The midden » Open Source http://sumdy.edublogs.org education, technology, change Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:02:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 en hourly 1 Martin Bean’s ALT-C talk http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2009/09/28/martin-beans-alt-c-talk/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2009/09/28/martin-beans-alt-c-talk/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:10:00 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/?p=172 One of the highlights of ALT-C this year.

]]> http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2009/09/28/martin-beans-alt-c-talk/feed/ 0 Half an Hour: The Future of Online Learning: Ten Years On http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/11/21/half-an-hour-the-future-of-online-learning-ten-years-on/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/11/21/half-an-hour-the-future-of-online-learning-ten-years-on/#comments Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:56:01 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/11/21/half-an-hour-the-future-of-online-learning-ten-years-on/

  • This posting by Stephen Downes provides a useful summary of where we are at now and how we got here. He re-visits a previous article written in 1998, noting that many of his earlier predictions have been remarkably accurate. The main areas he discusses include:

  • new technologies in education – the teaching process remains relatively unchanged despite more than 10 years of the Internet
  • online conferencing – becoming increasing important as a way of understanding communication in an online environment
  • personalised learning – the importance of informal learning in the online environment is being increasingly acknowledged, where students are not restricted by the constraints of the traditional classroom model
  • time and place independence – as small, lightweight wireless devices become the norm, online learning and mobile learning become the same
  • learning communities – the internet has developed into an enabler of communities within which individuals can learn

    Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

    ]]>     http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/11/21/half-an-hour-the-future-of-online-learning-ten-years-on/feed/ 0     AccessApps – a collection of open source and freeware assistive technology applications http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/10/09/accessapps-a-collection-of-open-source-and-freeware-assistive-technology-applications/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/10/09/accessapps-a-collection-of-open-source-and-freeware-assistive-technology-applications/#comments Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:44:44 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/?p=127 AccessApps

    AccessApps is a collection of over 50 open source and freeware assistive technology applications for Windows PCs, that can be used directly from a USB memory stick without the need to install anything onto your computer.
    The applications have been collated by the two Scottish JISC Regional Support Centres (Scotland North & East and Scotland South & West) in partnership with JISC TechDis.

    They consist of 12 categories of applications with options to download all (the Works), a pre-defined selection (Lite) or your own chosen selection (Pick n Mix). The applications include the Open Office tools, a range of multimedia tools (Audacity, GIMP, Artweaver) as well as some presentation tools and utilities. There are also an impressive collection of assistive applications, such text to speech readers, accessible browsers and keyboard alternatives.
    The AccessApps team have also put together a number of excellent tutorials and video screencasts to help get started with some of the main applications.

    All-in-all, a useful selection of applications for all learners, including those with additional support needs.

    ]]>     http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/10/09/accessapps-a-collection-of-open-source-and-freeware-assistive-technology-applications/feed/ 0     Top 100 tools for learning http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/11/27/top-100-tools-for-learning/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/11/27/top-100-tools-for-learning/#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:25:44 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/11/27/top-100-tools-for-learning/ Jane Hart, head of the Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies, has produced a useful list of the most popular tools used by learning professionals. The list is a mix of proprietary, open source and web-based tools. She has also grouped them by type, and given other suggestions of similar tools in each category.

    ]]>     http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/11/27/top-100-tools-for-learning/feed/ 1     A vision for free, global (online) education http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/09/16/a-vision-for-free-global-online-education/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/09/16/a-vision-for-free-global-online-education/#comments Sun, 16 Sep 2007 16:03:48 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/09/16/a-vision-for-free-global-online-education/ Richard Baraniuk is a Rice University professor with a giant vision: to create a free, global online education system. In this presentation, he introduces Connexions, the open-access publishing system that’s changing the landscape of education by providing free coursework and educational materials to everyone in the world. (Recorded February 2006 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 19:18)

    ]]>     http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/09/16/a-vision-for-free-global-online-education/feed/ 0     60+ tools for online collaboration http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/07/24/60-tools-for-online-collaboration/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/07/24/60-tools-for-online-collaboration/#comments Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:09:44 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/07/24/60-tools-for-online-collaboration/ This is an excellent list of tools for online collaboration from the Mashable Social Networking News.

    online collaboration

    ]]>     http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/07/24/60-tools-for-online-collaboration/feed/ 0     Miro – open-source video platform http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/07/19/miro-open-source-video-platform/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/07/19/miro-open-source-video-platform/#comments Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:03:27 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/07/19/miro-open-source-video-platform/ Miro Miro is a free, open-source internet TV platform developed by the Participatory Culture Foundation and designed to make mass media more open and accessible. It was previously called Democracy Player and aims to make online video “as easy as watching TV”.

    Miro combines a media player and library, content guide, video search engine, as well as podcast and BitTorrent clients. It will play any video file, HD video, internet TV, BitTorrent file, Youtube and Google video. It will also search folders on your hard drive and set these up as separate channels.

    Read the Miro blog for updates and information on new developments.

    Miro2

    ]]>     http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/07/19/miro-open-source-video-platform/feed/ 0     Sloodle – integrating Second Life with Moodle http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/03/29/sloodle-integrating-second-life-with-moodle/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/03/29/sloodle-integrating-second-life-with-moodle/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:48:13 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/03/29/sloodle-integrating-second-life-with-moodle/ Sloodle

    Moodle logo

    Sloodle is a project to integrate Moodle with the 3D immersive world that is Second Life. A Moodle course would then be transformed into a 3D virtual classroom where you and your learners could meet and carry out activities such as discussions, experiments, presentations ….everything you would do in a f2f classroom. The Sloodle website will get you started on both Moodle and Second Life if you are new to these. You will also find links to events within Second Life here. The Sloodle wiki is also a good place to look for information and help.

    In order to get access to the Sloodle resources on the website you will need to create an account.

    If you don’t already have a Second Life account you will also have to create one to access the Sloodle area.

    ]]>     http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/03/29/sloodle-integrating-second-life-with-moodle/feed/ 0     How the Open Source movement has changed education – 10 success stories http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/03/12/how-the-open-source-movement-has-changed-education-10-success-stories/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/03/12/how-the-open-source-movement-has-changed-education-10-success-stories/#comments Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:19:42 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/03/12/how-the-open-source-movement-has-changed-education-10-success-stories/ Open source and open access resources have changed how universities and colleges , and prospective students use software, operating systems and online documents for educational purposes. This article from the Online Education Database discusses some of the more obvious successes. Trees Roundhay Park 0306 012.jpg

    ]]>     http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2007/03/12/how-the-open-source-movement-has-changed-education-10-success-stories/feed/ 0