By Brian Keeley. One of the more memorable characters from British television in the 1990s was Tim Nice-But-Dim – a “thoroughly nice bloke” with good manners, money in his pocket and a job in the City. Tim was also as thick as a plank, but he sailed through life thanks to one thing – his family were rich. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Controlling the Social Construct
Leigh Blackall, 2015/08/17

I agree with Leigh Blackall that constructivism should be criticized, but I don't agree with his argument. "I'm wondering if individuals and their societies really do freely construct their knowledge and understanding, or is it more likely constructed for them," he writes. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Learning Styles, Mindsets, and Adaptive Strategies
Matt Bury, matbury.com, 2015/08/14

This is a really nice contribution in support of the concept of learning styles that reinterpretings it away from the 'fixed mindset' model, where styles are more like innate properties of a person, and toward a 'growth perspective', where learning styles can change and develop as a person matures. More...