Eye on Learning

The ten most viewed articles from the Education and Information Technology Digital Library (EdITLib) at http://www.EdITLib.org are: 1. Issues in Distance Learning http://www.editlib.org/index. cfm?fuseaction=Reader. ViewAbstract&paper_id=8937 2. Technology, Transfer and Teaching: The Impact of a Single Technology Course on Preservice Teachers' Computer Attitudes and Ability http://www.editlib.org/index. cfm?fuseaction=Reader. ViewAbstract&paper_id=26064 3. Are Pretty Interfaces Worth the Time? The Effects of User Interface Types on Web-Based Instruction http://www.editlib.org/index. cfm?fuseaction=Reader. ViewAbstract&paper_id=25210 4. Conditions, Processes and Consequences of 1:1 Computing in K-12 Classrooms: The Impact on Teaching Practices and Student Achievement http://www.editlib.org/index. cfm?fuseaction=Reader. ViewAbstract&paper_id=27486 5. Generative Learning Strategies and Metacognitive Feedback to Facilitate comprehension of Complex Science Topics and S...

At a recent committee meeting with colleagues, one of the members of top management asked what a podcast was. This is not the first time I get the question, in spite of it having been around for a while now. Hence, for those who need to know what it is, how to create one and so on, visit: http://radio.about.com/od/podcastin1/a/aa030805a.htm.

It was good to have attended the kick-off meeting of the ACCESS Project in Brussels. ACCESS is a two-year research project involving several organisations from Europe and South East Asia. Supported by funding under the Erasmus Mundus Programme under the European Commission, the project kick-off meeting took place in Brussels on 27 and 28 February with all the project partners in attendance. It is SEAAIR 's first research project with countries outside the SEAsian region. I am involved as the project coordinator from SEAAIR. More details about the project will be unveiled over the next few months. Meanwhile, a brief of the project can be viewed at http://www.access-project.eu/ . The next meeting will be in June in Malaysia with all partners again attending to review the findings from a survey that will be conducted in February and March. The survey will be on the perception of academicians, researchers and students towards European higher education. The outcomes of the proje...

2009 may have just started but am already feeling the time wheezing by so quickly. I am scheduled to give a keynote at a seminar organised by UPSI in less than 2 weeks time. I can still remember how, when I first got the message asking me whether I was available to speak almost a year ago. I felt that it was so far down the road! Anyway time has flown so quickly and the seminar is just around the corner. I'm looking forward to sharing some of my latest thoughts and ideas on how Web 2.0 can support today's learners. I'm using some of these tools for an online graduate course in the Master of Instructional Design and Technology program at OUM and I believe some of our learners will thrive on Learning 2.0. Some details of the keynote addresses to be delivered at the seminar are at: http://ikict.upsi.edu.my/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=33

Found an interesting lecture by Thomas Freidman. He needs no introduction, having been a New York Times columnist since 1995 and with several best sellers to his name including his latest book "Hot, Flat and Crowded." His recent keynote address at MIT is on YouTube (48 minutes long) and can be viewed at:

The world of education is becoming more open. Already, we find students retrieving materials from a variety of sources that are not necessarily provided by their own educational institution. This is due to the availability of OERs. What are OERs? George Siemens gives a good introduction of this. View it at: http://www.slideshare.net/gsiemens/oer-presentation-924281 . In addition, other sources of information on OERs include: http://www.slideshare.net/Downes/open-educational-resources-and-the-personal-learning-environment http://www.slideshare.net/zaid/101-open-educational-resources-presentation

The University of Southern Queensland has several courses in their OpenCourseWare section. An intuitive approach to help the learner move along from week to week or from topic to topic. Everything is online or in digital form. Saves trees....well, unless every student starts printing every page.