Lying at the intersection of social science, computer science, and engineering, the Program on Liberation Technology seeks to understand how information technology can be used to defend human rights, improve governance, empower the poor, promote economic development, and pursue a variety of other social goods. The Program will examine technical, legal, political, and social obstacles … Continue reading Stanford University Program on Liberation Technology

Best time I have ever had at the fair. On the dodgems, three mad dads, egged on by our pre-schoolers, "Bash him! Bash him!" The red mist descended and we sang as we slew... See and download the full gallery on posterous Posted via email from George's posterous

See and download the full gallery on posterous Posted via email from George's posterous

Here at Cranfield University in deepest Bedfordshire, with no phone signal (3 network) or access to the campus wifi network; no Eduroam, so no live tweeting (lucky you). However there is a "graphic recorder" who will be sketching the event and posting the drawings on a large white board (pic to follow). Professor David Stephenson … Continue reading Cranfield University L&T conference: realising the promise of e-assessment

Alison Chisholm wrote her PhD on the transition from Primary Care Groups (PCGs) to Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and worked for the Picker Institute for four years. I sought her views on the ConDem proposals for NHS commissioning. She writes (and I post with permission): Well I've not had my finger on the pulse very … Continue reading A comment on the new NHS GP commissioning plans: “bonkers”

In light of the Gulf oil well catastrophe and the financial services collapse, I am reminded of the joke about a true believer (TB).Neighbour comes up says, "Ain't you heard the news? Big flood coming. Better get to high ground for safety." TB says, "My faith in god will keep me safe."As the waters begin … Continue reading How many warnings do we need? via @HallyMk1 RT @courosa http://is.gd/ddwMc

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More thoughts arising from Stephen Downes digest of the current Facebook privacy brouhaha (http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=52445). Ben Werdmuller von Elgg suggests that certain kinds of organisation: educational, corporate/commercial, and probably - implicitly - military/security are walled gardens which nevertheless require - or strongly desire - the social networking functionality of systems like Facebook. But, they also require … Continue reading Federated walled gardens – do they offer a way to appropriate the online privacy? @downes @benwerd

So the message shouldn't be, "Teach Facebook." The message should be, teach web literacy. Because you - as a product - are being bought and sold pretty much everywhere in the commercial web. via downes.ca Excellent digest of the current storm in Facebook's teacup Posted via web from George's posterous

Congratulations to the Phase 2 Institutional Innovation projects on reaching a big milestone in the journey. I am really pleased to be seeing their final reports and project outputs. Phase 3: keep calm and carry on! The support team (SSBR) is being reshaped and refocused to concentrate on synthesising the outcomes from what has in … Continue reading JISC Institutional Innovation programme milestone