re: NLII 2004 Annual Meeting
Jason points to: http://www.educause.edu/nlii/ In a minute's perusal, I know I am in an enemy camp. And every additional minute confirms my first impression. Everything is boosterism. Nothing, a critical analysis. As a for example, link form the home page: Key Documents>> NLII May Focus Session Meeting Notes """ The NLII held a focus session in Vancouver on May 31, 2002, co-sponsored by WebCT, Industry Canada, and University of British Columbia. """ http://www.webct.com/ """ WebCT is the world's leading provider of integrated e-learning systems for higher education. """ I am guessing that the focus session was enthusiastic about integrated e-learning systems for higher education. I'm a seer. And: http://www.educause.edu/nlii/keythemes/partnering.asp "Partnering In The Learning Marketspace" """ Partnering in the learning marketspace was a key NLII theme for 2000-2002 and continues to be an NLII focus because it provides new opportunities to reconfigure the way that instruction is funded, developed, marketed, delivered, and supported. We continue to examine alternatives and issues involved for inter-institutional partnering and for partnering with commercial service providers to develop and implement highly leveraged strategies for e-learning-the use of Internet technologies in teaching and learning in higher education. """ It is predictable then that NLII's head is a former University administrator, not an instructor or technologist. Not too different than talking about the economics of Big Ten football. There is lots of feeding at the trough going on. And as long as result is *economically* mutually beneficial to the University and the "service provider", the issue, for all intensive purposes, is at rest. So it is not at all surprising we get to: http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0340.pdf Next Generation Educational Technology versus the Lecture """ The idea briefly stated is that large lecture courses may someday be replaced by the kind of immersive digital environments that have been popularized by the videogame industry. """ Indeed they might. This is no more or less, to me, than the internet bubble mentality alive in academia. My counter-organization would be the Center for Appropriate Use of Technology in Education. CAUTE. If you catch my drift. Art
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My counter-organization would be the Center for Appropriate Use of Technology in Education. CAUTE.
Interesting in this vein is the work being done by Steve Talbott with NetFuture and other organizations: http://www.netfuture.org/ - From that page: "The Nature Institute, publisher of NetFuture. We are a non-profit research organization pursuing a qualitative science that is contextual and holistic in spirit, and ethically informed in immediate practice rather than in afterthought." And, more in-topic: "Alliance for Childhood, a movement to protect the very idea of childhood as a time of special vulnerability, deserving of protection by caring, responsible adults." - -- Nicola Larosa - nico@tekNico.net "Like music and mathematical equations, computer language is just that, language, and it communicates information either to a computer or to those who can read it. ... For the purposes of First Amendment analysis, this court finds that source code is speech." -- Judge Marilyn Hall Patel -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQE/5bEzXv0hgDImBm4RApbMAKDC9fSeGa8JU0Isyjjhn7fwQAUY4wCdGhe8 Z+GscPLxtqWfApgb0B3qDSA= =ua7j -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
Our [brave embedded reporter] Arthur wrote:
In a minute's perusal, I know I am in an enemy camp. ...snip... This is no more or less, to me, than the internet bubble mentality alive in academia.
My counter-organization would be the Center for Appropriate Use of Technology in Education. CAUTE.
Yes thanks for diving in there..and the quick front-line report Fascinating and scary. Shades of a large well-intentioned grant-attractor cult. Bits and pieces that I skimmed resonate at moments but then many appalled me. Hard to put my finger on why. Is it just mantric grant-speak of learning learning learning prose that threatens to go out of control? Too many words too few good examples? Lack of lucid design philosophy? Imbalance of Admin vs. hands-on-ness? "Learning Objects" in itself is good idea, one which I've been working towards myself without any knowledge of the phrase or NLII influence.. --------- <quote> As practice and understanding evolve, a number of different definitions have emerged for learning objects (see Resources below for a few examples). The NLII Learning Objects work group uses David Wiley's definition: Learning Object: Any digital resource that can be reused to support learning. Learning objects are digital resources, modular in nature, that are used to support learning. They include, but are not limited to, simulations, electronic calculators, animations, tutorials, text entries, Web sites, bibliographies, audio and video clips, quizzes, photographs, illustrations, diagrams, graphs, maps, charts, and assessments. They vary in size, scope, and level of granularity ranging from a small chunk of instruction to a series of resources combined to provide a more complex learning experience. Learning objects are an emerging NLII theme because their use has the potential "to provide learning customized for each specific learner at a specific time, taking into account, their learning styles, experience, knowledge and learning goals" (Schatz, 2000). In addition, learning objects may "offer great value in terms of saving time and money in course development, increasing the reusability of content, enhancing students' learning environment, sharing knowledge within and across disciplines, and engaging faculty in a dynamic community of practice" (Metros, 2001). </quote> --------- ..eek Learning Objects = OK But there is almost nothing here about students or their actual experience, process, perspective, input, happiness success, results etc. It seems to be more about management and budgets. I'd hate to be misreading all this without doing my homework properly. I am far outside of the formal school system so I'd welcome further analysis and comments CAUTE [Center for Appropriate Use of Technology in Education] is good idea happy solstice wishes to you all - Jason
participants (3)
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Arthur -
Jason Cunliffe -
Nicola Larosa