G’day
Auckland is in the grip of winter and it looks like the UK is having more than its usual one day of summer. Be that as it may, time to explore some more sites of interest to the committed educator (some I know should be ). The good news is that the call for proposals for ascilite 2009 is now on the Website and the ALT-C conference delegate booking is also open for business. It can’t really get any better.
This posting includes access to ESOL resources, a request to contribute to an elearning guidebook, some note taking, communicating and sharing sites. a site all about distributed learning, an article on online pedagogy, effective practices and resources for online education. Also included the usual conferences and the odd one out.
August company for elearning will follow soon.
1. ESOL Teaching Skills Taskbook. A new and useful resource for ESOL teachers, develop and written in New Zealand
extract from the site
‘The ESOL Teaching Skills TaskBook is a professional development resource comprising 40 stand-alone tasks that focus on different aspects of teaching English to speakers of other languages. The ETS TaskBook is a flexible resource that allows schools to provide their teachers with practical professional development opportunities’.
2. E-Learning: A Guidebook of Principles, Procedures and Practices by
Som Naidu. This is a repeat insert with a request from the author to contribute to the development of the guidebook. Worth developing this valuable guide and resource
WikiEducator
http://wikieducator.org/WikiEdProfessional_eLearning_Guidebook
3. Ubernote. Another one of those useful (free) tools for communicating with others and with the other tools you currently use. Give it a go.
Extract from the site:
‘UberNote helps you organize with the tools you already use. Add your notes, files, bookmarks,web clips, and ideas from anywhere’.
http://www.ubernote.com/webnote/pages/default.aspx
or maybe you want to make notes while you are doing some research? WebNotes may be the answer. it comes in two versions , basic (free) and Pro (low cost)
The basic version provides the ability to:
‘Highlight text and add notes to web pages, just like you would with a printout. Quickly organize your annotations into nested folders for later access. Easily generate research reports to share with your colleagues or clients. All with WebNotes Basic’.
4. The Pulse smartpen from Livescribe is on of those little gadgets that you see someone else using and feel you must have one. This little gem has only been around for a short while. It is very useful and versatile device. It has the ability to record and link audio to what you write. You need to watch the video to see just what a useful device this is
http://www.livescribe.com/smartpen/videos.html
5.Distributed Learning: I came across this site when I was searching for information on the history of ‘distance education’ (a good overview is on this site). It’s one of those sites that has a wealth of information to keep you occupied for hours. Must be something here for you. Have a look at the home page to find out about the person who created it and what motivated him.
http://www.digitalschool.net/edu/edulinks.html
6. The Journal of Learning Design: An interesting paper, recently published, which should appeal to those who have a keen interest in online pedagogy.
Sharing the journey of facilitator and learner: Online pedagogy in practice. Shirley Reushleand Maxine Mitchell.
This is a .pdf download
http://www.jld.qut.edu.au/publications/vol3no1/documents/ReushleandMitchellJLDvol3no1.pdf
7. Sloan-C: Effective practices. This site is well worth exploring. It has been well constructed and has a lot of useful guides, insights, commentary and examples of effective practice in online education.
Extract from the site:
‘The Sloan-C community shares techniques, strategies, and practices in online education that have worked for them. All effective practices are peer reviewed to both insure quality and to give submitters some documentation for tenure and promotion files’.
There is of course a lot more to the site and is worth exploring the rest of it when you find time
http://www.sloanconsortium.org/effective/index.asp
8. Illinois Online Network. It’s been a long time since I visited this site but there is no doubt it has continued to expand and improve. It has a large number of links to material and resources on online education. Perusal is recommended.
http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/otai/
9. Mobile Learning: Transforming the Delivery of Education and Training Edited by Mohamed Ally.
This is a very interesting and informative ‘ebook’ about mobile learning which you can either buy or download for free by clicking on the e book link.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. It may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes, provided that the original author is credited.
http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120155
10. Conferences
10.1 ALT-C 2009: ‘In dreams begins responsibility’ choice, evidence, and
change.
8-10 September 2009, Manchester, UK.
Earlybird rate available until Monday 6 July, midnight (BST):
http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2009/registering.html
Registrations close: 14 August
Conference fees:
http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2009/delegate_information.html
Accommodation details:
http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2009/accommodation.html
Social programme:
http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2009/social.html
Keynote speakers:
Martin Bean, Vice Chancellor Designate at the Open University, UK;
Michael Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas
State University, USA;
Terry Anderson, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Distance
Education at Athabasca University, Canada
Confirmed Invited Speakers include:
Jonathan Drori, Heather Fry, Diana Laurillard, Matthew McFall, David
Kennedy, Richard Noss, Vanessa Pittard, Aaron Porter and David Price.
For more information, visit:
or call the
ALT office: +44(0) 1865 484125.
10.2 ASCILITE 2009: “Same Places, Different Spaces” AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND: DECEMBER 6- 9th.
Jointly hosted by The University of Auckland and AUT University in Auckland.
This has to be the preeminent conference on computers and technology in learning in tertiary education in the asia pacific region, and one that’s not to be missed!
Critical dates and the ‘Call for Proposals’ have now been posted on the Website.
My Review proposal submission system is now OPEN for business.
http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland09/review/index.php?authorsInstructions=1
Registrations open: 24th August 2009
[Note change of date. This is to accommodate details of workshops being offered]
Early Bird Registration deadline: 31st October 2009
Bookings close: November 16th 2009
http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland09/
11. Odd one out: The BBC history site. It can be an interesting exercise to trace the course of history in various domains and eras. BBC history is a site packed with fascinating stuff. As it’s going to be half term break in NZ for the schools and its raining maybe you can get the kids as well as the adults interested? It’s worth clicking on and exploring the iPlayer while you are here.
That’s it.
Richard Elliott
The Eternal Macademic
Auckland, New Zealand