This is a chapter from a book written by the Ed Techie guy Martin Weller. What is interesting is how he detailed the new methods he used to write his most recent book. Many of the sources and practices that he engaged in for writing the second book did not even exist six years before when he finished writing his first book. These new aids include ready e-journal access, Delicious/social bookmarking, blogs, Youtube, Wikipedia, Slideshare, Scribd, Cloudwords and other sites, his own blog, social network especially twitter, Google alerts, etc. I am not sure how this relates to MOOCs and open landscape learning except he has so much more to manage, and gain from, in having a well developed dashboard of tools for seeking, sensing, and sharing.
Changing Course: Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States is the
tenth annual report on the state of online learning in U.S. higher education. The
survey is designed, administered and analyzed by the Babson Survey Research
Group. Data collection is conducted in partnership with the College Board.
This year's study, like those for the previous nine years, tracks the opinions of
chief academic officers and is aimed at answering fundamental questions about
the nature and extent of online education. Based on responses from more than
2,800 colleges and universities,
regimented education system with one that fosters skills like teamwork, communication and exploration.
Today, the average paper has four times as many authors as it did then and the work being done is far more interdisciplinary and done at greater distances than in the past.
but it's imperative to be able to ascribe meaning from data.
curriculums focus less on the mathematics of engineering (e.g. algebra and calculus) and more on the mathematics of patterns (e.g. set theory, graph theory, etc.).
"A mathematician, like a painter or a poet, is a maker of patterns. If his patterns are more permanent than theirs, it is because they are made with ideas."
we need to give them the ability to explore things for themselves, take in new information, make sense of it and communicate what they've learned to others. In a world where technology is steadily taking over tasks that were once thought of distinctly human, those are the skills that will be most crucial.
I like the icons on the side that describe what you will do. I am wondering if we can use these in the services area so it is clear what each of our E-vents or Learning Labs will entail. I also liked the prerequisite list which makes clear what skills you need to take the course.
Bob Marshall on what an effective group workshop looks like--September 30, 2014, quite demanding yet doable.
he above story illustrates a range of features of an effective workshop:
Certain shared proficiencies in e.g. Skilled Dialogue, Lean Coffee, etc..
Pre-reading (shared), including "standard" texts - here including Nancy Kline and Chris Argyris.
Clarity of purpose "just why are we here?".
Shared purpose "we're all here for the same things".
Folks tweeting and googling continuously during the workshop.
Amanuensis / cybrarian to facilitate shared learning in the workshops.
Democratic agenda-setting.
Mutual exploration of topics.
Active curiosity.
"Essentiality" - avoidance of rabbit-holes and extraneous discussion of details.
Focus on impacts (as compared to busyness, or outputs, or even outcomes).
Post-reading - following up new references.
Follow-up conversations, actions.
Feedback.
- Bob
Afterword
In writing this story, it seemed to me that a video of a workshop in action would be a great addition to the resources available to BaCo staff to help them appreciate the nature of an effective workshop. Maybe one day I'll have the opportunity to write and/or direct such a video.
Further Reading
What is Dialogue? ~ Susan Taylor (pdf)
Share this:
inShare10
Email
Print
More
interesting article in NYT on February 24, 2013 on how adults long out of high school in some cases cobbled together learning experiences--formal academic work, open courseware, and experiential--to receive college degrees from Thomas Edison in New Jersey without ever having arrived on campus or borrowed money to pay for their degrees
Martin Weller's blog entitled: You can stop worrying about MOOCs now. Interesting in it reports the trend now that commercial MOOC providers are trending toward blended courses, and in Coursera's case, offering "MOOC-based learning on campus" which turns out to essentially be a course!
An interesting website that offers eCoach services to help someone become an online facilitator of professional learning communities. Scroll down to see promise of stimulus funds for eCoach certification.
Encouraged by Watson Sr. and his executive team, employees often formed their own study groups. One, known as the Owl Club, allowed employees to study any subject they wanted at company expense. Such programs evolved into adult learning classes, and eventually into grants for employees to pursue college credits and degrees
Today, industry specialists around the world in IBM Global Business Services use an array of e-learning tools—including podcasts and Twitter—customer on-site classes, and IBM conferences and classrooms to educate customers on everything from the use of social media and cloud computing, to how to build a smarter rail system. And IBM employees worldwide take advantage of their networked community to draw upon each other’s skills day and night to solve customer problems and develop the capabilities clients value most.
Interesting and accurate summary IMO by Rob Paterson of how work, jobs, and taking charge of your own professional development are changing. Either they have been listening to us, or more likely, we have been reading them! :-) Offers an e-book for $2.99 titled You Don't Need a Job, You Need a Trust Network by Robert Paterson
From Nonprofit Tech for Good blog, 1/11/14 Interesting to see how this list meshes with the list from 2015 from the business and not for profit side.
Top of the list is mobilizing online communications and fundraising campaigns. Although not free and costly to small not for profits, social media and responsive designs for websites, blogs, and e-newsletters will become common. Flat design - making sure everything is optimal for mobile is crucial.
Donate buttons on social media sites. Google Wallet will be integrated into Google+ pages. Already on YouTube Channels that participate in YouTube's nonprofit program.
Live reporting on social media of org events, maturation of mobile fundraising apps, and increased employment opportunities in new media jobs in the nonprofit sector are the other 2014 trends.