Composting

The composting system. Kitchen and soft garden waste in... We get two veg boxes a week. One is from a local organic farm. The other is an "Oddbox" of farm-rescued veg that is surplus to supermarket requirements. We eat a lot of vegetable soup. Rots down And then gets turned into the second chamber... Second … Continue reading Composting

Backpacks, badges and epistemology: an interesting conversation that leads to happily ever after

Grant (2014) asks in the title to her book about digital badges, "What Counts as Learning?" This succinctly expresses the question of higher education and explains the continuing interest in badges, and in learning technologies in general. The fact this is less explored, gives me an opportunity to explore both learning technology and epistemology. I have developed … Continue reading Backpacks, badges and epistemology: an interesting conversation that leads to happily ever after

Badges: Learning Gain or Just a Game, and what’s wrong with that?

Badges are Digital image files with text metadata stating criteria for which the badge has been earned. Badges are (presently) self-certified by Learner or Earner and Self-certified by Provider or Issuer. Below are resources for a short session I ran for the Technology Experimentation Group (TEG). Badges assert achievement usually for employment or engagement or further educational/CPD purposes. … Continue reading Badges: Learning Gain or Just a Game, and what’s wrong with that?

Teaching conference #fslt15

Reflecting mid-week in the fifth and last week of First Steps into Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (FSLT). In four one-hour webinars, two on Monday and two on Tuesday, I have seen and participated in 12 Virtual Conference presentations by participants in week 5 of this open online course. And, for the first time … Continue reading Teaching conference #fslt15

Analytics are not relationships

Just read Niall Sclater's literature review for JISC: Code of practice for learning analytics: A literature review of the ethical and legal issues. The report asks a lot of important questions. And it mentions, albeit in passing in the "Rationale" section, what for me is the key issue: "Greater trust and a better relationship with … Continue reading Analytics are not relationships

#Design 4 Learning 2014

Semi live , late blogging from the Design for Learning Conference, 27 November 2014, The Open University, Milton Keynes. Dr Tessa Eysink, University of Twente, Keynote "Learner performance in inquiry learning environments" Work in progress comparing Inquiry learning with expository instruction. The research was focused on the design and use of small Learning Objects in … Continue reading #Design 4 Learning 2014

Something of a synthesis

I attended and wrote about four professional development events this week. Oxford Brookes University EdD colloquium. Saturday 28 June 2014. The ALT MOOC SIG. Blog here. an online conference: Giving Feedback to Writers Online. International and Virtual Conference 26th June 2014- 9.30am-2pm BST. Blog here. JISC Learning and Teaching Experts Group, 24 June 2014. Storify … Continue reading Something of a synthesis

Feedback online

There is an active conversation about teaching online, teaching teachers online and teaching about giving feedback online to people who teach online and face to face. I am attending an online conference: Giving Feedback to Writers Online. International and Virtual Conference 26th June 2014- 9.30am-2pm BST (now!). Content now available here. Teresa Guache of the … Continue reading Feedback online

What you get? Tea Lab

What you test. You get what you inspect not what you expect. That said, tonight I tested my webcam and the podium computer in Brookes Boardroom 1 where we are hosting Tea Lab tomorrow. I was fully expecting it not to work on at least three fronts: the composite USB webcam/microphone, the room audio output … Continue reading What you get? Tea Lab

Musing on simultaneous remote presence for T-Lab

We (OK, I) made a bold (OK, foolish) assertion that T-Lab meetings would be live broadcast for those who wanted to participate remotely. This could be achieved with various solutions: a Wimba Classroom in a Moodle site as long as the kit in Boardroom 1 can handle it. AND as long as people could get … Continue reading Musing on simultaneous remote presence for T-Lab