by Jade Perry
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
The stories of Holocaust survivors are brought to life with the help of interactive 3D technologies.
‘New Dimensions in Testimony’ is a new way of preserving history for future generations. The project brings to life the stories of Holocaust survivors with 3D video, revealing raw first-hand accounts that are more interactive than learning through a history book.
Holocaust survivor Pinchas Gutter, the first subject of the project, was filmed answering over 1000 questions, generating approximately 25 hours of footage. By incorporating natural language processing from Conscience Display, viewers were able to ask Gutter’s holographic image questions that triggered relevant responses.
From DSC:
I wonder…is this an example of a next generation, visually-based chatbot*?
With the growth of artificial intelligence (AI), intelligent systems, and new types of human computer interaction (HCI), this type of concept could offer an on-demand learning approach that’s highly engaging — and accessible from face-to-face settings as well as from online-based learning environments. (If it could be made to take in some of the context of a particular learner and where a learner is in the relevant Zone of Proximal Development (via web-based learner profiles/data), it would be even better.)
As an aside, is this how we will obtain
customer service from the businesses of the future? See below.
*The complete beginner’s guide to chatbots — from chatbotsmagazine.com by Matt Schlicht
Everything you need to know.
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
What are chatbots? Why are they such a big opportunity? How do they work? How can I build one? How can I meet other people interested in chatbots?
These are the questions we’re going to answer for you right now.
…
What is a chatbot?
A chatbot is a service, powered by rules and sometimes artificial intelligence, that you interact with via a chat interface. The service could be any number of things, ranging from functional to fun, and it could live in any major chat product (Facebook Messenger, Slack, Telegram, Text Messages, etc.).
…
A chatbot is a service, powered by rules and sometimes artificial intelligence, that you interact with via a chat interface.
Examples of chatbots
Weather bot. Get the weather whenever you ask.
Grocery bot. Help me pick out and order groceries for the week.
News bot. Ask it to tell you when ever something interesting happens.
Life advice bot. I’ll tell it my problems and it helps me think of solutions.
Personal finance bot. It helps me manage my money better.
Scheduling bot. Get me a meeting with someone on the Messenger team at Facebook.
A bot that’s your friend. In China there is a bot called Xiaoice, built by Microsoft, that over 20 million people talk to.
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