The BBC takes a look at te slow death of handwriting. Some points I fully agree with – I can’t read 15th Century writing either (yet like to think *my* writing is clear; no doubt they thought it too, though) Yes, I do find I don’t handwrite nearly as much as I used to, though…
Computer Hardware in Plain English
Yet another great video from CommonCraft. Recently, they’ve started to cover a whole range of material; outside the computer based ideas. While they’re informative and interesting, I wish that they’d make it easier to sort the show into a “computer” (preferably including those commissioned for different companies) sublist & “other” sublist. But, keep up the…
Reflecting on blogging.
I’ve recently read two posts – one from Su White and one from AJ Cann – both of which I agree with. Su was discussing the difficulties of getting students to reflect (at a course level) while AJ Cann was thinking about students blogging at unit level. In many ways, I agree with them; so…
Simple English Wikipedia
I’ve seen a few references to the Simple English Wikipedia recently, so thought I’d have a look. They’re recommending that writers use Ogden’s Basic English when writing. I’ve had a look through the list – and there are a lot (as perhaps expected) of similarities with the Makaton Core Vocab (though I can’t quite remember…
Why 140 characters?
I posted a query to Twitter, asking why twitter had a limit of 140 characters. Within seconds, both @intellagirl & @sclater had pointed out that it was based on a standard SMS – though I still wasn’t entirely sure – as I’d thought SMS was 160 characters (which Wikipedia confirmed) @josiefraser then supplied me with…
Blooms Taxonomy & Second Life
Rex Heer from Iowa State University (Thursday Xu in Second Life) has created a very useful resource – it covers Blooms Taxonomy – and how SecondLife can be used to cover the different levels of learning that Bloom identifies. It’s also a really good example in itself of what can be done within SL!…
Examples of digital innovation in government
The DUIS have set up a site to list examples of digital innovation in government. It’s created using the tag digitalgovuk in Del.icio.us – so updates as new sites are added. At the moment, it’s an interesting looking list of useful sites (&, so far, not spammed to death!)…
An absolutely riveting online course
Jim Henry lists Nine principles for excellence in web-based teaching. Henry starts out with the comments that many of those teaching online would far rather not be – and often don’t feel they have the expertise to do so. The principles listed are: The online world is a medium unto itself. In the online world…
The Top 10 Social Networks for Generation-Y
Clearly, I’m past it; I don’t recognise a single entry in this list of The Top 10 Social Networks for Generation-Y….
$10 laptop?
I’ve written several times about the OLPC (aka $100 laptop) – and have one. (I like curiouslee’s viewfinder for it!) There is now a plan in India to create a $10 laptop – which they intend to launch at India’s National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technologies The BBC’s report did note that they…