Category: Higher Ed

Excellent article by George Couros.  I often use the phrase “Pedagogy Before Technology” and am mindful of the ways technology can get in between the learner and what is being taught.  This example is terrific though.  Sometimes technology appears that gives us new ideas about pedagogical methodologies.  Virtual reality is certainly one of those – which he refers to when he talks about Pokemon Go.  Thoughtful article worth reading, link below.

Source: Pedagogy Before Technology | Connected Principals

From one of my favorite sites, a list of apps and videos for your Google Cardboard – fun!  It was crowdsourced at ISTE – the International Society for Technology in Education.  No better place.  Grab your cardboard!  I am always looking for new things to do with mine.

Source: Free Technology for Teachers: A Crowd-sourced List of Google Cardboard Apps & Videos

<<Learning Theories: Double-Loop Learning by Steve Wheeler, Associate Professor, Plymouth Institute of Education This is the second in my series of short blog posts on important theories of learning.>>

Source: Learning Theories: Double-Loop Learning

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This article caught my eye in my Feedly reader today.  While the author aptly describes bad e-learning, there is also bad classroom learning – and vice-versa.  Is one better than the other?  I live technology, e-learning, and online learning but I will still say that you can’t compare the two.  The only comparison?  They are both learning.  Better?  Worse?  Because of modality?  Delivery method, in my opinion, does not make learning better or worse.  This is complex and contextual concept…..but the article did catch my eye and I do agree that powerpoint slides posted on a site are not a good thing in most cases.  A good article to read regardless.  But add context, content, learner, facilitator/instructor/motivation….the list goes on.

<<learning extends beyond borders with more advantages than traditional learning, argues Ralph LaFontaine.>>

Source: Why e-learning is better than face-to-face learning

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I am so happy to see Tony Bates’ article because, even years after MOOCs appeared on the scene, articles still confuse MOOCs with for-credit online courses.  They are not the same.  We access both with a computer or device, that is true.  They are both focused on learning.  Everything else?  Tony says it well….

Online learning for beginners: 3. ‘Aren’t MOOCs online learning?’ | Tony Bates

<<It’s no secret that kids learn better when teachers provide learning activities that keep them engaged. Teachers work tirelessly to plan engaging lessons that capture and keep the interests of their students, thereby making content more accessible. >>

While this is definitely true in K12 learning, which is the focus of the article, it is just as relevant for higher ed and workplace learning.   Outcomes come first – they are the S.O.W. (statement of work) – the framework of the learning experience.  Everything else needs to be built based on those objectives.  Good article from Edsurge.

Source: Why Instructional Design Must Focus on Learning Outcomes, Not Learning Activities | EdSurge News

By now almost everyone has heard of it, but if you teach online or use any kind of blended format, FlipGrid is a must have.  Asychronous (not real time) video, so that means learners can answer a question when they have time.  They can even watch it again to be sure they said what they wanted to say, and change it if they’d like.  If you use an LMS, you can embed the grid into your course site.  I highly recommend FlipGrid!

Boost collaboration, feedback and assessment in classrooms, corporations, and conferences around the world.

Source: Flipgrid.

“A cursory review of what’s considered to be active learning, makes one feature clear: it engages students individually and collectively to different degrees.”

Active learning definitely engages learners.  I agree with the article, more exploration is needed.  It can be active but how do we make it stick?  There’s no question that an experience (“active”) is more likely to be remembered, but they need to use new learning in context – in their own context – for it to work with adults.  Adults need to tether new knowledge to what they already know (Knowles) so perhaps active learning means something different for non-traditional learners.

Good article from Faculty Focus worth reading as always!

Source: Active Learning: In Need of Deeper Exploration | Faculty Focus

“It’s tough to innovate and be safe at the same time.”

Yes, it is.  In a larger organization, unless you are Google, Facebook, or similar failure is not often rewarded.  Well, we can’t expect it to be rewarded, but we can take failure as a lesson learned and use that for our next attempt.  Innovation can’t happen without trial and error.  This is a great article from Harvard Business Review.

Source: Why Organizations Forget What They Learn from Failures

This article from EdSurge is about Slack for Learning.

While I personally like Slack very much, there is a pushback movement about its always on nature.  Yes, you could argue we are always on anyway.  But there is something about Slack that is even more “on” than we are accustomed to.  Waiting to respond to a text is ok with society.  Not responding to a Slack @ – not sure that is as accepted.  I do love Slack for its small community nature and overall functionality, and yes I find myself using it as an alternative to Twitter with some of the people in my Personal or Localized learning networks.    But we will see if this continues.  It depends how comfortable people are with the app.  As simple as it is, it still doesn’t have the simplicity of Google Groups – which I’ve seen used instead of Slack more and more often lately.

Source: Could Slack Be the Next Online Learning Platform? | EdSurge News