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Libraries of the future

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Imagine a new Library of Alexandria. Imagine an archive that contains all the natural and social sciences of the West—our source-critical, referenced, peer-reviewed data—as well as the cultural and literary heritage of the world’s civilizations, and many of the world’s most significant archives and specialist collections. Imagine that this library is electronic and in the public domain: sustainable, stable, linked, and searchable through universal semantic catalogue standards.

Thanks to @ostephens on Twitter who pointed out this thoughtful article from Lisbet Rausing on imagining the future of libraries.

It’s an interesting observation when in the article it says

the question for scholars and gatekeepers is not whether change is coming. It is whether they will be among the change-makers. And if not them, then who?

We know change is coming, we can pretend that we can fight it, but the reality is that we need to be making that change.

iphone, ipod touch, podcast

e-Learning Stuff Podcast #038: iPodding and iPhoning

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Do you iPod? Do you iPhone? The e-Learning Stuff Panel discuss the use of iPhones and iPods in colleges.

With James Clay, Ron Mitchell, Lilian Soon and Lisa Valentine.

This is the thirty eighth e-Learning Stuff Podcast, iPodding and iPhoning

Download the podcast in mp3 format: iPodding and iPhoning

Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

Photo source.

ipad, keynote

You can do what with the iPad?

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Many people see the iPad as a BIG iPod touch, something that is used to view content on. Though it does have a microphone, unlike the iPhone is does not have a camera.

There is though one aspect of the iPad that Apple have announced that I think some people have missed and that will be the availability of iPad versions of the iWork applications. Apple will at the same time as they release the iPad, release iPad versions of their presentation software, Keynote, wordprocessing software, Pages and spreadsheet software, Numbers.

There are also rumours that Microsoft may be working on a version of Office for the iPad.

So what does this all mean?

Well is turns the iPad from a mainly content consumption device to a device that can allow the user to both consume and create content.

So what you may say, I have a laptop that does just that!

Well it’s pretty certain that the iPad is no laptop, even Steve Jobs in his iPad announcement says that the iPad sits between the iPhone and a laptop.

However I don’t see the iPad replacing my laptop all the time, but in some circumstances I can see it replacing it some of the time.

For example in meetings, the iPad is going to be more useful than a laptop for checking information, using Pages to make notes, etc…

Likewise in conferences (where there are in some sessions no tables), the iPad (with the long battery life) will make it easier to engage in the back channel, makes notes, check URLs, share thoughts and impressions, and all the other conference stuff that at the moment most people do with a notepad and a pencil.

For learners an iPad may be a better device to bring to lessons, with easy access to e-books (and these may be getting more engaging and interactive), internet access, web tools; the ability to also create notes using Pages, or enter notes using tools like Evernote more easily than on an iPod touch or iPhone, I can certainly see many learners preferring the lightweight feel of the iPad, over a heavier laptop. Then again they might want to buy a netbook!

I don’t use spreadsheets much so I don’t see much of a use for Numbers. However I do give a lot of presentations and having Keynote on the iPad makes a lot of sense to me.

I’ve always thought that Apple should have made a Keynote Presentation App for the iPhone; you would create your presentation on the Mac, sync to the iPhone and then on the iPhone would be a little App that allowed you to both view the App on the iPhone screen, or using the AV cable you can get, show the presentation through a projector or TV. One of the issues though with that is Apps can’t use the AV cable! I guess an Apple App could, but maybe not.

If Keynote on the iPad can use the AV Cable and hopefully then other applications will also be able to use the AV out.

Of course the Keynote App for the iPad allows you to create presentations, and I really do like using Keynote as my primary presentation tool.

Overall I think Keynote and Pages for the iPad, have turned the iPad into for me from a “maybe” purchase to a “more than likely” purchase.

100 ways, vle

100 ways to use a VLE – #23 Rewarding Learners

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Too often in education we focus on the poor behaviour of learners and absence. Forgetting sometimes to reward those students who do attend every session and do follow the rules.

We probably do similar things with the VLE, admonishing learners who haven’t done online activities or joined in discussions.

By rewarding those learners who do make use of the VLE, for using the VLE to support their learning, etc… then you are sending a message to the group; that learners who work hard, obey the rules will be rewarded.

So how can you reward learners?

  • Sometimes it can be randomly from all those learners who filled in the feedback survey.
  • Sometimes it can be fun, see how many times a student has accessed content on the VLE over a week – there will always be one who spends all week clicking links…
  • Hide and seek, see who can find a particular link or reference in all the resources on the VLE.
  • Most useful learner in a discussion.

So what should be the rewards?

Well, it would be nice if it was an iPod touch! Of course we don’t all have the money or budget to do that. However what about the following:

Assignment extension voucher – one extra week for submitting an assignment.

  • Coffee voucher for college cafe
  • Lunch voucher for college dining room
  • Chocolate bar
  • Fruit (if you have a healthy eating strategy)
  • Vouchers for local stores (see if they will donate them)
  • Certificates

Of course rewards for learners needn’t be exclusively for those that use the VLE, they could be any learning activity.

Case study from the Excellence Gateway that inspired this post.

gloucestershire college

TEN Open Day

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Today was our Open Day as part of Gloucestershire College’s role in Becta’s Technology Exemplar Network.

The focus was not just about how Gloucestershire College use technology to enhance, enrich and support learning, but was also an opportunity for delegates to discuss, debate and have a conversation about Web 2.0 and Social Networking.

The day followed an “unconference” style format with the emphasis on discussion and debate, and less on presentations and “sit and listen”.

We advertised the day with the following:

With the wealth of learning technologies and web 2.0 tools and services available to Further Education, this open day, will provide an opportunity to see how Gloucestershire College are using learning technologies to enhance and enrich learning. The open day will also give you an opportunity to discuss and debate with others how Web 2.0 and social networking can be used in Further Education.

The day will focus on the use of Web 2.0 and Social Networking and how they can be used to enhance teaching and learning.

The day will also give you an opportunity to tour the college to see how we use ILT and how we have embedded learning technologies across the curriculum.

The day will consist of a formal introduction followed by semi-structured unconference format in which delegates will be invited to discuss, show and tell, collaborate, share and learn. The day starts at 10.00am and will finish at 4.00pm

As well as learning from us, we want to learn from you.

I was very pleased with the way the day went. The delegates really enjoyed the day, the tours, the discussions and lunch!

Plenty of time for coffee too.

app of the week, iphone

Tube Exits – iPhone App of the Week

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Tube Exits – iPhone App of the Week

This is a regular feature of the blog looking at the various iPhone Apps available. Some of the apps will be useful for those involved in learning technologies, others will be useful in improving the way in which you work, whilst a few will be just plain fun! Some will be free, others will cost a little and one or two will be what some will think is quite expensive. Though called iPhone App of the Week, most of these apps will also work on the iPod touch.

This week’s App is Tube Exits.

With unique information, Tube Exits will give the savvy tube rider the inside track on how to get one-step ahead of their fellow commuters to get a speedy exit off the Tube. Save about 10 minutes on average peak hour journey times. No more delays following crowds, and walking the length of the platform. Save valuable time out of your busy schedule and avoid frustration.

£1.79

If you ever go to London and ever go on the London Underground then Tube Exits is one app you should get.

While writing this article I found a free App which does something similar, called Tube Changer Lite. Now I have not used the free app, but do make extensive use of Tube Exits when I am in London.

So what does it do?

Well to put it simply, it allows you to plan your journey on the London Underground and make it as easy and stress-free as possible.

The App works out your route and then lets you know which carriage to get on, so that when you arrive at your destination (or transit) station you know which side the doors will open and you get off on the platform next to the way out! This means, especially when the tube is very busy, you are not stuck on the wrong side of the train when it arrives at your destination and when you do arrive you can get out the station quickly, avoiding delays walking down the platform and the throngs of crowds as they stream to the exit.

You can save regular journeys, to save having to recalculate each time you use the tube.

A simple App that has made it easier and less stressful to use the Tube.

google, iphone

Unexpected barcode in the bagging area…

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A fair few times on this blog I have mentioned QR Codes, even a few times I have mentioned Microsoft Tags.

Both are mobile phone barcodes that store a lot more information than your standard product barcode that you scan at the supermarket.

By encoding information into print, users (or learners) can scan into their mobile phones, information, data, URLs,

So the question you may be asking, which of these two mobile phone barcode systems you should go for?

Well sometimes it is not a matter of comparing the two systems, but asking what device do your learners have and be using.

I have been using an iPhone 3G for nearly a year now and the main issue with using the iPhone and QR Codes is the quality of the camera. Due to the fixed focus it has real issues in acquiring and reading QR Codes. Now the iPhone 3GS has a much better camera and the variable focus does allow it to focus much better on QR Codes and decode them. However I still have issues and both the 3G and 3GS don’t even come close to the scanning ability of the Nokia N95.

Having recently installed the Microsoft Tag Reader on my Google Nexus One and reading the Microsoft Tag Blog I noticed that they said they had an iPhone App.

So out of curiosity I installed and tried it with my iPhone 3G and was surprised to see that it worked very well.

Now I do have issues with some of the privacy issues relating to Microsoft’s implementation of mobile phone barcodes, but if your learners all have iPhones and specifically the lower specified iPhone 3G then using Microsoft Tags may be a real option in getting learners easy access to information and URLs.

podcast

e-Learning Stuff Podcast #037: Backing up

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Do you back up your data? If so how and where? The e-Learning Stuff panel discuss backing up.

With James Clay, Ron Mitchell, Lilian Soon and Dave Foord.

This is the thirty seventh e-Learning Stuff Podcast, Backing up

Download the podcast in mp3 format: Backing up

Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

Shownotes

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stuff

Free online drive

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USB memory sticks are so yesterday… if you have an internet connection then there are quite a few free services out there that can provide you with free online storage.

One that I have used in the past is eSnips. It gave you 5GB of free storage.

I have more recently been using Microsoft’s Skydrive.

25 GB of free storage on Windows Live With SkyDrive, it’s easy to store and share your files and photos with almost anyone.

Anywhere access: Get to your online files from home, work, or on the road.

Password-protected: Keep your files to yourself, or share them with anyone you want.

Easy to use: Drag files into your online folders, just like on your PC.

Though well integrated into Windows 7, I have been using it with my Mac and iPhone.

Another service recommended by a few people I know is Dropbox.

Dropbox is the easiest way to store, sync, and, share files online. There’s no complicated interface to learn. Dropbox works seamlessly with your operating system and automatically makes sure your files are up-to-date. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

I have also used Apple’s Mobile Me, but that isn’t free!

So what should you do if you don’t have an always on internet connection, you don’t have 3G, you don’t have a smartphone, you don’t have home internet?

Well, there are these USB memory sticks that don’t require internet access and come in a variety of sizes….

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