Design thinking, eLearning, MOOCs, HCI & UX,I in Sri Lanka by Dilrukshi Gamage
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Reflection on TED talk Why MOOCs Still Matter - Agrawal,A (2014,1,27)

10/20/2014

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A Discussion from OKMOOC -Module 7 - Open Educational Resources from lesson plans to instructional videos

Why MOOC still matter.. ? , the topic itself made me think was there a point people think it does not matter..?

Discussing as a person who brought up by MOOC, I am so enthusiastic in the aspects as I gained so many knowledge out of the MOOC..
First it was about moving to one course from another.. getting certifications...

Then I realize ... what a certification can do if I can not apply what I learn from all these ..

Then I began to focus on the
- knowledge
- Network of people / Connections
- Relationships in building new knowledge with them
- Analyzing the common trends of attitudes , how different cultural people see the same withing in different aspects...


So I can say MOOC gave a framework to see how we should see , feel and experiment the learning process.
few points I would like to bring from this talk from the CEO of edX platform.

"......Education has not changed...over the years... "

So true the fact we still see the education as the same thing sometime even when we using the digital technologies, we tend to mimic the same process with the computers..

Prof.Agaraval says about flipping the class room.. where students will prepare at their own phase and come to class for discussion.

And it is really great that this MOOC concept is accessible to any student and that makes a society which is rich in knowledge.

I particularly like the model he propose that MOOC courses can be the text book of typical classroom...

But for that we have to address the issues of MOOCs .. sometimes the platform..

Where it has many enrollments,this need to be well processed to identify the network patterns, or optimize the connections, increase the skills outcome of MOOC to face the challenges in 21st century.

So far the MOOC concerns more about the content and the forum discussions.
But it is important to consider beyond that..


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Open Knowledge Changing the Global Course of Learning

10/19/2014

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How many of you scholars faced the same situation faced


I would like to know have you ever gone through this situation.. because I have... This devastating not only for the future researches, but also the researches now.

It is the notion/attitude of most of academia we see everyday. Very hardly open up for changes, very traditional, very self orient living creature are common attributes in academia.

We need to have some answers to following questions -

Why we need to publish -
Yes I agree we need to publish our findings so the other researchers can gain, not only them but the whole world will gain

Why the researcher has to pay -
This is what I do not understand - to publish my work to shared by others why should pay a huge amount- why can not be a model where interest parties of our publication bare it in a model  or as now academics should consider the free sources for the purpose.

I think this open access model will change the attitudes of researchers eventually, or we have to make a culture where it our skills not be measured by how many indexed (paid Publications) but how many people think the usefulness of the findings..



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Future of Education 

10/3/2014

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I am taking a course from University of London on Coursera platform about Future of Education...I thought I should link what I write or constrcut in that course has a impact in what I see in connected learning as well..& this is having same for the purpose of Open Knowledge MOOC on Stanford Open Learn platform. So everything interrelated..;)

So here I post the link where I gave my idea of Future of Education---


http://sdgamage.weebly.com/future-of-education
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Participatory Culture - Open Knowledge MOOC 

9/16/2014

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Based on the TED talk by Dr.Henry (Henry Jenkins TEDxNYED - Jenkins, H. (2010, April 13).. taking us to many footage's back how people participate and try to make an impact.

I think it is not a new concept rather we had all all alone , it just that it is beginning to visible more with the help of the technology.

Let us think in a village there is o internet or any communication device, how would people gather.. and interact.. participate on events.. it is simple .. word of mouth.. is the medium.. and the effectiveness depends on how active the people are and do they really spread the word and participate.

You can do the same thing more effectively using tools and technology. FB,tweets.. ect.. you name it.. What matter is the whether people willing to believe the message.. if they it will be more transferred and then goes on and on until it makes the impact it is anticipating..

So it is about how creative you are to spread your message. I would like you to provide researches that found any creative message fails to produce its intended impact if so what are the reasons..

So I am not sure What Dr.Henry's conclusion of Participatory culture, please help me understanding that..?

is he saying yes.. we should allow or encourage this or there is something like this or ect..

But one of the post had a link to a critique of this culture - http://blog.serious.kiwi/post/97488376616/henry-jenkins-talks-about-participatory

It says that every participant should give rights to participate..

To me, a successful “participatory culture” has to include a number of prerequisites to indeed “be” participatory. So, here we go -

The playing field must be level. That means it can`t be deemed “participatory” when it`s conducted on Facebook, or any other social platform littered with advertising, limitations, pressure points, rules and regulations that serve the platform owner. Every participant must be equal. It promotes the right for equal and free society, debate, and actively engenders this responsibility. The premise that every person has the right to challenge opinion is transparent and open. Voting is embedded into the system. Transparency is a necessity.

blogged by Sam, but I would say this is in an ideal world.. yes your prerequisites will be really good, but we are not living in a ideal world not even in the digital world..is ideal..

It is the matter of being creative and looking for every possibility to do what you believe.. and get others participation... to believe you in actions caused by you.

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"Socialnomics " - 

8/31/2014

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I thought I should write on something I got to know from OpenKnowledge Changing the Global Course of Learning online MOOC from Openlearn platform in Stanford.

The term " Socialnomics" did not give any dictionary meaning.. exactly dictionary is for the thing which already exists right... this did not exist those days..People trying to realize What is it.... even we do not know the term.. the consequences or the results of it I am sure you all experienced or experiencing every day.
Socialnomics - How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business
Looking at this video you will be amazed...how we live daily and the impact the social media  out on our selves..
Really interesting ..

In next 40 years there will be no fortune 500 companies..

3rd world population is from Facebook..


Mobile phone and social media is not emerging .. they are MERGING...

1 in 5 couples meet online...

3 in 5 Gay couples meet online....


20% terms of words type in Goolge had never searched before...wow....


We make most of our decision everyday depends on the reviews of social media.. educational.... traveling.. products.. you name it.. It is so personal to me as I have taken my life decisions based on Scoicialnomics..

For example when you want to buy a new TV you just browse and see what are the products.. and see who bought it and how is their experience..

Everything is like that in the society we live..

So my idea is there will be a time that people google your name.. So keep your environment ready to take the challenge..
Create you digital identity.. nourish with unique and positive feeds..Live a healthy life and share with others.. ;)





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Let's learn with Connected Learning

8/31/2014

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I thought I will start my contribution to the connected learning by explaining my idea of learning design.
Actually this was submitted to the Leaders of Learning course offered in edX platform by Prof.Richard Elmore -Harvard University.

My theory starts with "People learn best when they work as groups, collaboratively & practice what they learn."

Picture
I have an idea to have a learning club - “ iceLearn” ( Interactive,collaborative,effective,Learning)
( just started to build a community of interest people using - https://www.facebook.com/pages/ICE-Learn-Club/438975572910047 )


Club is open for Youth above 16 and any age from it. iceLearn club will be a hub where students will come and hangout in any educational matter. There will be registered mentors, registered students at nominal fee.

The club will conduct any course workshop or training using the Project base learning pedagogy.
Picture
Contemporary living space with huge lobbies where students can hangout

The physical space ideally would have a great deal of natural light and an easy flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. One wall would be sliding glass doors that can be left partially open to the outdoor workspace. The indoor space would be lit by skylights, windows and supplemented with full spectrum artificial lighting only when necessary.


Air would be filtered and contain a high oxygen content. The wall colors would be soft and non-distracting. 1 wall would be painted as a write-on surface where learners can leave messages for one another and write their ideas. There would not be any distractions on the walls. There would be an abundance of manipulative materials as well as digital tablets. Work surfaces and seating would be modular and easily movable by the learners so that they can create their own desired configurations.


Work surfaces would include standing tables, regular tables, smart (interactive)tables, and low tables that allow you to work while sitting on the floor. Multiple types of active seating would be available in addition to ergonomic chairs that are the appropriate height and designed.

The design of the physical space creates a variety of ways in which peer learners and facilitators can work together and learning units can form and reform at will.

Learners can gather under a tree, work around tables, or with the large screens. The freedom of movement and variety of choices for interactive learning allow for the social process to enhance the learning experience. Learning becomes a natural result of the joy of exploring together in a pleasant environment in the company of people you enjoy. It's expected that such a positive learning and social environment would enhance cognition.

A positive emotional connection causes new neural pathways to form more quickly so learners retain more information in longterm memory. The stronger the emotions, the stronger the connections which are formed in the brain.

The cubicles with open glasses for workshops /trainings
Picture
Cognitive - There will be registered intellectuals teaching others, we call them mentors, but they can be students in other areas which they are not experts.

Social -  People will act as a community, mentors mentees roles will change depend on the area of expertise and interest.


Cultural - People will interact as an organization , like where Google is working, inly thing in this club its open to any interest learners.


Emotional - People will come to the club daily basis, as a habit when they want to spend time, they can either chat with their colleges who hangs around in common areas or they can join any on going workshops conducting by mentors.


This environment would create a sense of purpose in the learners where everyone would have something to contribute as well as a way to contribute that allows self expression. The environment will stimulate a culture of respect for the learning process and the learners who would naturally pass the values reflected by the space, and the facilitator, to one another. The emphasis is on the process of discovery and the gained knowledge is the expected byproduct.

This is my ideal place to learn.. do you have your ideal place..?

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    Serial MOOCer, passionate about eLearning, a mother, a student , connected learner..

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