By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Studying the viral growth of a connective action network using information event signatures
Jeff Hemsley, First Monday, 2016/08/01
Interesting paper studying the growth and decline of 'connective action networks' such as the Occupy movement and the Arab spring. " A connective action network supports collective action by employing technologies that link together users who all have their own network." More...
ShortSims
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. ShortSims
Clark Aldrich, 2016/07/08
A few years ago we invited Clark Aldrich into the Chande 11 online course, where he talked about simulations for learning. Over the years he has created and collected a variety of these under the heading 'short sims'. More...
You Can’t Depend on Free
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. You Can’t Depend on Free
Tim Stahmer, Assorted Stuff, 2016/07/08
After events such as the changes to Evernote or the shut-down of Google Reader we get constant reminders like this one, that we cannot depend on free. More...
Sketching a Process for Sharing / Getting Feedback on Certification Drafts
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Sketching a Process for Sharing / Getting Feedback on Certification Drafts
Alan Levine, CogDogBlog, 2016/07/14
I am not even remotely convinced that creating a 'Creative Commons Certification' is a good idea either as a means of education or promotion, but it's not my call and of course the organization can do what it wants. Of more interest to me here is the process of getting people worldwide to collaborate on the creation of the certification draft. More...
International Organizations and Educational Reform
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. International Organizations and Educational Reform
Louis Volante, CEA Education Canada, 2016/07/13
Amid all the calls in Canada for a "national education policy" about this or that it is rare to see celebrated our provincial divisions. More...
The importance of faculty in the higher education experience
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. The importance of faculty in the higher education experience
Stephen Downes, Jul 04, 2016, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico
The shape of learning is changing with online learning and connective technology creating a new role for students as shapers and creators of knowledge in their own right. Now with the lecture being replaced with online videos and class discussion moving to locations like Facebook and Twitter, what role does the faculty play. More...
Sugata Mitra – the professor with his head in the cloud
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Sugata Mitra – the professor with his head in the cloud
Peter Wilby, The Guardian, 2016/07/04
The Guardian has not had a good few weeks, and this article continues the trend. More...
Surviving Gamification
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Surviving Gamification
Ariana López Di Rocco, teachlr blog, 2016/07/04
Good post on the basics of gamification that begins (as it should) by distinguishing between game-based learning and gamification. More...
Watch “Don’t Be a Sucker!,” the 1947 US Government Anti-Hatred Film That’s Relevant Again in 2016
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Watch “Don’t Be a Sucker!,” the 1947 US Government Anti-Hatred Film That’s Relevant Again in 2016
Dan Colman, Open Culture, 2016/07/04
The rise of free thinking (and free love) in the United States the 1960s came as a surprise to many people. In retrospect, it shouldn't have. After the second world war the American government unleashed a propaganda effort to make sure it didn't happen again. More...
What media companies don’t want you to know about ad blockers
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. What media companies don’t want you to know about ad blockers
Trevor Timm, Columbia Journalism Review, 2016/07/01
I've made this case before but this article substantiates with data and examples the three major benefits of Ad Blockers. More...