July 26th, 2010 Published by: philosophyandrew

Edublogger Review
much faster than I ever could, leaving me free to do other
A "mash-up" of postings from nine engaging educational things. Although I like knowing that, in a pinch, I could do
and e-learning bloggers. a whole bunch of arithmetic myself, I typically don’t. And in
most jobs, most people don’t. I agree that it would be better to
have the ability than not to have it, but if the cost of holding
Calculators the line against calculators is turning half a generation away
Source: http://suburbdad.blogspot.com/2010/07/calculators.html from college, is it worth it?
By Dean Dad on July 26th, 2010

My scholarly background is in a social science discipline, not At this point, the local high schools seem largely to have moved
math. I have no particular pet theory on the right and proper into the calculator camp. Wise and worldly readers, should we
way to teach math. Frankly, if someone convinced me that follow?
counting sheep were the most effective way to do it, I’d gladly
requisition a flock or two and tell the soccer team to practice (Program note: next week the gang will be tromping through
someplace else. woods in another state. I’ll resume posting on Monday, August
2.)
That said, it’s pretty clear at my college -- and at many,
many others -- that lower-level math classes (especially
developmental) are the most difficult academic obstacles
many of our students face. The drop/fail rate in developmental Life Microscope
Source: http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/2010/07/24/life-microscope/
math is embarrassingly and stubbornly high, and the national
By gsiemens on July 26th, 2010
literature suggests that students who drop out because they
feel overmatched in math are among the least likely ever Last year, I suggested we need a Technologically Externalized
to return. (The same does not hold true of developmental Knowledge and Learning device – i.e. a “learnometer” that
English, interestingly enough.) tracks our interactions with content, information, technology,
and people. Everything is recorded. Everything is analyzed.
In a discussion this week with someone who spends most of Everything is geared to extended and personalizing learning.
her time working with students who are struggling mightily in Today, I encountered a device that mimics a bit of this:
developmental math, I heard an argument I hadn’t given much Hitachi’s Life Microscope . It’s focused on fitness activities, but
thought previously: students who have passed algebra and it indicates the direction of devices monitoring what we do…
even pre-calc in high school frequently crash and burn when the next extension is to integrate it with our learning habits/
they hit our developmental math, because the high schools let eportfolios.
them use calculators and we don’t.

Among math people, the calculator/no calculator divide seems Just the facts
pretty strong. I’ll admit an uninformed sympathy with the Source: http://www.jarche.com/2010/07/just-the-facts/
‘no calculator’ camp, just because I’ve had several experiences By Harold Jarche on July 26th, 2010
in which the ability to guesstimate the ballpark of a correct Here are some of the things I learned via Twitter this past
answer helped me recognize a ludicrous answer when I saw week:
one. Calculators offer precision, but they’re just and only as
precise as the numbers you put in. If you hit a number twice, Quotes of the Week:
or leave out a digit, or place the decimal point wrong, you’ll get @ralphmercer – “committees are places to lure great ideas to
a precisely wrong answer. If you can do the basic math in your be killed while absolving everyone of the blame”
head, you’ll have a better shot at recognizing when something
is wildly off. via @planetrussell- “Globalization creates interlocking
fragility, while giving the appearance of stability.” —Nassim
That said, part of me wonders if we’re sacrificing too much on Nicholas Taleb, PhD.
the altar of pencil and paper. It’s great to be able to do addition “when hiring, we don’t care about formal education” says
in your head and long division on paper -- yes, I know, I’m old @JasonFried of 37Signals – the new workplace, the new
-- but is it worth flunking out huge cohorts of students because normal
their high schools let them use calculators and we don’t?
—
At my job, I use statistics all the time. Most of the statistics via @sebpaquet – Cognitive research shows that facts don’t
I use are computer generated. Excel and its progeny (I’m necessarily have the power to change our minds:
an OpenOffice fan, myself) can crunch huge sets of numbers

1
July 26th, 2010 Published by: philosophyandrew
Facts don’t necessarily have the power to change http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/education/
our minds. In fact, quite the opposite. In a series edlife/25roommate-t.html?_r=1
of studies in 2005 and 2006, researchers at the
University of Michigan found that when misinformed
people, particularly political partisans, were exposed Moncton 2010 IAAF World Jr
to corrected facts in news stories, they rarely changed
their minds. In fact, they often became even more
Championships
Source: http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=52953
strongly set in their beliefs. Facts, they found, were
July 26th, 2010
not curing misinformation. Like an underpowered
antibiotic, facts could actually make misinformation
even stronger.
via @robpatrob – Jesse’s Café Américain – Nothing was
sacred: The theft of the American dream:
“Eliminating government” is a trap put forward by
the plutocrats for those unable to reason except by
prejudice, as they desire to exercise their power
unimpeded by the rule of law. Once you knock down
the protections and the safeguards in the name of
reform, the wolves will turn on the public in an orgy
of looting and exploitation. This is an old story, and
sadly it often works.
The approaching end of the corporation as a closed box by
@euan
Hundreds More of My IAAF Track & Field Photos from
So many of my conversations with clients end up Moncton 2010
being about either maintaining the corporation’s
managerial integrity in the face of marauding hordes We are hosting the world this week in Moncton as the IAAF
of Facebook enabled staff, or protecting their brand World Jr. Track and Field Championships are in town. I am
integrity in the face of viral damage spinning out of sunburned, windblown, and after yesterday, rain-soaked, but
control online when a customer decides to get their I have been faithfully chronicling the event and have hundreds
own back for a bad experience. Neither the fantasy of of photos to display. What is especially significant to me is
brand nor managerial integrity are sustainable. that I think these are the only freely licensed photos of the
“Social” thinking vs Doing – by @jderagon event (there's no shortage of professional photos recording
proprietary content, of course). The other thing is that these
Gaining new knowledge or creating new knowledge
are the people we write about every day in our blogs - these are
and knowing what to do with it is more productive
basically young people from around the world - and as Andrea
than doing what others do. To gain or create new
was saying to a neighbour yesterday, these are the sort of role
knowledge requires thinking which is a lot deeper
models we want to share. Not because they're athletes, but
than doing.
because they know and exemplify as well as anyone that you
really have to work hard to achieve something of value, and
Internet May Cause Poor they do work really hard, and the evidence is plain for all of
us to see.
Communications Between
Roommates
Source: http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/2010/07/internet-may-
cause-of-poor-communications-between-roommates.html
By StevenB on July 26th, 2010

Housing officials say that lately they are noticing something

different: students seem to lack the will, and skill, to address
these ordinary conflicts. “We have students who are mad
at each other and they text each other in the same room,”
says Tom Kane, director of housing at Appalachian State
University. The problem is most dramatic among freshmen;
housing professionals say they see improvement as students
move toward graduation. Administrators speculate that
reliance on cellphones and the Internet may have made it
easier for young people to avoid uncomfortable encounters.
Read more at: And Moncton has been magnificent, the city of Moncton,
the people, all week. They've filled the brand new 10,000
2
July 26th, 2010 Published by: philosophyandrew
seat stadium, they've been incredibly professional volunteers, The question is too vague to be useful. Technology is changing
they've been open and welcoming to people from all over our social habits. It is changing how we find and interact with
the world, they've staged a Mosaiq international festival information. In this regard, it is also changing our capacity to
downtown, they've shown good humour on streets packed “be intelligent in networks”. If that’s what the author means by
with thousands of extra vehicles, and they've been genuinely “changing the way we think”, then, yes, absolutely it is. If the
enthusiastic. author is referring to biological changes in the brain, it could
(and has been) argued that our experiences in life change our
brain structure. However, changes to the deep structures of
thought – for example logic – are speculative at best. It seems
to me that technology is messing around with the periphery
of the human brain in how we interact with the world and
phenomena in general…but changes to deep structures of the
brain are far less conclusive.

New Report Offers Ten

Recommendations To Increase
College Grads
Source: http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/2010/07/new-report-offers-
ten-recommendations-to-increase-college-grads.html
By StevenB on July 26th, 2010
Stephen Downes , Flickr , July 23, 2010 4:27 p.m.. [ Link ]
[Tags: Branding , Flickr , Web Logs ] [ Previous ][ Next ] Education leaders and federal and state policymakers will
gather today in Washington to discuss how the USA can
Comments reclaim its position as a world leader in educational attainment
— a goal President Obama also set shortly after his
Comment inauguration. The report, developed over two years by a
You are not logged in. [Login] commission studying access, admissions and success in higher
education, outlines 10 recommendations aimed at boosting
Title
the percentage of young adults with at least an associate degree
Your comment: from 40.4% today to 55% by 2025. Read more at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-07-22-
Enter email to receive collegegraduates-education_N.htm
replies:

Your comments always remain your property, but in posting Controlling your digital
them here you agree to license under the same terms as this
site ( Creative Commons ). If your comment is offensive it will
identity is as easy as 1-2-3
Source: http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=52952
be deleted.
July 26th, 2010

Automated Spam-checking is in effect. If you are a registered Who is managing your online identity: Google or you? It's a
user you may submit links and other HTML. Anonymous users good question, and I like this approach helping people create
cannot post links and will have their content screened - certain and protect their online identity. "Dean Shareski recently
words are prohibited and your comment will be analyzed to presented at #BLC10 on ideas for managing and manipulating
make sure it makes sense. what Google says about us. To do this, first it makes sense
to 1) Get in touch with what your digital footprint says about
you, 2) Determine if that is what you would like your digital
Are iPads/Mobiles changing footprint to say and if not, determine what you do want. 3)
Start establishing your digital footprint." Be sure to look at the
the way we think? slide show. L. Nielsen , The Innovative Educator , July 23,
Source: http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/2010/07/24/are-ipadsmobiles- 2010 4:06 p.m.. [ Link ] [Tags: Google ] [ Previous ][ Next ]
changing-the-way-we-think/
By gsiemens on July 26th, 2010
Comments
This is just a variation of the question that was discussed at Comment
length (without much conclusion) about the web and social You are not logged in. [Login]
media – Are iPads/Mobiles changing the way we think?:
“Today’s technology may be determining not just how we Title
spend our time: It actually may be “rewiring” the way we think,
how we experience the world around us.” Your comment:

3
July 26th, 2010 Published by: philosophyandrew

Enter email to receive the values of sharing and community, and these values will
replies: eventually permeate the last bastions of previous generations,
our institutions and businesses. Luis Suarez writes, "in order
for social networking (and social media for that matter) to sink
Your comments always remain your property, but in posting
in within our corporate world, and be part of every business'
them here you agree to license under the same terms as this
DNA and provoke such sustainable growth where knowledge
site ( Creative Commons ). If your comment is offensive it will
sharing, collaboration and, specially, innovation will be key,
be deleted.
we need to forget about social strategy, and think more around
social philosophy... Are you ready? Will you join the Hippie 2.0
Automated Spam-checking is in effect. If you are a registered
movement? Not to worry, take your time. Whenever you are
user you may submit links and other HTML. Anonymous users
ready, we will be waiting for you … With open arms, wanting to
cannot post links and will have their content screened - certain
continue making a difference. For everyone. Not just for your
words are prohibited and your comment will be analyzed to
business." Luis Suarez , E L S U A , July 23, 2010 3:56 p.m..
make sure it makes sense.
[ Link ] [Tags: Networks ] [ Previous ][ Next ]
Comments
Xyleme voices
Source: http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/2010/07/24/xyleme-voices/ Comment
By gsiemens on July 26th, 2010 You are not logged in. [Login]
A month ago or so, I was contacted by Xyleme voices to do a Title
podcast on social learning networks: from theory to practice.
The podcast is now available (runs 19 min). Your comment:
In a related post, Dawn Polous asks is there a better to social Enter email to receive
learning? replies:

IHEs Helping To Restore Your comments always remain your property, but in posting
them here you agree to license under the same terms as this
Manufacturing Industry In site ( Creative Commons ). If your comment is offensive it will
be deleted.
Michigan
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restore-manufacturing-industry-in-michigan.html user you may submit links and other HTML. Anonymous users
By StevenB on July 26th, 2010 cannot post links and will have their content screened - certain
Though manufacturing in Michigan is often thought of in words are prohibited and your comment will be analyzed to
the context of the auto industry, the report shows that make sure it makes sense.
one-third of the research-related manufacturing jobs in the
Midwest are in Michigan. Research manufacturing works
to improve existing technologies and create new ones in Emerging Technologies in
numerous industries through pharmaceuticals, chemicals,
sensors, circuits and robotics. This work is supported by
Distance Education
Source: http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/2010/07/23/emerging-
University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne
technologies-in-distance-education/
State University, which collaborate to accelerate economic
By gsiemens on July 26th, 2010
development through the University Research Corridor, which
commissioned the report. The report was released during a Huge congrats to George Veletsianos on the release of his text
media tour of university facilities that support the advanced Emerging Technologies in Distance Education with AU Press.
manufacturing sector. Read more at: The text includes contributions from many of the leaders
http://detnews.com/article/20100721/ in the use of technologies in various educational settings.
SCHOOLS/7210398/1026/#ixzz0uQ3kJbjR The text consists of four sections: foundations of emerging
technologies in DE, learning designs for emerging tech, social,
organizational, contextual factors in implementation, and
Forget Social Strategy, Think interaction/communication with emerging tech.

Social Philosophy: Hippie 2.0 (on a related note, you may find the handbook of emerging
technologies for learning (.pdf) that I did with Peter
Source: http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=52951
July 26th, 2010
Tittenberger to be of interest as well)

The hippies of the 60s didn't really follow through with

their philosophy. Today they're retiring and cashing in their
bonuses, leaving the rest of us to pay the bill. But the
philosophy of sharing and community was a good one. Later,
less self-centered and less selfish generations have lived by
4
July 26th, 2010 Published by: philosophyandrew
site ( Creative Commons ). If your comment is offensive it will
U Of Colorado Deals With be deleted.
Pesky Pest Problem
Source: http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/2010/07/u-of-colorada- Automated Spam-checking is in effect. If you are a registered
deals-with-pesky-pest-problem.html user you may submit links and other HTML. Anonymous users
By StevenB on July 26th, 2010 cannot post links and will have their content screened - certain
words are prohibited and your comment will be analyzed to
The University of Colorado has handled an onset of bed make sure it makes sense.
bug infestations in its campus housing units over the past
year, with most of the critters concentrated in family housing
apartments. CU officials this year have treated 37 family Open Education and
housing and Bear Creek apartment units for bed bugs and
another five of its 2,900 dorm rooms. There was also Sustainability
an episode in the Engineering Building. The university Source: http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=52949
-- to address the infestations -- has purchased "Thermal July 26th, 2010
Remediation" equipment, spending about $45,000 on the This is the approach to sustainable open educational resources
technology. The equipment heats up rooms to at least 120 I agree with: "I suggested that the ideas of ‘student as
degrees, drawing out the hard-to-see, mostly nocturnal, bugs producer', ‘pedagogy of excess' and ‘teaching in public' are
and incinerates them. Read more at: attempts to not only change education at the university so that
http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15561928? it is sustainable (among having other positive attributes), but
source=most_viewed#ixzz0uQKiJL9l can also be usefully adopted by advocates of open education
and help develop a wider framework of sustainability for
the ‘revolutionary' changes in education which proponents of
Five Reasons Social Media Open Education keep referring to." , , July 23, 2010 3:19 p.m..
[ ] [Tags: , ] [ ][ ]
gets Gamed Comments
Source: http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=52950
July 26th, 2010 josswinn, July 24, 2010 2:35 a.m.
I've been reading more about spam and phishing in Thanks for the mention, Stephen. While preparing for the
abbreviated links (and hence, Twitter) and I think that social presentation, I read your 2007 paper on sustainability and
media in general is becoming more and more spam-filled clearly the few concluding paragraphs speak directly to the
every day. "I think we're all aware that there are an especially idea of 'student as producer'. If you've developed these
large number of hucksters out there," wites Ian Delaney. But ideas around collapsing production and consumption and the
why? It's easy to fake, you can easily fake click counts, reads student/teacher roles further in other papers, I'd be grateful
and comments, you can scare the uninformed with them, and if you could point me to them (your 'publications' link to the
people keep falling for 'easy'. I like that last point the most. left is returning a 404 for me right now). Cheers. [Comment]
"You wouldn't stand for a ‘top five reasons why' post in your [Permalink] [Previous][Next]
favourite newspaper, so why are these silly lists continually at Stephen Downes, July 24, 2010 9:08 a.m.
the top of social media tracking charts? I think it's because
we all want easy rather than hard, even though hard might be Sorry about that, the link has been fixed. It is http://
better for us." Actually, you would stand for those silly lists www.downes.ca/me/papers.htm [Comment] [Permalink]
in newspapers; we see them all the time, and even sillier 'easy' [Previous][Next]
items like poll results and celebrity tracking. We've always had
spam and phishing in traditional media, it's just that we called Comment
it advertising and telemarketing. Ian Delaney , twopointouch You are not logged in. [Login]
, July 23, 2010 3:48 p.m.. [ Link ] [Tags: Twitter , Marketing
, Spam ] [ Previous ][ Next ] Title

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July 26th, 2010 Published by: philosophyandrew
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make sure it makes sense.

India Reveals Linux-Based $35

Tablet, We Reveal Why It's
Likely Fake
Source: http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=52948
July 26th, 2010

India's minister for HR Development has announced "our

answer to MIT's $100 computer", a $35 tablet . This article
from Fast Company, an American publication, is mostly about
why the claim must be false, based on costs cited for the
iPad. While there's no doubt Apple can afford the cheapest
labour possible, India nonetheless can claim numerous cost
advantages, which in turn casts doubt on Fast Company's
scepticism. Addy Dugdale , Fast Company , July 23, 2010
12:01 p.m.. [ Link ] [Tags: United States , Apple Inc. ] [
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