Slideshare: Lisa Harris

Lisa Harris introduced me to Slideshare via Linked In, and I have found it an extremely helpful tool in linking me to a number of presentations that others have put up, providing great material which when pulled from a variety of sources, can provide great material for lectures – and more specifically – for putting forward the pedagogical rationale for Blended Learning/the use of technology in learning (I’m a big fan of making the technology as invisible as possible, and looking for ways to remove the barriers, but sometimes there’s a learning curve, and we have to decide if the outcomes are worth it).

For businesses, investing (time, often, rather than visible finance) is key, and leads to positive outcomes. Here is one of Lisa’s many enlightening presentations:

I look forward to meeting Lisa face-to-face again soon, before too long! We met at Winchester Web Scene.

Engaged Learning Using Web 2.0 Technologies… including Google Wave

Having signed up for a Google Wave account, like many others, I’m not that clear on what to do with it. The blog ‘Don’t waste your time‘ has given some great ideas, and I think this presentation adds another layer of understanding (alongside another set of online tools, all/most without charge!) about the possibilities for using Google Wave within education, especially once the extensions and add-ons are factored in.

Learning 2.0

Learning 2.0

View more documents from hblowers.

OK, so this presentation is 2 years old… and in web terms that should be ANCIENT history, but a lot of the tools it has identified are still only just going mainstream within education, and I think it still has a lot to say about what such technology is TRYING TO ACHIEVE within the Learning and Teaching spectrum… and the need to find space for play and creativity to progress the technology in education agenda!

Finding Credible Image Sources Online

Online Images: Finding Credible Image Sources Online

View more presentations from LeAnn .

For those working within an educational setting, and particularly those with an interest in American History, this presentation provides great information on great resources for sourcing appropriate images, and indicates the usage restrictions, etc.

Good News: Blended Learning Fellow

ukonlineGood News!

Well, for me at least. Today I was offered the post of “Blended Learning Fellow” at the University of Winchester, on a 0.2 contract (i.e. 1 day per week). So far as I can see, Blended Learning is something that is growing in importance and therefore it is likely that the role will grow, but for now I am very much looking forward to identifying potential uses in social media, and other software (the University is already signed up to Wimba and uses a Moodle-based VLE) and where those uses can add real value to the student experience.

Incredibly grateful to all those on my Twitter feed who offered ideas (whether intentional or not) and encouragement, which helped to make my presentation sing this morning! I have just experimented with uploading my presentation to Slideshare, and it should be below.