e - books and audio

ABC's Radio National programme The Book Show - had an interesting interview about e-books and the development of an audio tracks for e-reading on e-readers, tablets and PCs..... 

I liked the idea of reading and listening to a selected audio to enhance the experience ....but I began to wonder if it really would be an enhancing experience for the reader?

I began to feel a bit uncomfortable with the idea of someone choosing what I would listen to as an accompanying audio track when I was e-reading .... what if their predetermined choice of music or audio effects were just not quite what I had in mind?

This sometimes happens to me when books are made into film texts and you find yourself trying to accept the miscasting of a character who just does not ring true to the way in which you envisaged them walking and talking!

It's all started to sound like listening to a film without any pictures and where is the fun in that? 

- and what if the book publishers which are owned by huge conglomerates that only provide particular musical experiences? which are based on white, middle-class, cultural norms?
Audio domination of my e-reading head space ....yikes! 


 Thanks to youtube.com/dalefilms for the spooky audio!
 

New link from my latest MOOC - ing around

I have been finding that the easiest way to engage in the change # 2011 MOOC is to review latest blogs and any live meetings I might have missed due to time differences - so here is a link to an interesting blog, by Rliberni  that explores some great ideas around what are the new literacies that teachers need to consider when engaging students with technology. 

The video, provided by Sarah Fudin, identifies not just technology based operational skills but rather learner /user skills. The idea of identifying  new literacies that are applicable to teach our students in our schools give teachers a starting point from which to engage our students in co-developing a new curriculum to suit the world as it is now, a knowledge based economy. 

I thought these new literacies were immediately applicable for use in a highly connected world.

Networking , collaboration and innovation

Here is a great short YouTube clip about where good ideas come from by Steve Johnson 


He has a book out too of the same name.  I thought it might be good to use with teachers and students too
when discussing on-line collaboration, importance of talk, ethical borrowing of ideas, etc. etc.

Creating Innovators

I came across a new book by Tony Wagner about teachers and innovation on the Connected Principals site.

Looks good!



I really liked the idea of the innovative, influential teachers being the 'outliers' - those who are outside the norms of the 'institution'
....gives me some encouragement when I feel like I am being a bit of a non-insitutionalised teacher!

I am attending a Change and Innovation symposium run by the Professional Learning Institute. 
It looks like there may be a few 'outliers' attending  -  I hope so! 

MOOC 2011

Since joining the MOOC - I have been reading a few of the posts and networks.
So far I am still a bit overwhelmed! The time frames are hard to get used to, what is where is hard to get used to.....and when I check for any live discussions everyone else is away, most likely sleeping in the northern hemisphere!

Anyway I am looking forward to some discussion, networking & open learning soon - when I learn how to drive this thing! 

Here is a helpful YouTube video explaining what a MOOC is - written and narrated by Dave Cormier, filmed by Neal Gillis - thanks for making the idea of what a MOOC is relatively simple!


Hello connectivity!

 

On-line participation opportunity with #Change11

I am planning to participate in a Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC called "Change11" 

Already it feels a little overwhelming - but I hope I will settle into some interesting threads, debates, blogs and networks about education, schooling and technology.



I did find this brief YouTube video by Will Richardson about MOOCs and PLNs (Personal Learning Networks) useful in deciding about participating in the MOOC.

I was mostly interested in what he had to say about the changes we are experiencing around how students learn. He talks about how students are already networked informally, into PLNs and that teachers need to help students to understand three aspects of this new form of collaboration. As educators, Richardson says we need to teach students how to network safely, ethically and effectively. I thought they were good points, and they resonated with me, in particular with some of my beliefs about revisiting ideas and /or developing a new curriculum emphasis for schools around personal independent learning which includes the skills of collaboration, networking, group work, conflict resolution, facilitation, communication and ethics as central aspects of becoming a successful digital learner...