On the family front, my wife continues to ride the waves of being in leadership during such chaotic times. One minute talking about building back better, next minute scrambling plans for how learning online might be for Victoria’s second wave. All while balancing study as well. In the meantime, the kids have taken to finding joy in forgotten places, such as the backyard. This included using the sticks from the apple tree to create a homemade tent.
At work, the month started with questions from schools about whether they needed to change things back to normal within their system to frantically checking that everything was still in place from last time schools to move back online. In between all of this, I have been supporting new schools and continuing to develop various resources. I am not sure if it is just me, but there is a different level of scrutiny when recording video content compared with written material.
Personally, I have continued to live the life of working at home where everything morphs into everything else. However, Troy Hunt wrote a useful reminder about not sweating the small stuff. I have found it important to remember that things could always be worse. I am still employed and as Damian Cowell recently explained, there are always worse jobs.
In regards to writing, I wrote a reflection on stealing time, as well as some more pieces about space. I have also been continuing my dive into the sonic spaces of Joseph Shabason, listening to DIANA. I have also been enjoying Taylor Swift’s pivot.
Here then are some of the posts that have had me thinking:
Education
Steve Collis on Innovation in Learning Design
Steve Collis reflects on the challenges associated with designing for emergence.
‘Reality Pedagogy’ Is Teaching as a Form of Protest
Christopher Emdin discusses the importance of pedagogy as a response to the world around us.
Blended Content Studio
Mike Caulfield breaks down some of the pieces associated with the structure of blended learning and some consideration in regards to the creation of video content.
Librarians turned Google Forms into the unlikely platform for virtual escape rooms
Aliya Chaudhry reports on how some librarians have turned to the creation of digital escape rooms.
What does ‘back to basics’ really mean? What ‘reforms’ are being signalled this time?
Why Should We Allow Students to Retake Assessments?
Thomas Guskey responds to concerns raised around offering students the opportunity to retake tests and assessment.
Technology
The Constant Risk of a Consolidated Internet
Ian Bogost reflects on the recent Twitter hack to highlight how centralized the internet has become. One with little room for design and creativity.
How SDKs, hidden trackers in your phone, work
Sarah Morrison digs into the way in which APIs and SDK kits provide the framework for tracking.
What’s wrong with WhatsApp
William Davies discusses the place of private groups in the rise of the web.
The TikTok War
Ben Thompson reflects on the growing concern around the political implications of TikTok. In a follow-up piece, he discusses the different internets and the role they play.
The Age of Mass Surveillance Will Not Last Forever
In a new introduction for Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother and Homeland, Edward Snowden reflects on the change in consciousness in the last ten years.
The rise and fall of Adobe Flash
In other histories, the Walkman turned forty and the car radio turned ninety.
General
Jacob Collier: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
Jacob Collier re-imagines the idea of a solo performance with multi-part presentation for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert
The End of Open-Plan Everything – Walls Are Back
Amanda Mull discusses the challenges associated with turning around years of open planned spaces.
Our remote work future is going to suck
Sean Blanda discusses remote work’s focus on tasks, the ways in which people can become forgotten, the culture of disruption, and the challenge associated with career growth.
Is SARS-CoV-2 airborne? Questions abound—but here’s what we know
Beth Mole unpacks the data on coronavirus and aerosol transmission, with the push to recognise the distribution beyond just droplets.
Mystery Road offers a different model for police shows in the age of Black Lives Matter
Hannah Reich discusses the problems associated with a one-side perspective of police portrayed on the screen.
Susan Rogers on Take 5 Podcast
Zan Rowe speaks with Susan Rogers about working with Prince, archiving his music and our experience of music.
Read Write Respond #055
Ben Folds captures the current moment best, stating:
It used to be ‘that song is so 2008’. Now it’s ‘ugh, that song is so 10am. What are you thinking? With that old song you old man?
On that note, stay well and thank you for reading. I hope you found something of interest. Oh, and thank you to my one avid reader for.picking up the careless mistakes in my last newsletter.
Cover Image via JustLego101
@mrkrndvs Thank you for your Read Write Respond #055. I discovered the Mike Caulfield Emergency Online Teaching blog which is super useful as I revamp my own class from half online to fully online. 🏫
There has been so much written about online learning over the last few months. However, Caulfield always brings a certain sense of clarity.