Interesting. So if I was to try and describe what you have in mind to a application developer, the spec might be something like.
"We want an app that can be included in an online environment/url/ portal that enhances "its" online library. One reads the 'article'/ watches the video and then hits a 'questions' button, which pops up the app, that works just like cyclo-teacher". Wouldn't seem like a complicated app to write. (always much easier when you can point at a physical widget and say "we want one of these".) Re: apps like this, and standardizing calenders. Yes the w3 committees try and write specs for standardization (so apps can share data). But there always needs to be a proof-of-concept built to make it real. In the .edu space, in some NRENs, mainly at Internet2 and Surfnet (in the english speaking world) you'll find the 'standardization' of apps beginning to focus on building online collaborative environments. I pointed at (Internet2's) COmanage page. You can see the (basic) apps they are focussed on in the red area. http://www.internet2.edu/comanage/ COIN's architecture looks much the same. i.e. wiki, calender, file share. Both WE and the NREN techs want to see this stuff move into "mainstream adoption". (the techs are the mousetrap builders, OER communities like WE, OCWC and http://www.web2rights.com/OERIPRSupport/index.html are the cheese makers; or car manufactures and petrol sniffers if you prefer another metaphor :) The problem, as far as i can see, is that the NREN (techs) talk to 'their' national communities, whereas the cheese makers are globally minded. The techs also focus on the 'fat' end of town (as it's far more interesting). COmanage, as an e.g. use LIGO as one of their global disciplinary groups, and then, as a secondary thought, consider how to open LIGO's resources to the wider world = http://www.ligo.org/students_teachers_public/research.php So OERers are trying to open up the global conversation about Open Access, apps and content, while the Nationally funded techs (up to now) prefer to duplicate their global peers efforts. Then, at a conference, which, like ours, might be streamed at one url, recorded, and afterwards buried on some other strange sounding url, compare "best practice" and apps, which represent 3 degrees of separation/ opinion/strategy. And, of course, all have an (unformed) idea of how to make "their" initiative sustainable. http://open-access.net/de_en/general_information/business_models/ 2011 is going to be an interesting year for mainstreaming the new publishing model. I'm pretty sure WE will see OE(R, if we must consider Educational material in physical terms) beginning to bulldozer the professional boundaries of "production (teaching), access/aggregation (network management) and distribution (librarianship). My opinion is fashioned more by the economic relevance/woes of our (edu and gov) institutions than any professional knowledge. (i.e. % of grads joining the unemployment queues = 40% in southern Spain). 10 months of drowning in Euro languages tends to stretch one's imagination about "common" educational problems. I like your analogy of Gutenberg's time (as western-centric as it is) ; although I prefer to compare today's institutional confusion to the time of the introduction of the steam powered printing press (in London in 1809, and the rotary press mid 1800's). Now everyone has their own web press we drown in poorly funded/duplicated materials; vanity published by every self-important .edu, in one country/language of course. Ah, UTILITY! That magic word which refuses to acknowledge professional/ sectoral boundaries. A telephone! A fax! A web conference! A TV station! ....... A (National) network for each! Nah...... give me one url for each of my disciplinary Global groups, an institutional sign on, a directory, and let the NREN network guys weave their SIP & ENUM magic. regards, simon Sydney feb 2011 On Jan 15, 11:55 am, James Salsman <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Simon, > > Thank you for your thoughtful reply below. Did you ever see the > "Cyclo Teacher Learning Aid" instructional system which shipped with > World Book encyclopedias? > Here:http://www.laughinglibrarian.com/2006_07_01_archive.html#115318764847... > > I'm trying to provide the internet version of that, with adaptive > testing. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WikiEducator" group. To visit wikieducator: http://www.wikieducator.org To visit the discussion forum: http://groups.google.com/group/wikieducator To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]
