Learnist looks intriguing

Here is an article from hacked education on Learnist, which appears to be a Pinterest type site with a definite educational bent. Since I am currently waiting for an invitation, I can't evaluate this site yet, but I do have a wish list based upon my experience with Pinterest.

I like that it allows connections of information/media to form lessons, and the ability to check off things learned. A couple of items that I would love to see (again having no idea of what it actually does offer yet) is some sort of assessment that allows for branching outcomes based on the results of the previous learning. It would also be great to have some sort of API for creating custom assessment.

I'm very much looking forward to giving it a test drive. Hope the invite comes soon.

http://www.hackeducation.com/2012/05/24/grockit-learnist-pinterest-for-education/

Xibo for digital signage

I finally had an opportunity to produce a layout for the new LCD monitor hanging in the hallway here. I've played around with Xibo for a while, and while not without its quirks, it is an excellent program for creating and managing digital signage. It includes the ability to embed just about any kind of media that you can use on the Internet, and it includes the facility to embed PowerPoint files as well. All in all, I'm very much impressed with this program and what it can do. Another huge advantage is that it is free.  Have a look at http://xibo.org.uk/ for more information.

The hardware and software that we had available for this project was a Dell Optiplex 790 with Windows 7, a VGA to Cat 5 to VGA connection, and an older Samsung 47 inch monitor.

The only issues that I ran into was having to apply a registry fix to allow PowerPoint to load in Xibo without opening the PowerPoint application, and the setup itself. I would recommend a passing understanding of XAMPP, PHPMyAdmin, and web servers and permissions in order to be able to install and implement anything more complex than a single display. If you are only installing a single display (which is my situation), then the installation instructions for the server and for the client will get you through the process. Of course my experience is based upon a Windows 7 install. If you are facile with Linux then the instructions above will certainly be different.

A Plagiarism identification guide with infographic

It had never really occurred to me what the mechanics of plagiarism looked like. When I have used Turnitin before I was more concerned with identifying potential lack of attribution, not what it might represent categorically. This article from Plagiarism Today succeeds in breaking down not only what the major types of plagiarism are, but also what types are considered to be the most worrisome to educators. I don't think that if asked, I would be able to decide the severity of one over the other, as the author states, it all comes down to copy and paste in the end anyway.

This is a very informative article. I hope you find it as enlightening as I did.

Some thoughts on liability of obsolescence

Musing: I'm reading through some interesting articles on organizational ecology.

Age dependence is an interesting concept. Liability of obsolescence and senescence might explain why Best Buy, Research in Motion, and Palm have gone from business juggernauts to what they are now. Also possibly explains why Borders and Circuit City were unable to recover. Internal misalignment and inability to adapt to different customer expectations really do seem to play major factors. 

I'd bet that the same holds true in education. The inability to change and adapt to new ways of thinking about education makes some organizations more prone to fail. The biggest difference is that in public education there is government funding supporting the institutions, so establishments can go on for years being outmoded and increasingly out of touch without it being immediately fatal. So it would seem true innovation as a response to market pressure, and the acceptance of innovation, not only by visionaries but also by the majority of the organization, that resists this sort of decline. In education it is the ability to recognize new trends (not trying to set them necessarily), and then redirecting the organization to embrace these trends that helps keep an educational institution relevant.

Social Media Job Search and Reputation Management for Students

 Below is the full presentation for the Placement Meeting on May 7th, 2012. You may wish to download this presentation to use the included reference links. If you were at the meeting and have further questions, please email me.


https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1DARp-O1wnHxMH-AJLJC26j-dCUL8BsjvfoCjgNmrOS4/edit