Social Software and more…

In addition to my post on blog habits I found an interesting post by Kathy Sierra on how to insert graphics into your blog, presentations and so on (via Jochen Robes and Stephen Downes). Of course, we all know how important it is to illustrate our thoughts with graphics and how well some people (the visual type) learn from these illustrations. However, I guess we all need to be reminded every one in a while.

I really like and enjoy Gliffy which is a free tool available to make graphics online (can also be used by a team). In my opinion this tool lets you get quite a long way. Enjoy!  

Lately, Norm Friesen tried to elicit a number of E-Learning Myths on his blog Ipseity. Norm is involved in the Canadian project Learning Spaces which aims at a "Phenomenological Comparison of Simulated and Mediated Computer Worlds" as it says on their website. His first two posts on E-Learning Myths were about the net generation and about the connection between technology and educational change. His last piece has just been published and deals with the knowledge economy and the myth of the knowledge worker and how this could change society. It is very well written and I’m glad that Friesen brings up the digital divide again which might even widen due to technology. I don’t quite agree with his position on Scardamalia and Bereiter’s Knowledge Building because I think that their theory might actually help to close the digital divide.

"Assuming that educators are to play a progressive role, their task would be best captured in terms of a game of catch-up in the knowledge age, but in an expression like "stepping into the breach" –to address the widening discrepancy or gap between the "knowledge class" and other classes. This can be done by providing skills and abilities apposite to knowledge work in those cases where it is possible, but not capitulate to and certainly not celebrate an order which has no place for others."

Source (and direct link to the complete article)