![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 "The-Living-Class-Room-Daniel-S-Christian---July-2012")
On 07/03/2012,
in 21st century, analytics, corporate / business world, Daniel S. Christian, data related items, e-books, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), e-readers, ethics, hearts -- matters of the heart, morals/values, policy, reading, social media, strategy, technology (general), the downsides of how people use tech,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
Readers of this blog will know that I am pro-technology — at least in most areas. However, as our hearts can sometimes become hardened and our feet can sometimes find themselves on slippery ethical ground, we really need hearts, minds, and consciences that prompt us to care about other people — and to do the right thing as a result of that perspective.
Example articles that brought this to my mind recently include:
7 sinister technologies from Orwell’s 1984 that are still a threat — from dvice.com by Hal Rappaport
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
Technology is a wonderful thing, but in the words of Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” If we are not careful, the technology we know and love could be used against us, even subtly. In the year 1984, Apple thought IBM was the bringer of “Big Brother.” In reality, the technology of today better resembles George Orwell’s dystopian vision than a 1980s era PC.
Every day we are in the process of becoming a more connected society. With social networks, cloud computing and even more specific, less-thought-about tech such as Internet-connected home surveillance systems, we may find ourselves in a delicate balance of trust and paranoia.
…
While we are grateful that we don’t live in a world as bleak as Orwell’s Oceana, it’s clear that the technology now exists to make his world possible if we let it. Keeping our paranoia in check, we should all be mindful of our technology and how it’s used. Security is a good thing and so is saving money, but consider how much of each your personal freedom is worth.
Wiping away your Siri “fingerprint” — from technologyreview.com by David Talbot
Your voice can be a biometric identifier, like your fingerprint. Does Apple really have to store it on its own servers?
Online merchants wrestle with the ‘creepy’ factor in web personalization — from readwriteweb.com by Dave Copeland
Excerpt:
“What I’ve discovered through building and running very targeted online ad campaigns using this data is that users respond favorably to ads that are more targeted, but only if the ads don’t make it clear that I’m targeting sensitive information about them,” he said. “What’s most interesting, and what I’m learning, are which attributes are considered too creepy, and which ones are acceptable.”
“Google Now” knows more about you than your family does – are you OK with that? — from readwriteweb.com by Mark Hachman
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
Google Now aggregates the information Google already collects about you on a daily basis: accessing your email, your calendar, your contacts, your text messages, your location, your shopping habits, your payment history, as well as your choices in music, movies and books. It can even scan your photos and automatically identify them based on their subject, not just the file name (in the Google I/O demo, Google Now correctly found a picture of the Great Pyramid). About the only aspect of your online life that Google hasn’t apparently assimilated yet is your opinions expressed on Google+. But that’s undoubtedly coming.
Social network privacy settings compared — from techhive.com by Nick Mediati
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
It should go without saying that protecting your privacy online is kind of a big deal. While people are generally good at not giving out their personal information to just any website that asks for it, those same people can be found filling their Facebook accounts with everything from their birthday to where they live and work. Putting this sensitive information onto a social network not only leaves your data exposed to third-parties (advertisers and so forth), but also to anyone who happens across your profile.
Facebook, Google+, and Twitter all have settings that let you tweak what others can see on your profile—but navigating them can be a bit of a mess. Not all social networks give you complete control over your privacy online, so here’s a quick overview of what Facebook, Google+, and Twitter allow you to do.
U.S. companies lost at least $13 billion to espionage last year — from ieee.org by Robert Charette
Google Glass & Now: Utopia or Dystopia? — from extremetech.com by Sebastian Anthony
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
If you didn’t watch the Google I/O keynote presented by Vic Gundotra, Hugo Barra, and Sergey Brin, let me quickly bring you up to speed. Google Now is an Android app that uses your location, behavior history, and search history to display “just the right information at just the right time.” For example, if you regularly search for a certain sports team, Now will show you a card with the latest scores for that team. When Now predicts or detects that you’re leaving home in the morning, it will display a card with any relevant traffic information. If you have a lunch meeting in your Google Calendar, Now will show you the route you need to take to get there — and when you need to leave to get there on time. If you search Google for an airline flight, Now will show a card with the flight details (and any delays).
Big e-reader is watching you — from PaidContent.org by Laura Hazard Owen
Why privacy is big business for trial lawyers — from technologyreview.com by Antonio Regalado
Tech companies that make privacy mistakes can expect a lawsuit.
Legal discovery: The billboard is imaginary, but the trend is real.
Trial lawyers are ramping up lawsuits over online privacy breaches.
Flickr Creative Commons | AdamL212 and istock/stocknroll
Addendums
On 7/6/12:
- Your e-book is reading you — WSJ.com by Alexandra Alter
Digital-book publishers and retailers now know more about their readers than ever before. How that’s changing the experience of reading.
On 7/16/12:
- NIF sets record with 500 TW laser shot, lab-based nuclear fusion not far behind – — from engadget.com by Sarah Silbert
Excerpt:
NIF’s latest test shot, fired July 5th, set a new record with 192 lasers producing more than 500 trillion watts of peak power and 1.85 MJ of ultraviolet laser light. Mind you, that’s more than a thousand times more energy than the United States uses at any given moment, not to mention a hundred times more power than other lasers can fire consistently.
. - Not your typical recruiting /”now hiring” piece!
Shape the World – Aldebaran Robotics is recruiting
On 7/23/12:
- It’s Terrifying and Sickening that Microsoft Can Now Listen In on All My Skype Calls — from forbes.com by Eric Jackson
. - Facebook, Google Less Trusted Than Your Grocery Store [STUDY] by Emily Price
On 07/02/2012,
in dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, global / globalization, Michigan, online learning, reinvent, strategy,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
I’m a member of the team working at Calvin College to get online learning implemented for the College. I’m grateful for — and proud of — our team and what we’ve been able to accomplish thus far. (BTW, I use the word pride knowingly but carefully.) My hope/dream/vision is that people from all over the world will be able to get a solid, Christian-based education at a significantly-reduced price!
On 06/29/2012,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, adult learning, analytics, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, business side of he, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, collaboration, communities of practice, convergence, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, data related items, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-books, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), e-readers, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, internet, learner profiles, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, lifelong learning, machine-to-machine communications, mirroring and/or multiple devices, mobile learning, mobile technologies, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, more voice more choice more control, multi-touch, multimedia, Near Field Communication (NFC), New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, new business models, online learning, online media, online tutoring, open courseware and systems, participation, personalized/customized learning, platforms, reinvent, second screen apps, smart/connected TV, social learning / networks, staying relevant, strategy, streams of content, tablets, teaching & learning, technologies for your home, telepresence, television, transmedia, trends, user experience (UX), videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, web-based collaboration,
by Daniel Christian
Addendum on 7/3/12 from an article I wrote for EvoLLLution.com (for LifeLong Learning):
Establishing better collaboration between the corporate world and higher education [Christian]
In the near future, perhaps we could have second screen-based activities whereby corporate leaders are giving TED-like presentations or expressing the current issues in their worlds via a program on Smart TVs, and the students are communicating and collaborating about these presentations via tablets or smart phones. Perhaps there will be electronic means whereby students could submit their ideas and feedback to the presenting companies (and whereby selected ideas could be rewarded in terms of free products or services that the company produces).
On 06/11/2012,
in cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, disruption, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, leadership, legislatures / government / legal, New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, staying relevant, strategy, surviving, United States,
by Daniel Christian
Book Description
Publication Date: June 26, 2012
America is facing a higher education bubble. Like the housing bubble, it is the product of cheap credit coupled with popular expectations of ever-increasing returns on investment, and as with housing prices, the cheap credit has caused college tuitions to vastly outpace inflation and family incomes. Now this bubble is bursting.
In this Broadside, Glenn Harlan Reynolds explains the causes and effects of this bubble and the steps colleges and universities must take to ensure their survival. Many graduates are unable to secure employment sufficient to pay off their loans, which are usually not dischargeable in bankruptcy. As students become less willing to incur debt for education, colleges and universities will have to adapt to a new world of cost pressures and declining public support.
About the Author
Glenn Harlan Reynolds is the Beauchamp Brogan Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Tennessee. He writes for such publications as The Atlantic Monthly, Forbes, Popular Mechanics, The Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Examiner. He blogs at InstaPundit.com.
Also see:
- Subprime college educations — from washingtonpost.com by George Will
.
From DSC:
Note many of the relevant categories and tags I put this under — items I’ve been covering for years:
- Walmart of Education
- Cost of obtaining a degree
- Reinventing oneself
- Dangers of the status quo
- Game-changing environment
- Future of higher education
- Leadership
- Strategy
- Staying relevant
- Disruption
- Surviving
On 06/07/2012,
in strategy,
by Daniel Christian
.
From DSC:
Some suggestions for the Development Offices out there…higher ed institutions need more funding for:
- Moving things to the cloud
- Creating or purchasing high-quality, interactive, multimedia-based, digital content
- Offering 100% wireless coverage on all campuses and throughout all classrooms
- Providing more robust “pipes” to the Internet — esp. to get ready for the increased use of video in the classroom
- Providing iPads or an iPad check out program — opening up access to hundreds of useful, educationally-related, engaging applications
- Funding consortiums and for pooling resources
- Offering customized, personalized learning experiences
- Researching best ways of capturing and using analytics
- Enhancing security
- …etc … etc …etc…
The future is not in buildings. It’s on the Internet.
Why iTunes U isn’t seeing massive adoption by universities — from edcetera.rafter.com by Sara Gaviser Leslie
From DSC:
Apple needs to decide how big they want iTunes U to get, how much to invest in it, and how much content creators/providers can do with it. Sara makes some solid points here — and Apple needs to develop their responses/action plans accordingly.
On 05/23/2012,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, analytics, blended learning, data related items, digital learning, education, education reform, future, hybrid learning, mobile learning, mobile technologies, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, personalized/customized learning, strategy, trends,
by Daniel Christian
.
Featured presenters:
- Karen Cator, Dir. Office of Education Technology, U.S. Department of Education
- Dr. Barrett Mosbacker, Superintendent, Briarwood Christian School
Excerpts re: trends:
- Mobility — 24/7 access
- Social interactions for learning
- Digital content
- Big data
On 05/14/2012,
in change, disruption, future of higher education, game-changing environment, leadership, strategy,
by Daniel Christian
On 04/03/2012,
in business side of he, change, changing business models, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, innovation, leadership, reinvent, staying relevant, strategy, surviving,
by Daniel Christian
Rethinking higher education business models — from americanprogress.org by Robert Sheets, Stephen Crawford, Louis Soares
Excerpt:
The theory of “disruptive innovation“—the notion that certain innovation can improve a product or service in such a way that it creates new markets that displace existing ones—was developed and advanced by Christensen in the 1990s. According to Christensen, who has studied the evolution of many industries, disruptive innovation occurs when sophisticated technologies are used to create more simplified and more accessible solutions to customers’ problems—solutions that are often less high performing than previous technologies but whose price and convenience attract whole new categories of consumers. The first generations of transistor radios, desktop computers, and MP3 players are examples. These new solutions—innovations to existing technologies deployed through new business models—gradually improved to the point where they displaced the previously dominant solutions. Christensen’s key point, however, is that new technologies like these cannot achieve their transformative potential without compatible changes in their industry’s business models and value networks, which in turn may require shifts in the standards and regulatory environment.
From DSC:
Given the current rumblings of massive changes that are about to take place (if they haven’t already) within the higher education landscape, each person within higher education that has key strategic and leadership responsibilities should be required to read the two books mentioned below. I assert this because these world-class researchers and authors have discovered and documented phenomenon that is affecting all of higher education at this point in time. Understanding the concepts in these books will help your college or university not only survive — but thrive — in the future.
- The Innovator’s Dilemma — by Clayton M. Christensen
Clayton M. Christensen is the Robert and Jane Cizik Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. Christensen is also co-founder of Innosight, a management consultancy; Rose Park Advisors, an investment firm; and Innosight Institute, a non-profit think tank. He is the author or coauthor of five books including the New York Times bestsellers The Innovator’s Dilemma, The Innovator’s Solution and most recently, Disrupting Class.
. - Disrupting class, expanded edition: How disruptive innovation will change the way the world learns — by Clayton Christensen, Curtis W. Johnson, Michael B. Horn.
.
Also:
- Crudbasher relayed a highly-relevant article that illustrates innovative thinking/new business models:
.
No financial aid, no problem. For-profit university sets $199-a-month tuition for online courses — from The Chronicle by Marc Parry
From DSC:
That article reminds me of a posting on my archived site from 4/11/09:
Let’s reallocate funds towards course development, and then let’s leverage those learning materials throughout the world!
For students: Bring costs waaaayyyyy down and access waaayyy up!
Plus, no more defaulted loans, students could experience richer content, students wouldn’t have to wait as much on financial aid decisions. There would be fewer financial aid headaches; and the resources devoted to figuring out & processing financial aid could be reduced. The issue will be how an institution can differentiate itself in such a new world…but that issue will have to be dealt with in the future anyway.
On 04/03/2012,
in education reform, K-12 related, society, strategy, United States, vision/possibilities,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
I haven’t had a chance to carefully read through all of this…but I post it because when we’re losing ~30% of our students (i.e. not graduating from high school even), I’ll do what I can to help stop the enormous waste of talents and gifts out there!
We’re all in this boat together. We can pay the price now…or later.
What needs to change?
On 03/08/2012,
in change, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, strategy, training / L&D,
by Daniel Christian
Checklist: transforming corporate learning — from Internet Time Blog by Jay Cross
Excerpt:
If you don’t get this, it will get you.
Experience has taught us that making over a training department into a business learning function requires these activities: