Flexible Learning and Educational Design

The end of the beginning

2007-01-09T10:47:00.000+11:00

Well, I've taken the plunge and have been consolidating my weblogs, web presence, etc... so I have rolled over my Blogger blog to edublogs.org.My edublogs weblog is Ed(ge)ucation design: learning about design...from experiencePlease update your feed to: http://edge.edublogs.org/feed/Blogger has served me very well since I started blogging in 2003, but I've been loathe to go to the new blogger

Do you have a project for 2007?

2007-01-05T13:27:00.000+11:00

If not, then you might like to read Marica's post about Project 365 - it's a project where you take a photo per day and blog it as a visual diary for the year. It's a lovely way to focus your blogging I bet and, judging from Marica's first few days, seems quite effective too! I had started Freire Fridays partly for the purpose of focusing my blogging and making sure I posted at least once

miniSeries: movies for your mobile

2007-01-03T17:10:00.000+11:00

miniSeries: Episodic adventures for mobile phones The ABC have pulled together some wonderful little movies that are mobile-sized! It costs you to download them to your phone, but you can preview them (in full) online as well. These movies would be good little tasters for your students, especially those studying communications, arts, moving imagery and so on, not to mention potential

New Year resolutions for teaching and learning

2007-01-03T15:01:00.000+11:00

I don't normally contend with new year's resolutions, but for some reason talk about resolutions insists on wandering into my arc of hearing :o)I've listened to some comments on the local radio and have skipped through articles that share new year's resolutions, most of which are the standard... lose weight, be happier, don't smoke, etc (not that these aren't admirable of course!) ... even

Who's learning about e-learning from whom? (ASCILITE 2006 paper)

2006-12-07T18:46:00.000+11:00

Slide1.jpg Originally uploaded by margoc. As promised, our short presentation on DELTA. View this Flickr set as a slideshow. I've also included notes in the description of each slide, to give it context. You can access our paper online from the ASCILITE website. Other papers are here.Enjoy!

Reflection on ASCILITE conference themes (DAY 2)

2006-12-06T12:40:00.000+11:00

Gabcast! On the Move #3- How do we define our educational design and taxonomies within educational design?- Why are we not challenging what e-learning actually means and the e-learning created currently? Are we critiquing the work we do and the work of our colleagues sufficiently?- Where are the students and the student 'voice'?Listen to hear more of my reflections so far from ASCILITE 2006 in

ASCILITE 2006 delta team reunited!

2006-12-05T13:05:00.000+11:00

ASCILITE 2006 delta team reunited! Originally uploaded by margoc. End of day one saw the DELTA (Designing Electronic Learning and Teaching Approaches) team reunited in a short presentation about the professional development experiences the DELTA development and evaluation supported.It was a great experience to present with most of the team once again, and we ran the presentation as we

Uni of Sydney preASCILITE 2006

2006-12-04T13:05:00.000+11:00

Uni of Sydney preASCILITE 2006 Originally uploaded by margoc. Photo taken on Sunday, pre-ASCILITE conference at the beautiful grounds of Uni of Sydney, Camperdown.Wonderful to meet up with colleagues from around Australia and New Zealand, to share work tips and news from 2006! It's a buzz so far and we're barely into day 1!So far, the first session of papers has looked at the use of role

Developing a mobile learning strategy?

2006-11-29T15:55:00.000+11:00

Mark van 't Hooft at Mobile Learning Redefined « Ubiquitous Thoughts (via Leonard) points to some work by Mike Sharples and others re-examining mobile learning; what it means, what it requires and what strategies might be employed to develop mlearning approaches further.I was drawn to the three foci quoted below outlined by van 't Hooft :Mike Sharples wrote a nice piece about this in October 2005

Group work: why not ask your students?

2006-11-25T12:37:00.000+11:00

This via Stephen Downes... Konrad has been reflecting on the use of group work after some feedback from teachers, parents and students at school. Image: Lilia Efimova English 8, 2006-07 » Group Work: Good or Bad? In this link you can read some points about the pros and cons of group work as year 8 students explain. Some of the points from the students that stood out for me: maybe

Student voices: dealing with real issues

2006-11-25T12:03:00.000+11:00

Reality Check - information on youth mental health Here's a step in the right direction. Students helping themselves help each other. Found this in the weekend Canberra Times (25/11/2006, News p.13). Students have helped develop a website exploring and exposing the ins and outs of body image. Karin MacDonald, Brindbella MLA helped launch the website recently, along with editor of Lip Magazine,

Movember - all for men's health

2006-11-03T10:33:00.000+11:00

Ummm, What is Movember??? At the start of N(M)ovember guys register with a clean shaven face. The Movember participants known as Mo Bros then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache and along the way raise as much money and awareness about male health issues as possible. Our FLS team are going to participate, starting with Col (onya Col!) - you can check out his mo

Welcome to the News at Seven!

2006-10-26T16:08:00.000+10:00

Quick one today (as I finish off an essay!)...News at Seven is a neat way to present RSS news feeds audiovisually, which can also link to bloggers comments (in this example at least). This is a project from InfoLab, Northwestern University in the US.And for learning? How about a student "newspaper" or student project updates, or learning activities in the workplace, as well as local community

Freire Friday: Censorship, community, control and cat fights

2006-10-20T12:47:00.000+10:00

One of the characteristics of oppressive cultural action which is almost never perceived by the dedicated but naive professionals who are involved is the emphasis on the focalized view of problems rather than on seeing them as dimensions of a totality. -- Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1972, p.111). It was reported in the news earlier this week that YouTube

Exploring the possibilities of weblogs

2006-10-19T17:17:00.000+10:00

Gabcast! On the Move #2This was an example phonecast to demonstrate both the capabilities of using weblogs with mobile devices and to illustrate the powerful sense of immediacy of the tools and the actions taken in using the tools.

Freire Fridays: leadership through dialogue

2006-10-13T18:40:00.000+10:00

The correct method for a revolutionary leadership to employ in the task of liberation is, ... not 'libertarian propaganda'. Nor can leadership merely 'implant' in the oppressed a belief in freedom, thus thinking to win their trust. The correct method lies in dialogue.- Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 1971, p.42Even the tiniest revolution makes a difference. It's communicating them for

WOW - art on your skin

2006-10-10T12:09:00.000+10:00

WOW program Originally uploaded by margoc. I joined Lynsey for WOW, a spectacularly festive feast of fabric, faces, frenetic dancing feats and fancy facards! (Fffffhew!)If you haven't yet travelled to New Zealand, Wellington especially, then this is the best excuse for a trip, if you ever needed one! I can't recommend this cultural event enough! :o)We were even warmed up to the show by a

Haiku, mobile learning and the practice of writing

2006-10-10T11:09:00.000+10:00

"Mmmm, you could create a form of mobile-audio Haiku though," continued that voice in my head.Long conversationsbeside blooming irises -joys of life on the roadMatsuo BashoSeeking - Walking the streets (Sept 26th, 2006)Marica at Seeking reflects on the use of audioblogging, after my spending time in Wellington with her and her colleagues at the Open Polytechnic of NZ. I was particularly drawn to

On the Move #1

2006-10-09T10:18:00.000+10:00

Gabcast! On the Move #1

Blended learning: an RSS metaphor

2006-10-07T10:53:00.000+10:00

The only true voyage . . . would be not to visit strange lands but to possess other eyes, to see the universe through the eyes of another, of a hundred others, to see the hundred universes that each of them sees. ?Marcel ProustBlended learning -- blended learning -- blended learning?For so long now we've considered blended learning to be the most useful way to draw together online and

OLT Conference 2006 : Learning on the Move

2006-10-04T11:10:00.000+10:00

Whilst I was in New Zealand last week, my colleague Leonard attended the OLT Conference in Queensland, where he presented our paper, Learner-centric design of digital mobile learning.We received the Best Paper Award! Thanks to the reviewers and the conference chairs for their support! Mobile Learning » Learner-Centric Design of Digital Mobile Learning Other OLT2006 papers can be accessed

Brainstorming the interactive podcasting idea

2006-10-03T17:09:00.000+10:00

24012006(039) Originally uploaded by mobology. Alexander Hayes captured a lot of the brainstorming we did about the interactive podcast idea. You can listen to a couple of podcasts we did to simulate how an interactive podcast might work, using Audacity.At the end of the day I discussed the idea with Marica and Lynsey and lots of questions surfaced, mainly around the idea of rights of the

Interactive podcasts - asynchronous audio activities?

2006-10-03T11:37:00.000+10:00

Could we design "interactive" podcasts? This was an idea we explored in Wellington, New Zealand as part of the FLNW Open Conference. Check out this recording below. interactive podcasts - blip.tv (beta) (thanks to Leigh for this recording). I envisaged something like this because being a somewhat kinaesthetic learner, I like to 'do' as I listen and read things. So for me, being able to interrupt

Friday Sept 29: Farewell Wellington, NZ

2006-09-30T08:58:00.000+10:00

In this audio post I recall my experiences in Wellington for the week, feeling that it's all gone too fast, but that I'm left with a sense of things just beginning.Some key points I discuss in this post include:the torrent of visual metaphors for learning I see around me as I record this post,the possibilities for further conversations about developing networks and knowledge sharing,

Thursday Sept 28, Blogs and learning - a conversation (eFest 2006)

2006-09-28T14:59:00.000+10:00

Thursday September 28, saw Marica and I run a conversation on 'blogs and learning' at eFest 2006, Wellington NZ. This audio post (below) explores our initial reactions and reflections about the session just after it had finished.We set up the session details on this wiki page and have invited session participants to continue the conversation, to explore the idea of using blogs in learning

Tuesday Sept 26: A cross-fertilisation of ideas (Open Polytechnic)

2006-09-26T18:56:00.000+10:00

I recorded this short audio post with Marica, following dinner, reflecting on our day at the Open Polytechnic (Marcia's workplace and a distance education polytechnic based in Wellington). I conducted a conversation at the Open Polytechnic about the current goings on in the Australian Flexible Learning scene and how it was preparing us for a future of learning. There was some exchange of ideas

Wellington NZ, a dramatic welcome!

2006-09-25T07:27:00.000+10:00

Wellington looking south Originally uploaded by margoc. I've made it - landed safely in Wellington New Zealand - greeted warmly with open arms at the airport by Marica and Lynsey. ....And an amazingly breathtaking sight to come flying in over the white capped water filled with jumbled piles of rock and green outcrops drizzled with a lacey mist!The coastline as is wild as the wind

2006-09-23T05:12:00.000+10:00

The future of learning ...begins today!!

2006-09-18T18:44:00.000+10:00

The Open Conference Tour titled 'The Future of Learning in a Networked World' begins in Dunedin New Zealand today! You can keep track of the tour through the Community Walk map, or participate yourself by viewing the tour locations and activities on the FLNW wiki, and add yourself to the list of participants if you wish to contribute to the discussions! I'm joining the tour as it winds down

Preparing for the future...! :o)

2006-09-14T13:15:00.000+10:00

You can't beat a good book!

2006-09-01T09:30:00.000+10:00

From Stephen's Web...Google Book Search Offers Free Downloads of Public Domain BooksStephen draws our attention to this service provided by Google. Who ever said books would die with the advent of the internet! Ever wanted to read Dante's "Inferno"? technorati tags:books, google, public.domain, onlineBlogged with Flock_uacct = "UA-657692-1";urchinTracker();

Rage against the raffle (or expecting the unexpected)

2006-08-31T20:16:00.000+10:00

Girl Guides have been selling cookies for decades. You can be assured that Op shops will carry copious numbers of bad 80s records. School fetes always have a sausage sizzle. Vietnam veterans rally to develop a nude calendar... ...woah! What!? Well, it was an eyebrow raiser for me as I sat flicking through the local community magazine, waiting for my cousin at the airport! What really raised my

Test blogger from mobile phone

2006-08-28T16:19:00.000+10:00

Hope this works from my mobile!Margaret O'Connell- Educational Designer- 2002 Flexible Learning Leader

Value adding to online 'presentations'

2006-08-25T15:07:00.000+10:00

I've kept my brief conversation with Michael Nelson in the back of my mind (and the various comments from others on Michael's post), about attempting to close the gap between step one (starting out with online learning) and step two (moving forward from just learning the tools)...I've come back to this in the last couple of weeks due to a run of workshops we've been doing and have been reflecting

Closing the gap between informal and formal learning (TAFE Futures inquiry)?

2006-08-20T13:39:00.000+10:00

In addition to my last post on informal-formal learning and the gap in technology use, comes this post...I was listening to Hack on Triple J last week and heard a piece about the TAFE Futures inquiry being run by Associate Professor Peter Kell. The Hack team interviewed some TAFE students about their experiences at TAFE and asked how relevant their TAFE studies were to their work. The responses

Closing the gap between informal and formal learning (not to mention uses of technology)?

2006-08-17T21:35:00.000+10:00

I went along to a lunchtime elearning seminar at University of Canberra today, where Robert Fitzgerald and Lynn Sheridan shared their research and teaching of pre-service teachers using some social web tools in conjunction with their LMS based courses in their PICTL Project. They have used Elgg to encourage students to share their work and develop e-portfolio style information in conjunction with

My first audio post

2006-08-16T17:07:00.000+10:00

Using writeboards for portable, editable content: a living document

2006-08-16T14:54:00.000+10:00

I've been working on an flexible learning project with a group of teachers at CIT and we've been keeping track of our project using Writeboard. Everyone contributes and being password protected it means we can all add and edit without the feeling that someone is looking over our shoulder!The writeboard has a comments feature and a version tracker and I also subscribe privately to it using

The importance of circles (or, joining the dots)

2006-08-08T10:17:00.000+10:00

There is something about a circle that is...hmmm...captivating? Hypnotic? Comforting?The seasons in cycle, turning circles from birth to death to birth, round table discussions, learning circles, weaving circles, even broken circles.Humans are pattern-seekers, ... we try to create meaningful narratives out of the universe's vast array of material [Shermer on crop circles in Wolff, 2005].Our

Frivilous Friday...some serious fun using social web tools

2006-07-14T17:08:00.000+10:00

We held a rather successful workshop today at CIT all about the Social Web. The morning began with a provocative talk from our guest speaker Leigh Blackall, webcast from Dunedin in NZ, where he talked about teaching being dead (long live learning!) - well received by the 40 strong bunch of teachers who attended! Thanks Leigh, much appreciated! We then moved into three workshops run

...and then there were Four (or the Four R's of mobile learning)

2006-07-11T14:32:00.000+10:00

Following on my previous post, I pick up on Leonard's idea of the three R's for mobile learning: Leonard has reconsidered the three R's he posited earlier in a blog post and has included a fourth, and that is Reinterpret. What I have conceived through a critique of Sharples' (Sharples 2005, para:3) well-considered conference paper (mLearn 2005) is his central elements for mobile learning

Mobile learning as networked and situated learning

2006-07-07T10:38:00.000+10:00

My colleague Leonard and I are putting together a paper for the upcoming OLT conference at QUT, I thought I'd put down some thoughts around the use of mobile devices in teaching and learning. :o) Not everyone is convinced of the merits of using mobile devices for teaching and learning and it seems many have yet to witness the apparent benefits of mobile learning approaches, through tried and

Learning how to learn - making connections

2006-07-06T10:24:00.000+10:00

Jo McLeay and Marica Sevelj have got something in common with me and that is reading Stephen Brookfield's book Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher (1995). A decade down the track and it remains a highly relevant read. Jo notes Brookfield's application of some critically reflective incidents, where he describes ... a method he uses to find out from his students (admittedly adults, while

Sir Ken Robinson on learning to be creative (or educating ourselves out of creativity)

2006-06-30T13:08:00.000+10:00

An entertaining (in quintessential British style) talk by Sir Ken Robinson on being out of our minds - learning to be creative (or indeed, educating ourselves out of our creativity)! Robinson uses a series of anecdotes to illustrate the sophisticated level of creativity in children and asks some seemingly obvious questions about where our creativity goes as we grow up. It reaffirms me that there

Going to the next level: baby steps and big breaths

2006-06-23T15:05:00.000+10:00

I was reading Michael's post about taking his Web Design course to the next level and as I did I began reflecting on how we're going about revamping our PD workshops around flexible learning and delivery. I sighed that familiar sigh, "how do we get teachers' attention about our workshops?" and "what's in it for our teachers?". I'm all for the 'go where the teachers are at' approach, and trying

How do I 'experience' the social web?

2006-06-23T12:27:00.000+10:00

We experience the World Wide Web through a monitor, a screen. This is very much a visual medium. How might we capture our expereinces and our learnings of this phenomenon? In line with my interest in arts based inquiry, I've set up this presentation about experiencing the social web. What does it convey to you? What do you notice? What does the 'text' present in and of itself? Some

Presentation for eLearning Networks Online Events, June 15-16!

2006-06-06T14:59:00.000+10:00

I'll be presenting as part of the eLearning Networks Online Events (AFLF) on Blogging for Learning, using Apcala. The events focus on social networking for e-learning. You can register now and you will be able to access the events online from June 8. I'll be encouraging some discussion on my Apcala blog prior to the presentation on June 15 (5.30-6.30pm AEST - time to be confirmed). If you

Exercising my ears - learning as embodied experience

2006-05-08T11:18:00.000+10:00

My partner took me to a cello recital on Saturday at the Canberra Girls Grammar School (nice auditorium!). The Japanese cellist, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi played with Susanne Powell on piano. I found the experience to be a wonderful journey through history, culture and Tsutsumi's amazing repertoire! The audience was so appreciative that they played two encore pieces!My partner and I talked afterwards

An autumn clean-out

2006-05-04T16:37:00.000+10:00

I love the in-between seasons! In the West (of Oz) there's not so much variation in the climate as to notice four distinct seasons. Since I've been East, it's been great to enjoy four seasons and their transitions!So, with the change comes a small change on my blog - I'm sure you've noticed! Perhaps I'm being influenced by the lovely array of autumnal colours! I feel like I've dusted the mantle

L-earning I-nnovation F-riendly E-nvironment

2006-05-02T13:53:00.000+10:00

Anol at SoulSoup has picked up some good points from the Business Innovation Insider regarding developing innovation-friendly environments. Having read the points raised in the article I am left feeling a little unfulfilled: I know that's what I would want in my workplace, but how likely is an organisation to do this? And what would this 'look' like across various organisations? The rhetoric

Canberra ballooning - what a picture!

2006-04-28T09:34:00.000+10:00

Canberra ballooning 2 Originally uploaded by margoc. Well, earlier this week while eating my brekky, I looked out of our kitchen window to this! How lovely!I grabbed the camera and stepped outside and immediately felt like I had just stepped into a painting! I didn't crop this shot, nor make any colour changes (OK I saturated them a little more ;oP)...I could have reached out and touched

Exercise your right to be creative and inventive

2006-04-20T14:53:00.000+10:00

I ripped my daily stars out of the paper last night, at the pizza bar whilst waiting for my pizza to cook...If you don't like the thoughts that are passing through your mind, think different ones. Exercise your right to be creative and inventive. Dream up something inspiring. Contemplate a more appealing action. Don't be a prisoner of what, effectively, is only an idea. Others may feel that

Finding the Extraordinary in the Everyday

2006-04-04T09:15:00.000+10:00

"If you don't fit in their groove, they don't want to know you," Hart once said of the Australian art community. Hart gained his widest recognition in Australia when he featured in a television carpet advertisement, painting a carpet with spaghetti, milk, wine and other foods. "Oh Mr Hart, what a mess!" was the catchcry (WikiNews).Pro Hart's work for me, is summed up in this one advertisement,

Returning to study...

2006-04-03T10:03:00.000+10:00

So, it's 5 in the morning, my eyes have blurred behind my glasses an hour ago and I have that fuzzy feeling like my body is wrapped in cotton wool (you know the way jsut as you're about to fall asleep?)...yep, I've pulled an all-nighter, my first in about 5 years, since I last studied in fact!I've started a Master of Education this semester and boy, what a shock to the system, especially with the

Back to work on Monday :o(

2006-03-16T18:37:00.000+11:00

Well, it's official - we're married!! =oDWe've popped some photos up on a blog called Marg and Choo Get Married - feel free to check it out if you're interested (there'll be more to come later too).FLS, see you bright and early on Monday! :oPThanks for everyone's kind wishes, phone calls and emails: much appreciated!

Away for two weeks...

2006-03-03T09:38:00.000+11:00

I'm downing the virtual pen for a couple of weeks as I head back to my home state of West Australia to marry my partner of 11 years! :o)I'll be devoting minimal online time to checking my emails sporadically (because I can't help it) and adding photos and posts to our wedding blog!I'll pop the link here when I get back for those who are interested...Ciao![wedding]

About procrastination...

2006-02-20T09:59:00.000+11:00

Let's look closer at the 'procrastination' element of our work approach model...Why DO we procrastinate? LifeHack takes us through some of the causes of procrastinating at work (which can be applied in daily life too no doubt!). Being Monday morning too, I'm feeling slightly 'mondayitis' and thus prone to procrastinating right now! :oPAccording to Lifehack, we procrastinate because either we

Planning your approach to developing e-learning

2006-02-08T11:54:00.000+11:00

I have been thinking more about the 5-way approach I described earlier and keep coming back to the planning factor. I come across Mark Harrison's article about developing a learning strategy master plan, beginning with Part 1, which talks about Alignment (to organisational goals).At first, on reading Part 1, I thought it was too 'big picture' for a development model version of planning...but on

A five-way approach to e-learning design and development

2006-02-06T11:42:00.000+11:00

I was reading this post about 5 ways to improve productivity and began thinking about my constant battle to outline an approach in working with teachers to plan their online courses. I've always found this process hard to pin down, although I'm not a great stickler for systematic approaches! Having said that, I find I continually start from square one with many teachers, mainly because there's a

Happy Chinese New Year

2006-01-30T09:04:00.000+11:00

???, Gong Xi Fa Cai, Happy New Year! 2006 (from January 29) is Year of the Red Dog (fire and metal)! I hope that's translated OK, I used AltaVista's Babel Fish Language Translator (selected traditional Chinese)...Image source: iVillage, 2006So for those who are born in the Year of the Dog, this is your year!I'm a tiger (wood, I think), and I wonder what the Year of the Red Dog holds for me? It is

Anchored in sand...?

2006-01-19T17:58:00.000+11:00

Anchored in sand Originally uploaded by margoc. Well it's certainly nice to feel anchored again! :o) Although the anchored in sand title is aimed at the tai chi notion of 'still yet moving'!Into my second week at CIT and loving it so far! Have had the warmest of welcomes too - thanks guys and gals!I've managed to link my wiki (click the 'new' logo in the righthand sidebar!) with my blog

Blog Hui 2006 - NZ international weblog conference!

2005-12-30T19:17:00.000+11:00

Blog Hui begins 2006!Check out the growing list of invited speakers!Get your paper in NOW! Due end January 2006.... :o)Registrations are also limited so first in first served - register NOW!This entry linked to Wikispaces page (Upcoming events)

Challenging the status quo - blogging in schools

2005-12-23T19:52:00.000+11:00

Update(18-01-06): This post by Will Richardson, is timely to the discussion about blogs and our children. A emotive example, which shows aspects of teenage living that perhaps parents do not yet fully understand. You be the judge.Earlier: Came across Scott's commentary on a post at 'I Speak of Dreams', about the art of teenage blogging and the reaction by schools to restrict access by students to

Christmas shopping that's good for the soul!

2005-12-19T10:20:00.000+11:00

My partner heard about these guys on ABC radio. They're called TEAR and offer Arguably the World's Most Useful Gift Catalogue! Check it out! You can buy donations as gifts for family and friends, like a goat (A$50), or a health worker (A$60) or even a small but significant gift of school supplies (A$5)!Makes me feel a little better than watching the Christmas ads on TV. It's sort of like making a

So this is Christmas...

2005-12-17T16:08:00.000+11:00

Artist: Tamara Voorn (see more here and here)Well, I certainly don't wish to 'bah-humbug' christmas, but it doesn't feel like the festive season (just yet?) and I'm really not big on the shopping fiasco that seems to begin earlier each passing year! The pic above is by Tamara Voorn from Amsterdam and shows a different colour scheme for Christmas! Throws a different perspective on the whole

Homespun and heart matters!

2005-12-05T14:34:00.000+11:00

Well, this is what I've been up to while taking time out! No, not 'producing' 11 month old bubs, but being Aunty to one! :o)It's amazing what two weeks of rest can do for you:1) remind you of who you are and where you've come from,2) remind you of the people who supported you in becoming the person you are,3) remembering the dreams and goals you set up that kind of got lost amongst 'life'

So, it's official - goodbye Monash for me! (well it's in the news!)

2005-10-26T10:13:00.000+10:00

Here's a news article from The Australian (you might have to login to read it in full?), outlining the situation some staff at Monash find themselves in - me included! Thus, my lack of "online-ness" recently (I've been in hiding whilst dealing with stuff here, including moving house, etc!)...I hope to be back on board sometime in November, once I have a break, back in my hometown of Pemberton in

ALARPM workshop: 'Futures thinking: drama as a method of inquiry'

2005-10-05T14:53:00.000+10:00

enact-self2005 Originally uploaded by margoc. This image (partly) represents my motivation for running a workshop at the recent ALARPM conference, entitled "Futures thinking: drama as a method of inquiry".Thank you to the workshop participants for engaging so wholeheartedly in this workshop! Participants are able to access the images by clicking on this image first to enter the Flickr site. (

ALARPM Conference 2005, Sydney

2005-10-04T09:55:00.000+10:00

Originally uploaded by margoc. I was in Sydney last week for the ALARPM Conference at University of Technology, Sydney. What a wonderful couple of days! I feel energised and focused now, having met some wonderful people doing equally wonderful things relating to community action and learning and research!Here's my presentation for those interested. It relates back to my discussion about

The passing of an inspirational leader

2005-08-15T13:36:00.000+10:00

On 4th August 2005, Nola Campbell passed away after a courageous battle against cancer for many years.She will be missed by many across Australia and New Zealand for her enthusiasm and hard work in her teaching. She was a valued member and mentor of the Flexible Learning Leaders (FLL) program, and one of the first to be awarded FLL funding when it began (FL Fellows then). She has been

Futures Forum 2005

2005-08-01T09:43:00.000+10:00

In a couple of previous posts, I asked what higher education might look like in twenty years, sharing some of my thoughts with Susan Smith Nash...Here is a publication of the 2004 EDUCAUSE Futures Forum papers discussing a range of issues facing higher ed in the future. Of interest to me is the article on the 'Artful Brain', along with 'Multimedia Scholarship' and 'Next Generation Educational

Designing learning experiences: what IS design?

2005-07-27T16:25:00.000+10:00

Following on from part one, I'd like to look more closely now at design.Designing authentic learning experiences means understanding different aspects of what is (potentially) to be experienced. In this way I can become more aware of what it is I'm designing for: What is important (to me AND to learners)? What is needed for a group of learners and for individuals? How much can or should be based

Understanding how the blog brain works!

2005-07-25T11:55:00.000+10:00

Leading on from the previous post, I revisited the Eide Neurolearning Blog and their post on the Brain of a Blogger. I added some thoughts to my new ELGG blog!

Design learning experiences: what IS experience?

2005-07-20T14:16:00.000+10:00

I've begun to build a 'voice' on this topic, one which I'd like to research further.....To me, learning is about experience. I'd like to present this topic at a conference later this year (if accepted) and explore the literature more deeply in the areas of Experience Design, Information Architecture, Educational Design and Experiential Learning...to name some starting points and areas of

Getting students to become productive bloggers!

2005-07-13T12:58:00.000+10:00

DK Robinson (at To-Done!) makes some deft points about productive blogging, which are useful both to the novice blogger and to students using blogs for learning. Just as we have tips for online moderation, so too it would be useful for teachers to learn and then pass on this list of tips to their student bloggers!I would also add:"Know your audience".Who do you want to write for? For example, I

Influenza and coping with a cloudy mind...!

2005-07-01T14:32:00.000+10:00

I've been 'off air' for a bit due to a decent bout of flu, which I haven't had for a couple of years now! I noticed a couple of things while I languished in bed (mindlessly sifting through the day drinking lemon tea and eating toast...!) about how:1. a cloudy mind can stifle creativity and awareness2. mind and body are indeed intricately linked through memories3. much benefit sleep offers when

HEWRR...Get a bus to town and be heard!!

2005-06-01T12:24:00.000+10:00

You will have heard about today's National Day of Protest to changes to Workplace Rights at universities, that is, the Federal Government?s Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRR).If you're heading to town, make sure you go along to support the protest!Jenny Macklin voiced Labor's stance against the HEWRR, in a media release earlier today. Here's a snippet from that release:...

"Telling Our Stories"....Conference Coming Up!

2005-06-01T12:02:00.000+10:00

You might be interested in this upcoming Action Research/Action Learning Conference organised by ALARPM, supported by the Centre for Popular Education, UTS, Sydney.The Conference runs from September 30th to October 2nd, 2005. Call for presentations are due July 1st!Info should be on the ALARPM site fairly soon, or try UTS.I love the idea of performance rather than standard conference

Freire and....frightened!

2005-05-27T14:54:00.000+10:00

I am not very optimistic about the pending Workplace Relations Reforms about to hit Aussie workplaces, and what it will mean for Australian higher education institutions. Our PM has the upperhand in the Senate and that makes me ...s c a r e d !!!The methodology I see here is that of divide-and-conquer. Pit individuals against each other and their attention is diverted from bigger more meaningful

Busy-ness and business

2005-05-20T10:49:00.000+10:00

Phew! I can't believe it's Friday AGAIN!I thought I'd do a quick wrap on events taking place over the past two weeks, as I've struggled to have enough reflection time to formulate a more considered response enough to feel I can post coherently....so is a collection of incoherent, disjointed thoughts to end the week...* When will it RAIN in Melbourne??? My lemon trees are shrinking.* Thank you

Freire Friday (urr, Monday?) ... on revolution

2005-05-16T14:09:00.000+10:00

(Well, I missed my self-imposed Friday deadline, so it's Freire on Monday instead!)Freire said:I interpret the revolutionary process as dialogical cultural action which is prolonged in 'cultural revolution' once power is taken. In both stages a serious and profound effort at conscientization is necessary. It is the necessary means by which men (sic), through a true praxis, leave behind the status

Freire Friday...on leadership

2005-05-06T15:45:00.000+10:00

As soon as [potential community leaders] complete the [leadership] course and return to the community with resources they did not formerly possess, they either use these resources to control the submerged and dominated consciousness of their comrades, or they become strangers in their own communities and their former leadership position is thus threatened. In order not to lose their leadership

Educating the Net Generation...

2005-05-06T10:26:00.000+10:00

Update: Go to my Apcala blog to access the short intro talk I presented at the session mentioned below. I'd love to hear your views on the topic! I'm rather more interested in the general learning and teaching challenges that arise with all learners, using a conversation like this (ie. about generational learners) to get us kickin'!Earlier...I'm co-presenting today at a new series of colloquiums

Freire Friday ...on libertarian education

2005-04-27T17:29:00.000+10:00

The important thing, from the point of view of libertarian education, is for the people to come to feel like masters of their thinking by discussing the thinking and views of the world explicitly or implicitly manifest in their own suggestions and those of their comrades. Because this view of education starts with the conviction that it cannot present its own program but must search for this

Taking the a-ha! moment to another level

2005-04-20T16:52:00.000+10:00

Update: Dave Pollard has fleshed out the AHA! strategy a little more with the help of comments from critics and friends. He has also included some insightful stories to illustrate how the AHA! would be used and to "articulate its unique attributes better". It might be worthwhile fleshing out the AHA! Learning Curriculum too, as an exercise...stay tuned!I am always bowled over by the approach Dave

Touching a raw nerve or two...

2005-04-19T10:24:00.000+10:00

George Siemens spotted an article from the NZ Herald about the technological rewvolution takin gplace in higher educaiton and remarked that the article as with many in the past gloss over the real issues around learning in today's world. Seimens argues that the emphasis should be on relevance to today's learners, not on systems and tech-based "solutions"...and I agree! I'm just as annoyed with

Friere Friday...on teacher as narrator

2005-04-15T16:49:00.000+10:00

Freire said:The teacher talks about reality as if it were motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable. Or else he expounds on a topic completely alien to the existential experience of the students. His task is to "fill" the students with the contents of his narration -- contents which are detached from reality, disconnected from the totality that engendered them and could give them

Freire Friday...on manipulation

2005-04-08T09:01:00.000+10:00

Manipulation, like the conquest whose objectives it serves, attempts to anaesthetize the people so they will not think. For if the people join to their process in the historical process critical thinking about that process, the threat of their emergence materializes in revolution. Whether one calls this correct thinking 'revolutionary consciousness' or 'class consciousness', it is an

Peter Haeusler on 'Student Perceptions of Learning'

2005-04-07T10:18:00.000+10:00

I'm really excited about hearing Peter Haeusler talk about student perceptions of learning at our next Pedagogy and Practice meeting! This will enhance my questioning from my previous posting on expectations versus perceptions, I'm hoping!

Perceptions of learning versus expectations

2005-04-04T13:25:00.000+10:00

I've had this question playing in my head for a little while: when we talk about designing for learning experience what does it really mean? We tend to look to the learner for guidance on things like learner characteristics (such as the general characteristics of the learner group or student cohort), professional applicability (subjects like nursing, business, ambulance services, etc),

Apcala now available!

2005-03-14T00:01:00.000+11:00

The team from ELGG have opened up Apcala, a shared blogging environment. You can register for free and you have many features to play with, a personal blog, links to friends blogs, group blogs, you can also make up your own templates! The user-side features are many - you have control of your 'space'! I've just signed up - I hope to make some use of this to trial a group of student teachers to

Action learning, action research and performance management

2005-03-11T10:28:00.000+11:00

I've registered at PARnet, a 'knowledge gateway' for action researchers around the world. It's part of the Cornell Participatory Action Research Network (CPARN).It would be great if the site had a blog and/or RSS! I think their guestbook is getting spammed majorly!Anyway, I'm always on the lookout for others who are doing research and undertaking action learning practices in educational settings,

Connectivism Portal

2005-03-04T14:48:00.000+11:00

So here I am, c r a w l i n g to the end of a Friday!I have just signed up to George Siemens' Connectivism Portal!Tagline: "This site has been created to foster discussion on how our thinking, learning, and organizational activities are impacted through technology and societal changes."Can't wait to play around there and there's lots of good ideas floating around from George

Connecting with others of intelligence!

2005-02-23T16:44:00.000+11:00

Updated: 24th Feb, 2005 - addition from Headrush Ken at Weblogs in Higher Education talks about a posting he read by a blogger, Dhar, on hiding the moves. Check it out here.This relates to my earlier postings about Connected Intelligence and The Design Process. See, what goes around comes around! Reusing information! ;o)I'm buoyed by the fact that there are others out there in the world who are

From the balcony of the privileged...

2005-02-23T10:54:00.000+11:00

I am in wonderment of our relative freedom of speech in 'the West' in light of this article in The Age about the plight of journalists in Zimbabwe: Three reporters for major international news organisations have fled Zimbabwe and a fourth is apparently in hiding after police and intelligence agents searched their offices and threatened to arrest them for espionage and slandering the state.

Is the future academy about connected intelligence?

2005-02-14T14:41:00.000+11:00

Following on from recent posts about designing the learning experience, etc, I came across this great post at the Experience Designer Network!I would ask: Are our educational institutions about developing intelligence? Or do they simply perpetuate the socioeconomic status quo?Also, Ana Viseu writes about a connected intelligence workshop and argues for its relevance with references to Castells,

Sweat shop academies

2005-02-14T14:15:00.000+11:00

Susan Smith Nash writes a very clever article about How to Eliminate Academic Sweatshops in Xplana (Feb 9, 2005).Her suggestions are commonsensical and to the point. I love her comment about doing away with poorly designed LMS:Get Rid of Bad LMS Design. Perhaps the quickest way to a sweatshop is to use a horrible learning management system that does not archive in any sort of effective way, does

...and then there's this!

2005-02-10T15:38:00.000+11:00

If the world DOES fall into social and indecent chaos, I want to be in Dave Pollard's camp! His uplifting article titled "In the year 2045..." was timely to the current discussion on our changing social fabric worldwide! Perhaps I'll listen and take notes with Tony Delroy tonight when he talks with his guest about Pain Management! ;op

Knowledge workers - the millenial academic?

2005-02-10T15:24:00.000+11:00

Pink's article in Wired on the left brain-right brain paradigm, tells us that '... Peter Drucker gave ... professionals an enduring [endearing?], somewhat wonky, name: knowledge workers'. What distinguished members of this group and enabled them to reap society's greatest rewards, was their 'ability to acquire and to apply theoretical and analytical knowledge. Pink calls the new age of

The Learning Space - new ways of knowing

2005-02-09T10:11:00.000+11:00

It's funny, I've tried to write this entry three times over the last two months - each time it comes out sort of stale... new ways of knowing using new ways of communicating? There is a lot that is new, but old ways prevail often in terms of comfort, reliability (ie. better the devil you know!), habit...all those things! I've decided NOW to post this - gotta get the prickly fuzzies out! ;o) It