Stephen Downes digital research laboratory - online learning

Founded in 1995, Stephen’s Web is best described as a digital research laboratory for innovation in the use of online media in education. More than just a site about online learning, it is intended to demonstrate new directions in the field for practitioners and enthusiasts:

http://www.downes.ca/

This is some site! Stephen provides articles (400) , publications, audios, and presentations.

The site newsletter, OLDaily, is an example of what would today be called a blog. Stephen’s Web was the world’s first educational blog, beginning in 1998 with dated links and commentary. The current version, OLDaily, was launched in May, 2001.

OLDaily is authored using a custom content management system. Links submitted are stored in a database. The newsletter is generated automatically as HTML content, text content, an RSS syndicated feed, and Javascript syndication. All four versions of OLDaily are available as email subscription newsletters.

Have a browse - it is mind boggling!

Review Workshops - Partnering for Professsionalism Project

These review workshops aim to:

• Continue the collaboration between members of the PfP network
• Share progress on individual and team projects
• Record the outcomes from the Pfp project
• Identify the forces helping and hindering collaboration
• Identify projects for the future

Review workshops are scheduled as follows.

Invitations to register will be sent to each member of the Network.

• Rockhampton Group - 17th October videoconference: 9-11
• Sunshine Coast Group - to be rescheduled
• Gold Coast Group - 24th October: 9am to 12 pm
• 31/8 Brisbane Group - 26 October: 11am - 1pm
• Cairns Group - 27th October: 9am to 12pm
• Townsville Group - 28th October: 9am to 12 pm
• 15/8 Brisbane Group - 31st October: 9am to 12 pm
• 19/8 Brisbane Group - 2 November: 9am to 12 pm
• Toowoomba Group - to be finalised.

Note: Details of rooms and locations will be provided in the invitation emails.

Online Learning Research from an avid blogger

Online Learning Update

Ray Schroeder, Professor Emeritus/Director Office of Technology Enhanced Learning, University of Illinois, at Springfield has produced an ongoing update of online learning research in his blog, Online Learning Update.

This blog provides brief summaries of, and links to, the latest research worldwide.

Online Learning Update of Current News and Research has been in continuous operation since June 18, 2001.

4,900 postings in archives at July 2005. These are searchable via a text box search.

Ray's posting schedule: 6:00 am ct - 365 days/year



Online Learning Update

Wikkis for fun and education

A wikki is defined by the Wikkipedia as:
A wiki (pronounced: weekee) is a web application that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows anyone to edit the content. The term Wiki also refers to the collaborative software used to create such a website (see Wiki software). Its a very effective way to exchange information through collaborative effort.

Wikkipedia itself is an endless resource - an Encyclopedia that anyone can update:
http://en.wikipedia.org/
(There is a listing of other wikki's reference sources at the bottom of this page)

A specilialised referece for Podcasting is also given at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting

A community wikki that also explains the term wikki and discusses pros and cons , etc is:
http://www.communitywiki.org/en/CategoryIntroductionToWiki
(see also http://www.communitywiki.org/en)

Two people who have been using wikkis within the Learnscope environment and beyond are:

Sean Fitzgerald's Wikis:
http://seanfitz.wikispaces.org/networks-june
http://seanfitz.wikispaces.org/MP3players
http://hypar.wikispaces.org/Podcasting
Leigh Blackall
http://leighblackall.wikispaces.org/

FREE WIKKI PLACES:
http://www.wikispaces.org/

WIKKI Hosting AT A PRICE:
Edit Me, provides a platform for creating a wikki with hosting (at a price):
http://www.editme.com/WikiSite

Fascinating stuff:
WikiWikkiWeb:
http://phpwiki.sourceforge.net/

There is a link on the far right of the PfP blog to "Blogs and Wikkis - Edna Online Resources"
http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/pid/4314

(you may have to scroll down the home page of the blog to find the links again)

This resource is mainly about blogs, with one reference to wikkis:
University of British Columbia's Office of Technology Learning wiki:
http://careo.elearning.ubc.ca/wiki?HomePage
(This is a bit technical and disjointed - a feature of wikkis, I understand).

UBC does have an introductory piece that gives some hints for creating wikkis, a site called WikkiBasics:
http://careo.elearning.ubc.ca/wiki?WikiBasics

hypar » Helping Young People at Risk - resources

The Helping People at Risk site gives you links to online resources that can be used for engaging youth:
http://hypar.wikispaces.org/

The key resource people involved in this site are:
Sean Fitzgerald - http://seanfitz.wikispaces.org/
Leigh Blackall - http://leighblackall.wikispaces.org/

These sites provide links to resources, contacts, technologies and events. You will also see wikis in action.