What do adult learners really want?
Dan Haesler, 2017/09/11
I've been on both sides of this discussion (on all four sides, actually, if you construct the table). Give a talk, and people want something more interactive. But "If you make us get into groups and give us post-it notes I’m outta here.” Generally, like the author of this post, I offer what organizers ask for. More...

The Future of Education Is Already Happening (If You’re Paying Attention)
John Spencer, The Synapse, 2017/09/11
I agree with the title but question the post as a whole. Itès probably because the post is addressed to teachers and stresses the importance of teachers. "The future of education can’t be found in a gadget or an app or a program or a product," writes John Spencer. "It doesn’t require a think tank full of pundits. No, the future of education can be found in your classroom. More...

Science, open access… and Sci-Hub
Enrique Dans, Medium, 2017/09/18
As I write, Sci-Hub remains active and accessible, despite an American court awarding damages against it. I'm still of the opinion that there is no particular reason why American law should prevail in international disputes. Sci-Hub is based in Russia, and if the action should be filed and heard there. More...

Timebomb: How The University Cartel is Failing Britain’s Students
Richard Tice, Tariq Al-Humaidhi, UK2020, 2017/09/18
The premise of this report (157 page PDF) is that British students are getting a poor return for their tuition fees, this largely because the entrenched interests of a university cartel limiting the potential benefits of a competitive system. The authors have no issues with the higher fees, but feel students should get more stuff for their money. More...

Open Recognition and Its Enemies
Serge Ravet, Learning Futures, 2017/09/18
This five-part series has one of the worst opening paragraphs ever, and is quite loosely written throughout. Ultimately it addresses the issue of formal recognition of open badges. It's a frustrating read (stick to the point Serge!) but the author makes some good arguments worthy of consideration. Here are the parts: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five. More...

The Media Has A Probability Problem
Nate Silver, FiveThirtyEight, 2017/09/25
This is an excellent article, and while Nate Silver talks about presidential elections, the article really has nothing to do with them. And, interestingly, it begins with hurricane forecasting. The article is an extended discussion of probability that should be required reading for any educator or journalist. More...

Bell Calls for CRTC-Backed Website Blocking System and Complete Criminalization of Copyright in NAFTA
Michael Geist, 2017/09/25
To understand why Bell is calling for ISPs to block infringing sites without any sort of judicial review (and to criminalize commercial copyright infringement) we need to understand that the telecom company is also a content publisher, Bell Media, owning dozens of television stations, radio stations and websites. More...

4 Ways We Can Fund Personalized Learning to Create More Equitable Schools
Ace Parsi, Bryant Best, Getting Smart, 2017/09/25
The four methods are listed about half way through the post, and seem reasonable to me:

• close group-based opportunity gaps and support best practices in teaching traditionally disadvantaged populations
• acess to learning opportunities such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB)...  through strategies such as universal design for learning
• targeted and supplemental investments can include support around professional development
• create equity-based professional-development opportunities for district and school leaders.

The idea here, as I see it, is to fund personalization in such a way as to target those most in need, and to have that funding follow that need through direct investment in learning support, as well as investment in those providing that support. More...