DIY U

Elluminate sponsored a discussion with Anya Kamenetz, author of DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education. Look for the recordings for April 28, 2010 at http://www.learncentral.org/browse/recordings. The playback for the discussion was there when I looked this morning (April 29). She's coming at the problem with higher education from the point of view of expense. Students who manage to graduate often find themselves burdened with debt - and what have they got to show for it? In what ways are higher education working for individuals - for society - or not? Anya suggests that "the future lies in personal learning networks and paths" (from the book's blurb.) This goes along with Seth Godin's ideas. See his post The coming melt-down in higher education (as seen by a marketer) . Cost/benefits - Are there paths to higher education that cost less - and perhaps provide better experiences than schools offer today? Exciting to consider!

Droid vs the iPhone

I bought an iPod Touch a few weeks ago - my first foray into smart phones. (I have a cell phone that's fairly smart, but no data plan to go with it. The iPod Touch seemed like a way to get into the game without assuming another bill) So... late to the party, but oh well. I'm keeping a diary of my experiences - and collecting info about Apple devices vs. others. For example I'm tracking reviews of the iPad which seems like a cool device, but which seems too expensive for what it can do. I'm into delightful experiences, but once again - not enough cash around to indulge in much of anything. I'm curious about the Droid. I'm already with Verizon as are my other immediate family members. See http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/smartphones/?p=126

Graphic about online learning

Via: Online Colleges

The Lively Sketchbook: Mobile Devices

The NMC hosted a presentation by Ruben Puentedura. He set up the concept of mobile device as the sketchbook - and the importance of the sketchbook. (http://www.nmc.org/connect/2010/april/16). He talked about the importance of having a device that can always be with you, related to the physical world and the social world, and provides enough tools to sketch - whether that is art, music, statistical data, concept mapping, written pieces... While tablet pc's come close, mobile devices such as the iPhone, Droid, etc come closer to extensions of our selves and our ideas. Puentedura would like us to *create* with these devices. The tools might seem limited, but are often good enough - and accessible enough to do the kind of notetaking, sketching, etc that can be an end in themselves or the planning materials we need in order to produce more finished work. Using these devices for media consumption is not enough. This presentation really struck me as... just right! I'm already noticing that the iPod Touch can just be there and that I can use it in a non-obtrusive fashion - just use it. Puentedura has a list of tools he's been using at http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/000043.html - but the list is less important than the concept of using mobile devices as a sketchbook.

Do Study Sites Make the Grade? WSJ article

WSJ posted an article on study sites - Course Hero, Cramster, eNotes, Koofers, SparkNotes - sites that provide a way for students to share class notes including tests, consult with each other about homework, etc. These sites are aimed at college students. The big question as usual: Is this sharing/collaborating? Or cheating? What can faculty do other than create new kinds of assignments and exercises? http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123923520520403259.html (Thanks to Allison Kipta. Talk about cheating! All I have to do is get up in the morning and check Google Buzz to see what good stuff she's turned up. ;) http://friendfeed.com/akipta

The Book of Learning and Forgetting

"I have an elderly friend who lives along in English, filling his days watching news and sports on television and reading more news and sports coverage, with a lot of celebrity gossip, in his newspapers... He ... regales me with moe gossip about the British roya. famly and anyone should reasonably be subjected to.... At times I fnatasize that I will resort to the offical theory of learning to stem this flood of unwanted information about the private lives of the royal family. (p. 30) I imagine telling my friend he should work harder to learn. I'll ask him to pay greater attention to news about the royal family in future and to take extensive notes. To help his learning I'll send him frequent tests. I'll also keep a record of his scores and let him know if he is keeping up or falling behind. I'll share these scores with his friends so they can encourage him. I'll tell him he shouldn't have any great diffciulty with the tests because 80 percent of people his age score very high on them. To motivate him, I might even suggest that the amount of his pension could depend on how well he does." (p. 31) (Smith, Frank. The Book of Learning and Forgetting. Teachers College Press, 1998)
Hey I think I might have taken that class! (This book was recommended by one of the participants in the Elluminate session with Sir Ken Robinson the other evening. Recording available here http://www.learncentral.org/event/60493/Sir+Ken+Robinson