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The pan-European data regulator group Article 29 has issued new opinion on how websites and advertisers can track users and the permissions they require. The new opinion dictates that "device fingerprinting" - a process of silently collecting information about a user - requires the same level of consent as cookies that are used to track users across the internet.

It is impossible to ban all tracking, just like if I am using Chrome, it is normal for me to think that I am tracked by Google. If I am using Safari, then it is normal for me to think I am tracked by Safari. I believe that there is not anything wrong with people collecting my "non-identifying material", since it is only data. But if it is more like personal information, it should be banned. Also, there are a lot of sites when we ban cookies, the photos or some content will not appear. So no cookies means no content. In the end would not there be no effect on how people uses the websites? If we do not accept it, we could not use the site, the only difference is we are informed about it, and we should assume every site or software once it is connected to the internet, it implies some kind of tracking.

By: Matthew LeBar Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are often described as the future of education - or at least a significant part of it. But there may be a significant problem with them: a very small proportion of students who start them actually finish. This poses a serious threat to their legitimacy.

This brings up the question of what it means to complete something? And why is it so important to us? And why 'productivity', a thing somebody defined ages ago, is so important to our humanity? .. or is it anymore?

Because I am taking a MOOC course but also on campus at University, I receive credits and grades where this is definitely one of the motivations for me to contribute. Although I agree that completion of the course is not essential to attain knowledge, what about our motivations to learn? And what about our incentives? Not saying MOOCs are not interesting nor helpful, I like MOOCs, but I think people like recognition too. I think to just receive the "statement of accomplishment" is not enough to prove efforts made within the course. However MOOCs are not as well developed at this stage, there definitely will be adjustments in the near future.

A lot of kids use smartphones or tablet everyday, and they even do not need their parents to tell them how to use these devices, it is like kids have the innate ability to use the technological devices. There are debates on whether touchscreen technology is good or bad for kids. For my personal opinion, touchscreen technology would make them lack communication skill and social skill. However, by providing sound effects, colours and moving objects on the screen, it could get kids' attention and interest to learn something they feel really boring such as math, by this way they could learn faster and understand better. Therefore, touchscreen technology is not totally bad or good for kids, it depends on how parents help kids to balance how much time they could spend on touchscreen technology. It seems the only way for kids, because they are too young to have self control.

In everyday life we are learning continually from each other. Whatever the situation, most of us draw on the knowledge, skills and experience of our friends and colleagues. Within any educational setting learners naturally engage in informal peer learning to make sense of their course, test their ideas and share their concerns.

Peer learning is engaging, and researches say that people learns most effectively when they are interacting with each other. It creates this network of knowledge when you share and connect with people, it not only benefits the individual, but benefits everyone as a whole. It also relieves the pressure of University funding with teachers having to teach such a large class, which affects the quality of learning as well. With peer learning, students engage with one another, and will eventually find the correct answer. It is not independent learning, this is interdependent learning.

Thank you for your share. I think this is a great article that introduces the potential of peer learning in higher education from the teacher's perspective. I agree that connected learning does a great job in promoting student's interactivity, creativity, motivation and interest in learning a particular topic with peers. In addition, peer learning provides learners with opportunities to collaborate and learn a subject together, which might maximize the productivity if used in a correct way. Peers and collaborative learners can do their own research separately, and meet together to discuss and express different opinions on the issue, which can inspire student's deep thinking. However, peer learning and collaborative learning is not always superior to individual work, or contributing to the learning result of every individual. Sometimes it might decrease the learning productivity if the group members or peer partners over reply on others in the group without doing much themselves, or if they didn't communicate well. Thus it's important to practice students learning ability and teacher's facilitating ability in peer learning or collaborative learning.

In sharing knowledge and learning, research data must be included. I agree that there must be incentives to motivate researchers share the data and its result. we are not what we are now if we have not learned what, who, why and how we were.

thank you very much for sharing this document that effectively connect the dots on an economic ground and made me know the LARM audio research project that might be helpful for this one field of research of mine

This TEDtalk might not answer directly to open knowledge topics so far, however it speaks to some of the issues raised in this week's lectures: pop-culture and technology can and should be used to engage people into educational & social activities (especially evident in Dr Jenkins' talk). Here, Ali Carr-Chellman talks about issues boys face in school - basically, they just don't belong there, as teaching is usually brought about from a woman's point of view (most teachers are female) and boys are told to be girls. Eventually, they feel they just won't succeed and take up other things - e.g. video games. The speaker advocates that video games could and should be used as a valuable tool to reach boys. Providing more resources, games could become THE ultimate way to deliver important messages and to teach effectively. (This also speaks to the point in Clarke's lecture, that games can be made into powerful scientific and educational plarforms.)

This has certainly been the case with my 15 year-old, who through Minecraft has created extensive networks for exchanging ideas and interests that have turned into research projects for his debate class.

A look at the challenges refugees face when trying to access educational opportunities, even if they are cost-free.