David Miller at Emerging Perceptions says:

“Blogging works best when it is a part of a persons life, meaning that it is a way that they work rather than a course requirement. It works best when it is owned by the individual student rather than being an element of a class they are taking. It works best when it is not forced. In short it cannot belong to the institution and it can rarely work as a requirement….”

And goes on to outline a couple of ways that we might avoid en edublogging death by a thousand cuts. Interesting ideas, adding them to the mental mix!

Over at the IncSub community site Michael is thinking about setting up a blogging community:

“A few of us in Sydney have been toying with the idea of creating a collaborative resource to help educators integrate the new tools of the web in their classes… and we’re currently considering whether Drupal or some other CMS/Wiki might be the best platform for the collaborative development?! Any ideas?

Initially, we were thinking that a Wiki would be the best bet, but lately we’ve been thinking that something inbetween a CMS and a Wiki might be better… hence looking at Drupal!…”

Thomas wraps up his BB experience, one thing that stood out was:

“The theme of the conference, this year, was “Innovating Together.” I have to admit that I did not see anything truly innovative. I saw lots of folks with great ideas, lots of ways to implement, support, manage, etc., but nothing earth-shattering, nothing that invoked innovation.”

Go read the rest :o)

Here’s an interesting new podcast:

“discussing emerging and developing issues in the life sciences, technology, and medical science sectors especially those developments which have an Australian flavour but with global impact.” [The Antipodean Podcast]

I kind of academia / business / IP blend coming from ATP Innovations. Good stuff :o)

This has been rumbling away for a while with me so it needs a way out… I’m getting a kinda feeling (a bit like Lindon) that things are about to change with blogging and stuff (at least in higher ed).

Things like all of these ‘Weblogs @’ programs, the fact that multi-user weblogging is now a matter of choice rather than possibility, the number of ‘out of the blue’ calls I’m getting from faculty interested in this, the amount of interest in Blogtalk from across the academic spectrum and the number of mentions of blogging that seem to crop up at the last Educause conf (here’s a search, I’ve got some papers but don’t think they’re publically available).

I guess I don’t feel like I’m pushing so much anymore, more that it’s just happening around me. Which is a bit scary but also good but also scary as, I reckon, there are at least two ways that blogging in higher ed can swiftly do itself in, so, starting on the (hypothetical of course) local level and working outwards:

Number 1: The ‘IT Solutions Debacle’

Somewhere in the realms of power all of this seeps through to a VC or DVC and (that’s vice-chancellor and deputy… nothing to do with capital :o) and ‘it is spoken’… weblogs are to be a demonstration of the innovative and wonderful institution we are & this will get us press.

The head of IT is called in and asked to implement a weblog solution (for, after all, are these not the same as email, just another technology, just like our LMS!) they get the web manager who sorts out a template, they figure ‘hey, this is just adding content to a form isn’t it?’ and build it themselves, they put RSS, comments and other such riff-raff as ‘version 2’ (i.e. will never be done) and the spanking new system is unveiled to all and made compulsory to many.

Depression, despair and desolation sets in and blogging is never spoken of again.

Number 2: The ‘Learning Management System Takeover’

After much careful consideration and in being entirely responsive to customer needs one or more of the behemoths (sp?) of the Learning, ahem, sorry, Courseware Management Systems decides that blogging is a definite ‘must have’, as this verges on being a competitive advantage the other one follows them and before you know it every learner has their own blog. Hurrah!

Naturally these are within their authenticated environment. And only last for a 15 week semester (before being archived with the rest of the course) . And are basically form-filling exercises. And have alphanumeric grading possibilities for each post, making them ‘key assessment criteria’. And. And. And.

Can you think of any more?

I’m trying to get rid of all my email subscriptions and as I get Powazek by RSS I figured that could go first… but alas & alak I only get summaries through the Just a Thought RSS feed :o(

Don’t know why people do this… full content email and then summaries by RSS? Any chance of a change?

If you haven’t already registered for Blogtalk Downunder then this would be an excellent time to do so!

Here’s the registration form!

And while you’re at it you should come along to one of the two excellent workshops (especially mine :o) on Thursday 19th May.

19th May 9.30am – 12.30pm – UTS Building 10, 235 Jones Street, Broadway.

Up close and personal with weblogs – James Farmer register

This workshop will focus on the possible uses and application of blogs in a number of different contexts.

Participants will be introduced to weblogs and aggregation (RSS and atom) and invited to explore together the communication and information dynamics which distinguish the medium and technology from other forms of online communication (such as discussion boards, wikis and online learning environments).

Following this, participants will be invited to explore and discuss possibilities for the use of weblogs in their individual and organisational contexts.

The workshop will cater for both new and experienced weblog practitioners and will be ideal preparation for any conference participant looking to frame and consider the possibilities of weblogs for themselves and their organisation.

19th May 1.30pm – 4.30pm – UTS Building 10, 235 Jones Street, Broadway.

Video and Podcasting: Rich Media into your Blog – Adrian Miles register

This workshop will introduce the basic tools to record and capture audio and video into your videoblogs.

It will cover how to syndicate such content (essential for podcasting) and the basic things to consider when introducing video and audio into blogs.

The workshop will be run on Macintosh, but the principles and skills are applicable across platforms.

[$80 p/person p/workshop – spaces strictly limited to 20]

Derek develops his:

“increasing concern with the lemming-like behaviour of institutions which lock themselves into proprietary enterprise class VLEs and then proceed to link with like minded entities”

While BB are developing Feed2JS, just for themselves, with an RSS building block.

Not, of course, that you’d know that from the blog…………………….

Oh, and I’m almost rolling on the floor here, this is too good:

“My colleague and buddy, Melissa Chotiner (Blackboard PR Manager and newly converted to the wonders of blogging) is standing over my shoulder saying, “Greg, Greg, why can’t we put a blogging feature in our software?” The answer is there’s no technical reason why we can’t, but we haven’t heard from customers that they really want this as a core feature of Blackboard software.

What do you think? Blogging in Blackboard Academic Suite? Thumbs up or thumbs down? How would you use it on your campus? Are teachers and students on your campus already using blogs in education?”

Mate, your modesty gets you everywhere.

Too Many Things To Go Off About

GAH

[afterthought… does the concept of BBopensource seem a bit odd to anyone?]

Update: Alex Halavais says:

“More than a year ago, I was approached by someone on our campus who was helping put together a blogging advisory panel for Blackboard so that they could integrate a blogging tool into their software”

Hmmm….

Aaron is talking about compassion in the classroom and practices that he’s learned.

In particular there’s meta, “which is performed by forming the image of individuals or groups of individuals and wishing them well-being and happiness”, and tong-len or “the ‘exchange of self and other'”.

Beautiful stuff, reminds me of the kind of things that Rinvolucri and the whole Humanising Language Teaching thing set me out on when I was teaching English… I crave going back to it sometimes!

So, the new website is up for The Carrick Institute

If you’re not familiar with TCI, they have a mission statement:

“To promote and advance learning and teaching in Australian higher education”

And lots of other, ahhhhh, ummm, objectives and values.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful that we have this down here, it’s a positive development (even with the, obviously necessary, gumph that comes with these sort of things) but the website exists, apparently, to:

“provide a source of information and resources for those with an interest in learning and teaching in higher education.”

Yet I see no RSS feed, no email subscription service, no opportunity to submit said information and resources and nothing other than a very bland corporate voice. Can do better I think.