My Month of October
In my work, I continued developing a scalable reporting solution, including planning out an implementation process. I also investigated some automated solutions associated with Google Sheets, including the creation of calendar events from a sheet, as well as developing a document from a database. I have managed to generate markdown code, the next step is to create a script to turn this into a Doc.
On the home front, our girls are enjoying the change of weather, spending endless hours outside on the trampoline and in the cubby house. I have lost count how many ‘concerts’ I have been the audience for featuring either Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off or Pharrell William’s Happy.
Personally, I have continued to explore different aspects of the #IndieWeb, including facepiles, posting comments from my own site and Micro.blogs. I also met up with Cameron Hocking for an interesting chat about conferences, communities and associations.
Here was my month in words:
- My #IndieWeb Reflections – Meaning to elaborate on my thoughts on #IndieWeb for a while, Chris Aldrich’s post outlining a proposal for a book spurred me to finish jotting down my notes and reflections.
- Sheets, Calendars, Events – Building on the APIs provided by Google Sheets and Google Calendar, I documented how to automate the addition and maintenance of multiple events.
- Laying the Standards for a Blogging Renaissance – With the potential demise of social media, does this offer a possible rebirth of blogging communities and the standards they are built upon? Chris Aldrich wrote an insightful response as well.
- Scripting an Automated Solution – A plan for an automated monthly newsletter produced from Google Sheets. The intention is to develop data in a way that it can be used in a number of ways.
- Blogging the Digital Technologies Curriculum – Digital Technologies is more than just learning to code. This post re-imagines the curriculum around blogging and explores how it maybe better integrated. This post was also included in the Edublogs Newsletter.
I also passed 400 blog posts this month, which I actually totally overlooked at the time.
Here then are some of the thoughts that have also left me thinking …
Learning and Teaching
Twist Fate – The Connected Learning Alliance challenged teens to pick a classic story and create an alternate scenario through art or story where a famous hero is the villain or an infamous villain, the hero, with the finalists collated in a book. For further insight into the project, Sara Ryan and Antero Garcia provide a reflection on the some of the stories and the project.
When young people create and learn with others who share their interests and passions, and are able to share and be recognized for this, it is much more powerful than the kind of learning that young people do in most of their schooling. We call this kind of learning “connected learning” — learning that connects peer culture, personal interests, and recognition in the wider world.
There is No App For That – On the Team Human podcast, Douglas Rushkoff speaks with Richard Heinberg about the challenges of a renewable future. Both authors question the narrative of technological progress and wonder about other human possibilities. Heinberg’s ideas are documented in the manifesto, There’s No App for That. Kim Stanley Robinson provides another take on the future, arguing that we have reached a junction with no middle ground.
Technology has grown with us, side by side, since the dawn of human society. Each time that we’ve turned to it to solve a problem or make us more comfortable, we’ve been granted a solution. But it turns out that all of the gifts Technology has bestowed on us come with costs. And now we are facing some of our biggest challenges—climate change, overpopulation, and biodiversity loss. Naturally, we’ve turned to our longtime friend and ally, Technology, to get us out of this mess. But are we asking too much this time?
Critical Creativity for Grownups: Teachers Try Intention, the Book – Disemminating ideas from the book Intention, Amy Burvall describes some of the creative activities that she has used with teachers. These include #INTENTIONOREO where participants have to work within the contrants of an Oreo and #INTENTIONBRICK where participants explain something using random Lego pieces. Dan Ryder, co-author of Intention, also presented some of these ideas as a part of the recent EdTechTeam Virtual Conference. Burvall also recently gave a TED Talk on creativity which also provides a good introduction to her work. In regards to other ideas around professional development, Jackie Gerstein shares some of the strategies she uses with teachers, while Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano discusses the idea of a scavenger hunt to connect and learn.
This selection is by no means comprehensive – most workshops are 3-5 hours and we address at least 3 activities from each of the themes in the book: Creating with Words, Images, the Body, Social Media, Others, Sounds, and Stuff.
The Battle That Created Germany – David Crossland investigates new findings relating to the battle of Teutoburg Forest, between the Germanic tribes and the Romans. A decisive victory, it was a battle which stopped the Roman’s surge east of the Rhine. The article provdes an in-depth analysis of the battle and uncovers many of the complexities with retracing such events often overlooked in textbook accounts. It is interesting to think about the challenges associated with Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History series and why he continually states that he is not a historian.
Archaeologists have made a fascinating discovery that could rewrite the history of a legendary battle between Germanic tribes and the Romans in the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD.
Edtech
We Are All Using APIs – Kin Lane explains how APIs are a part of our daily existence. Although we may not be able to do APIs, we need to be aware that they are there and what that might mean. This focus on the ethical as much as the technical relates to Maha Bali’s post about adding humanity back to computer science and Ben Williamson’s call to explore the social consequences associated with coding. Providing a different take on the ‘Hour of Code’, Gary Stager explains that the epistemological benefit of programming comes over time as we build fluency.
We are all using APIs. We are all being impacted by APIs existing, or not existing. We are being impacted by unsecured APIs (ie. Equifax). We are all being influenced, manipulated, and manipulated by bots who are using Twitter, Facebook, and other APIs to bombard us with information.
Simple Truth: Your Attention Has Been Hijacked. – Bill Ferriter reflects on the way smartphones have been designed to grab our attention. This continues with the discussion around technology engineers avoiding the use of social media, as well as Adam Greenfield’s autopsy of the smartphone on its tenth birthday. Doug Belshaw relates this all to the rise and recognition of ‘notification literacy’.
So what are the solutions?
Here are mine:
- You’ll never see me checking any social apps on my phone while we are together
- I’m uninstalling MOST social apps from my phone
- I’m going to nudge the people in my life — my peers, my relatives, my students — to take the same actions
100+ Ideas And Prompts For Student Blogging – Updated from an initial post from Ronnie Burt, this collaboration between Burt, Sue Waters and Kathleen Morris provides a long list of prompts to inspire teachers and students in regards to blogging. Along with the recent culmination of the #edublogsclub project and John Johnston’s reflection on the Glow Blogs e-Portfolio system, these posts offer a number of ideas to continue blogging in and out of the classroom.
Enthusiasm is typically high when student blogs are first set up. Students often can’t wait to unleash their creativity and publish for an authentic audience on their own online space.Sometimes when the initial excitement wears off, students start facing ‘bloggers’ block’ or get in a rut of writing the same style of post over and over (eg. ‘My favourite…’).With a little guidance and encouragement, you can ensure your students reach their full potential as a writer, while extending themselves by exploring various genres and mediums. This post aims to provide prompts to inspire you and your students for a whole year of blogging.
Where to Find Free Images for Students and Teachers – Kathleen Morris reflects on the use of images in the classroom. After unpacking a myriad of challenges, she suggests a solution: copyright free images. Supporting this, she compares a number of sites that provide access to free images and provides a number of printable resources to use in the classroom. Continuing the conversation around licences, Alan Levine encourages attribution, even when it is not required.
Over the past few years, there seems to be a rise in the availability of free images that are licensed under public domain or Creative Commons Zero (CC0). Public domain works can be used freely for any purpose. Their licenses have expired, or they are released with no restriction on their usage. CC0 is a Creative Commons license that allows copyright owners to release their works with no usage restrictions. There are now many sites to find CC0 and/or public domain images. Some of these sites can be very useful in the classroom, however, they’re not all created equal.
Your Data is Being Manipulated – In an extract from danah boyd’s keynote at the 2017 Strata Data Conference, she highlights some of the ways in which our lives are being distorted through data. Associated with this, boyd spoke at the Digital Media Lab Conference about the challenges of inadvertently learning the wrong things. She explains how the beliefs generated by online communities, such as 4Chan, shape our everyday understandings. It is interesting to consider this alongside Cathy O’Neil’s book Weapons of Maths Destruction, which is currently the focus in Bryan Alexander’s book club.
The tech industry is no longer the passion play of a bunch of geeks trying to do cool shit in the world. It’s now the foundation of our democracy, economy, and information landscape. We no longer have the luxury of only thinking about the world we want to build. We must also strategically think about how others want to manipulate our systems to do harm and cause chaos.
The Couple Paid 200k a Year to Travel – Jessica Holland explores world of social media influencers and uncovers the reality associated with being the product. This is something that is also coming into education, with the branding of teachers who are then given resources to use in the classroom. Has it always been this way?
The number of social media influencers – people like the Stohlers with huge audiences and companies eager to piggyback on their success – is growing, and the industry is evolving rapidly. But only a tiny minority are able to make a living doing so.
Storytelling and Reflection
Should men or society stop the Harvey Weinstein’s of this world – Marten Koomen explores where to now with Harvey Weinstein and the way women are treated in society. He suggests that we need a collective effort by government to develop legislation and policy. Along with Rebecca Solnit’s post on blaming women for men’s actions and Julian Stodd’s investigation of the wider cultural problem brought out in the #MeToo movement, they touch on a wider problem around gender and inequality. On the Gist podcast, Mike Pesca discusses the challenges associated with reporting such topics. Jenny Listman adds a reminder that such power is abused by regular people too.
Politics is more private and personal for women than for men. Matters related to reproduction, violence, abuse and childcare, tend to affect women more harshly than men. Pain is often suffered in private, in silence, and impenetrable to communities. Individual men are often not placed or equipped to help in sometimes complex matters, but society can.
Hurry Slowly: communication and trust are key to successful organisations – Doug Belshaw reviews a book/blog by Johnathan Nightingale exploring modern leadership. The two factors which stand out to him is communication and trust. This is something also correlated in the work of Paul Browning. Reading through Belshaw’s thoughts, I wonder if open planned office environments are bad for us?
The two things that make organisations awesome, whether they’re for-profit, non-profit, co-ops, or something else are: – Communication – Trust
Without these two, organisations have to have a lot of something else to get things done. That can be money, it can be time, or it can be talent. But the quickest and easiest route to success is paved with good internal and external communication strategies, and trust between stakeholders.
Critical Pedagogy – My number one from #uLearn17 – Richard Wells reflects on the closing keynote for the recent uLearn Conference in New Zealand. It was by Ann Milne and involved shining a critical eye over inherent inequalities within their education system. Having visited New Zealand earlier this year, I think that it is easy to get caught in the hype around the various improvements and innovation. It also left me thinking about the voices left silent in my own system.
Ann’s complaint is that New Zealand schools generally tinker with cultural issues and identity but do not do nearly enough to help address serious and ongoing societal inequities … Educators still have much work to do if we are to build authentic experiences for all individual learners to equip them to solve the problems previous ‘educated’ generations of have caused.
In Praise Of ‘And’…. – Kath Murdoch pushes back on the evidence that inquiry does not work, instead arguing that it is not a question or OR but AND. Along with David Price’s posts and Steve Collis’ TED Talk, they are a reminder that focusing on supposed ‘effective’ strategies sometimes requires more nuance, particularly when it comes to context. This is why I like the Modern Learning Canvas as a means of painting a richer picture of practice.
I am regularly amazed by what learners DO figure out for themselves (and how deeply satisfying that is for them) when given the right conditions, opportunity and challenge AND I have in my repertoire, the technique of timely, direct explanations or demonstrations when required.
What Problem Are We Trying to Solve? – Chris Wejr reflects on the many changes occurring in education and askes the question, what problem are they trying to solve? He focuses in particular on the danger of continually jumping on the latest shiny technological toy or application. This reminds me of a post I wrote a few years ago about supporting the development of digital pedagogies which focused on starting with the intended outcomes. It is also interesting reading Wejr’s post next to Benjamin Doxtdator’s recent review of Most Like to Succeed.
Too often we are drawn in and sold on solutions to problems which we have not even defined. Effective sales people do this very well as you walk away with something new that you didn’t even know you needed! In schools, we have so much change right now. I love Brian’s idea of defining the problem first and then seeing if we can find potential solutions as I believe this will help us filter and manage the changes more effectively.
FOCUS ON … LIBRARIES
A recent article on the ABC News spoke about he demise of the traditional library in schools. Here is a collection of resources I collated with Anthony Speranza exploring the future of libraries and makerspaces:
- Library 2.0 – Steve Wheeler provides a number of questions to consider about libraries of the future.
- Libraries Without Walls – Steve Wheeler reflects on library from the perspective of content, services, spaces and skills.
- New & Improved Libraries – Laura Fleming discusses how she was inspired by the work of Pixar Animation Studios when turning the library at New Milford High School into a constant learning organization.
- Classroom in the Cloud: Technology as a Learning Environment – Laura Fleming explains how she designs online learning spaces in the creation of an ‘always-open’ library.
- A Tale of Two Libraries – Eric Sheninger reflects on the change in the library space during his time at New Milford High School.
- How Can Today’s Classrooms & Schools Become Inclusive Learning Environments? The Story of Minarets HS – Michael Niehoff share the spaces that were created at Minerats High School, including a Starbucks style media lounge.
- Why We Need Libraries In a World Filled With Noise – AJ Juliani reminds us why the focus still needs to be around literacy and reading.
- What Will Libraries of the Future Look Like? – James Barnett wonders if the hybrid nature of modern spaces will mean that they become curation places.
- The future of the library – Seth Godin suggests that the next library will be one that helps people grapple with data, make things and engage with a wider community.
- 5-Minute Film Festival: Reimagining the Library – Amy Erin Borovoy collects together a range of film associated with reimagining the library spaces of the future.
- Library makerspaces: revolution or evolution? – Chris Harte documents some of the transformations that have occurred at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School in the development of a makerspace.
- What is the value of a library with no content? – David White suggests in a library without content that what matters are people to support understanding it.
- The Classroom or Library as a Maker Space – Jackie Gerstein discusses some actions involved in turning any space into a makerspace.
- The Future of Libraries – Ron Starker and Doug Tindall describe the design of the library at Singapore American School with Rushton Hurley.
- Board Games in the School Library: 3 Reasons Why It’s a Winning Play – Robert Schuetz shows why he introduced board games into the library space, explaining how they can support engagement, social skills, self-regulation and improved school climate.
- A Librarian’s Guide to Makerspaces: 16 Resources – A collection of blogs and directories associated with libraries and makerspaces.
READ WRITE RESPOND #022
So that is October for me, how about you? As always, interested to hear.
Also, feel free to forward this on to others if you found anything of interest or maybe you want to subscribe?
Cover image by JustLego101
Ian Leslie looks into the question of reputation through the review of two books: Reputation: What It Is and Why It Matters by Gloria Origgi and The Reputation Game: The Art of Changing How People See You by David Waller and Rupert Younger. It is an interesting read, especially in light of everything about [Harvey Weinstein](https://collect.readwriterespond.com/read-write-respond-022/#Should men or society stop the Harvey Weinstein%E2%80%99s of this world %E2%80%93 Marten Koomen explores where to now with Harvey Weinstein and the way women are treated in society) and the media men list.
Also on:
Ian Leslie looks into the question of reputation through the review of two books: Reputation: What It Is and Why It Matters by Gloria Origgi and The Reputation Game: The Art of Changing How People See You by David Waller and Rupert Younger. It is an interesting read, especially in light of everything about Harvey Weinstein and the media men list.
Also on:
Bookmarked The Reputation Game by Ian Leslie (New Statesman)
Ian Leslie looks into the question of reputation through the review of two books: Reputation: What It Is and Why It Matters by Gloria Origgi and The Reputation Game: The Art of Changing How People See You by David Waller and Rupert Younger. It is an interesting read, especially in light of everything about Harvey Weinstein and the media men list.
A collection of ways Google G Suite for Education can be used in the library, including the creation of digital spaces, supporting research, organising thinking and making connections beyond the classroom.
One of the areas that the team that I work in supports is GSuite. This year we have looked to provide for some different stakeholders within school, one of which are librarians. I have written before about the future of libraries, touching on ideas of a hybrid learning space always open. Here then are some further thoughts on the ways that GSuite can support these changes:
Spaces
A significant change in recent times has been the development of virtual spaces. David White describes this intersection between the physical and digital as a coalescent space. Google provides a number of options including: Sites, Plus, Classroom and Blogger. Each application has its own set of features and affordances.
(New) Google Sites is a static website builder that allows a lot of drop and drag. It offers a number of possibilities. It is also now found within Google Drive and allows users to embed a wide range of content. One of the limitations is the ability to converse and the use of mobile platforms to create and update.
Another option is Google Plus. Like Facebook and Facebook Pages, Plus provides the means to create communities where people can meet and share. These can be both public and private. Additionally, Plus allows users to organise resources in collections.
A development over recent years has been Google Classroom. This space allows many of the features of Plus communities, but in a closed environment. A recent addition to classroom has been the ability to engage across domains.
The original Google space is Blogger. One of the original blogging platforms, Blogger allows for an open and dynamic presentation of content. This could be a shared space for different writers, a place to collect links or a space to document news and updates.
There are so many options for spaces. However, rather than choosing one or the other, sometimes the best option is combining different solutions, whether it be a Site and a G+ community or a blog and a Classroom space.
Further Reading
Learning professionally with Google+ Communities – Camilla Elliott explains some of the benefits of Google+ Communities for sharing and collaborating. This is seen as an alternative to other spaces, such as Facebook Pages.
Triple Differentiation in Google Classroom – Beginning, Middle, and End – Eric Curts demonstrates how Google Classroom can be used to differentiate learning. This post also explores many of the newer features, such as setting specific work for individual students, incorporate different resources and allow students to submit a wide range of products.
The Many Faces of Blogging – To make sense of the possibilities afforded by blogging, this post identifies seven different approaches to help in developing a deeper understanding.
Communities, Networks and Connected Learning with Google – An investigation into the technology associated wtih the development of digital communities and networks inside and outside of the classroom.
Research.
In an age of abundance, customised content and fake news, one of the more important roles for a library is to develop digital citizenship. For David White, this is about being an “expert at navigating content, not owning it.” A common use of libraries then is to support research and investigation. Google provides a number of tools to support this, such as:
Ngram Viewer allows you to compare the language captured by Google’s attempt to digitise the world’s libraries.
Trends provides a way to filter and frame Google’s search data, this includes the ability to visualises current searches.
Google News goes beyond microfiche to archive hundreds of newspapers from around the world.
Google has also created a range of material to support the development of research skills. This includes a Power Searching Course, Search Literacy Lesson Plans and the game-based A Google A Day
Another collection of strategies comes via Mike Caulfield and his work around fact checking. In his book Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers, Caulfield outlines four key strategies:
This book also explains how to use Google Books to track down quotes and use reverse image search to find the origin of an image.
To support these strategies, Caulfield also started a new site, Four Moves. This has been designed to provide prompts and practice to support students with the act of fact checking.
It is often stated that the best firewall is the human sitting using the computer. That is part of the reason Google developed Be Internet Awesome, a program designed to support students to be better online citizens. It is organised around five fundamentals – being smart, alert, strong, kind and brave – and mixes together a curriculum with a series of game-based activities.
It is important to note that Digital citizenship can mean many things to many people. Sometimes the best thing to do is start by defining what it means within your own content.
Further Reading
Google Search Presentation – Anthony Speranza provides some tricks to making the most of searching with Google.
Be Internet Awesome – A range of resources developed by Google to help kids be safe, confident explorers of the online world.
Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers – Mike Caulfield provides a range of strategies, tactics and tools, which, properly used, can get students closer to the truth of a statement or image.
Four Moves – A collection of activities to support Caulfield’s work with fact checking and digital citizenship.
Beyond Book Reports
The traditional perception of the library are rows and rows of books and with this the age old practice of standard book reports. It would be therefore easy to use technology to just reproduce this. The problem though is it fails to recognise new possibilities associted with the various features and affordances.
One possibility is to explore place using the range of geo tools. Whether it be plotting a narrative with Google Tour Builder, going on a Lit Trip with Google Earth, collating books from around the world with My Maps, exploring places with Google Cardboard or testing your knowledge with Smarty Pins.
Another potential is to use Google Forms to gather student reviews and then publish these with Awesome Tables. These reviews could even be audio or video recordings, collected using the file upload question format. Videos could even be played within a Google Slide, therefore avoiding the need to upload to YouTube.
HyperDocs provide another way of rethinking how students respond to books. They are documents which incorporate different interactive activities, usually involving a range of choice. They help provide the structure for self-determined learners. A creative activity involving hyperlinks is the making of a ‘choose your own adventure’ story. Another format to support thinking and research is the Iron Chef Lesson Plan, which involves working collaboratively to develop ideas and understanding.
Further Reading
HyperDocs and the teacher librarian – Joyce Valenza provides an introduction to HyperDocs and how they might apply to libraries.
Choose Your Own Adventure Stories with Google Docs – Eric Curts provides a guide to creating a Choose Your Own Adventure Story.
My Tables are Awesome – John Stewart explains the power and potential of Awesome Tables to organise data and information.
Thinking
Libraries are often the space within a school which provides the possibility to go beyond the subject silos. In regards to curriculum, this provides the opportunity to explore other areas, such as the critical and creative thinking curriculum.
Google provides a number of ways to make our critical thinking visible. This can come in many formats, whether it be conducting brainstorms, organising ideas using graphic templates or representing understanding using infographics. For creative responses, you can make poems or digital comics. Two tools useful for working collaboratively with text and visuals are Drawings and Slides.
Gone are the days of libraries being silent spaces dedicated to independent reading and reaearch. Now they are spaces design to spark conversation and creativity. A part of this is the inclusion of makerspaces, but another change is the addition of games and a focus on collaborative problem solving. One possibility in this area is BreakoutEDU. Based on the escape room, BreakoutEDU provides a way of engaging with the wider space, but they can also be a way of developing critical thinking. An extension of this are digital BreakoutEDU experiences.
Further Reading
Collaborative Magnetic Poetry with Google Drawings – Kasey Bell shares interactive template with Google Drawings that you and your students can use to get creative. and poetry
A Guide to Visualisations – A summary of ten different forms of visualisations and how they can fit within the classroom.
30 Free Google Drawings Graphic Organizers – Eric Curts shares a collection of graphic organisers created with Drawings.
The Next Awesome Thing In Your Classroom – Digital BreakoutEDU – Tom Mullaney provides a twist on BreakoutEDU by making them digital.
Connected Classroom
The move of libraries into the digital realm not only opens learning up into different spaces, but it also provides different connected opportunities outside of the school.
Hangouts Meet allows for synchronous video connections beyond the four walls of the classroom. This could include sending out an impromptu invite or scheduling an event beforehand. Whereas previously recordings had to be done using YouTube Live, users can now record with Meet and save to Drive. Virtual connections can be used to connect different classrooms, conduct virtual debates or provide an alternative point of access to classroom material.
Google provides a number ways for sharing video for asyncronius connections. This could be as simple as a presentation with Slides or content added to a blog. Another possibility often overlook is the ability to create a shared channel in YouTube. This allows multiple people to manage things and passing on content if they leave. In addition to uploading video, a channel can be used to share curated playlists of appropriate content. An important topic with the increasing influence of algorithms on what is shown on YouTube.
Further Reading
Finding a class to partner with virtually AND activities to do together – Matt Miller shares a number of strategies for partnering with a virtual class, as well as a number of activities to explore.
Do You Have What It Takes To Be The Next World Booktalk Champion??? – Brad Gustafson shares another booktalk challenge. Gustafson facilities so many great global projects, all documented on his site.
Google Cultural Institute Puts Us All Onstage – Michael Cooper explains how the cultural institute allows you to go beyond a simple walkthrough of places on YouTube to being able to move around the ballet or through a gallery using the technology developed for Google Street View.
Creating Virtual Reality Content in Minecraft with Year 4 – Lee Hewes explains how his students created virtual reality content within Minecraft.
So there it is, a breakdown of some ways that Google can be incorporated into the library. One thing to be mindful of is not every application is covered by the standard collection notice. I have also excluded some that I am unsure about from educational sense, such as Google Books, as they do not seem to be available in Australia.
So what about you? Would you have structured things differently? Or maybe you have an activity that could be added? Or even a resource? As always, comments welcome or you could even write your own post and send me a webmention.
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Googling Libraries by Aaron Davis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
A collection of ways Google G Suite for Education can be used in the library, including the creation of digital spaces, supporting research, organising thinking and making connections beyond the classroom.
One of the areas that the team that I work in supports is GSuite. This year we have looked to provide for some different stakeholders within school, one of which are librarians. I have written before about the future of libraries, touching on ideas of a hybrid learning space always open. Here then are some further thoughts on the ways that GSuite can support these changes:
Spaces
A significant change in recent times has been the development of virtual spaces. David White describes this intersection between the physical and digital as a coalescent space. Google provides a number of options including: Sites, Plus, Classroom and Blogger. Each application has its own set of features and affordances.
(New) Google Sites is a static website builder that allows a lot of drop and drag. It offers a number of possibilities. It is also now found within Google Drive and allows users to embed a wide range of content. One of the limitations is the ability to converse and the use of mobile platforms to create and update.
Another option is Google Plus. Like Facebook and Facebook Pages, Plus provides the means to create communities where people can meet and share. These can be both public and private. Additionally, Plus allows users to organise resources in collections.
A development over recent years has been Google Classroom. This space allows many of the features of Plus communities, but in a closed environment. A recent addition to classroom has been the ability to engage across domains.
The original Google space is Blogger. One of the original blogging platforms, Blogger allows for an open and dynamic presentation of content. This could be a shared space for different writers, a place to collect links or a space to document news and updates.
There are so many options for spaces. However, rather than choosing one or the other, sometimes the best option is combining different solutions, whether it be a Site and a G+ community or a blog and a Classroom space.
Further Reading
Learning professionally with Google+ Communities – Camilla Elliott explains some of the benefits of Google+ Communities for sharing and collaborating. This is seen as an alternative to other spaces, such as Facebook Pages.
Triple Differentiation in Google Classroom – Beginning, Middle, and End – Eric Curts demonstrates how Google Classroom can be used to differentiate learning. This post also explores many of the newer features, such as setting specific work for individual students, incorporate different resources and allow students to submit a wide range of products.
The Many Faces of Blogging – To make sense of the possibilities afforded by blogging, this post identifies seven different approaches to help in developing a deeper understanding.
Communities, Networks and Connected Learning with Google – An investigation into the technology associated wtih the development of digital communities and networks inside and outside of the classroom.
Research.
In an age of abundance, customised content and fake news, one of the more important roles for a library is to develop digital citizenship. For David White, this is about being an “expert at navigating content, not owning it.” A common use of libraries then is to support research and investigation. Google provides a number of tools to support this, such as:
Ngram Viewer allows you to compare the language captured by Google’s attempt to digitise the world’s libraries.
Trends provides a way to filter and frame Google’s search data, this includes the ability to visualises current searches.
Google News goes beyond microfiche to archive hundreds of newspapers from around the world.
Google has also created a range of material to support the development of research skills. This includes a Power Searching Course, Search Literacy Lesson Plans and the game-based A Google A Day
Another collection of strategies comes via Mike Caulfield and his work around fact checking. In his book Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers, Caulfield outlines four key strategies:
This book also explains how to use Google Books to track down quotes and use reverse image search to find the origin of an image.
To support these strategies, Caulfield also started a new site, Four Moves. This has been designed to provide prompts and practice to support students with the act of fact checking.
It is often stated that the best firewall is the human sitting using the computer. That is part of the reason Google developed Be Internet Awesome, a program designed to support students to be better online citizens. It is organised around five fundamentals – being smart, alert, strong, kind and brave – and mixes together a curriculum with a series of game-based activities.
It is important to note that Digital citizenship can mean many things to many people. Sometimes the best thing to do is start by defining what it means within your own content.
Further Reading
Google Search Presentation – Anthony Speranza provides some tricks to making the most of searching with Google.
Be Internet Awesome – A range of resources developed by Google to help kids be safe, confident explorers of the online world.
Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers – Mike Caulfield provides a range of strategies, tactics and tools, which, properly used, can get students closer to the truth of a statement or image.
Four Moves – A collection of activities to support Caulfield’s work with fact checking and digital citizenship.
Beyond Book Reports
The traditional perception of the library are rows and rows of books and with this the age old practice of standard book reports. It would be therefore easy to use technology to just reproduce this. The problem though is it fails to recognise new possibilities associted with the various features and affordances.
One possibility is to explore place using the range of geo tools. Whether it be plotting a narrative with Google Tour Builder, going on a Lit Trip with Google Earth, collating books from around the world with My Maps, exploring places with Google Cardboard or testing your knowledge with Smarty Pins.
Another potential is to use Google Forms to gather student reviews and then publish these with Awesome Tables. These reviews could even be audio or video recordings, collected using the file upload question format. Videos could even be played within a Google Slide, therefore avoiding the need to upload to YouTube.
HyperDocs provide another way of rethinking how students respond to books. They are documents which incorporate different interactive activities, usually involving a range of choice. They help provide the structure for self-determined learners. A creative activity involving hyperlinks is the making of a ‘choose your own adventure’ story. Another format to support thinking and research is the Iron Chef Lesson Plan, which involves working collaboratively to develop ideas and understanding.
Further Reading
HyperDocs and the teacher librarian – Joyce Valenza provides an introduction to HyperDocs and how they might apply to libraries.
Choose Your Own Adventure Stories with Google Docs – Eric Curts provides a guide to creating a Choose Your Own Adventure Story.
My Tables are Awesome – John Stewart explains the power and potential of Awesome Tables to organise data and information.
Thinking
Libraries are often the space within a school which provides the possibility to go beyond the subject silos. In regards to curriculum, this provides the opportunity to explore other areas, such as the critical and creative thinking curriculum.
Google provides a number of ways to make our critical thinking visible. This can come in many formats, whether it be conducting brainstorms, organising ideas using graphic templates or representing understanding using infographics. For creative responses, you can make poems or digital comics. Two tools useful for working collaboratively with text and visuals are Drawings and Slides.
Gone are the days of libraries being silent spaces dedicated to independent reading and reaearch. Now they are spaces design to spark conversation and creativity. A part of this is the inclusion of makerspaces, but another change is the addition of games and a focus on collaborative problem solving. One possibility in this area is BreakoutEDU. Based on the escape room, BreakoutEDU provides a way of engaging with the wider space, but they can also be a way of developing critical thinking. An extension of this are digital BreakoutEDU experiences.
Further Reading
Collaborative Magnetic Poetry with Google Drawings – Kasey Bell shares interactive template with Google Drawings that you and your students can use to get creative. and poetry
A Guide to Visualisations – A summary of ten different forms of visualisations and how they can fit within the classroom.
30 Free Google Drawings Graphic Organizers – Eric Curts shares a collection of graphic organisers created with Drawings.
The Next Awesome Thing In Your Classroom – Digital BreakoutEDU – Tom Mullaney provides a twist on BreakoutEDU by making them digital.
Connected Classroom
The move of libraries into the digital realm not only opens learning up into different spaces, but it also provides different connected opportunities outside of the school.
Hangouts Meet allows for synchronous video connections beyond the four walls of the classroom. This could include sending out an impromptu invite or scheduling an event beforehand. Whereas previously recordings had to be done using YouTube Live, users can now record with Meet and save to Drive. Virtual connections can be used to connect different classrooms, conduct virtual debates or provide an alternative point of access to classroom material.
Google provides a number ways for sharing video for asyncronius connections. This could be as simple as a presentation with Slides or content added to a blog. Another possibility often overlook is the ability to create a shared channel in YouTube. This allows multiple people to manage things and passing on content if they leave. In addition to uploading video, a channel can be used to share curated playlists of appropriate content. An important topic with the increasing influence of algorithms on what is shown on YouTube.
Further Reading
Finding a class to partner with virtually AND activities to do together – Matt Miller shares a number of strategies for partnering with a virtual class, as well as a number of activities to explore.
Do You Have What It Takes To Be The Next World Booktalk Champion??? – Brad Gustafson shares another booktalk challenge. Gustafson facilities so many great global projects, all documented on his site.
Google Cultural Institute Puts Us All Onstage – Michael Cooper explains how the cultural institute allows you to go beyond a simple walkthrough of places on YouTube to being able to move around the ballet or through a gallery using the technology developed for Google Street View.
Creating Virtual Reality Content in Minecraft with Year 4 – Lee Hewes explains how his students created virtual reality content within Minecraft.
So there it is, a breakdown of some ways that Google can be incorporated into the library. One thing to be mindful of is not every application is covered by the standard collection notice. I have also excluded some that I am unsure about from educational sense, such as Google Books, as they do not seem to be available in Australia.
So what about you? Would you have structured things differently? Or maybe you have an activity that could be added? Or even a resource? As always, comments welcome or you could even write your own post and send me a webmention.
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Googling Libraries by Aaron Davis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Hannah Guy discusses the impact of images on misinformation. This is not just about fake photographs, but graphics too. She provides a particular focus on memes, something danah boyd also covered.
Deborah Netolicky reflects on her recent investigation into libraries. This included their history, how they and those who work within them are defined. Her review of literature found that libraries are:
Neutral and democratising;
Participatory and connected locally and globally;
Centred around learning, literacy, research, and knowledge; and
Facilitators of interdisciplinarity.
She also created a tri-venn diagram to represent the contested nature of the space:
I have written about the future of libraries before, however Netolicky’s deep dive takes it a step further.
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Background image via JustLego101
My Month of March
At work we took another step with the reporting solution that we have been working on. This involved setting up two schools. There was a bit of a rush to have all the testing and documentation completed beforehand. However, the relative smoothness made it all worthwhile.
In regards to the family, our eldest daughter was playing a game on the iPad recently and I said that maybe one day she might code her own such game. She said she could, but she had already decided that she was going to be a performer. I feel challenged everyday by my role as a parent. Do I step in and suggest that maybe she does not sound as good as Sia as she belts out her rendition of Chandelier or do I just support her in dreaming big? At the moment, it is the later. Our youngest on the other hand must have found my copy of A More Beautiful Question as she has taken to asking the Five Whys about absolutely everything. I answer and answer again. My wife says that I will lose, but I don’t see it like that. It is about the conversation, right?
On a personal level, I find myself diving deeper into reflections these days, especially with my second blog providing a means of ongoing engagement. One of the side-effects has been my lack of engagement in spaces like Twitter. I still write extended responses when challenged, but I do not trawl through conversations or conference hashtags as much as I used to. I am left wondering what am I missing in my move more and more to RSS and curated feeds?
In regards to my writing, here was my month in posts:
Automation Generation – Although many talk about the power and potential of automation to aid us, sometimes we need to step back and ask ourselves what this means and where the limits lay.
Managing Content Through Canonical Links – One of the challenges with the web can be managing content across multiple sites, one answer, create canonical links and share from there.
Paying for the Privilege: The Collective Move to Patreon – With the move to platforms like Patreon, it leaves me wondering about the impact on the wider community.
Here then are some of the thoughts that have also left me thinking …
Learning and Teaching
Image via “Stormtroopers Training: Theory” by Pedro Vezini is licensed under CC BY-NC-SAQuote via Kath Murdoch ‘‘12 ‘Lesson Hacks’ to Nurture Inquiry’’
12 ‘Lesson Hacks’ to Nurture Inquiry – Kath Murdoch provides a number of simple changes to consider in every classroom. They include letting students try first before providing instruction, turning learning intentions into questions, co-constructing success criterias, standing up rather than sitting down and changING your position in the classroom. Steve Mouldey also shared some thoughts on supporting learners with being more engaged and active within the learning, while Jon Corippo and Marlena Hebern shared ideas for how to create dynamic learning environments on the Ask the Tech Coach Podcast.
The Library of the Future – Deborah Netolicky reflects on her recent investigation into libraries. This include the history of libraries, as well as how they and those who work within them are defined. Her review of the literature found that libraries are: neutral and democratising; participatory and connected locally and globally; centred around learning, literacy, research, and knowledge; and, facilitators of interdisciplinarity. I have written about the future of libraries before, however Netolicky’s deep dive takes it a step further.
My Learning – It has been fascinating following Greg Miller’s thinking in regards to the construct of learning. There are many assumptions that go unquestioned in schools, I am finding that as I discuss reporting with more people. This move towards self-directed learning reminds me of the work going on at Geelong College and Templestowe College. My wonder is how we manage to marry these changes with various expectations, such as timetables.
How to Write an Edu-book – Alex Quigley discusses his six steps to writing a book. In addition to the reflections from Mary Myatt, Tom Sherrington and Ryan Holiday, they offer a useful insight into the writing process. It is interesting to compare these with the process often taught in schools. Students often get straight into writing without being given initial planning time.
Assessing Assessment for Digital Making – Oliver Quinlan discusses the challenges associated with Black and Wiliam’s work on feedback and digital technologies. In the absence of defined criteria, he suggests using comparative judgement where feedback is gained by comparing with a similar object.
Edtech
Image via “Lego on Facebook” by amarois is licensed under CC BY-NC-SAQuote via danah boyd
You Think You Want Media Literacy… Do You? – danah boyd discusses concerns about the weaponising of media literacy through denalism and says that there is a need for cognitive strengthening. Benjamin Doxtdator raises the concern that focusing on the individual. Instead he suggests considering the technical infrastructure. Maha Bali argues that we need aspects of both. In a response to the various criticisms, boyd admits that she is not completely sold on the solution, but we need to start somewhere.
Typing Tips: The How and Why of Teaching Students Keyboarding Skills – Kathleen Morris reflects on the place of typing in schools. She collects together a number of sites used to teach typing. It feels like we spend so much time debating handwriting sometimes that we forget about typing. Airelle Pardes suggests that the lack of a keyboard (and therefore typing) is one of the major reasons for the demise of the iPad in education. The discussion of typing also reminds me of a post from Catherine Gatt from a few years ago associated with assessing typing.
On the Need for Phone Free Classrooms – Pernille Ripp shares why her class will become phone free. A part of this problem is that the compulsive behaviour of social media and smart phones is by design. Douglas Rushkoff’s argues that other than teaching media, social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc) should never be used by schools. Mike Niehoff’s concern is what happens in the future when people have not learnt independance and moderation?
PressED – A WordPress and Education, Pedagogy and Research Conference on Twitter – This online conference involves 45 presenters across 12 hours posting 10 to 20 tweets each at a scheduled time. Although many have also shared posts corresponding with their presentations (Alan Levine, Tom Woodward, Jim Groom and John Johnston), you can also go back through the tweets. One of the things that stands out is the use of the different addordances, such as graphics and GIFs.
Dear IndieWeb, it may be time to start considering the user, not just the technical spec – Eli Mellen wonders if the answer to extending the #IndieWeb is in considering the user. I think that this is part of the challenge. Mark Pospesel discusses about reducing friction, while Cory Doctorow suggests that we need to reconsider which technologies we use. Whatever the particulars, it will take a collective response to move the #IndieWeb from the hipster-web to a “demonstratably better web”
Why the PDF Is Secretly the World’s Most Important File Format – Along with David Brock’s investigation into Powerpoint, this article is important in reminding us of two things, that things have not always been the way that they are and the way we got to now. Maybe we should demand better? Or maybe we need to spend more time reflecting on the past.
Storytelling and Reflection
Image via “Happy Little Trees” by nolnet is licensed under CC BY-NCQuote via Austin Kleon ‘How to Keep Going’ https://collect.readwriterespond.com/austin-kleon-bond-2018/
How to Keep Going – Austin Kleon reflects on the life of an artist and outlines ten things to consider in order to keep on going. Some of his suggestions include treating everyday like Groundhog day, building a bliss station and going for a walk to scar of the demons. Some other tips for staying focused include Jenny Mackness’ reflection that the last step does not matter, Jeff Haden’s suggestions that planning for a holiday is more beneficial than the holiday or Seth Godin’s reminder that the goal is change, not credit.
Excellent teachers in an age of fads – Mark Esner suggests that many teachers will often make anything work to a degree. What is really needed is time for teachers to study how students learn, as well as time to reflect on their processes together. John Spencer describes this as a food truck mindset. Some similar approaches designed to support teachers with structures, rather than solutions, include Modern Learning Canvas, Agile Leadership and Disciplined Collaboration.
Metrics, Thy Name is Vanity – Harold Jarche reflects on turning Google Analytics off. He instead suggests that the metric that matters (for him) is how many books he sells and how many people sign up to his courses. He gives the example of a course that had hundreds of likes and reposts, yet only one person actually registered. This has me thinking about which metric matters to me and the way in which I engage with others. Maybe Doug Belshaw is right in creating a committed group of supporters?
TER #109 – How large-scale tests affect school management with Marten Koomen – 04 March 2018 – In this interview, Marten Koomen addresses the question of how Victoria went from a state that was a leader in content knowledge and democratic values to the launch of a content-free platform driven by the terror of performativity? (My attempt at notes here.) This continues a conversation started last year. For me, this touches on Audrey Watter’s point about technology as a system.
The male glance: how we fail to take women’s stories seriously – podcast – Lili Loofbourow rewrites the wrong that has male art is epic, universal, and profoundly meaningful, while Women’s creations as domestic, emotional and trivial. This critique has ramifications far beyond fiction.
FOCUS ON … Cambridge Analytica
Image via “CIMG5200” by Phil LaCombe is licensed under CC BY-NC-SAQuote via Paul Ford https://collect.readwriterespond.com/how-to-fix-facebooks-data-breach/
This month saw the revelation of the ways in which Cambridge Analytica used and abused data scraped from Facebook to nudge voters in the 2016 election. It remains to be seen whether this is the start of a new era. In part this reminds me of the changes in the way people saw things after Snowden. Thinking about Doug Belshaw’s web timeline, maybe this will mark a new era of informed consent. Here then is a collection of responses to the current crisis.
Background
‘A grand illusion’: seven days that shattered Facebook’s facade – Olivia Solon provides a timeline associated with the breaches stemming back to 2015. Solon suggests that privacy settings should be renamed publicity settings.
My Cow Game Extracted Your Facebook Data – Ian Bogust discusses his experience creating a game on Facebook and explains how the Pandora’s box associated with external apps is one that they cannot be closed.
How Calls for Privacy May Upend Business for Facebook and Google – David Streitfeld, Natasha Singer and Steven Erlanger explore the history of privacy and data collection associated with Google and Facebook. They wonder what the impact will be of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.
The people owned the web, tech giants stole it. This is how we take it back – Jonathon Freeland argues that Cambridge Analytica represents an attempt to reverse the internet’s push for the decentralization of power, to instead restore the traditional imbalance. The concern though is this recentralising of power is being done in such a way as if it were “the organic word of the crowd itself, spread virally from one person to another, with no traces or fingerprints left by those at the top.”
Spy Contractor’s Idea Helped Cambridge Analytica Harvest Facebook Data – Nicholas Confessore and Matthew Rosenber report on the revelation of the informal links between Cambridge Analytica and US spy agency, Palantir.
On The Obama Did The EXACT Same Thing Argument – Kin Lane explains that although Obama’s use of data may have been technically similar to Trump, the topics discussed in 2012 (big government, 2nd amendment, healthcare etc) were different to those pushed in 2016 (Mexicans coming for their jobs, the Muslim people coming to kills us, the community college mass shooting down the street being false flag, how queers and drug dealers should die, and how the Jews running the deep state had rigged the election.)
Facebook scraped call, text message data for years from Android phones – Sean Gallagher reports on the way that Facebook has been collecting call data on Android phones after inadvertently being given access to contacts.
ICE Uses Facebook Data to Find and Track Suspects, Internal Emails Show – Lee Fang explains how the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency uses backend Facebook data to locate and track suspects.
Hero to zero in Silicon Valley: Chips with Everything podcast – Jordan Erica Webber is joined by Brad Stone of Bloomberg and Dr Bianca Wright from the University of Coventry to look at the history of Silicon Valley giants and why we’re so slow to pull back from the tech companies we are most disgusted by.
We were warned about Cambridge Analytica. Why didn’t we listen? – Nicole Kobie lists a raft of reports involving Facebook and shady uses of data, such as Obama’s 2012 campaign and 2015 revolutions about Cambridge Analytica. She contends that this time is different as there are a number of whistleblowers who have come forward.
Roger McNamee: “I Think You Can Make a Legitimate Case that Facebook Has Become Parasitic” – Roger McNamee shares his efforts to get Facebook to fix its business model, but has come to the realisation that the libertarian values prevent this from happening.
Growth At Any Cost: Top Facebook Executive Defended Data Collection In 2016 Memo — And Warned That Facebook Could Get People Killed – Ryan Mac reports that an internal memo sent by Andrew Bosworth in 2016 shared fears that Facebook’s quest for ‘growth at all costs’ could cost the lives of users through bullying or terrorism.
‘Utterly horrifying’: ex-Facebook insider says covert data harvesting was routine – Paul Lewis reports the concerns of Sandy Parakilas, the former platform operations manager at Facebook responsible for policing data breaches by third-party software developers. Parakilas says that his warnings associated with possible bad actors were ignored due to concerns around public relations.
Leaked: Cambridge Analytica’s blueprint for Trump victory – Brittany Kaiser, the second former Cambridge Analytica employee to come out, discusses a presentation documenting the Trump campaign. This includes an insight into a number of strategies used.
Mozilla ‘presses pause’ on Facebook ads over data-mining claims – Alex Hern reports that Mozilla has paused its ads on Facebook due to concerns around the privacy of users.
Gold Coast council dumps plan to mine Facebook data from Commonwealth Games visitors using free wi-fi – Elise Kinsella reports that the Gold Coast Councils decided to dump a move to mine Facebook data gained by forcing visitors to sign in with Facebook to use the ‘free’ wifi.
Responses
Facebook’s Surveillance Machine – Zeynep Tufekei explains that what Cambridge Analytica did may not have been a breach, in the technical sense, but it was a breach of trust. Facebook failed to gain informed consent, leading to the exploitation of users and their data.
Fish that swim upstream & shipwrecks – Borrowing from the work of Paul Virilio, Benjamin Doxtdator explains that when we created social media, we also created the shipwreck that is Cambridge Analytica at the same time.
Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica problems are nothing compared to what’s coming for all of online publishing – Doc Searls asks the question, “What will happen when the Times, the New Yorker and other pubs own up to the simple fact that they are just as guilty as Facebook of leaking its readers’ data to other parties, for—in many if not most cases—God knows what purposes besides “interest-based” advertising?”
Facebook: is it time we all deleted our accounts? – Arwa Mahdawl explains that the issues associated with Cambridge Analytica are only the tip of the iceberg, as Facebook is only one of many platforms engaged in surveillance capitalism. The alternative though is not necessarily clear.
Big data is watching you – and it wants your vote – Jamie Bartlett argues that blaming Nix and Cambridge Analytica is missing the point that every platform uses some form of A/B testing, micro-targeting, neural nudges and data analytics.
Why education is embracing Facebook-style personality profiling for schoolchildren – Ben Williamson explains that it is not only politics drifting to behavioural government, but education policy and practice too are beginning to embrace a behavioural science of algorithm-based triggers and nudges which are tuned to personality and mood. Whether it be through applications like ClassDojo or PISA’s move into psychometrics, education is mining beneath the surface to capture more and more details about personality, character and emotions.
Cambridge Analytica: the data analytics industry is already in full swing – David Beer says we need to realise that the analysis of data is deeply embedded in all the structures of our lives in which we live.
If You’re Pissed About Facebook’s Privacy Abuses, You Should Be Four Times As Angry At The Broadband Industry – Karl Bode points out that if we are really worried about privacy and the misuse of data then our attention should be on the internet service providers who have been caught out on numerous occasions helping governments spy on customers, as well as selling records of websites clicked.
Cambridge Analytica is bad, but Palantir is fucking terrifying – Drew Millard uses a blueprint of a patent submitted by Palentir to provide insight into the sort of reach their surveillance solutions have.
Why I deleted Facebook – Derek Sivers explains why he has quit Facebook. There are a host of others recorded on the #IndieWeb wiki, including Elon Musk.
For Some Students, #DeleteFacebook Is Not Really an Option – Tina Nazerian discusses some of the challenges for students associated with deleting Facebook. In particular, she highlights the dependency developed as a consequence for using it as a learning space.
Facebooked, Googled And Recovering Imagination – Sherri Spelic returns to two books written about Google and Facebook, highlighting that many of the current concerns around regulation were identified then. In response, Spelic calls more more imagination, look up, pay attention and pause.
Facebook – to delete, or not to delete? – The Luddbrarian suggests that what makes the current #DeleteFacebook campaign different is that the data breaches allowed Trump to win. The problem with this is that it overlooks the problem at the base of such automated solutions. What we need is to widen our technological imagination and consider how Facebook could be better.
Don’t Delete Facebook. Do Something About It – Siva Vaidhyanathan suggests that it will take more than a few users leaving to impact Facebook, instead we need to turn our attention to activism and supporting collective groups, such as scientific organizations, universities, libraries, museums, newspapers and civic organizations.
Silicon Valley Has Failed to Protect Our Data. Here’s How to Fix It – Paul Ford proposes the creation of a Digital Protection Agency to clean up the toxic data spill. This touches on what Mike Caulfield calls Info-Environmentalism.
It’s Time to Regulate the Internet – Franklin Foer says that the time has arrived for the United States to create its own regulatory infrastructure, designed to accord with our own values and traditions.
Why have we given up our privacy to Facebook and other sites so willingly? – Alex Hern suggests that we are not always aware with social media what we are giving up. He argues that where change is needed is around informed consent.
OAuth Has Many Flaws But It is The Best We Have At The Moment – Kin Lane argues that there is nothing stopping businesses from providing informed consent associated with OAuth, referring to Slack as an example, rather it is a choice. Therefore the answer is policy and regulation.
Facebook Is Screwed, And It’s Taking Us With It – Anthony Caruana contends that like Microsoft in the early 2000’s, Facebook needs to stop worrying about features and instead focus on securing personal data.
Don’t waste the Cambridge Analytica scandal: it’s a chance to take control of our data – Scott Ludlam argues that we are at a crossroads, with one path leading to data sovereignty and the other extending the grip of surveillance capitalism.
The Cambridge Analytica-Facebook Debacle: A Legal Primer – Andrew Woods provides a legal breakdown as to how Cambridge Analytica maybe prosecuted. One of the interesting points is that although they may have broken developer policies, it did so through the front door.
Platform Literacy in a Time of Mass Gaslighting – Or – That Time I Asked Cambridge Analytica for My Data – Autumn Caines documents the steps she took to try and get an insight into the data held by Cambridge Analytica.
Personality Tests and the Downfall of Democracy – Ben Werdmuller explains how the use of personality quizzes on Facebook have been used to develop detailed profiles of users. The problem is that this is how the platform was designed.
Facebook’s about-face and what it means for the future of news – Antony Funnell speaks with Mathew Ingram, Gabriele Boland and Gautum Mishra about the recent changes to Facebook’s algorithms to deprioritse the sharing of serious news to prioritise the personal.
Alternative Solutions
The Best Alternative For Every Facebook Feature – Mai Schotz cobbles together a group of apps and services to replace those provided by Facebook, such as Nuzzel, Signal and Nextdoor. Sadly, no mention of the #IndieWeb.
Can Social Media Be Saved? – Kevin Roose provides three possible interventions to rescue social media: give power to the users, create a federated network and put expiration dates on social graphs.
Freeing Myself from Facebook – Jonathon Lacour documents how he reclaimed his Facebook (and Instagram) data on his own site before deleting his account.
All the URLs you need to block to actually stop using Facebook – Nikhil Sonnad provides a long list of entries to add to your host file in order to completely block Facebook.
Back to the Blog – Dan Cohen suggests it is psychological gravity, not technical inertia, that is the bigger antagonist of the open web. His answer is to write more under our own banner as a model for those who are to come.
Are you ready? This is all the data Facebook and Google have on you – Dylan Curran shows how much of your information platforms likes of Facebook and Google store about you without you even realising it, as well as some ways to take action.
Beware the smart toaster: 18 tips for surviving the surveillance age – Alex Hern and Arwa Mahdawi provide a number of tips to survive in a world of surveillance. They include securing old accounts, turning off notifications and retraining the brain to focus.
READ WRITE RESPOND #027
So that is March for me, how about you? As always, interested to hear.
Also, feel free to forward this on to others if you found anything of interest or maybe you want to subscribe? Otherwise, archives can be found here.
Cover image via JustLego101.
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My Month of May
This month I realised the limitations to using a priority matrix to organise my work. It was not capturing the different facets of my work, such as reporting, online portal, attendance and timetable. I am still organising my work around priorities, I have just taken to representing this in a spreadsheet, therefore allowing me to filter it in various ways. I still am not quite settled on this, but it will do for now
In regards to other aspects of work I was lucky enough to attend a presentation by Hilary Hollingsworth on ACER’s work on reporting. I have also been helping some schools with the implementation of various administrative applications focusing on interviews and excursions. The more I do the more I realise how much of what is ‘transformative’ is built upon a raft of invisible parts that build to make the complex systems, which we so easily take for granted.
On the family front, my girls have taken to belting out duets together, even in the middle of the shops. Although the youngest one cannot keep up with every word of every line, she gives it a go. In general, it is fascinating watching them learn together.
Personally, I have found myself spending more time bookmarking and collecting my thoughts, rather than crafting long forms. It was interesting to read Doug Belshaw reflect upon this with his own writing. I think that Ian O’Byrne captures this best when he explains the interrelated nature of the different spaces.
In regards to my writing, here was my month in posts:
Finding the Tools to Sing – A Reflection on Big B Blogging: I started writing this post a few months ago in response to Tom Critchlow’s post, but did not get around to finishing it, subsequently my initial notes have lay waiting. I was reminded of it by recent posts from Jim Groom and Alan Levine reflecting on the purpose of blogging. Here then is my contribution to the conversation.
Sharing Data is Easy with QUERY: There are many challenges to sharing specific data in Google Sheets, some of these can be overcome using the QUERY formula.
Here then are some of the thoughts and ideas that have also left me thinking:
Learning and Teaching
21 simple design elements that will make any School Assessment Task sheet accessible: Haley Tancredi, Jill Willis, Kelli McGraw and Linda Graham reflect on the assessment task sheet so common in the secondary classroom. Responding to the challenge of accessibility, they collect together a number of elements to support all students. This list is organised around visuals, clarity and directions.
Civix Releases New Online Media Literacy Videos: Mike Caulfield shares a series of videos summarising his work on Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers. Although it only touches on the basics, it still provides a useful introduction to the ‘Four Moves’ approach. Caulfield has also started a project associated with local newspapers that is worth checking out.
When words won’t suffice: behavior as communication: Benjamin Doxtdator unpacks behaviour in the classroom. He touches on knowing your child, student choices and systemic inequalities. This is a useful post to read and critically reflect upon various practices and pedagogies. I think that it all starts with the language that we choose. Chris Friend also considers the influence of language in regards to learning management systems and assessment. In regards to behaviour, Riss Leung compares dog training with her classroom experiences.
Learning for learning’s sake: Austin Kleon responds to the challenge associated with ‘learning for learning’s sake’. He suggests that we need to invest in hobbies and curiosity, just as much as we focus on ‘return on investment’. This reminds me of Amy Burvall’s point that “in order to connect dots, one must first have the dots”. Thinking about luck, Janice Kaplan discusses the importance of engaging with curiosity. Diane Kashen suggests we need more messy play.
Forget the checkout: what about the plastic clogging supermarket aisles?: Nicola Heath reports on the current plastic crisis in Australia. Although every state has agreed to ban single use bags, the real problem that needs to be addressed is in the aisles and aisles of pre-packaged food. Although the impact of plastics on our ocean has been well reported, it seems that there is a significant impact on our fresh water lakes too. Studies have found microplastics in drinking water, beer and honey. I wonder if the solution starts with school and education?
The Brick Wall: When I taught robotics I would show my students a video involving the use of a simple Lego kit in a science laboratory as a point of inspiration. The Brick Wall takes these possibilities to a whole new level, providing a collection of videos useful for thinking about what is possible in regards to programming, Lego and robotics. Some other series and collections that I have stumbled upon lately include the New York Times’ podcast Caliphate, which explores the world of ISIS, as well as Amy Burvall’s creativity vlogs as a part of the #LDvid30 project.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5lpZWDfjEM?rel=0&w=560&h=315%5D
Edtech
Better visions of ourselves: Human futures, user data, & The Selfish Ledger: Ian O’Byrne reflects on the internal video produced by Google Project X focusing on speculative design the notion of a ledger that does not actually belong to the user, but managed by some grand AI. Although this was designed as a case of ‘what if’, it is a reminder of what could happen. It therefore provides a useful provocation, especially in light of Cambridge Analytica and GDPR. O’Byrne suggests that this is an opportunity to take ownership of our ledger, something in part captured by the #IndieWeb movement. Not sure what this means for our digitally proficient three year olds. Douglas Rushkoff makes the case for including less on the ledger, not more.
How an Algorithmic World Can Be Undermined: danah boyd continues her investigation of algorithms and the way in which our data is being manipulated. She did this at re:publica 2018. This is very much a wicked problem with no clear answer. The Data & Society Research Institute have also published a primer on the topic. I wonder if it starts by being aware of the systemic nature of it all? Alternatively, Jamie Williams and Lena Gunn provide five questions to consider when using algorithms. Om Malik highlights the focus of algorithms focus on most over best. Jim Groom also presented at re:publica 2018 on Domain of One’s Own and Edupunk.
Truth in an age of truthiness: when bot-fueled PsyOps meet internet spam: Kris Shaffer continues his work in regards to bots, unpacking the way in which our attention is hijacked through attempts to influence and advertise. It is important to appreciate the mechanics behind these things for they are the same mechanics that those on social media engage with each and every day. One of the points that Shaffer (and Mike Caulfield) make is that whether something is true or not, continual viewing will make such ideas more familiar and strangely closer to the truth.
Email Is Dangerous: Quinn Norton takes a dive into the mechanics of email. She continues to remind us how everything is broken, Norton gives a history of email and many of its inherent flaws. This comes on the back of the latest discovery of bugs associated with supposed encrypted email.
Programming with Scratch – An educator guide: Anthony Speranza provides an introduction to Scratch. An often underrated application, Scratch provides an insight into some of the ways that the web works, particularly in regards to ‘blocks’. Sometimes it feels as if you are not really coding unless you are working with some form of language. The problem is that this is not how the world works. More often than not it is about building on the ideas (and snippets) of others. Look at WordPress’ move to Gutenberg. In addition to this, we interact with ‘blocks’ each and everyday in the applications and sites that we use. One only needs to use something like Mozilla’s X-Ray Goggles to start realising that inherent complexity within the web. For more insight into Scratch, listen to Gary Stager on the Modern Learners podcast.
The platform patrons: How Facebook and Google became two of the biggest funders of journalism in the world: Mathew Ingram reports on the increasing influence of platforms on the news industry. Google has been really pushing into journalism lately, with the further investment of News Lab and the Digital News Initiative, as well as the ability to subscribe using your Google account. This in part seems to be in response to Facebook’s problems. It is interesting considering this alongside discussions of the history of news and the long association with advertising.
Storytelling and Reflection
What We Talk About When We Talk About Digital Capabilities: In a keynote at the UCISA Digital Capabilities event at Warwick University, Donna Lanclos unpacks the effect of analytics and the problems of profiling when trying to identify improvements. A skills approach is an issue when decisions get made on your behalf based on the results of a preconceived checklist. Lanclos suggests that we need to go beyond the inherent judgments of contained within metaphors and deficit models, and instead start with context.
Citizen of Apple, State of Lego: Julian Stodd explores the evolving idea of ‘citizenship’. Whereas it was defined by geography and culture in the past, Stodd wonders if in the future it will be subscription based. Rather than depending on the state and taxes to provide societies infrastructures, we now rely on the various multi-national platforms, such as Microsoft, Amazon, Netflix, Facebook and Google. This reminds me of the conversation that was had recently around being a citizen of the #IndieWeb. If states lose their sway, I wonder if this opens up other alternatives? This is something Aral Balkan touches upon. I wonder what this means for rituals or habits.
School is One Spoke in the Wheel of Learning & Why This is a Critical Insight for the Future of Education: Bernard Bull reflects on what people need to stay current in a job, shift to a similar job, develop skills that transfer to work environments, move into leadership within one’s field, or make a full career shift. To support this, he provides a series of questions to consider. I wonder where the second wave of MOOCs sits within all of this?
The risks of treating ‘academic innovation’ as a discipline: Rolin Moe argues that we need to recognise the often negative history associated with ‘innovation’ in the way that we use it. If we don’t do this we risk the word being simply an emotive tool. This touches upon Audrey Watters message to respect history, rather than live in the ever present that so many try to perpetuate.
12 tips for great speaking: Steve Wheeler provides some useful tips and reflections on the art of the keynote. They include use humour, minimal text, engage with your audience, don’t speak too quickly, repeat key points and only stick to three of them. In part, this reminds me of Presentation Zen and the idea of a minimalist slidedeck, while Emma Cottier also wrote an interesting post share a range of tips and tricks associated with Google Slides. Although not necessarily about ‘keynotes’, Andrew Denton recently shared some tips for a better conversation that I think relate to this conversation, including be respectful and empathise with the interviewee (or audience).
Burden of Proof: Malcolm Gladwell wonders how much ‘proof’ we need in order to do something about CTE, a neurodegenerative disease found in people who have had multiple head injuries. Gladwell’s focuses on Owen Thomas and his suicide in 2010. In regards to the question of breaking point, there was no reference of Aaron Hernandez, whose case involves murder and suicide. I wonder how long until this becomes a case in AFL?
Gonski review reveals another grand plan to overhaul education: but do we really need it?: Glenn Savage has written, recorded and been interviewed about the new Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools. He raises a number of questions, including whether the new report addresses the question of inequality, is ‘personalised teaching’ worth the money and investment, is the educational sector exhausted by continual reform agendas and do the recommendations really address what is happening in the classroom? In other spaces, both Andrea Stringer and Deborah Netolicky have highlighted the potential in providing more time for teachers to collaborate. Greg Miller argues that we need to wrestle with how to assess the capabilities, rather than continue to work where the next silver bullet for literacy and numeracy is. Peter Hutton shares concerns about testing the capabilities. Gabrielle Stroud sees it as the industrial model of accountability rebadged, where a teacher’s relationship with their students is trumped by a test. Netolicky also raises concern about the lack of trust for teachers. Darcy Moore describes the whole affair as a never-ending rebuilding of The Windmill. Ann Caro rues the missed opportunity associated with equitable funding of education in Australia with this clear change in direction.
t’s time to be honest with parents about NAPLAN: your child’s report is misleading, here’s how: It was that time of year again, when the whole nation stops for NAPLAN. There has been a range of posts shared. One that stood out was from Nicole Mockler She summarises Margaret Wu’s work around the limitations to NAPLAN in regards to statistical testing. Moving forward, Mockler suggests that NAPLAN should become a sample based test (like PISA) and is better suited as a tool for system wide analysis. To me, there is a strange balance, for on the one hand many agree that NAPLAN is flawed, yet again and again we return to it as a source of ‘truth’.
FOCUS ON … GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). Adopted on 14 April 2016, it became enforceable on 25 May 2018. Here then is a collection of posts exploring what it all means. Although not exhaustive, it provides a starting point:
What is the GDPR Privacy Law and Why Should You Care?: Harry Guinness summarises the eight rules associated with GDPR and what they mean for those outside of the EU.
LA Times among US-based news sites blocking EU users due to GDPR: Alex Hern on the threat that GDPR could ‘Balkinise’ the web, with a range of sites closing off access to EU visitors.
Facebook and Google targeted as first GDPR complaints filed: Alex Hern reports on Noyb’s test of the new regulations. The case being tested is whether the processing of data for targeted advertising can be argued to be necessary for the fulfilment of a contract to provide services such as social networking or instant messaging.
The Ultimate Guide to WordPress and GDPR Compliance – Everything You Need to Know – The team at WPBeginner provide a guide for making WordPress compliant, including plugins that store or process data like contact forms, analytics, email marketing, online store and membership sites.
No one’s ready for GDPR: Sarah Jeong explains why nobody is actually ready. Part of the problem is how companies are set up, and part of it is that “personal information” is a wishy-washy category.
Can we PLEASE talk about privacy, not GDPR, now?: Sebastian Gregor explains that GDPR is no deadline, it is a process. Now that it is here, lets engage in ever broadening debates on how to treat the personal data of human beings
Privacy: David Shanske reflects on privacy, the IndieWeb and webmentions. He also added an extended response to a WordPress forum on GDPR.
13 things to know about the GDPR: M.J. Kelly breaks down the rights associated with GDPR with a focus on what this all means for Mozilla.
Good enough, the EU’s data protection regulation and what CryptoKitties can tell us about the future of art:Angela Daly discusses what GDPR might mean for Australia with Antony Funnell on the Future Tense podcast.
Doctor, I think I have GDPR fatigue:Jordan Erica Webber, Alex Hern and Dr Rachel Birch explore GDPR and its consequences for the health sector.
GDPR and the marketer’s dilemma: Seth Godin argues that GDPR will create an actual market, where getting permission to send messages to a user requires that marketers make a compelling proposition.
GDPR will pop the adtech bubble: Doc Searls discusses what he sees as the eminent demise of ‘adtech’ and what will be left afterwards.
Comments on ClassDojo controversy: Ben Williamson addresses a number of questions leveled at Class Dojo, especially in light of the current concern around data. One of the points that he makes that really stuck out was the notion of ‘sensitive data’. Often this is defined by privacy, however as Williamson explains the collection of data over time actually has the potential to turn the seemingly arbitrary into sensitive data.
Notes from Understanding the General Data Protection Regulation course: Doug Belshaw shares a series of reflections based on his participation in an online course designed to unpack GDPR.
There Will be Blood – GDPR and EdTech: Eylan Ezekiel discusses GDPR, making the comparison between data and oil.
I am a data factory (and so are you): Nicholas Carr reflects on the metaphors that we use and demonstrates some of the flaws, particularly when they are used against us inadvertently. Although not explicitly about GDPR, it has ramifications for the way we talk about it.
READ WRITE RESPOND #029
So that is May for me, how about you? As always, interested to hear.
Also, feel free to forward this on to others if you found anything of interest or maybe you want to subscribe? Otherwise, for those concerned about privacy and sharing thier email address, archives can be found here.
Cover image via JustLego101.
Also on:
This is an archive of my monthly newsletter. It involves curating links and resources associated with teaching, technology and general reflections. I also include a focus each month involving something that I may have been working on or that is pertinent to the current situations.
Since the 12th edition, I have included a ‘cover’ for each edition. Most of the images for these come via JustLego101, while the sketch at end was drawn by Bryan Mathers.
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Focus on Social Distancing
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Focus on Flanerie
Read Write Respond #036
Focus on 2018
Read Write Respond #035
Focus on CDPin140
Read Write Respond #034
Focus on TWITTER
Read Write Respond #033
Focus on MODERN LEARNING CANVAS
Read Write Respond #031
Focus on LEARNING SPACES
Read Write Respond #030
Focus on DOMAINS
Read Write Respond #029
Focus on GDPR
Read Write Respond #028
Focus on PETER HUTTON
Read Write Respond #027
Focus on CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA
Read Write Respond #026
Focus on POLARISATION
Read Write Respond #025
Focus on DIGITAL HYGIENE
Read Write Respond #024
Focus on EDTECH TRENDS OF 2017
Read Write Respond #023
Focus on BIG DATA
Read Write Respond #022
Focus on LIBRARIES
Read Write Respond #021
Focus on BEHAVIOUR
Read Write Respond #020
Focus on NAPLAN
Read Write Respond #019
Focus on CRITICAL PEDAGOGIES
Read Write Respond #018
Focus on SELF PUBLISHING
Read Write Respond #017
Focus on MARK COLVIN
Read Write Respond #016
Focus on DOMAINS
Read Write Respond #015
Focus on PODCASTS
Read Write Respond #014
Focus on GROUPS
Read Write Respond #013
Focus on MEDIUM
Read Write Respond #012
Focus on PISA
Read Write Respond #011
Focus on TRUMP AND THE US ELECTION
Read Write Respond #010
Focus on CREATIVE COMMONS
Read Write Respond #009
Focus on NATHAN JONES
Read Write Respond #008
Focus on SEYMOUR PAPERT
Read Write Respond #007
Focus on DESIGNING A TECHNOLOGY-RICH ENVIRONMENT
Read Write Respond #006
Focus on GETTING CONNECTED
Read Write Respond #005
Focus on SAMR
Read Write Respond #004
Focus on GIFS
Read Write Respond #003
Focus on MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF TECHNOLOGY
Read Write Respond #002
Focus on MINDSETS
Read Write Respond #001
Focus on writing my first newsletter!
If you enjoy what you read here, feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter to catch up on all things learning, edtech and storytelling.
Read Write Respond – a Monthly Newsletter by Aaron Davis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Also on:
This is an archive of my monthly newsletter. It involves curating links and resources associated with teaching, technology and general reflections. I also include a focus each month involving something that I may have been working on or that is pertinent to the current situations.
Since the 12th edition, I have included a ‘cover’ for each edition. Most of the images for these come via JustLego101, while the sketch at end was drawn by Bryan Mathers.
Enter your email
Powered by Buttondown.
Alternatively, you could use a service like IFTTT to trigger an email or add the feed to a reader each each time a new newsletter is posted.
Reading Write Respond #075
Reading Write Respond #074
Reading Write Respond #073
Reading Write Respond #072
Reading Write Respond #071
Reading Write Respond #070
Reading Write Respond #069
Reading Write Respond #068
Reading Write Respond #067
Reading Write Respond #066
Reading Write Respond #065
Reading Write Respond #064
Read Write Respond #063
Focus on Silvia RosenthalTolisano
Read Write Respond #062
Read Write Respond #061
Read Write Respond #060
Read Write Respond #059
Read Write Respond #058
Read Write Respond #057
Read Write Respond #056
Read Write Respond #055
Read Write Respond #054
Read Write Respond #053
Read Write Respond #052
Read Write Respond #051
Focus on Social Distancing
Read Write Respond #050
Read Write Respond #049
Read Write Respond #048
Read Write Respond #047
Read Write Respond #046
Read Write Respond #045
Read Write Respond #044
Read Write Respond #043
Read Write Respond #042
Read Write Respond #041
Read Write Respond #040
Read Write Respond #039
Read Write Respond #038
Read Write Respond #037
Focus on Flanerie
Read Write Respond #036
Focus on 2018
Read Write Respond #035
Focus on CDPin140
Read Write Respond #034
Focus on TWITTER
Read Write Respond #033
Focus on MODERN LEARNING CANVAS
Read Write Respond #031
Focus on LEARNING SPACES
Read Write Respond #030
Focus on DOMAINS
Read Write Respond #029
Focus on GDPR
Read Write Respond #028
Focus on PETER HUTTON
Read Write Respond #027
Focus on CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA
Read Write Respond #026
Focus on POLARISATION
Read Write Respond #025
Focus on DIGITAL HYGIENE
Read Write Respond #024
Focus on EDTECH TRENDS OF 2017
Read Write Respond #023
Focus on BIG DATA
Read Write Respond #022
Focus on LIBRARIES
Read Write Respond #021
Focus on BEHAVIOUR
Read Write Respond #020
Focus on NAPLAN
Read Write Respond #019
Focus on CRITICAL PEDAGOGIES
Read Write Respond #018
Focus on SELF PUBLISHING
Read Write Respond #017
Focus on MARK COLVIN
Read Write Respond #016
Focus on DOMAINS
Read Write Respond #015
Focus on PODCASTS
Read Write Respond #014
Focus on GROUPS
Read Write Respond #013
Focus on MEDIUM
Read Write Respond #012
Focus on PISA
Read Write Respond #011
Focus on TRUMP AND THE US ELECTION
Read Write Respond #010
Focus on CREATIVE COMMONS
Read Write Respond #009
Focus on NATHAN JONES
Read Write Respond #008
Focus on SEYMOUR PAPERT
Read Write Respond #007
Focus on DESIGNING A TECHNOLOGY-RICH ENVIRONMENT
Read Write Respond #006
Focus on GETTING CONNECTED
Read Write Respond #005
Focus on SAMR
Read Write Respond #004
Focus on GIFS
Read Write Respond #003
Focus on MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF TECHNOLOGY
Read Write Respond #002
Focus on MINDSETS
Read Write Respond #001
Focus on writing my first newsletter!
If you enjoy what you read here, feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter to catch up on all things learning, edtech and storytelling.
Read Write Respond – a Monthly Newsletter by Aaron Davis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Also on:
Benjamin Doxtdator continues his critique of Ted Dintersmith. Picking up where he finished last time, he explains that Dintersmith and Tony Wagner are not the alternative to the personalized education movement that we maybe hoping for. I always feel conflicted by such conversations wondering if I am trying to have my cake and eat it too?
Also on:
Dale Beran unpacks the rise of 4chan. This explores memes, Anonymous and the progressive move into politics. For a different perspective, listen to Charles Arthur’s interview with Jake Davis:
If possible, click to play, otherwise your browser may be unable to play this audio file.
As well as danah boyd’s exploration of the connections between 4Chan and fake news.
Richard MacManus reflects on the rise of digital content when it comes to libraries. He touches on the numerous applications that litter the online space. It made many wonder what sort of data is collected by the modern library and how they use it.
This is an interesting reflection on the place of libraries, situating things in the Open.
Marginalia
Craig McMurtrie unpacks the decision by the ABC to not publish extracts of the Christchurch shooter’s ‘manifesto’. Every move made seems to have be orchestrated to grab attention. As Robert Evans from Bellingcat explains, it is an example of
Shit posting:
Zeynep Tufekci backed this stance on Twitter:
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Tufekci linked to a couple of posts she wrote in response to Sandy Hook Massacre and the Virginia shooter explaining the dangers of feeding copycat scenarios.
This focus on media manipulation also reminded me of dana boyd’s discussion of 4Chan’s association with fake news.
The word of the month was Lego. I took my children to the Lego Discovery Centre, we went and saw Lego Movie 2 and we have been listening to the soundtrack on repeat.
In my children’s music classes, the focus has been exploring nature for examples of loud and quiet, short and long sounds. It is funny how much you notice when you make it a conscious choice. Even funnier when the three year old starts calling out, “forte, that’s forte.”
Work saw me seemingly join another team. I feel like I have a part in so many pieces of the puzzle. It is interesting and, as one colleague pointed out, I will know a lot at the end all this. The problem is that being spread so wide can be a bit frantic at times, especially when you are the intermediary between the different parties.
Personally, I have been reading The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. I avoided Taleb’s work for a while feeling that I needed to be in the right frame of mind to keep up. However, when my wife was recommended it as part of her studies and Chris Aldrich recommended his work, I decided to dive in. In regards to my focus on flânerie, the message I got from the book is that to inoculate against black swans and the fourth quadrant we need to embrace randomness, rather than turn everything into a convenient bell curve.
Musically, I have been listening to a lot of clips on YouTube and podcasts, in particular I dived into the work of Mike Dawes, as well as returned to Paul Sheeky’s History of Electonic Music. Iched Black Panther. I have also been working through some of Ben Collins’ courses associated with Google Sheets.
In regards to my writing, I wrote two posts in response to David Hopkins #OpenBlog19 series:
Feedback or Finding Out? – A Reflection on Learning Observations and Walkthroughs
Solutions over Answers – a Reflection on Lessons Learned
Here are some links that have supported my learning this month …
Learning and Teaching
What Shakespeare Left Out
Katherine Duckett reflects on Shakespeare’s legacy and discusses some of the elements that he left out. Her topics include successful rebellions, healthy relationships, mother’s and independent women. It is an interesting excercise to stop and consider what an author chooses not to cover in a particular text.
The surprisingly radical politics of Dr Seuss
Fiona MacDonald takes a look at the political side of Dr. Suess’ work. This includes commentary from another author/illustrator Art Spigelmen and discussion of Suess’ work on propaganda during World War II.
Your curriculum defines your school. Own it. Shape it. Celebrate it.
Tom Sherrington discusses the importance of curriculum when defining a school. To support this he provides ten questions to reflect upon. Although written for a secondary audience in Britain, this list is useful to consider. This reminds me of Ewan McIntosh’s post on defining a schools competitive position.
“Real-World” Math Is Everywhere or It’s Nowhere
Dan Meyer on differentiating between ‘real’ models versus ‘non-real’ models in Mathematics. The problem with this is that from a process point of view it is all real learning.
Are we designing and building the right schools for future Australia? (We could be getting it so wrong)
Adam Wood shares four insights from debates around building schools and learning spaces: avoid crisis mentality, design schools for living as well as learning, we only get what we pay for and we need a debate about school architecture. This is a useful provocation in regards to learning spaces.
Technology
History Disappeared When Myspace Lost 12 Years of Music, and It Will Happen Again
Damon Krukowski reflects on the recent revelation that MySpace lost 12 years worth of music. He discusses the challenges associated with archiving in general. This reminds me of Celia Coffa’s keynote at Digicon15 Digital Stories and Future Memories.
There are now four competing visions of the internet. How should they be governed?
Kieron O’Hara outlines four visions for the internet from the perspective of e-commerce:
Silicon Valley
Beijing’s paternal internet
Brussels’ bourgeois internet
Washington DC’s commercial internet
And a bonus one, Moscow mule model. It is interesting thinking about this after the EU’s recent decision to sign off the Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive.
Ten Lessons I Learned While Teaching Myself to Code
In light on Clive Thompson’s new book, he reflects on the ten lessons associated with learning to code. Two points that stood out to me from Thompson’s was coding every day and doing so with purpose. I have been doing quite a bit with Google Sheets lately. I find myself needing to relearn things after leaving things for a few weeks. Repetition is important. I was also reminded of Richard Olsen’s post on why coding is the vanguard for modern learning.
Learning the rules of predicting the future
Martin Weller responds to a request to predict the future of higher ed by identifying four rules:
Very little changes, while simultaneously everything changes.
Change is rarely about the technology.
Appreciate the historical amnesia in much of educational technology.
Technology is not ethically or politically neutral.
Alongside the work of Gary Stager, Audrey Watters and Nassim Nicholas Taleb, this is a useful provocation to think about the past, present and future of education and technology.
How to quit Facebook without quitting Facebook
Kaitlyn Tiffany interviews Jenny Odell about her book How to Do Nothing. Rather than leaving social media, Odell encourages us to be more aware. This is similar to what I was trying to capture in my post on being ‘informed’. Odell also discusses the idea of ‘social media’ as a public utility that does not depend upon cashing in on our attention. I just wonder if a state-based solution leads to what China has in place? Maybe the alternative is a decentralized solution? I am not sure.
Teaching Digital Citizenship: 10 Internet Safety Tips For Students (With Cyber Safety Posters)
Kathleen Morris outlines her four layered approach to teaching digital citizenship. This focuses on integrating the various skills within the curriculum, providing real world stories to reflect upon, building up student toolkits and developing lines of communication. Associated with this, she also provides ten tips for students.
Reflection
Reporting a massacre: Why the ABC didn’t share the shooter’s ‘manifesto’
Craig McMurtrie unpacks the decision by the ABC to not publish extracts of the Christchurch shooter’s ‘manifesto’. Every move made seems to have be orchestrated to grab attention. As Robert Evans from Bellingcat explains, it is an example of Shit posting. Zeynep Tufekci backed this stance on Twitter. She also linked to a couple of posts she wrote in response to Sandy Hook Massacre and the Virginia shooter explaining the dangers of feeding copycat scenarios. This focus on media manipulation reminded me of dana boyd’s discussion of 4Chan’s association with fake news.
Pattern and Forecast (Vol. 5)
Josephine Rowe discusses Nevil Shute 1957 book On the Beach written about a nuclear holocaust in the northern hemisphere. The story documents people’s response of people in Melbourne on the coming nuclear cloud progressively moving south. Rowe compares this with the current milieu around the threat of global warming. With record heat waves in Central Australia and bushfires caused by lightning in Tasmania.
Trolls are just the start of the problems facing female players
Kate O’Halloran reports on the furore that has arisen around the publication Tayla Harris’ photograph, where Channel 7 pulled the image after being inundated by trolls, only to reinstate it after pressure. O’Halloran explains that such trolling is neither new nor is it restricted to AFLW. Instead, it highlights an underlying misogynistic culture within sport. This reminds me of Phil Cleary’s article in 2004 discussing this subculture.
The Price of Gratitude
Julian Stodd discusses the free act of gratitude. This is something so often overlooked. Stodd’s discussion of ‘cheap, but priceless’ reminds me of Steve Wheeler’s discussion of sharing knowledge and ideas.
A Brief History of That Most Noble Tuber, the Potato
Rebecca Earle digs into the history of potato. She starts in the Americas and follows the trail through to the Irish famine. Along with the chili, this is another staple brought from the new world.
Read Write Respond #039
So that is March for me, how about you? As always, happy to hear.
Cover Image via Ms 8
Libraries of the future? Always open, learning organisations, with a focus on space, people and community, supporting curation and engagement through skills and games.
Rebecca Solnit discusses the culture that often surrounds rape. Discussing accusations against Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein, Brett Kavanagh, R Kelly, Donald Trump and an Eagle Scout, Solnit ties together a web of power and connection that enable such actions to occur. As she states:
Ida Skibenes sums up the situation:
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Often the discussion around the future of libraries focuses on technology and spaces, however Jane Cadzow’s deep dive uncovers the more human side of libraries throughout Australia:
This reminds me about discussions of what will and will not be automated in the future.
Erica Vowles reflects on the rise of makerspaces, what they offer in regards to possibilities and some of their limitations. This includes a conversation with Shane Duggan. It is interesting to consider this alongside the recent investigation of 3D printing on the Future Tense podcast.
Joan Donovan unpacks the history associated with memes. She touches on their place within culture, the authorless nature of them and the potential to disrupt politics. Elsewhere, Dale Beran discusses memes in regards to 4Chan, while danah boyd talks about the challenges inadvertently learning the wrong thing through viral content. Doug Belshaw also discusses memes in his book The Essential Elements of Digital Literacies and his TED Talk.