Category Archives: Online learning

Cargo Cults

Posted on 31st December 2017 by NomadWarMachine

Arthur C. Clarke’s Third Law states that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. I think that’s probably true of many things and not just limited to technology – that many things that others do look like magic from the outside. … Continue reading →

Posted in #CLMOOC, Capitalism, Critical pedagogy, DS106, Learning, MOOC, Online learning, Peer interaction, PhD, Rhizomes, Social Media, Teaching, Technology, University | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Hope

Posted on 27th December 2017 by NomadWarMachine

Twitter gets a lot of bad press, for many reasons. But, for me, it’s a place I find like-minded friends who are generous, caring and creative. So today’s #DecDoodle is a Twitter dove with an olive branch – symbolising my … Continue reading →

Posted in #CLMOOC, DailyCreate, DS106, Learning, Love, MOOC, Online learning, Peer interaction, PhD | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Creative Playfulness and Convivial Interactions

Posted on 16th December 2017 by NomadWarMachine

I’m giving a paper at the SocMedHE conference at Sheffield Hallam this Tuesday called Creative Playfulness and Convivial Interactions in a Participatory Culture: recent findings and implications for Higher Education. It’s based on some of the findings from my PhD research … Continue reading →

Posted in #CLMOOC, Learning, MOOC, Online learning, Peer interaction, PhD, Social Media, Teaching, University | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Learning and Meaning

Posted on 25th November 2017 by NomadWarMachine

I rewatched a superb TedX talk yesterday by Tesia Marshik called Learning styles & the importance of critical self-reflection. She talks about the myth of learning styles and the danger of believing in them, and it’s a powerful and persuasive critique. What … Continue reading →

Posted in #CLMOOC, Learning, Online learning, Peer interaction, PhD, Teaching, University | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Why I write

Posted on 20th October 2017 by NomadWarMachine

I write because I’m happy I write because I’m angry I write because I’m sad I write because I care I write because I can I write because I can’t not I write because I’m human I write because I write

Posted in #CLMOOC, DailyCreate, DS106, Learning, Online learning, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Fractal music

Posted on 12th August 2017 by NomadWarMachine

Fractals fascinate me – the mesmerising beauty of their evolving, expanding symmetry never fails to draw me in and remind me how beautiful maths can be.  Mandelbrot, of course – such mathematical cleverness, but also the numerous examples that can … Continue reading →

Posted in #CLMOOC, Music, Online learning, Peer interaction | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Researcher Journal: follow up lurker research

Posted on 16th July 2017 by NomadWarMachine

Last summer, Aras, AK, Len and I did some exploratory research into “lurking” behaviour in #CLMooc.  I wrote about a presentation I gave, and we recently had a paper published in EURODL. “Lurking” is a loaded term, with negative connotations, and … Continue reading →

Posted in #CLMOOC, Learning, MOOC, Online learning, Researcher Journal | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Ampen, Don’t Dampen

Posted on 24th June 2017 by NomadWarMachine

A week of reflection. Finding that friends were hurting and we didn’t know. Knowing that I’d been hurt as well. What to do? What to think? What to say? A slogan from Terry jingling around in my head resulted in … Continue reading →

Posted in #CLMOOC, D&G, Online learning, Peer interaction, Philosophy, postcards, Rhizomes | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Who owns a hashtag

Posted on 17th June 2017 by NomadWarMachine

What are the status of hashtags? Are they things that can be owned by individuals or groups of individuals? Once I have laid claim to one, can I request, or even demand, that other users follow whichever rules I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc, Online learning, Peer interaction | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Solidarity, comrades

Posted on 8th June 2017 by NomadWarMachine

After I wrote my post yesterday I read a comment on #digciz by Stephen Downes, and this bit struck me: We need to base society on voluntary cooperation, rather than involuntary collaboration. Exactly. That’s what’s wrong, imo, with talking about digital … Continue reading →

Posted in Online learning, Peer interaction, Politics, Wittgenstein | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments