By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Oxford University to launch first online 'Mooc' course
Sean Coughlan, BBC News, 2016/11/15

This of course is happening more than eight years after the launch of the first MOOC. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Open Learning in the Future
Stephen Downes, Nov 15, 2016.

My contribution to the FutureOER discussion. Formal learning will be less and less focused on resources, which will be available to everyone, and much more focused on activities. Tuition will pay for materials, environmental support and equipment, and professional assistance, often on an as-needed basis. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Network-based assessment in education
David Gibson, Contemporary Issues in Technology, Teacher Education, 2016/11/08

Good article that anticipates the sort off network evaluations modern technologies now make possible online. From 2003 but relevant today. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Collectively Flourishing
Randy Swearer, EdTech Digest, 2016/11/08
Some good thoughts with respect to maker spaces (quoted):

• Makerspaces should never be owned by single departments or disciplines;
• Whenever possible there should be a real-world purpose to the making
• The flow from construction from studio to fabrication lab is critical.
• Eliminate barriers to creation by avoiding as many prerequisites as possible.

Accdording to Swearer, "The collaborative environment makerspaces create helps students develop a sense of empowerment and resourcefulness. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. What European Leaders in EdTech Think of the State of MOOCs
Yoni Dayan, Class Central, 2016/11/08

I like this three part series (part 1, part 2, part 3) on MOOCs from Class Central. Yes, it's true the term MOOC is being phased out (trend 6). More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Textbook Example of Unbundling
Alec Whitters, EdTech Digest, 2016/11/10

We've been reading recently about the unbundling of textbooks and this article continues that discussion, contrasting it with "patchy" evidence for predictions of the unbundling of education generally. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. What Edtech Can Learn from Theranos
Jennifer Carolan, EdSurge, 2016/11/16

How do we explain the high-profile silicon Valley failures in ed tech? Jennifer Carolan suggests we can learn some lessons from their failures in other domains. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. 'Augmented Intelligence' for Higher Ed
Carl Straumsheim, Inside Higher Ed, 2016/11/16

As the story says, "IBM picks Blackboard and Pearson to bring the technology behind the Watson computer to colleges and universities." Watson is IBM's flagship analytics engine. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. In defence of the humanities: Why studying philosophy in a world where welders earn more still makes sense
Robert Fulford, National Post, 2016/11/16

It's telling that this defense of the most non-utilitarian of disciplines appeals to a utilitarian argument: "Properly applied, the humanities teach us how to formulate our views, articulate them and defend them." That's a side-benefit, but hardly the core of philosophy or any of the humanities. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. 4 learning and development trends for HR leaders to watch in 2017
Tess Taylor, HR Dive, 2016/11/16

It's not the first 'end of the year' article (believe it or not) but it's early. Too early, in my view, but I digress. Anyhow, it makes four predictions, which I quote:

• Video will continue to enable micro-learning
• Millennials will continue to value learning and development as a prime benefit
• Gamification and virtual reality will continue to enhance learning experiences
• Mobile learning will continue to expand employee development goals

Well, *yawn*. More...