Mockingjays

A few years back, Will Richardson punched up a screen shot of Fan Fiction as an illustration of how passionate people are creating and sharing stories based on the works of published writers. He was saying that everyone (with a computer or mobile phone) has immediate, low cost and simple access to create content in [...]

Turn on the tv

Mr9 brought home his weekly photocopied sheet. This week, the low order questions are about counting the ads on commercial tv in the morning and in the afternoon, and suggesting why they are what they are. I assume he’s learning about media buying, discounts and regional placement strategy. I asked him why — he had [...]

Experience that which kids practice

Our identity evolves through a series of ‘performances’ shaped by the environment, the audience and the impression we want to make. Yet, in the disembodied world of digital space, the cues to identity that we have in the real world are absent. Human identity is a bit more complex than just one representation. Effective teachers [...]

Why a $1.50 idea can change the world

Think about your last conference. Think about the speakers you remember as ‘good’. They know your brian is only convinced if they work on knowledge, purpose and emotion at the same time. Its not random. Its a skill – and one which digital-teachers need to aquire. To the creative mind there are no boring problems, [...]

21st Century Enlightenment

This is a very clever, but factual review of the new Age of Enlightenment from The RSA. This isn’t computer related, but supports a general view, that feedback is very important to how we feel about the quality of our lives – and how feeling good about life is absolutely critical to personal satisfaction and [...]

Ignite NSW #2

I’m really pleased to post a link to Macquarie University’s Ignite NSW Technologies in Education Conference on 22nd September 2010. Like most Universities, we have a ‘learning and teaching week’. Last year the centre I work in did something different, by putting together a day which was all about connecting and sharing ideas, of what [...]

Ignite Sydney – edtech confernece 2010

To borrow a phrase from and idea from Chris Lehmann. Sydney, despite its size often seems to struggle to gather educational technology innovators in a bus shelter, let alone a cross sector event – that costs nothing. I am pleased to announce that Macquarie University will host a free, cross sector event on 22nd September [...]

Open futures, closed practice?

An interesting post on crumbling ivory towers by Steve Wheeler, where he discusses ideas recently explored in Educause – under open faculties and open futures. Interestingly, this points to continued divergence, and separation of knowledge. “The bottom line is this: If students find that an important text is protected, or even closed off, due to [...]

Learning about the metaverse: free PD for teachers

Imagine your in a week long professional development programme. Lets see if I can sell you a seat in mine. “Building a PLN with Web2.0″ The session runs Sunday to Sunday, and were expecting you’ll be working from 6am to 11pm, but you can choose what hours you keep entirely. In that time you need [...]

Kid’s skill and knowledge transfer in MMOs

Today, I gave in. Mr9 took command of Starcraft 2. He had no idea what it was, but has been playing World of Warcraft for a couple of years now – running Level 80 characters; and being as familiar with Azeroth as he is with the local park, his school or favourite surf-beach breaks. I [...]