Archive for December, 2006
December 22nd, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age, by George Siemens (December 2004). ‘Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism are the three broad learning theories most often utilized in the creation of instructional environments. These theories, however, were developed in a time when learning was not impacted through technology. Over the last twenty years, technology has reorganized how we live, how we communicate, and how we learn. Learning needs and theories that describe learning principles and processes, should be reflective of underlying social environments. Vaill emphasizes that “learning must be a way of being – an ongoing set of attitudes and actions by individuals and groups that they employ to try to keep abreast o the surprising, novel, messy, obtrusive, recurring events…†(1996, p.42).’
Connectivism: A New Learning Theory?, by Pløn Verhagen (November 2006). ‘George Siemens claims in his 2004 article “Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age” that the connectivism that he proposes is a learning theory. A learning theory which he characterises as the “amplification of learning, knowledge and understanding through the extension of a personal networkâ€. He uses the example of senior citizens that have been linked as mentors to elementary school pupils as a striking example. However, this is not a learning theory, but a pedagogical view on education with the apparent underlying philosophy that pupils from an early age need to create connections with the world beyond the school in order to develop the networking skills that will allow them to manage their knowledge effectively and efficiently in the information society. What knowledge the pupils need to have and what knowledge can remain distributed elsewhere or should be developed elsewhere is an issue which the pupils themselves have an active voice in.’
Connectivism: Learning Theory or Pastime for the Self-Amused?, by George Siemens (November 2006). ‘It is always an honor to have one’s work reviewed - even (or perhaps, especially) when it is critical in nature. Ideas, concepts, and theories are sharpened, or dulled, in the space of dialogue and scrutiny.
I recently had the pleasure of reading a critique by Pløn Verhagen (2006), Professor, Educational Design, University of Twente, of my 2004 article, “Connectivism: A Learning Theory for a Digital Age.” My appreciation exists on two levels: (a) Verhagen’s time in reflecting on and reacting to the article, and (b) the provision of an opportunity to further dialogue about connectivism’s relation to the process of learning, development of technology, societal trends, and pedagogy and curriculum.’
Connectivism - A Learning Theory for Today’s Learner
Update: Connectivism Online Conference. ‘Connectivism Online Conference is an open online forum exploring how learning has been impacted by ongoing changes. The conference will run from February 2 – 9, 2007.
Key themes will include: trends in K-12 sector, trends in higher education, research and net pedagogy, technological and societal trends, and connective knowledge and connectivism.’
Tags: Connectivism
December 21st, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
The Open Content Alliance (OCA) represents the collaborative efforts of a group of cultural, technology, nonprofit, and governmental organizations from around the world that will help build a permanent archive of multilingual digitized text and multimedia content. Content in the OCA archive will be accessible soon through this website and through Yahoo!
The OCA will encourage the greatest possible degree of access to and reuse of collections in the archive, while respecting the content owners and contributors.
Tags: Open Content Alliance, OCA, Open Access
December 21st, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Women of Web 2.0. ‘Women of Web 2.0 is for all who are using the tools of the internet whether it be in a classroom setting, leading seminars, authoring books, maintaining blogs or wikis, or just enjoying the tools of the internet in an educational and exciting way. Women of Web 2.0 is brought to you by Vicki Davis, Cheryl Oakes, Sharon Peters, & Jennifer Wagner - four women who not only love using the tools of the Internet but also love sharing the tools with others.
Mission Statement: Our mission is to provide a professional feminine voice in educational Web 2.0 discussions. Conversations coming from the women of web 2.0 will move across gender, race, and country lines and display the beautiful diversity of the internet kaleidoscope. We are advocates for professional ethics, emerging technologies, collaborative projects, quality best practices research, and teaching students critical thinking skills. We are non-partisan and pro-student.’
December 20th, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Resources about Games and Simulations at EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. ‘Games and simulations provide educators with an opportunity to engage learners in an immersive and interactive environment that requires knowledge, decision making, and information management skills. However, games and simulations used in teaching and learning can be controversial; their association with play and fun is often considered noneducational. Even so, games and simulations are gaining increasing cultural acceptance. Research suggests that games and simulations can play a significant role in facilitating learning through engagement, group participation, and immediate feedback and providing real-world contexts.’
Tags: Educational Games, Simulations, Educause
December 18th, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Learning by Screencast. ‘Learning by Screencast offers you free screencasts for self-learning. A screencast is a digital recording of computer screen output, often containing audio narration. In other words: when you are watching screencast, then you have virtual teacher, who shows and explains how to use some kind of software or make some kind of screen activity.’
December 17th, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Here is the winners list of the 2006 Edublog Awards. Congratulations to all!
December 17th, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Seven Steps to Better E-learning. ‘Too much of e-learning is inadvertently designed to minimize effectiveness. Online courses often fail to engage the learner’s interest and what we know about how people learn isn’t applied, among other problems. Remember that the desired outcome of a learning intervention is a change in behavior; it’s all about doing, not learning. Our goals for any such learning initiative, then, should be to sustain that change over time.
What follows is a distillation of cognitive research on learning intended to make your e-learning more effective, and to create a better experience for the learner. These seven principles integrate cognitive and emotional components of learning, and the more that happens, the greater the outcomes.’ [via Jane's E-Learning Pick of the Day]
eLearn Magazine. ‘eLearn Magazine is published by ACM, a not-for-profit educational association serving those who work, teach, and learn in the various computing-related fields. Founded in 1947 as the Association for Computing Machinery, ACM’s stated mission is to advance the arts, sciences, and applications of information technology. It is the oldest and most respected organization of its kind. eLearn is ACM’s first Web-only publication. It will build on ACM’s reputation by serving as the most accurate and unbiased source for news, information, and opinion on the now-flourishing field of online education and training. It also offers a community hub for e-learning professionals on the Web, providing a wealth of public forums for the free exchange of ideas.’
December 16th, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Open Technology: Discover the promise. ‘Open technologies present a wealth of opportunities for educators. By supplying software and hardware that is interoperable and available with few or no licensing restrictions, open technology can enable development of collaborative learning environments within schools and higher education institutions around the world. IBM is committed to supporting open technologies by contributing source code, open standards specifications and intellectual property. Our business and technical consultants can assist educators with adopting open technologies, such as Linux® and Sakaiâ„¢. Our Web services are developed within a service-oriented architecture and our software products are based on open standards. We also work closely with our IBM Business Partners to apply open technology to the specific needs of schools and universities.’
Resources for Open Technology: Open Source Information Kit, Case Studies, Press Releases and News, IBM Resources for Developers and Open Technologies Organizations.
Open Technologies Glossary
Tags: Open Technology, IBM
December 16th, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
CoSN K-12 Open Technologies Leadership Initiative. ‘The CoSN K-12 Open Technologies Leadership Initiative is sponsored by Apple, IBM and the Wm. & Flora Hewlett Foundation to support the adoption and utilization of open technologies in K-12 education around the world. Open source software, open standards and open hardware are poised to make a profound impact on K-12 education. The convergence of web technologies and a new spirit of collaboration in the education community makes this an exciting time to get involved. The goal of this Web site is to help educators and technologists with the planning, evaluation, decision-making, and implementation processes associated with adopting Open Technologies in K-12.’
Definition: Open Technologies is an umbrella term that includes open source software, open standards, and open hardware.
Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). ‘The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is the country’s premier voice in education technology leadership with a mission to serve as the national organization for K-12 technology leaders who use technology strategically to ultimately improve teaching and learning. CoSN provides products and services to support and nurture leadership development, advocacy, coalition building, and awareness of emerging technologies.’
Tags: Open Technology,
December 15th, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Education 2.0: The next evolution of school software has arrived: Emergence of open technologies and open-source alternatives makes customizing school software a reality. ‘Aiming to customize their solutions to meet the individual needs of teachers and students, a growing number of school systems are ushering in a new breed of school software that relies on open technologies - whether it’s open-source software on their servers and desktops, or so-called Web 2.0 services available free of charge online. Economics and advancements in technology are fueling this latest trend in school software, proponents of the movement say - but it’s also about customization, and the desire to employ a variety of solutions as users see fit.’
Open technology options for schools. ‘There are hundreds of open applications that schools can use for everything from productivity tools to course management; here are some of the most popular options.’
Tags: Open Technology, Education 2.0
December 15th, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Learning Networks and Connective Knowledge by Stephen Downes, October, 2006. ‘The purpose of this paper is to outline some of the thinking behind new e-learning technology, including e-portfolios and personal learning environments. Part of this thinking is centered around the theory of connectivism, which asserts that knowledge - and therefore the learning of knowledge - is distributive, that is, not located in any given place (and therefore not ‘transferred’ or ‘transacted’ per se) but rather consists of the network of connections formed from experience and interactions with a knowing community. And another part of this thinking is centered around the new, and the newly empowered, learner, the member of the net generation, who is thinking and interacting in new ways. These trends combine to form what is sometimes called ‘e-learning 2.0′ - an approach to learning that is based on conversation and interaction, on sharing, creation and participation, on learning not as a separate activity, but rather, as embedded in meaningful activities such as games or workflows.’
December 15th, 2006 by Jorge Goncalves
Harvard@Home. ‘The mission of Harvard@Home is to provide the Harvard community and the broader public with opportunities for rich in-depth exploration of a wealth of topics through Web-based video programs of the highest calibre.
Harvard@Home enables you to experience some of the exciting teaching, cutting-edge research, and noteworthy events that define and distinguish the University today—right from your desktop. View the latest Harvard@Home release or explore more than fifty programs linked from our Program List , covering subjects ranging from the arts to social sciences, from history to current affairs, from literature to science and math. All of our video-streamed, multimedia presentations bring you inside the Harvard classroom to hear current, real-life lectures or provide you with a front-row seat at recent University panels, Alumni College forums, and other special events. Harvard@Home is free and open to the public.’
Harvard@Home: Program List
Tags: Harvard@Home, Harvard
