TEL Blog - Technology Enhanced Learning

New layers feature on Google Maps for Mobile v useful for nearby Wikipedia, friends, searches, MyMaps…
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 3:03 PM

“Just as the world itself can be viewed through many lenses, the latest version of Google Maps for mobile allows you to view many layers of information on your map at the same time. Layers make it easier and more useful to find and interact with geographic content, like public transit, traffic (with incidents!), local search results, Latitude friend locations, Wikipedia and more. You can also see your own My Maps content as a layer on Google Maps for mobile. And finally, multiple layers can be combined at the same time to give you a content-rich view of what’s around you.”
http://is.gd/1Ukuv

On July 2, 2009 LTRI (London Metropolitan University) hosted the successful MATURE Workshop on User Centred Requirements Processes for E-Learning and Knowledge Management – A European-Wide Perspective.  John Cook has provided a summary of  the day:
http://mature-ip.eu/en/node/315

The slides from the day can be found by follwing the link at the bottom of the page: “Slides are available under http://mature-ip.eu/en/event/user-centered-requirements-engineering“
All participants seemed to agree that this had been a highly productive day and the organisers (John Cook and Andreas Schmidt) are planning to hold follow up activities in order to keep the momentum and intellectual clarity generated on the day going.

Last night John Cook, Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning gave his inaugural lecture, called
“The digitally literate learner and the appropriation of new technologies and media for education”

The slides and text are all available from here:
http://www.slideshare.net/johnnigelcook
(Note it is 31MB, the Note Page view gives the text of the lecture)

It has already been blogged:

http://fm.schmoller.net/2009/02/the-digitally-literate-learner-and-the-appropriation-of-new-technologies-and-media-for-education.html

Posted John Cook

The LTRI MATURE team of John Cook, Andrew Ravenscroft and Claire Bradley attended the successful three day EC funded MATURE FP7 consortium meeting in Barcelona (October 2008). See http://mature-ip.eu/en/overview. Andrew is leading on Design Studies and mashups, Claire on Evaluation, John on informal and mobile learning. All of this feeds into a loosely coupled set of tools that will form a Personalised Learning Environment (PLE) for continuous social learning in the workplace. As such, all team members will be working on the new LTRI PLE, which will feed into the MATURE PLE work (see also http://blogs.londonmet.ac.uk/tel/category/personalisation/).

Posted John Cook

See a Terry Anderson podcast and presentation:
Blogging and other social software developments and Distance Education
http://www.cde.london.ac.uk/support/news/generic3307.htm
This is good on why we need PLEs

John Cook

From University of London Computer Centre “Since 2006, ULCC has been developing a model for implementing personalisation tools using Open Source software. Learning providers are now able to move forward and realise the ‘Harnessing Technology’ agenda.  As part of our e-Learning services, ULCC offers customisation of tools and technology for joined-up delivery and support of Personalisation of Learning, as well as engaging community involvement to shape future developments.”

Looks at:

1. Virtual Learning Environment
2. Personalised Learning Plans
3. e-Portfolio: Assessment
4. e-Portfolio: Learning Space
See http://www.ulcc.ac.uk/services/e-learning/integrated-solutions.html

Also, the Jisc Evolve project had one of its monthly online open seminars focused on PLEs. The introduction was by Scott Wilson and led to an lively and interesting debate. Focused on PLEs in education. The recording is available on http://213.171.198.174/play_recording.html?recordingId=1220551918444_1222100485336 (will open a Java app). Especially interesting is the discussion on the chat channel.

The AWESOME project is also sponsored by JISC Emerge. Awesome has developed a semantic wiki application to support students in developing their academic writing. On the big plus side they have managed to interface the semantic media wiki plug in to make it reasonably easy for non- techy users to add things (good CSS and design). I am not quite sure of quite how they are using the semantic mark up, though - or of how their “emerging ontology structure” works. They are very open (are planning to release their code) . They are also willing to travel to do demos etc.
See

http://awesome.leeds.ac.uk
http://education.leeds.ac.uk/awesome
http:elgg.jiscemerge.org.uk/awesome

Posted John Cook