elearningwatch Sept2009

Hi everyone
three quarters of the year almost gone already. But it’s proving to be an interesting one with plenty of innovative activity aimed at improving the learning environment and opportunities for the students. Who?
The ALT-C 2009 conference which starts next week will showcase some of the more interesting, inspiring and innovative activities which are harnessing the potential of digital learning technologies. If you are not going to the conference (pity) keep an eye on the Website so you can access some of the valuable educational resources which are bound to made available to a wider audience.
The other conference I have to mention at this stage is ascilite2009 in Auckland, New Zealand
Online REGISTRATION is NOW available.
Direct access url is

https://www.conferenceregistrations.auckland.ac.nz/ei/getdemo.ei?id=144&s=_2SW0O5BWA

It will also be available from the ascilite 2009 Website shortly.
Don’t delay , take advantage of the Early Bird rates.
In this months posting there is a raft of resources for you to peruse and ponder upon. There’s a few links to mobile learning activities as there at last appears to be a rapidly growing recognition that mobile devices are powerful tools for learning, some sites all about learning and instructional design, image sites, an assessment toolbox and some educational games,plus conferences and the odd one out.
1.New online book on mobile learning now available for free download
‘New technologies, new pedagogies: Mobile learning in higher education’.
Wollongong University in Australia produces some excellent stuff and this book is no exception, especially as it has some well known, feet on the ground, educators involved with its production. The Editors are: Jan Herrington, Anthony Herrington, Jessica Mantei, Ian Olney and Brian Ferry (editors).
Go get it, you won’t regret it!
It is fully downloadable from this site either as individual chapters or as the whole book in pdf form

http://ro.uow.edu.au/newtech/

2. Scaffolding the Mobile Wave by John Cook A slideshare presentation.
John Cook is also well known for his pioneering work with mobile technologies. This presentation is worth working through as it asks the hard questions and provides some interesting answers.

http://www.slideshare.net/johnnigelcook/cook-1697245

3.Mobile Learning: A Brief Reading List.
If you want to embed yourself in mobile learning, there’s plenty of activity out there and the reading list is a good place to start.

http://themobilelearner.wordpress.com/2009/01/19/mobile-learning-a-brief-reading-list/

4. An assessment maturity model. This is a work in progress and should provide some useful material for those involved in creating and using authentic assessment systems.
Extract from the site:
‘A descriptive model that provides a way for organizations’ executives and managers to monitor, chart and improve their use of assessments’

http://www.assessmentmaturitymodel.org/

5. Funderstanding. Here is an interesting and useful site all about learning. I have provided a link to the learning theories section which has links to 12 different theories (are they really that many?). You might even have time to have a brain training game

http://www.funderstanding.com/content/about-learning

and if you want to explore more have a look at this site on learning theories

http://www.emtech.net/learning_theories.htm

6. Instructional System design: Online Handbook and some. The information on the site indicates it was started in 1995. That’s a while ago. Probably take you just as long to wander through the resources; there are lot’s of them . Very comprehensive and well worth a good read. There is a lot more to the site if you have time to investigate.

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/sat.html

7. Authentic Assessment Toolbox. Another useful collection of tools and tips for the educator. Easy to navigate and some great resources
Extract from the site:
‘a how-to text on creating authentic tasks, rubrics and standards for measuring and improving student learning’.

http://jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/index.htm

8. ilumina: Educational resources for science and mathematics. Is a digital library of shareable materials for undergraduate teaching. A wealth of excellent and useful material is linked from this site. It’s specialised and certainly a good resource.

http://www.ilumina-dlib.org/index.asp

9.Educational Games. Here’s a couple from the nobelprize site. Nicely done and good for some reinforcement learning as well as understanding, not to mention improving your knowledge. There are quite a number of games on the site which may be of use in your teaching.

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/pavlov/

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/landsteiner/index.html

10. 12 best places to get free images for your site. I was going to pick just one of the best but they are all different and one or another will meet different needs. Some nice photos to improve your presentation.

http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/web/12-essential-sites-for-great-free-photos-624818

11. Conferences
11.1
ALT-C 2009: ‘In dreams begins responsibility’, choice, evidence, and change.
8-10 September 2009, Manchester, UK.

http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2009/

The ‘Number 1’ conference to be at in the UK!
Taken from the ALT Digest, a fortnightly publication from the Association for
Learning Technology (ALT).

http://www.alt.ac.uk/

11.2 ASCILITE 2009: “Same Places, Different Spaces” AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND: DECEMBER 6- 9th.

http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland09/

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!
ONLINE REGISTRATION is now OPEN.
Direct access url is

https://www.conferenceregistrations.auckland.ac.nz/ei/getdemo.ei?id=144&s=_2SW0O5BWA

It will also be available from the ascilite 2009 Website shortly.
Early Bird Registration deadline: 31st October 2009
Bookings close: November 16th 2009
Registration Information : see

http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland09/?m=Programme&s=Registration-Information

11.3 The fourth JISC international online conference: Thriving, not just surviving!
24-27 November 2009
Themes for Innovating e-Learning 2009 reflect the challenges facing further and higher education in the 21st century and explore the increased options offered by technology for meeting those challenges.
Theme 1: Finding the way focuses on exploring guiding principles for technology-enhanced learning and teaching.
Theme 2: Meeting the challenge looks at the integration of technology-mediated practice under specific agendas: meeting the needs of employers, delivering learning on a global scale, developing sustainable and external-facing strategies for curriculum development.
Online registration is now available. Go to the address below and click on ‘Book your place now’

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/elpconference09

12 The odd one(s) out
RAW. This is a relatively new website form the BBC and is aimed at developing some basic skills for everyday life . The section on the Internet is very comprehensive and worth looking at. Lots of neat animations and things to do. Not too sure I like the narrative .

http://www.bbc.co.uk/raw/

and if you really want to update your knowledge on the periodic table (the one you struggled with at school), you can’t go wrong with this excellent dynamic example… mind-blowing resource

http://www.dayah.com/periodic/

ALT-C here I come! October elearningwatch may be a bit delayed as a result.
Richard Elliott
The Eternal Macademic
Auckland
New Zealand

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