by Derek Morrison, 24 June 2009 (updated 25 June 2009)
N.B. The views expressed in this posting are the author’s own and should not be construed as representative of any other individual or organisation.
Coincidence or convergence? Synthesis or accidential synergy? Putative zeitgeist?
There has been a recent set of announcements and reports that I think benefit from being viewed in aggregate rather than separately. (Continued)
by Derek Morrison, 23 June 2009
Here’s a slight addition to my orginal Storm Clouds online essay (Auricle, 9 September 2008) in which I reflected on the risks of the cloud computing paradigm. A recent Guardian edition had an interesting piece on the risks to our data when it’s stored in the ‘cloud’ (Freedom to Move Data in Vital When it’s in the Clouds, Guardian, 18 June 2009). Read the following powerful extract and reflect all ye accolytes:
“… people use banks there were laws and standards that allowed you to move your money easily from one to another. The cloud doesn’t have similar laws and standards for moving data … It’s important because most cloud-computing companies will go bust, just the same as mainframe computer companies, minicomputer companies and PC suppliers went bust. And if you are not careful, they’re going to take our data down with them.”
by Derek Morrison, 18 June 2009
In my 2008 online essay Take me to your thought leader! (Auricle, 28 January 2008) I highlighted work that suggests that despite the egalitarian vision and, arguably, the hype, the opportuntities for user creation offered by the Web 2.0 world appears to be grasped by relatively few accolytes. (Continued)
by Derek Morrison (originally posted 18 June 2009, updated 21 June 2009)
The UK government’s Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) published the final version of its Digital Britain report yesterday (16 June 2009). Under normal circumstances it would perhaps merit some passing interest from media watchers but I think recent political changes and economic pressures should make us pay a little more attention to this one. To feed the paranoia there is specific mention of Higher Education buried in there. (Continued)
by Derek Morrison, 17 June 2009
While some are wondering if the digital zeitgeist will obliterate their ‘traditional’ business models others are looking at how the they can enhance theirs. One such new kid on the national UK digital radio/ internet radio block is called Amazing Radio which is broadcasting test transmissions at the time of writing from its base in Newcastle; a fact unique in itself (all other UK-wide stations broacast form London). So what else is unique? Simply the synergy between the partner web site and the radio station.
So what! you say, “it’s common nowadays for radio and television stations to have web sites”. The difference here is that the web site is the source of all the music played on the digital radio broadcast. There are several notable interactions here. First original unsigned artists upload their unique creations to the AmazingTunes web site. Second, said artists receive 70% of the download cost (currently 79p) with the other 30% going to the company. Third, music for the radio station playlist is selected by what’s proving popular on the web site. Even the DJ’s are selected by audience participation. Apparently ethical, a clever synthesis of older and new models, and, because its focus is on unsigned acts, it should provide a showcase for new emerging talent. Perhaps there’s something here for those interested in how learning technologies could be employed, or ideas and content/information disseminated, in Higher Education could learn from?
by Derek Morrison, 7 June 2009
The poetry/song inclinations of this posting is a bit unusual for Auricle but there are connections with both Higher Education and the digital zeitgeist. In one of my other lives I’m a closet folky albeit one who plays the guitar badly and sings even more terribly but, arguably, I’m a little better as a lyricist. (Continued)
by Derek Morrison, 24 May 2009
It’s not hard to imagine a light robust e-book type device that can also display enhanced content. so The future of books and electronic reading (Sunday Times, 24 May 2009) caught my eye and merited further investigation.
But the Random House Book and Beyond Project web site states: (Continued)
by Derek Morrison, 12 May 2009
The Committee’s final report plus associated resources was published today.
It is a sensibly cogent report. For me, para 98 summarises things very nicely (my emphasis).
“… This does not necessarily mean wholesale incorporation of ICT into teaching and learning. To assume that would be to mistake the issue. This, in our view, is adapting to, and capitalising on, evolving and intensifying behaviours that are being shaped by the experience of the newest technologies. In practice, it means going with the flow and building on and steering the positive aspects of those behaviours such as experimentation, collaboration and teamworking while addressing the negatives such as a casual and insufficiently critical attitude to information.The means to these ends should be the best tools for the job whatever they may be. The role of HEIs is to enable informed choice in the matter of those tools, and to support them and their effective deployment.” (Continued)
by Derek Morrison, 8 May 2009
Two recent items at the RCUK site that the ‘e’ oriented may find interesting are:
New centres to transform the way we live in Digital Britain and RCUK publishes report on open access study.
by Derek Morrison, 1 May 2009
N.B. The following posting represents the personal views of the author and should not be construed as necessarily representative of any other individual or organisation.
One of the “messages” in yesterday’s Open opportunties, open threats? posting was that users always have the option of voting with their mouse when “official” provision proves to be inadequate, doesn’t inspire confidence, or even becomes an actual barrier to the achievement of their objectives. We should note that there is a similar strand of thinking becoming focused on the nature of e-government and other public ‘e’ services and whether the vast global investments are actually being realised in better user-oriented artefacts and services. One argument is that it would be better for government to focus on making their data accessible for a multiplicity of others to use and present. For example, Princeton’s David G Robinson et al highlight in their paper Government Data and the Invisible Hand (Yale Journal of Law & Technology, Vol. 11, p. 160, 2009) that currently: (Continued)