All posts by James Clay

facebook, google, web 2.0

“Facebook Profiles Will Appear in Google Results Next Month”

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According to an article on Mashable, your Facebook profile will be appearing on Google next month.

If you thought the news feed was a threat to your privacy, be warned: Facebook is announcing Public Search Listings today, meaning profiles will be searchable through Facebook, and soon turn up on Google, Yahoo and MSN Search.

As of tomorrow, search will be available through Facebook; users will then have one month to change their privacy settings before profiles get indexed by the major search engines. These results will include, at most, your name and profile picture.

So anything on there you would not want a current, prospective, future employer or family member or associate or your bank manager or insurance company to view, remove it now before it’s too late!

altc2007, m-learning, mobile

Can mobile learning content also be collaborative?

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I really enjoyed Geoff Stead’s demonstration, Can mobile learning content also be collaborative?
– a demonstration of tools and techniques from across the UK.

Tribal CTAD have created and trialled innovative approaches to mobile learning since 2001. Our original experimentation with m-learning materials highlighted the importance of collaborative learning experiences. This led us to a more constructivist approach when developing both tools and materials, in which collaboration and active participation are key. Our most recent developments, particularly those with the LSN, have made it easier for both tutors and students to participate, publish and develop their own materials. Research has shown that helping learners publish their own m-learning can encourage student involvement and engagement (LSN 2006).

I do find it interesting the approach based on creating content in the main for PDA type devices, in other words Windows Mobile, smart phones; this is in some ways different to my own view of mobile learning which is very much about allowing learners to access content and learning (and create content) using their own devices.

I do like the content and it would appear that the learners like the content as well.

I did mention in the presentation about the rumours of new OS X based iPods, these may be wireless and may have browser capability. We should know by about 7pm tonight.

altc2007, conference, web 2.0

Web 2.0 Slam – ‘Performing’ Innovative Practice Workshop

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I am attending the Web 2.0 Slam workshop here at the ALT conference.

They started off with the classis Web 2.0 Machine Video

Josie Fraser is now giving an overview of Web 2.0, “think of it as a wave”.

Talking about how web has moved from a centralised to a distributed model.

Helen Keegan is now showing how learners are using Web 2.0 to support and enhance their learning.

altc2007, m-learning, mobile

cn we uz mobz 4 LernN?

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Today I ran my mobile learning workshop which I felt went really well.

It was much less about me talking, but much more about the delegates talking to each other and sharing their practice, issues and solutions.

I did ask people to scribe their ideas and then got carried away answering questions that I forgot to collect their collective writings in. Please pass them onto me, or hand them into the conference reception and I will pick them up from there.

In the workshop I demonstrated some mobile technologies and explained mobile learning scenarios that we are already using at Gloucestershire College or are planning to develop further over the next few years.

We had quite a bit of fun with Bluetooth, and for the first time ever, my Bluetooth photo printer was “hijacked” and some people printed their own pictures to them!

Excellent.

I did also show how to print from my Nokia N73 to the printer.

I also demonstrated ShoZu which worked well.

As usual never enough time to cover everything and discuss everything.

altc2007, google, social networking, web 2.0

Google Street View Privacy Issues

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In the Tensions between personal space and social space in mobile learning symposium John Cook mentioned Google Street View and mentioned privacy issues.

I heckled from the back about how not only are you viewable on Google Street View but your image may then make the rounds on social news sites such as Digg. As you can see from here there are quite a few Digg front page stories that focus on Google Street View. Remember that a Digg story with two thousand odd diggs, will generally generate about fifty to a hundred thousand page views!

Personally I think it is a real issue and can only get worse.

It reminds me of a novel I once read in which privacy disappears (not through the internet but by wormholes).

The Light of Other Days looks at how the invention of wormholes which allow you to view anywhere anytime impact on society.

‘Space is what keeps everything from being in the same place. Right?’ With these words Hiram Patterson, head of the giant media corporation OurWorld, launches the greatest communications revolution in history. With OurWorld’s development of wormhole technology, any point in space can be connected to any other, faster than the speed of light. Realtime television coverage is here: earthquakes and wars, murders and disasters can be watched, exactly as they occur, anywhere on the planet. Then WormCams are made to work across time as well as space. Humanity encounters itself in the light of other days. We witness the life of Jesus, go to the premiere of Hamlet, solve the enigmas that have baffled generations. Blood spilled centuries ago flows vividly once more – and no personal treachery or shame can be concealed. But when the world and everything in it becomes as transparent as glass and there are no more secrets, people find new ways to gain vengeance and commit crime, and Hiram Patterson finds new ways to keep his Machiavellian schemes secret.’