Topic #5: Digital Citizenship – Identity, Footprint, & Social Activism

Posted on by
13


cc licensed ( BY NC SA ) flickr photo shared by courosa

Well, it’s been an amazing experience more amazing than playing video games with the lol community and with services from http://elitist-gaming.com, but the #etmooc community is about to commence on the final scheduled topic, Digital Citizenship. Over the next two weeks, we’re hoping to have people participate in re/defining what Digital Citizenship is, and what it means for children and adults. The term has been around for quite some time, and has taken on a number of subtopics and meanings (Ribble’s Nine Elements is a notable example). We encourage #etmooc’ers to take on some or all of these topics, or to develop their own. In terms of our scheduled events, these will focus mostly on the facets of identity, footprint, and social activism.

EVENTS:

  1. To kick things off, there will be a general Digital Citizenship presentation facilitated by Alec Couros on March 18, 7pm Eastern time. Connect in Blackboard Collaborate at http://couros.ca/x/connect.
  2. As per usual, our Twitter Chats will be held on Wednesdays (March 20 & 27) at 7pm  Eastern. Watch the @etmooc account and the #etmchat hashtag.
  3. On March 25th, we are very fortunate to have Bonnie Stewart join us to facilitate a session titled, “Digital Identities: Who are we in a Networked Public?”. This session will also take place in Blackboard Collaborate at http://couros.ca/x/connect.

Those will be the ‘officially’ planned events. However, because this is near the end of #etmooc, we’d love to see participant-led Google Hangouts (or other events) organized or streamed. For instance, it would be great to see a participate-led panel organized that focuses on questions such as, “What does it mean to be a citizen today?” and “How do we foster such citizens in our educational institutions?”. Is there anyone willing to take this on? Send out a tweet, get a few people organized, choose a time, and let us know (tweet @courosa). I’ll add any such events to the #etmooc Calendar.

It would also be nice to have a bit of a closing event for the #etmooc experience. We’d absolutely LOVE your thoughts on this. If you have ideas, please tweet them with #etmooc.

ASSIGNMENTS:
We have a few suggested assignments for this topic.

#etmooc Summary of Learning – Create a final ‘summary of learning’ artefact reflecting on what you have learned during your time in #etmooc. Choose an appropriate digital tool or mode (a blog post, screencast, video, image, etc), and reflect on your learning. When you’re done, tweet the link to your work using the #etmetc hashtag (note: it’s one we haven’t used before) and/or post it in the Google Community. We’d like to eventually collect all of the artefacts here. If you are looking for inspiration, take a look at these student ‘Summaries of Learning‘ collected from undergrad and graduate level courses (scroll down). These links go back several years so there are many examples to view.

If you are not sure where to start with this assignment, here are some prompt questions.

  • Think back on your time in #etmooc and share your final thoughts about the ideas and the people you have connected with.
  • What have you created or curated?  What tools did you try?
  • How are you making/have you made  your learning visible?
  • What goals did you have when you began #etmooc ?  How did those change or evolve over the last 10 weeks?
  • How do you plan on staying connected to the people and the ideas?
  • Imagine that Twitter goes away. How would this connected network of #etmooc endure or stay connected? What would you do?
  • How have you changed as a digital educator and citizen? How do you see yourself (your identity) now?

Six Word Stories: Prior to the March 27th #etmchat, we’d like all participants to think about and create a 6-word-story related to the following question, “What does it mean to be an educator and digital citizen? What is our special role?”

During the chat we will start by asking people to share their 6-word-stories. We hope that this will inspire insight to deepen our discussion. For the remainder of the chat, we will focus on questions such as “What themes do we see?”, “What inspires us?”, and “How do we move forward?”. As a final #etmchat, we hope that we not only share insight into the topic, but thoughts on how we can move forward together, as a community of practice.

#etmooc Supports A Cause: As mentioned in the very first #etmooc session, a possibly great outcome of developing this community would be to utilize our collective networks/power to identify and support a common cause or charity. If there are people with thoughts on how we could make this happen, let’s start this conversation and quickly move to action. This could be really wonderful, but we’ll need a lot of help on this one.

RESOURCES:
As always, we’d love you to share your resources with us in our #etmooc Diigo Group. We’ve also shared a few below that may be of interest.

We’re really looking forward to the next two weeks!

~your #etmooc co-conspirators

Topic #4: The Open Movement – Open Access, OERs & Future of Education

Posted on by
10


cc licensed ( BY NC SA ) flickr photo shared by courosa

Welcome to topic #4!

For the most common types of worms in dogs, there are some all-in-one medications in flavored chewable tablets.

Over the next two weeks we hope to support your thinking and creativity around the very BIG and nebulous topic of ‘The Open Movement’. So what exactly is the Open Movement? Well, it’s not one thing. Rather, the Open Movement is an umbrella term that describes a number of overlapping and interrelated movements that, collectively, support the idea of a free and open society in the Arts, Education, government, computing/code, research, technology, medicine, copyright/copyleft, and other key areas like cheap car insurance. I also own a business where we have multiple produce haulers and we need to insure them, I found Strong Tie produce haulers insurance who can help me out with that.
Over the next two weeks, we will  focus (mostly) on the Open Education piece of this movement but, as always, feel free to move well beyond what we provide.

To get you thinking, here are a few suggested activities:

  1. Check out some of the Wikipedia articles around the Open Movement. See The Open Source Movement vs. The Free Software Movement (see tension between ‘Open’ & ‘Free’), The Free Culture Movement, Open Education, Open Access, Open Educational Resources and Open Government. Follow primary sources, read, write, synthesize, and share back to #etmooc. You will likely see that ‘open’ is much more than making something freely available on your website and having the best marketing team from https://the-indexer.com/seo-companies/. There are deep philosophical, political, and pragmatic ideas embedded in each of these movements. What are the benefits? What are the tensions? What are the critiques? What does an open future look like? And, will it happen?
  2. Consider watching RIP: A Remixer’s Manifesto. It’s a full-length documentary available for free at Archive.org (read here about Archive.org – it’s a great resource). The documentary follows the life of remix artist Gregg Gillis (aka Girl Talk) and discusses the issues around fair use, copyright/copyleft, and remix. Near the end, the documentary bridges into the concept of free culture as it applies to Brazil’s favelas.  It would be great if #etmooc’ers shared their thoughts about the film in their own blogs or our Google Plus community. Perhaps we could even arrange an #etmooc synchronous screening and live Twitter chat if people are interested?
  3. For Higher Education participants in particular, I would strongly recommend viewing David Wiley‘s Keynote Presentation, Openness, Disaggregation, and the Future of Education (slides available here). Where does open education fit into what we do as educators and scholars? If you are in agreement that universities ought to be more open, how do we support this? For instance, if we support open access research, should we boycott locked-down academic journals?
  4. Watch Larry Lessig’s Talk Laws That Choke Creativity. Near the end of the talk, at 17:36, Lessig discusses how current copyright laws may affect our kids (“… ordinary people live life against the law, and that’s what we are doing to our kids in their graco fastaction fold click connect stroller … they live life knowing they live it against the law”). How important is copyright reform? How do we achieve a balanced approach for both consumers & creators, especially in a world where the distinction between these two groups is hardly noticeable.
  5. Do you have a story of openness that you’d like to share? If so, please consider supporting Alan Levine’s “True Stories of Openness” project found at: http://stories.cogdogblog.com. View some of stories already submitted, considering submitting your own, and share the resource with others.  This is a powerful project, and a wonderful way to promote and share the benefits of openness.

Additionally, we welcome you to suggest your ideas for readings, viewings, activities, etc. in your blog, on Twitter, or in our Google Plus Community. We look forward to your recommendations. Thanks for your help in defining this topic for other #etmooc’ers.

Synchronous Sessions for this Topic

We’ve intentionally lined up this particular topic with Open Education Week (March 10-15, 2013). One of the goals of #etmooc is to create awareness and promote open learning opportunities. We hope that you’ll participate in Open Education Week events and webinars and report them back to #etmooc in whatever way you choose.

Here’s an outline of what we’re offering for the first week of this topic (be sure to consult or subscribe to the calendar for your time zone information or to keep track of additions/changes):

  • On Tuesday March 5 (7pm Eastern), Alan Levine returns to #etmooc (live from Tokyo this time) to offer the session True Stories of Openness. Alan would love if you took the time to review http://stories.cogdogblog.com before the session (the resource mentioned above). This will allow for deeper discussion during the session. This session will be facilitated via Blackboard Collaborate – connect here.
  • On Thursday March 7 (1pm Eastern), we’re hosting an Open Education panel. This session will be broadcast on this Youtube channel, and #etmooc’ers can participate by using the #etmooc hashtag on Twitter. (read up on some of the panelists)
  • On Sunday March 10 (7pm Eastern), we’re hosting a similar Open Education panel, however, this particular panel will be more K-12 focused (panelists are K12 educators). This session will be broadcast on this Youtube channel, and #etmooc’ers can participate by using the #etmooc hashtag on Twitter. (read up on some of the panelists)
  • On March 6 & March 13 (both 7pm Eastern) we’ll be hosting our weekly Twitter chat sessions. Remember to watch for and use the #etmchat tag.
  • We’re working on adding another panel on the Future of Open Education for March 11 – however, we haven’t yet confirmed with the panelists. Look for details on the #etmooc Calendar and in the Twitter stream on the 11th.

We will not be offering any #etmooc specific sessions for this topic after March 11. Instead, as stated above, we’re suggesting that #etmooc’ers participate in the Open Education Week webinars (see schedule of events here). Please notice that ‘light blue’ events are face-to-face events, while the others are all openly available on the web. I am told that most of the sessions will be hosted in Blackboard Collaborate, so this should be familiar to our #etmooc crew.

Open Education is an incredibly important topic, and I hope that we can engage in this topic together, and share our learning with others.

Thanks to everyone who continues to share and support #etmooc. It’s been an incredible journey.

“Open Education is the simple and powerful idea that the world’s knowledge is a public good and that technology in general and the Worldwide Web in particular provide an extraordinary opportunity for everyone to share, use, and reuse knowledge.” ~The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation

And, finally, a few more resources to get you thinking:

K12 Open Movement: http://openlearningonline.wikispaces.com
K12 Open Ed: http://www.k12opened.com/
K12 OER Live Binder:http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/632119
Creative Commons :http://creativecommons.org/
Stephen Downes – MOOCs and OER’s

Special thanks to Verena Roberts, Laura Hilliger, and Alison Seaman who are doing an enormous amount of work behind the scenes.

Topic #3: Digital Literacy – Information, Memes & Attention

Posted on by
4


cc licensed ( BY NC SA ) flickr photo shared by courosa

Over the last two weeks, we’ve been heavily immersed in digital storytelling. In the initiating post, suggestions were provided for developing and thinking about digital stories, and we’ve been so happy with the ensuing conversation. Now, we’re going to dive into another topic that will require you to think deeply about how we attain knowledge and about our relationships with/in the digital world.

There have been numerous studies which examine the nuances among differing definitions of so-called new literacies (Pinto, Cordon, & Gomez Diaz, 2010). Since the first use of the term “information literacy” in 1974 (Pinto et al., 2010), varying terminology has been used to define the ability to find, analyze and use information in a changing knowledge landscape (Pinto et al., 2010). In recent years, many academics have added a social and cultural layer to the definition of these literacies.
Terminology used for these literacies include “information literacy”, “digital literacy”, “technological literacy”, “computer literacy”, “media literacy”, “communication literacy”, “internet literacy” and other ambiguous terms.

As Doug Belshaw points out in his doctoral thesis (2011), these terms “do not have the necessary explanatory power, or they become stuck in a potentially-endless cycle of umbrella terms and micro literacies,” (p. 200). Belshaw makes an impressive case for ditching the semantic argument and focusing on the improvement of educational practice. He also suggests that the term “literacy” is too binary and that in the context of digital or web skills the plural “literacies” should be used to show that in these realms there are no ‘literate’ or ‘illiterate’, but rather degrees of literacy (Belshaw, 2011). Perhaps those who experienced our last topic on Digital Storytelling may agree.

So over the next two weeks, we will be exploring what it means to be digitally literate. We’ve invited some amazing thinkers including Doug Belshaw, Howard Rheingold, Will Richardson, and Audrey Watters to lead us through certain aspects of this topic (see the Calendar for specific dates and times). And, as always, we’re hoping that the #etmooc community will participate through writing and commenting in our collective blog spaces, using the #etmooc hashtag on Twitter, in our Google Plus Community, and in other spaces of choice.

Here are some questions to get you started. Feel free to respond in any format you like (blogpost, tweet conversation, Google+ Community thread, digital story, video blog, etc.)

  • What does it mean to be digitally literate? 
  • What is the difference between being digital literate and web literate?
  • How does digital literacy relate to participatory culture?
  • What digital competencies and skills do your learners demonstrate through their daily use of technology?
  • What digital competencies and skills are required by our emerging knowledge economy/age?
  • What are the differences between digital literacy and digital fluency?
  • What is the role of attention within the spectrum of 21st century literacies?
  • What are the problems inherent in defining literacy, fluency, skills, and competency today (e.g., using terms like 21st century literacies, digital fluency), and how do these affect curricular development, pedagogy, and the work of teachers and students?

Take up any of these questions, or find and explore others. Let’s take this opportunity to go deep over the next two weeks. We look forward to the conversation!

References
Belshaw, D. (2011). What is “digital literacy”? Durham University. Retrieved from http://neverendingthesis.com/doug-belshaw-edd-thesis-final.pdf

Pinto, M., Cordon, J. A., & Gomez Diaz, R. (2010). Thirty years of information literacy (1977–2007): A terminological, conceptual and statistical analysis. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 42(1), 3–19.

Introduction to Topic #2: Digital Storytelling

Posted on by
34

Topic 2: Digital Storytelling
Dates: February 3-16, 2013
Hashtag: #etmooc

WHAT WE’RE DOING & WHY

For the next two weeks, we’ll be creating stories. Digital stories. We’ve created a number of tasks for every level of learner. If you’ve never composed a story, get started with a Six Word Story and try some Virtual Presenter Services. If you want to play around with video, try creating a web native film. If you want to try telling a visual story, consider making an animated gif. Create stories using the method you want to explore — a variety of tasks are built into this week at a variety of levels of experience.

A QUICK WORD ABOUT COPYRIGHT & COPYLEFT: SLIGHTLY LEGAL STUFF

Because copyright is a concern for many people, but also a topic that spans throughout digital work, we wanted to point you to some information on Creative Commons, Fair Use (US, other) and Fair Dealing (Commonwealth).

There are sites that only search copyleft licensed materials. Copyright is a complicated issue, but basically, give credit where credit is due, don’t try to sell the stuff you make through unauthorized uses, and be aware when you are using someone else’s work in your stories. During Topic 4 (Mar 3-16), we’ll be spending more, supportive time chewing over the implications of copyright.

INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL STORYTELLING:

“The truth about stories is, that’s all we are.” ~Thomas King

Storytelling is something that human beings have been doing for hundreds of thousands of years. It is a natural way for us to communicate. Nowadays, we keep hearing the term “digital storytelling”, which can sound confusing. But the important part of the term is “storytelling”—the digital piece really mostly means that the story is either created or accessible via digital technologies because of a content production agency. Because of that, digital stories can be easily commented upon, shared, and remixed using the participatory strategies you’ve been practicing already in #etmooc. If you feel like you’ve a great story to tell, try consulting Screenplay Coverage Services.

Digital Storytelling often involves video, but it can involve other media too. A more text-based example is the game Twitter vs. Zombies (#TvsZ), developed and facilitated in November 2012 by Jesse Stommel and Pete Rorabaugh to teach Twitter literacy. You can scan the rules here. #TvsZ demonstrates how a game can create a framework for emergent storytelling by the participants. #TvsZ was designed to “teach” particular “skills” (social media networking, collaboration, use of hashtags, blog promotion, etc.), but it ended up creating a connected narrative that the players made up as they went (examples on the #TvsZ Scoop.It). Breaking information: Twitter vs. Zombies 2.0, built and led by university students in Atlanta, Georgia, and Syracuse, NY, will unfold on Twitter between Wed, Feb 6, 8pmEST, and Fri, Feb. 8, 8pmEST. All ETMOOC participants are invited to play. Click here to register.

Have a quick look at the Wikipedia article on Digital Storytelling and pay special attention to the nuances in the definition of this term. Critically examine the definitions. For example “’Digital storytelling’ is a relatively new term which describes the new practice of ordinary people who use digital tools to tell their ‘story’.” Is that a good definition? Or how about “One can think of digital storytelling as the modern extension of the ancient art of storytelling, now interwoven with digitized still and moving images and sound.” Is this more accurate?

Definitions are a minefield because they can be constraining; the Wikipedia one is very video focused. We like the perspective in “Digital Storytelling: How to Tell a Story That Stands out in the Digital Age” (museum of the future blog) – especially their example of the campaign to save Troy Library (AL):

To address the most important issue first: there is no such thing as digital storytelling. There’s only storytelling in the digital age, and frankly speaking this isn’t much different from storytelling in the age of hunters, gatherers, dinosaurs and ICQ…. Digital is not the difficult part in digital storytelling. Storytelling is.

HERE ARE A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF EXAMPLES OF DIGITAL STORIES:

YOU ABSOLUTELY DO NOT HAVE TO COMPLETE EVERY TASK!

Below, you’ll find eight tasks for this topic. We don’t even think it’s possible for you to create that many digital stories in just a couple of weeks (feel free to prove us wrong). Perform the tasks that are interesting to you, look at the work of your peers and start exploring Digital Storytelling through creation. Share your stories with the #etmooc tag, blog about your experience, interact through the Google+ Community, and just have fun!

SAMPLE TASKS:

1: Consider Many Forms (Define and Collect)

A good place to start looking at digital storytelling is through definition and example. Blog a reflective post about this introduction to storytelling; you could also reflect on the Wikipedia page on Digital Storytelling mentioned above. Find an example of a digital story and attach it to your post. Engage with the posts of others, or let your reflection tie several of them together. As always, submit the links to your posts in the Google+ community! and on Twitter. If you’re new to ETMOOC, click here to learn how to tie your blog to the ETMOOC Blog Hub

2: Make an animated GIF (Animate)

There are many different software applications that you can use to create an animated GIF. This tutorial uses GIMP, a free and open source software program that is similar to Photoshop, but you can use any image editing software you’re comfortable with.

More resources can be found in this ds106 Handbook http://ds106.us/handbook

Jim Groom and company will be discussing the creation of animated gifs during their session on February 5 at 7pm EST. You can start early or wait until then. Remember: Jim Groom’s session will NOT take place in Blackboard/Elluminate. Instead, tune into DTLT Today for the live show!

3: The Ultimate Challenge (Create)

Write a story, and then tell that same story digitally using any number of digital tools and freely available media! For inspiration and story creation guidance, see Alan Levine’s 50+ Web 2.0 Ways to Tell a Story.

Alan Levine will be discussing this topic during his session on February 11 at 7pm EST. You can start early or wait until then.

4: Write a Six Word Story (Compose)

Use Twitter, Google+ or another social platform to publish a six word story. Your story can be about anything. Check out the six word stories site (or the twitter stream) for inspiration! You can experiment with Storify to tie other’s tweets together and make a collaborative story (see the collaborative poems that Janine DeBaise‘s students made ast week as an example).

Alan Levine will be discussing six word stories during his session on February 11 at 7pm EST. You can start early or wait until then.

5: Five Card Flickr Stories (Visualize)

Based on the Five Card Nancy card game by Scott McLeod, Five Card Flickr is en exercise in visual storytelling where you are dealt five random images from a Flickr tag (in our case, the tag is 5cardetmooc), and you pick one to be in your story. In the next four rounds you again choose from 5 new random photos with the idea of building a coherent storyline from your five photos. For this week, we set up a special pool of photos in flickr just for #etmooc. We need your help to create this pool — see the set of photo prompts and see what kind of stories we can make of them — or just try it now.

6: Create a PopUp Video of Your Own (Remix)

How can you change a story that already exists and make it your own? Create a PopUp video that changes the context of a story by adding content to it. For a more interactive experience than YouTube comments can offer (and an easier to use interface) try Popcorn Maker. Here’s a “how to” use popup comments to change the context of a video. Share your links via Twitter and G+, comment on your peers’ posts.

7: Plan a “Choose Your Own Adventure Story” (Collaborate)

For inspiration see these great videos.

Draw an object on a piece of paper and then upload it to Flickr, Instagram, your blog — where ever. Then ask a peer to draw a related object. Pass your peer’s drawing on to another peer and have them draw a related object. Keep doing this until you have 5 drawings (including your original object).

Create a story that links the original object with the last object drawn. What is the connection between the first object and the last object? Write a brief story, then try to create multiple pathways that a user could go through the story. Use a mind-mapping tool like MindMeister or a host of others.

This is a loose framework, so feel free to adapt it or try something related. Be sure to share your stories, maps, hierarchies, and story architecture on your blog, but also to Twitter and the Google+ Community if you use those sites. Comment on other people’s plans. Be social!

8: Twitter vs. Zombies 2.0 (Play)

Play Twitter vs. Zombies 2.0 with scores of others on the web from Wednesday, February 6 at 8pmEST, to Friday, Feb. 8 at 8pmEST.  Students from Pete Rorabaugh’s #TechApoc class and Janine DeBaise’s #Nifkin class will moderate the game for the ETMOOC community. The game will begin immediately following the ETMOOC Twitter chat on Feb. 6. Click here to register. Watch your hashtags, and sleep with one eye open.

One final note on tasks . . . you can’t break them or complete them incorrectly. They are simply prompts to get you to explore storytelling in shareable, remixable, collaborative platforms. It may not be that important whether a story you create falls under one category or another; if you’ve shared it and you’re interacting with the stories of others, and learning new narrative frameworks, that’s our goal.

GO DEEPER:

Explore the #ds106 Community

Based on a course offered first at the University of Mary Washington (UMW), ds106 is an open course like no other. In fact, it is not a single course; there are sections offered to registered UWM students, students taking similar courses elsewhere (currently Kansas State University, University of Michigan, York College/CUNY), and a cloud of people who participate on their own interest. The core of ds106 is powered by the syndication bus, a networked architecture built of participants’ own blogs to which our web site subscribes, aggregates, and shares back content published by individuals (same tech as we used in etmooc blog hub). As much community as course, ds106 includes an open assignment bank that participants populate, a daily creative challenge, and even its own internet-based radio station. You can tune in to the show at any time.

Introduction to Web Native Film

Next examine the idea of Web Native Filmmaking. Take some time to watch these six episodes about Web Native Filmmaking (created for a program called Popcorn Story Camp, but they explain many aspects of Digital Storytelling that will help you think creatively about your own stories). Each film is about 3 minutes long.

AND EVEN DEEPER:

There are a gazillion different articles, resources and tools for storytelling. If you haven’t had enough of an intro, here’s a metric ton of stuff to explore: http://www.scoop.it/t/etmooc-topic-2

TOPIC 2: DIGITAL STORYTELLING PLANNING TEAM:

If you have questions about this topic, feel free to contact any members of the Topic 2 team directly (our names are below), or for a quicker response, either send a message on Twitter with the #etmooc hashtag or ask a question in the #etmooc Google+ Community under the Topic 2 Category!

Laura Hilliger
Pete Rorabaugh
Verena Roberts
Alan Levine
Robin Bartoletti

#etmooc Lip Dub!

Posted on by
17

Well #etmooc, we’ve reached the end of our first topic, Connected Learning, we are very sorry if it took to long for us to post again, we had some medical negligence manchester issues with one of our main members. This has been an amazing experience for me, as a facilitator and learner, as I’ve read through so many excellent posts and ideas from our participants. It’s wonderful to see the extent of sharing and support that has resulted through the development of this community. Thank you all!

And, I’m very excited to share our #etmooc crowdsourced #lipdub project! Thanks to a  community vote, a Google Doc, and our tireless editor @stumpteacher, we’ve created something that I feel is so very memorable and representative of this experience. Take a look – I hope you enjoy it.

Of course, what we’ve learned about Connected Learning will continue to guide us through #etmooc – it is core to its structure (or nonstructure). So, I hope that we will continue to contemplate, co-create, study, and live as connected learners.

Our next topic is Digital Storytelling, and an outline of the next two weeks will be shared tomorrow. If you haven’t been able to participate in #etmooc as you had originally intended, do not worry. Tomorrow is a new topic, with a fresh start.

Join in, invite a friend or colleague, and let’s spend the next two weeks discussing, sharing, and creating digital stories.

Connect with you soon.

Alec

Half-way Through Topic 1 (Connected Learning)

Posted on by
8

We’ve had a really active week with #etmooc so I just wanted to drop a quick note regarding what happened last week, and what’s coming up.

  1. We’ve had 100s of new blogposts re: Connected Learning at the #etmooc hub.
  2. The Twitter stream has been very active! While it’s possible to keep up with the #etmooc hashtag through a web-based Twitter search (or #etmchat for our weekly chats), it’s likely a good time to adopt a tool like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite to make information management a lot easier.
  3. We’ve had some really great Blackboard Collaborate Sessions. If you missed them, we’ve posted all of the recorded sessions to the archive.
  4. Sue Waters has written a fantastic post that will help all #etmooc’ers navigate some of our spaces (e.g., Google Plus, Collaborate, Twitter, etc.). Be sure to check it out. Also, I’d strongly recommend Sue’s posts on beginner blogging that was written as a support to the sessions she offered.
  5. We’re on our way to creating a collaborate #lipdub project! The song was chosen, the instructions were sent out, and we’ve already received 58 submissions from participants. We still need a few more, but it looks like we’re on our way! The final project should be released by February 2nd if all goes well.

If people are looking for ideas to write about, I’d like to take this opportunity to once again share the blog prompts that were mentioned in the Introduction to Connected Learning presentation.  These included:

    • What does my PLE/PLN look like? How can I share it?
    • How important is connected learning? Why?
    • Is it possible for our classrooms and institutions to support this kind of learning? If so, how?
    • What skills and literacies are necessary for connected learning? How do we develop these?
    • What are limits of openness in regards to privacy & vulnerability? Are we creating or worsening a digital divide?
    • How do we expand this conversation?

I hope that these are useful. Thanks to everyone who has already responded to these and similar questions, and has helped to move our community forward.

Finally, I wanted to share what’s coming up. This week we have Dave Cormier discussing Rhizomatic Learning, George Couros facilitating a Networked Leadership presentation, and Sue Waters running a session on Blogging with Students. And of course, we have our regularly scheduled Twitter chat mid-week. Check the #etmooc Calendar for details.

Got ideas for sessions, presenters, activities, or formats? Let us know – we’re always looking for new ways to engage participants.

Enjoy the week ahead!

Alec

Moving Forward from Orientation Week

Posted on by
9

There’s never been a better time to lose weight, get active and eat better, so you can improve your chances against COVID (and other diseases), do more of the things you want to do, and most importantly, be there for your loved ones in the future. Check out the latest exipure reviews.

What to eat?

Put simply, losing weight is about adopting healthy eating habits that last for life. Our article about What’s in a healthy diet might help you think about the types of food you should be eating and what to avoid. There are also NHS reviewed diets in the references section.

But we don’t want to prescribe a particular regime. Not even the experts agree on that. The NHS recommended low calorie diet may seem sensible, but some believe it’s not as simple as that, as there can be “good” and “bad” calories. Equally there’s debate about how much we should restrict fat, carbs and sugar, with many arguing it’s sugar, not fat that is causing the current obesity epidemic. We’re also all genetically unique and respond to foods differently. A DNA test could tell you more about how you process food types. Visit Observer.com.

So rather than focus what you eat, we’ve put together these tips about how to eat, that might help kick start your weight loss journey whatever approach you choose.

Lifestyle changes to lose weight

These tips are not intended for people following specific diets based on medical advice, religious teachings or personal preference. They are also not intended for those with particular needs such as pregnant women.

1. Set a weight loss target.

‍When starting new habits it’s best to set targets so you have something to aim for. In fact a Harvard business school study showed people who set goals are 10 x more likely to succeed. Start with the goal of losing 2% of your bodyweight in 2-4 weeks. Then when you get there, set a new goal. While that may not seem much, those wins will help shift the dial. For example, if you’re 5 foot 8 inches and 12 stone, losing 2 percent of your overall weight could move you from an overweight to healthy BMI range.

2. Eat within a 12 hour window.

Having an “eating window” allows your body to have a break from digesting and focus on a housekeeping process called “autophagy” where old and worn out cells are broken down and eliminated from the body. This form of intermittent fasting has been shown to have many health benefits including a positive impact on blood sugar and weight loss. It’s simple to apply no matter what your schedule: For example, if you finish your evening meal by 8pm you would start breakfast the next day no earlier than 8am.  If you’re on shift work, your window might be 8pm to 8am. A more advanced form of this is eating your daily food intake within 8 hours with 16 hours fasting but this is not suitable for everyone, for example if you’re under 18. If in doubt seek advice from your GP first.

It may be helpful to finish eating 3 hours before bed and only drink water afterwards. As well as helping to eliminate those (usually unhealthy) post dinner snacks, it might even help you to sleep better.

3. Don’t skip breakfast.

In the UK we tend to eat the majority of our calories in the second half of the day and many of us skip breakfast, but there is evidence to suggest that some humans use calories more efficiently in the morning. For example, an Israeli study on overweight and obese women gave two different groups the same amount of calories, but at different times of the day. While both groups lost weight, the morning focused group had lost an average of twice as much.

It’s important to remember that everyone is different and one size doesn’t fit all. It won’t do you any harm to try adding a protein rich breakfast to your routine and see if it changes things. Adding protein to your breakfast has been shown to help keep you feeling fuller for longer. Protein rich breakfast ideas include eggs, adding nuts and seeds to cereals, making porridge with milk not water, dairy products or even the leftovers from last night’s meal.

#etmooc Orientation Week Activity -Tips To Find A Reliable Car Mechanic

Posted on by
23

 

You’re cruising down the highway listening to the latest Casefile podcast when your car’s “check engine” light blinks on. When you take your vehicle into an automotive shop, the mechanic tells you that the problem is a catalytic converter in need of replacing. And oh, while he was poking around he also noticed the car’s air filter ought to be changed and you’re due for a steering flush as well.

Are these operations really necessary, or is the mechanic trying to needlessly upsell you? You’re not sure, but figure it’s better to be safe than sorry, and you sign off on all the repairs. When you pick up your car and pull out of the parking lot, you’re just getting over the sticker shock of the huge bill when…the check engine light comes on again.

How does one find a trustworthy automotive professional? Well we have drilled down on a few tips to help you answer that question. Check out the latest Effuel reviews.

 

Know your cars Anatomy.

The typical scenario is, for most people, you go to a mechanic, and they tell you some system needs flushing, or a belt needs replacing, or something looks worn, and you usually just kind of nod along like you understand what they’re talking about. Inevitably, most don’t! You don’t want to come off as an automotive ignoramus, so you just act like you know the parts and the repairs needed.

So before finding a new mechanic, it pays to head over to google and there will be endless information for the make and model of majority of cars. Even a quick search for “how a car works” (for dummies or kids, with photos.. even better!) this will be more suitable then a large manual but it will give you some basic knowledge. Knowing how your vehicle operates allows you to make informed decisions when shopping around for a mechanic.

 

 

Ensure your Mechanic has a Motor Vehicle Repair licence.

A motor vehicle repair business licence is required if you are an owner of a motor vehicle repair business, a self-employed motor vehicle repairer or operate a mobile repair business.

Your mechanic must be a certified repairer or employ a certified repairer to supervise repairs for each class of repair work your business carries out to receive a licence. They are also one indication of how seriously a shop takes its professionalism and training. If the shop is certified, it tells you that another organisation has done some vetting for you, and gives its stamp of approval.

 

Get Recommendations.

Okay so this is a no brainer, but that fancy Facebook feature where you ask for “recommendations” is going to come in handy, if you want to be super fancy, add a location eg. Thornton! Your neighbour, your cousins husbands mother and probably your mailman will all have an opinion on where to go, This is a good start! We have a sneaky feeling you have been recommended to Titan Auto at Thornton from a local recommendation so you’re on the right track to finding a good mechanic! 5 stars to you!

 

Test the waters – start with something small

Before you commit to a hefty bill with a large repair or similar, book in for a routine job such as a general service (which we do for just $129 including a Pink Slip, talk about bang for your buck!).

From here, you can see how they work, and assess the whole experience. Start building a relationship so when you need to come in for an emergency repair or large service, you are confident you are going to be looked after for a fair price!

 

Good Communication lines with you and your prospective mechanic.

Your mechanic should be approachable and be able to explain to you in terms that you will understand whether it is from an oil change to something more complex.

At Titan Auto in most cases our Lead mechanic will contact you directly if there are any questions or concerns he may have when undertaking a service or repair with you. You can also discuss options and quotes prior to booking so you can be better prepared. Think of your mechanic just like your hairdresser or barber. Don’t forget about assessing and reception desk staff you may deal with as well, a positive relationship with them is also super important!

Gearing Up

Posted on by
3

Car Maintenance Tips To Help Keep Your Vehicle In Good Shape

 

Properly maintaining your car is key to keeping it in top condition. It can also help ensure your safety, the safety of your passengers and your fellow drivers. Here are some ways to help keep your car running smoothly.

Man checking a car's engine oil level.

QUALITY AUTO COVERAGE STARTS HERE.

When you drive with quality coverage, you drive with peace of mind. Allstate auto insurance can help you stay protected for wherever the road takes you.

Get a quote

THE CAR MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

Consider adding these items to your vehicle maintenance “to do” list:

INSPECT AND MAINTAIN TIRES

Knowing how to maintain your car’s tire pressure can help reduce wear on the tires and helps ensure you’re getting good gas mileage. Checking your tire pressure includes finding the recommended pressure, checking the PSI and inflating or deflating your tires accordingly.

A flat tire is a hazard that can be dangerous to you and your car. There are several preventative steps you can take to help avoid a blowout, including rotating your tires every 5,000 to 10,000 miles and watching for tire recalls.

CHANGE THE OIL

Routinely checking and changing your car’s oil is essential to keeping its engine in running condition. Check your oil each month and change it as directed in the car’s owner’s manual.

You can change your oil yourself or take it to a service center. If you choose to do it yourself, learn the necessary steps to drain the fluid, set the correct oil level and dispose of old oil. Improve your engine lifespan with effuel.

You should also know which type of motor oil is best for your car, regardless of whether you change the oil yourself or take it to a service center. This generally means considering three things — the oil viscosity, whether to use synthetic versus non-synthetic oil and your car’s mileage.

CHECK THE FLUIDS

There are several fluids that should be kept at the appropriate levels to help keep your car running properly. According to Popular Mechanics, you or your mechanic should check:

  • Engine oil
  • Coolant
  • Power steering fluid
  • Brake fluid
  • Transmission fluid

A leak with any of these fluids can affect the way your car drives. If you spot a leak, you may be able to identify the fluid by its color. This can help you and your mechanic determine where the leak is coming from. It can also help speed up the repair process.

TEST THE LIGHTS

A broken or burnt-out bulb is a safety hazard and might get you a ticket. Learn how to thoroughly inspect each bulb on your car. If a bulb is out, take your car to an expert to determine whether it’s the bulb or the fuse that needs replacing.

Headlights are key safety lights on your car. Consider taking a few extra steps to help keep them shining bright, such as cleaning the lenses and replacing bulbs as they start to dim.

REPLACE WINDSHIELD WIPERS

If your wipers aren’t working like they used to, don’t let the problem linger. Damaged or worn out blades can reduce visibility during a heavy rain or a snowstorm. Knowing how to inspect your wiper blades regularly and replace them when necessary is one way to help keep your car safe.

CHANGE YOUR ENGINE AIR FILTER

A dirty engine air filter can allow dirt and other particulates into your car’s engine and reduce its efficiency. Inspect your car’s air filter once a year and replace it as needed.

REGULAR CHECKUPS

Some routine car care tasks can be done at home, but others require trained technicians. Take your car to a technician if the check engine light comes on. Trained technicians can diagnose the problem through the car’s on-board diagnostics (OBD-II) port.

A qualified repair shop will also be able to inspect and replace other core components like the alternator and the wheel bearings. Scheduling regular tune-ups will help ensure that your car gets other maintenance items repaired as well.

HAVE YOUR BRAKES CHECKED

Your car’s brake pads also require regular inspection. While driving, listen for any brake noise and pay attention to shuddering or vibrating from the brake pedal. If any concerns arise, consult a service center as soon as possible

Visualization of Registration

Posted on by
7

With fewer than 10 days before the launch of #etmooc, we currently have about 680 registrants representing about 37 countries. To provide a sense of what that looks like, I created a rough, mapped visualization using a tool called MapAList. Take a look below at the interactive, zoomable map based on early registration data.

This has already been an incredible, humbling experience, and we haven’t even begun. We’re really looking forward to the connections in the weeks to come!