Downes's comments in OLDaily, Feb 7:
The medium is the message?
Jaap Bosman, Hit the balloon, comment, February 6, 2014
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"Language needs a medium," said Jaap Bosman. By contrast, to me, language is a medium. "Learning depends on language, the medium (books, blogs) of the language restricts or benefits the learning," he writes. To me, language is only one of the many media we could use to support learning. Becominbg literate in the 21st century means recognizing that literacy applies far beyond language; it's a way of understanding the world.
Mooc research, antrhopology study on a mooc as a tribe: new roles in the tribe; communication patterns; language used, neologisms; subgroups in the tribe; central and peripheral places; roles, rules and what ever. Might be the first anthro research on moocs and online communities ever. Participatory research, living among the natives is a accepted qualitative research method.