Call for papers #CfP from #BJET & call for co-authoring book on #Philosophy #AI #humanmachine #interdisciplinary

The call for papers below is for authors researching 'human learning and learning analytics in the age of artificial intelligence' and is an action to celebrate BJET's 50th anniversary. But first ... the call for co-authors to realize a new Rebus book on the subject of Introduction to Philosophy series.

Seeking Authors & Editors for Introduction to Philosophy Series

The Rebus Community initiative Introduction to Philosophy series has grown tremendously, and a few books are nearing the final stages! Led by Christina Hendricks (University of British Columbia), the series includes eight volumes in total, ranging across themes. We are currently seeking faculty interested in contributing to the series by authoring chapters in the following books:
Epistemology
Aesthetics
Metaphysics
Social and Political Philosophy
Philosophy of Religion

See the full list of open and completed chapters.

Authors should have a PhD in philosophy and teaching experience at the first-year level. PhD students and candidates may also be considered as authors, or can contribute to the book in other ways. If you are interested, please let us know in Rebus Projects. Include your CV, a brief summary of your experience teaching an intro to philosophy course, and the chapters you would like to write.

We’re also looking for a co-editor for the Aesthetics book, and an editor forPhilosophy of Science. If you’re interested in taking on one of these roles, read the full job posting and then comment in the activity on Rebus Projects, including some details about your experience and the area in which you are interested.

The editorial team encourages contributions from members of under-represented groups within the philosophy community. Decisions will be made by the team on a rolling basis.

Photo by Samuel Sianipar on Unsplash,  Reading source Mary Midgley, "Philosophical Plumbing" 

CfP for papers on the subject of Human learning and learning analytics in the age of artificial intelligence, a 50th anniversary edition of BJET

At the 50th anniversary of the Britisch Journal of Educational Technology (BJET) invites you to contribute your most current research to BJET as a way to celebrate BJET’s anniversary. Title of the special section: Human learning and learning analytics in the age of artificial intelligence (Critical perspectives on learning analytics and artificial intelligence in education)

Deadline for manuscript submissions: February 10th, 2019
Publication: Online as soon as copy editing complete.
Acceptance Deadline: 10th August 2019
Issue Publication: November 2019.
Guest editor: Andreja Istenič Starčič, Professor University of Primorska & University of Ljubljana; Visiting scholar University of North Texas. For all information, please contact: andreja.starcic@gmail.com

This special section focuses on human learning and learning analytics in the age of artificial intelligence across disciplines.

In May 2018, they organized a working symposium entitled The “The Human-Technology Frontier: Understanding the Human Intelligence 0.2 with Artificial Intelligence 2.0.” The symposium was sponsored by the Association of Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). Distinguished scholars, including learning scientists, psychologists, neuroscientists, computer scientists, and educators addressed some urgent questions and issues on the learner as a whole person, with healthy development of the brain, habit, behaviour, and learning in the fast-advancing technological world. The symposium inspired these special issue topics (which not limited to):

1. Learning and human intelligence: Based on what we know of the brain and what we are likely to understand in the near future, how should learning be defined/redefined?
2. Learning and innovation skills, the 4C - creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration: How could learning technologies support the transformative nature of learning involving all domains of learning, cognitive, psychomotor, affective-social? How could the advanced feedback and scaffolds support the transition from “combinational” to the “exploratory” and “transformational” creativity, thinking and potential consequences for communication and collaboration?
3. Towards a holistic account of a person – brain, body, habits, and environment: What would a learning and research design that embraces a whole person perspective look like?
4. Human intelligence with innovations and advances of technologies: What technologies are most likely to have a positive impact on learning in the short and long future?
5. Properties and units of measures of learning: What are the constructs of learning and beliefs about learners and learners’ needs given the multilevel technologies, collaborative networks, interaction and interface modalities, methodologies and analysis techniques we have to work with?
6. Learning perspectives: Do we face transitions in theories of learning?

In the past 50 years, BJET has been at the front offering a platform and forcing discussions in the above areas. At the 50th anniversary of BJET, we invite interdisciplinary scholars to contribute their most current research to BJET as a way to celebrate BJET’s anniversary.

Please send me the working title of your paper with a short abstract (if you include co-authors, please also provide names of all authors) to my e-mail andreja.starcic@gmail.com by November 30th, 2018.

For further information, please contact professor Andreja Istenič Starčič at andreja.starcic@gmail.com

#aha_project discovering the Grit Scale #plog

Give Jay Cross some time and surely he will come up with something new and exciting, e.g. informal learning, and now an ebook on DIY-learning. It is a mental joy to read! The book offers an array of actions (evidence-based) that a knowledge worker - or any power learner - can undertake in order to improve their own learning. Later on these actions offer a great set of tools to implement in your own corporate learning environment.

As Jay sent out a twitter a couple of days ago, I could not keep myself from asking for a copy of his new book. In beta-release of course (version 0.8 when I got it). The book offers insight into learning, and more specifically increasing learning efficiency to a point of a long-lasting AHA-moment, hence the title: "AHA! 75 ways to work smarter". 

The book only costs 2.99 dollars and you get your moneys worth. I am only 75 pages in and I already marked several passages to reflect, act upon, and use later on in my own contexts. One of the actions Jay refers to is writing daily. Short passages (15 min is enough), reflecting on your day, but on a daily basis (something my mom has been doing for over 20 years or more, talking about a role model!). A proven action to increase your mental health, while also adding to your focus, patience, planning and personal growth (research by Teresa Amabile , nice name). Jay calls it: writing a Plog - or progress blog. Plog will be my label or meta-tag for those posts.  I will add them to my 'I am going to figure out where to go next' set of writings as well, making them easy to retrieve later on. But for now, my first plog is on: discovering my Grit. 

My Grit Scale: 4.13

This research study into Grit consists of only 12 questions you can take voluntarily to calculate your true 'grit'. Grit (paper here) is defined as "perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Grit entails working strenuously toward challenges, maintaining effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress. The gritty individual approaches achievement as a marathon; his or her advantage is stamina". 

And apparently your own Gritty nature relates to evolution's in your future income, but also - and to me important - all-round happiness. It seems I am part of the happy one's and that in it's own makes me ... happy. To be honest, my score was higher then I had expected, as I can be lazy at times... just plain lazy. But apparently setting your teeth into something counts for a lot. (conversation with mom: "I really filled in the survey according to the truth - honestly mom!", "then why aren't you making more money?", "...Because I am more the happy gritty person, then the money greedy person", she looks at me and pats me on the back "well, that's alright then, well done"). 

So upward and onward! Now that I learned this bit about myself, I will go back to proceed with my thesis... hey, I have a grit score... I can and will do it, now I am sure!

Free eBook on #mobile learning in context

The eLearning Guild keeps distributing relevant and updated eLearning information with an amazingly high frequency. They keep providing me with information that helps me keep an eye on corporate training based regularly on academic evidence-based findings and I love it.

The wonderful freely available eBook "Mobile in context" combines contemporary mobile learning insights from experts around the world, engaged in formal, informal, academic and corporate mobile learning. The contributing editor Janet Clarey assembled a 23 page booklet with 7 chapters all dedicated to mLearning:

• mobile learning: getting started (Brenda Enders)
• mobile learning: creating a shift in what we teach (Helen Crompton)
• mobile learning in a European context (John Traxler) - with a focus on rural communities and overcoming technological challenges
• using augmented reality for contextual mobile learning (Jason Haag)
• motivating learners to complete training (Phil Cowcill &Krista Hildner)
• mMOOC design: providing ubiquitous learning (Inge de Waard)
• micro-video for mobile learning (Sean Bengry)

The eBook is available in pdf, epub and mobi, making it an easy read no matter which device you have available. You do not to provide your contact details to get to the download page of the eBook.

The book is an introduction to the upcoming mLearnCon 2015 which will be held in Austin Texas, and Oh-my! How I wished I could be there! But writing on my thesis ... hoping to get more travel miles under my belt once the PhD is written. 

Launch of the Really Useful #EdTechBook #elearning enthusiasts

Today the Really Useful #EdTechBook was launched. This book has took only 6 months to gather 16 educational technologists, and all-round eLearning practitioners (both in online education, mobile learning, and any sub-section in technology enhanced learning). The formidable, and project superman David Hopkins pulled this astonishing work off with an energy and motivation that is purely magical (and courageous, as he needed to keep 16 volunteering writers on a very tight schedule).

So what is the book about? 
‘The Really Useful #EdTechBook‘ is about experiences, reflections, hopes, passions, expectations, and professionalism of those working with, in, and for the use of technology in education. Not only is it an insight into how, or why, we work with these technologies, it’s about how we as learning professionals got to where we are and how we go forward with our own development.

Technology has invaded our working and recreational lives to an extent that few envisaged 20 or 30 years ago. We’d be fools to avoid the developments in personal, mobile, and wearable technology. Even if we tried we’d still have to deal with other developments and distractions in classroom and learning technology like smart boards, blogs, video, games, students-led learning, virtual learning environments, social media, etc. More than this, however, is how the advances in technology, the economic and physical miniaturisation of computing devices, have impacted education: the students, the teachers, the classrooms, the spaces, the connections, the aspirations, etc.

In this book you will find chapters on the subjects mentioned above, in written in a more informal, transparent way (David gave all of us carte blanche, and emphasized the importance of the personal experience, or personal preferred viewpoints on Educational Technology.
The book has got wonderfully written chapters, and to be honest I have enjoyed every chapter, for all of the chapters offered new ideas or intimate stories of what it is, and what it took to become an educational technologist. So the only indulgence I dare, is to provide a link to my chapter on 'Tech Dandy, and the Art of Leisure Learning', that I have added to my list of Academia-papers just to keep track of what I am writing.

I can only assure you, that the other chapters will blow your mind in usefulness. And I am not alone in saying this, as multiple eLearning experts already gave the book good reviews prior to the launch (e.g. Steve Wheeler, Associate Professor of Learning Technology, Plymouth University, Maren Deepwell, Chief Executive, Association for Learning Technology (ALT), Chrissi Nerantzi, Principal Lecturer in Academic CPD, Manchester Metropolitan University, Helen Blunden, Activate Learning Solutions, Australia.

Offering the book at multiple prices 
After some serious discussions, the consensus of all the authors was that the book should be open to all, yet offer people who want to support us the opportunity to pay for the book, and as such give us some monetary gift. So, here are the details on the book offers:

For those interested in taking a peek at the book before purchasing it, you can find the PDF-download link in David's blogpost here. http://bit.ly/EdTechBook

Title: The Really Useful #EdTechBook
Editor: David Hopkins
Word count: 61,000
Price eBook: $6.99 / £4.50 / €5.80
Price Paperback: $29.99 / £19.99 / €24.99
Publish date: 28 January 2015
Available: Paper and eBook editions are available from the following online stores.

• Amazon.com (print & eBook)
• Amazon.co.uk (print eBook)
• iTunes (eBook)
• Kobo (eBook)
• Createspace (print)

(Note: Tax will be applied to the eBook by the online store, based on your location).

Join our Google+ community for information on the book, the chapter authors, the launch details, the world of learning and educational technology, Or have a look at the geographic interest in the book on this map here. 

Upcoming the Really Useful #EdTechbook and chapter

What a great start of a new year, to be able to work with wonderful people and get a chapter out as well. The ever working David Hopkins (I think he did not have one single day off during the past holidays), has been editing a book entitled "The Really Useful #EdTechbook" which will be on sale from 28 January 2015.

The book consists of 16 chapters from different authors, all devoted to ... really useful EdTech stuff in a non-academic, simple language. And I am very grateful to David that he allowed me to be one of the co-authors as well, together with the creme of the crop of EdTech experts.

Contributory authors: 

• Catherine Cronin: Foreword 
• David Hopkins: Introduction 
• Wayne Barry: “…and what do you do?”: Can we explain the unexplainable? 
• Zak Mensah: “Why do we do what we do?” 
• Peter Reed: “The structure and roles of Learning Technologists within Higher Education Institutions” 
• Rachel Challen: “Learning Technologists as magicians? Balancing policy and creativity” 
• Julie Wedgwood: “Developing the skills and knowledge of a Learning Technologist” 
• Dr David Walker and Sheila MacNeill: “Learning Technologist as Digital Pedagogue” 
• Lesley Price: “Times they are a changing …or not?” 
• Sue Beckingham: “The Blended Professional: Jack of all Trades and Master of Some?” 
• Julian Stodd: “How gadgets help us learn in the Social Age” 
• Terese Bird: “Students Leading the Way in Mobile Learning Innovation” 
• Inge de Waard: “Tech Dandy, and the Art of Leisure Learning” 
• Sharon Flynn: “Learning Technologists: changing the culture or preaching to the converted?” 
• Mike McSharry: “This is your five-minute warning!” 

Book description:
Technology has invaded our working and recreational lives to an extent that few envisaged 20 or 30 years ago. We’d be fools to avoid the developments in personal, mobile, and wearable technology. Even if we tried we’d still have to deal with other developments and distractions in classroom and learning technology like smart boards, blogs, video, games, students-led learning, virtual learning environments, social media, etc. More than this, however, is how the advances in technology, the economic and physical miniaturisation of computing devices, have impacted education: the students, the teachers, the classrooms, the spaces, the connections, the aspirations, etc.

‘The Really Useful #EdTechBook‘ is about experiences, reflections, hopes, passions, expectations, and professionalism of those working with, in, and for the use of technology in education. Not only is it an insight into how, or why, we work with these technologies, it’s about how we as learning professionals got to where we are and how we go forward with our own development.

Practical:
Title: The Really Useful #EdTechBook
Editor: David Hopkins
Word count: 61,000
Price eBook: $6.99 / £4.50 / €5.80
Price Paperback: $29.99 / £19.99 / €24.99

VAT will be added on the above eBook prices based on where you are located.
Publish date: 28 January 2015 (eBook)
Available: Paper and eBook editions will be available from the following online stores.

Pre-orders for the eBook are being taken through Amazon, links below:
Amazon.com (print and eBook)
Amazon.co.uk (print and eBook)
iTunes (eBook)
Kobo (eBook)
Createspace (print)

Free download
As well as buying and downloading from the above suppliers you will also be able to download a PDF version of the book directly here, once launched. We are providing this option in order to promote openness and collaborative learning practices. I hope you will join me in thanking the contributory authors and, if you like the free version, consider purchasing the book in the format of your choice.

Google+ Community
Join our Google+ community for information on the book, the chapter authors, the launch details, the world of learning and educational technology, and other aspects of The Really Useful #EdTechBook.

See more at: http://www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk/books/the-really-useful-edtechbook/#sthash.bc9LSXNP.dpuf

Great book for #academic vocabulary learning the jargon #phd

My PhD journey is well on its way and nearing the end of year one (started in February 2013). One of my reoccurring challenges is using distinct academic vocabulary that gives stamina and rigor to my reports and papers. In all honesty as a Dutch speaking person I learned English by looking at Children BBC, documentaries and ... American action movies. Not surprisingly my PhD notes sometimes reflect these linguistic prior experiences. I write phrases like "I reshuffled my data until it triggered my curiosity and opened my eyes with a blast! In order to get the right answers, more action is necessary.", where my supervisors relentlessly tell me I could (read should) be using more scientifically accepted jargon. So giving it  try here and transforming the above sentence into: "While closely examining the data, new evidence emerged. However, additional research is necessary in order to examine these findings before a conclusion can be reached." ... well not sure if this is getting at the ultimate academic phrasing, but it simply sounds more like what one would expect in an academic paper (or so I am told, it would be nice to write a paper using action hero lingo though).
It takes me hours to find the right words and phrases to carefully describe what I want to say in such a way that the verbs and nouns used add to the 'seriousness' of the paper. So I work at it. The only problem is, that I need to find a way to internalize this vocabulary in order to save time while writing my papers. Reading is one option, but just today I found an online book called "Academic vocabulary in Use" from Cambridge press, providing 50 units of vocabulary reference and practice. Nice, an exercise book was just what I was looking for. It is freely available if you press the link, but I have the distinct feeling that the book is normally for sale. So be quick if you want to have a look at the free copy as provided by the link. 

Free online book on #mobile learning research

The relentless editing team of Mohamed Ally and Avgoustos Tsinakos have released a free, online book on global mobile learning implementations and trends in collaboration with the Open University of China. You can download the 258 page book here. 

The book covers a lot of interesting areas and took up an article that me and co-authors previously published wrote for IRRODL on Using mLearning and MOOCs to understand chaos, emergence, and complexity in education. 

Chapter 1 State of Mobile Learning Around the World by Avgoustos Tsinakos

Chapter 2 Mobile Learning in International Development by John Traxler

Chapter 3 Universal Instructional Design Principles for Mobile Learning by Tanya Elias

Chapter 4 Planning for Mobile Learning Implementation by Amit Garg

Chapter 5 Blended Mobile Learning: Expanding Learning Spaces with Mobile Technologies by Agnieszka Palalas

Chapter 6 Mobile and Digital: Perspectives on Teaching and Learning in a Networked World by Barbara Schroeder

Chapter 7 Using mLearning and MOOCs to Understand Chaos,Emergence,and Complexity in Education by Inge de Waard, Sean Abajian, Michael Sean Gallagher, Rebecca Hogue, Nilgün Keskin, Apostolos Koutropoulos, Osvaldo C. Rodriguez

Chapter 8 Changing the Way of Learning: Mobile Learning in China by Li Shiliang Sun Hongtao 

Chapter 9 Challenges for Successful Adoption of Mobile Learning by David Topolewski et al.

Chapter 10 Location-Based Learning with Mobile Devices by Qing Tan Nashwa El-Bendary

Chapter 11 Mobile Microblogging: Using Twitter and Mobile Devices in an Online Course to Promote Learning in Authentic Contexts by Hsu Yu-Chang Ching Yu-Hui

Chapter 12 Mobile Learning in K-12 in Alberta, Canada by Dermod Madden

Chapter 13 Trailblazing Through a Steeper Path: A Snapshot of Teachers’Explorations in Mobile Learning Implementation in Hawaii’s Public Schools by Lin Meng-Fen Grace Ritsuko Iyoda Curtis P. Ho

Chapter 14 Using Self-Efficacy to Assess the Readiness of Nursing Educators and Students for Mobile Learning by Richard F. Kenny et al.

Free online multimedia book on persuasive #presentations

This is just a wonderful book. It also fits with my aim to lift my presentation skills to the next level. I love an audience, I love discussions, so I want to make sure to reach out and touch (why does Diana Ross immediately come to mind?).

This free, online multimedia book is written by Nancy Duarte and it gives magnificent pointers on how to make your presentation stand out. The book is called Resonate and can be found here. The book is using multimedia, pictures, meaningful texts in such a way that I found it a real pleasure to read. She provides simple and more difficult suggestions to engage with any audience you might encounter. And one of her basic concepts is that the audience is the hero, so you should at all times offer knowledge that might be of use to them (I completely agree with that, it is an old dialogue premise, but not always as easy to ensure).

While reading it, I found close links to movie narratives (challenges, overcoming obstacles, call for action...) and all the while using embedded cultural metaphor's. But also adding to the reality of audiences faced: e.g. whether a presentation is political, corporate or academic; the audience consists of four distinct types of people capable of taking action: doers, suppliers, influencers and innovators.

Free book increasing access through #mlearning

The Commonwealth of Learning and Athabasca University just released a great free book on mobile learning, edited by the Mohamed Ally and Avgoustos Tsinakos. The digital book consisting of three parts, each filled with great articles all looking at mobile education, including a chapter written by myself on "using BYOD, mobile social media, apps, and sensors for meaningful mobile learning".

What to expect:
Part I describes considerations for, and approaches to, designing mobile learning materials. It is important for developers of mobile learning materials to follow standards so that the learning materials can be shared as open educational resources (OER). Delivered on mobile technology, OER have the potential to enable citizens all over the world to access affordable education from anywhere and at any time. Part II of the book discusses how mobile learning can be successfully implemented to maximise access to educational resources with minimum resources, and to maintain flexibility in the delivery process. Part III provides examples of how mobile learning can be used in a variety of settings, including schools, higher education institutions, the workplace and the field, and a variety of contexts, from formal programmes to just-in-time learning.

With over 200 pages of mobile learning wisdom, there is a lot to read and reflect upon.
PART I: Designing Mobile Learning
Chapter 1
A Diachronic Overview of Technology Contributing to Mobile Learning: A Shift Towards Student-Centred Pedagogies ..................... 7
Helen Crompton

Chapter 2
Educational Standards for Mobile Learning and Mobile Application Development ......... 17
Judy Brown, Michael Hruska, Andy Johnson and Jonathan Poltrack

Chapter 3
A Pedagogical Framework for Mobile Learning: Categorising Educational Applications of Mobile Technologies into Four Types ............. 27
Yeonjeong Park

Chapter 4
Why Open Educational Resources Are Needed for Mobile Learning ......... 49
Rory McGreal

Chapter 5
Design of Contextualised Mobile Learning Applications ............................ 61
Marcus Specht

Chapter 6
Interactive Learning Strategies for Mobile Learning ................................... 73
Anthony Ralston

Chapter 7
Mobile Learning: Location, Collaboration and Scaffolding Inquiry ............. 85
Eileen Scanlon

PART II: Implementing Mobile Learning
Chapter 8
Open Formats for Mobile Learning ............................................................. 99
Geoff Stead

Chapter 9
Using BYOD, Mobile Social Media, Apps, and Sensors for Meaningful Mobile Learning ............ 113
Inge Ignatia de Waard

Chapter 10
Supporting Mobile Access to Online Courses: The ASK Mobile SCORM Player and the ASK Mobile LD Player .......................................... 125
Panagiotis Zervas and Demetrios G. Sampson

Chapter 11
Mobile Learning Operating Systems .......................................................... 141
Christian Glahn

PART III: Using Mobile Learning in Education and Training
Chapter 12
Orchestrating the Flexible Mobile Learning Classroom .............................. 161
Chee-Kit Looi and Yancy Toh

Chapter 13
Mobile Learning in Higher Education .......................................................... 175
Núria Ferran-Ferrer, Muriel Garreta Domingo, Josep Prieto-Blazquez,
Cesar Corcoles, Dr. Teresa Sancho-Vinuesa and Mr. Francesc Santanach

Chapter 14
Mobile Learning in the Workplace: Unlocking the Value of Mobile Technology for Work-Based Education ........................ 193
Christoph Pimmer and Norbert Pachler

Chapter 15
Changing the Tunes from Bollywood’s to Rural Livelihoods — Mobile Telephone Advisory Services to Small and Marginal Farmers in India: A Case Study ........................... 205
Balaji Venkataraman and T.V. Prabhakar

Chapter 16
The Future of Mobile Learning and Implications for Education and Training ..... 217
David Parsons

great paid eBook on #mLearning field work

Anyone interested in mobile learning and how it can be used in different field settings will enjoy reading this wonderful book. It is well written, using a narrative approach to capture the attention of the reader and at the same time inform the reader of new insights gathered by the Michael Sean Gallagher in his new book: Incessant motion through space: mobile learning field activities in the humanities. 

This is a paid book (10 dollars), which is understandable as Michael is currently an experienced eLearning and mLearning expert, but gone back to University to become a PhD student (and that is an expensive moment in anyone's life, so extra income is always welcome). I like the fact that he did this as a combination of his research, as well as a way to disseminate his research to the general public using the Amazon Kindle option. Btw, you do not need to have a kindle to read it, simply use one of the free kindle app options you can find here. 

Sharing the review I put on amazon.com here:

"Anyone interested in mobile learning and how it can be used in different field settings will enjoy reading this wonderful book. It is well written, using a narrative approach to capture the attention of the reader and at the same time inform the reader of new insights gathered by the author.The illustrations in the book also add to the overall reader comfort. The illustrations are on many occasions meaningful additions to the context of the book, as well as beautiful visual additions that open up the book reading experience itself.

The structure of the book ensures easy reading as well. Each chapter offers an overview of the topic at hand (e.g. mLearning design, meaning making) and are followed by an addendum adding additional knowledge to the overall topic, creating a holistic insight into both the chapter, as well as in the overall mLearning landscape.
The author uses multiple examples and metaphors to deepen understanding for us readers. The surprising, and most of all inspiring part of these additions is the fact that they relate to Art and history. I found this approach especially enriching, as it brought back memories, making it easier to understand the theory and knowledge shared."

Special highlight on illustrations
The illustrations were provided by Jennifer Gallagher who can be contacted at the JGal studio (and I am adding her here, because I surely will keep her in mind for my next eBook. Really imaginative illustrations! The picture in the blogpost is just one of many. 

Michael Sean Gallagher his view on the book is as follows (which is accurately describing its content):

This book is designed for teachers and learners wanting to explore mobile learning field activities in the disciplines of the humanities. It is especially designed for teachers and learners that have wanted to use mobile technology more for their learning and weren't sure how to begin. This book should be useful for anyone teaching in the humanities that wants to extend learning beyond the classroom walls; it is also most useful for learners in these disciplines that want to extend their engagement with their subjects to their neighborhoods, their streets, and their cities.

It provides a definition of mobile learning that stresses the transformative nature of learning (for the learner), outlines multimodality and its application to these field activities, and suggests how meaning can be made by learners out in the field. It discusses how these field activities can be organized, reflected upon, and executed, and what the resulting compositions might look like. It concludes with a discussion on how teachers and learners can design mobile learning, and what resources or tools might make the activities most productive.

Throughout the book, the emphasis is on how learners make meaning in their day-to-day environments and how that meaning can be presented through multimedia compositions. The emphasis in this book is on positioning learning as a creative (even artistic) exercise of coming to know through observation, interpretation, and creation.

Free book on Open Educational Resources #OER

While writing up a first workable draft for my probation report (to pass from MPhil to PhD student ... like a first exam, with a defence in front of a small jury), I came across this wonderful free book on Open Educational Resources. The book is a collaboration between UNESCO, Athabasca Uni, Commonwealth of Learning. It might be of interest to everyone looking into online learning, MOOC or simply looking for resources that can be embedded in your own course. OER are used around the world at this point, which gives the concept an added perspective, because an OER can be as local or as global as you make them, fitting the content and the goal of your own or any course. Where I must say I would love to see more local OER.

A short description of what you can expect by words of the editors of the book:

The development and exchange of OER continues to be a technologically intensive process. Technological considerations in OER are not limited to authoring or remixing tools. Collaborative production of OER requires welldesigned and robust online spaces and infrastructure (Wikiwijs) and repositories. The latter can also be used to combine OER to create lesson plans online (Open Science Education Resources in Europe). Unless OER are consistently and adequately described, they cannot easily be located in online searches. The chapter on GLOBE considers these challenges and offers solutions. COL’s earlier publications on OER offered insights and advice on good institutional practices, business models and policy matters.

However, the social dimension emerges as an important factor from a number of chapters in this book. The study on OpenLearn shows that when OER are taken directly from formal courses, the biggest impact is on the formation of  communities of learners around the OER. This is similar to the conclusion of the chapter on OER for Lifelong Learning, both reflecting the experience of the UK’s Open University. The African Virtual University (AVU) chapter reveals the importance of the formation of a consortium of OER producers across institutions and countries. This process requires subtle yet intensive facilitation for its sustenance and is important for the quality assurance of OER. The detailed analysis of the experience of the African Health OER Network also points to the viability of viewing OER as a social practice.

In two different chapters that focus on MOOCs (contributed by the global pioneers of MOOCs), what emerges is that even if the teachers do not use OER, the learners draw upon OER through their own social space and networks. The chapter based on COL’s experience reveals that the existing hierarchies and power relationships in many developing country institutions do not allow for the decentralisation that fosters and encourages the use of OER. The experience of the Open University in the Netherlands reveals the significant role of trust in encouraging the increased use and sharing of OER. 

Publishing for Kindle Amazon early lessons learned

To be honest, I never anticipated the anxiousness I would feel pressing a publish button. I consider myself fairly knowledgeable and experienced in trying out new technologies or new digital options but … having my own words out there for everyone to see, read and critique is a tough realization. Nevertheless, one has to go out there and explore options, for gathering new experiences is part of life.

These lessons listed were learned after publishing my MOOC eBook via Kindle Direct Publishing, which does not demand a Kindle, you can use free kindle apps to read the book.

First some realizations I got after publishing:

Have a distribution/dissemination strategy. There are A LOT of authors out there! When I looked at new releases from the kindle store only three days after publishing my book, I realized that there were over 200 new titles … in the non-fiction education section alone already!!!! This made me realize that publishing an eBook is just the same as eLearning: you cannot offer it and expect people to buy it… you need to think of a strategy for dissemination, and understand that every one book sold is already fabulous!

Provide access guidelines for readers with different technologies. Another thing I realized was that choosing Kindle led to some disappointment for those people not having a Kindle reader. Understandably for in technology, making a specific choice means you exclude other choices from access. Luckily I found out that Amazon actually offers free Kindle apps, which allow anyone with a computer (Windows XP, 8; Mac; iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android smartphones, Android tablets and Windows 8 tablets) to be able to actually read the book (also later on).

Understand the “look inside” option. The “look inside” feature that you can see on some of the books, needs to be activated by becoming a member of that Amazon service. I did not realize this until a few days later. So I registered for the service. After reading the guidelines I noticed that Kindle books do not need to be uploaded again, they will automatically be transformed into the “look inside” feature, but only after one week. This made me wonder whether next time I might upload the book, but wait for a week before promoting it, as this would immediately enable possible readers to get a feel of what the book is like. Waiting for the feature to activate till date, so not sure which pages are selected and such.

Why did I choose for Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin ) option?

Simple. Because it seemed easy enough to do, they provide very helpful documents on how to get your book published for both Mac and non-Mac (https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A2MB3WT2D0PTNK )

No cost. It does not cost anything to actually get your book published (or it does not have to cost anything, a nice cover, some layout, pictures … all of these might cost money, but you can do it yourself as well)

Quickly updateable. You can easily update a version of your book. Nice, certainly in fields of interest that evolve rapidly (like technology based learning)

Interesting royalty scheme. The Kindle Direct Publishing option also offers a 70% royalty option. Which I found of interest, because it combines low-cost for the buyer with more of a return for the author.

It also allows you to publish in multiple languages.

And it gets distributed globally.

So what I have learned so far:

Ask people to review your draft manuscript. It is amazing how blind one becomes after rereading one’s own manuscript over and over again. And although reviewers can pick up a lot of mistakes or doubles… you are still in for many surprises (or at least I was). But then again, I could have asked a reviewing company to have a look, but that would probably take away any earnings I might hope to acquire (if any). 

Write a manuscript without any formatting. This includes rewriting stuff you already wrote in draft documents, as these might bring along fonts or paragraph spacing that might interfere with the final formatted version. If you do copy paste from other documents, you can copy all to notepad (no wrapping!) and get rid of any formatting that way.

Follow the Kindle Self Publishing guidelines to get your manuscript ready. Once your manuscript is finalized and cleaned from any formatting, you can put in the suggested options provided by the Kindle publishing options from Amazon (put in bookmark toc at the table of contents so kindle users can use the ‘go to’ option, put in headings so you can integrate a table of contents, put in your pictures straight from a designated book folder, get your bullet lists straightened out,  …).

Be meticulous at all stages of the process. Next thing (but this is definitely due to my own eagerness): checking the book for spelling and grammar is one thing, but remember to double check the details you put into the Kindle publishing site (I for example managed to put the title of my book in twice! Argh).

Use the preview option and look at possible errors (with me again I saw that a table was completely warped – took it out, and I saw paragraph spacing that was not visible in the original word document => which led me to the notepad option guideline above)

Get your rates straight. What I did was indicate that prices for my book should all be linked to the US price of the book (so using exchange rates). And although there is a clear indication that Amazon will adjust the prices to the required KDP minima or maxima, it just does not feel that comfortable. Luckily I could change them within 24 hours which felt nice.  

Take the VAT into account. Another thing I did not realize was that once I put in a price for the book, the actual selling price was higher as VAT was added to the initial sales prize.

Be online. The publishing goes quickly if your manuscript meets the technical guidelines provided by Amazon. But make sure you publish at a moment that you can check your ‘your manuscript is published’ mail, as this will offer you links to alter some details and/or add an author profile page which is always nice to be able to edit as soon as your manuscript is published (I published at a moment I would not be online for 18 hours, which resulted in some errors in details that could only be rectified after people had already bought the book, which inevitably leads to possible reviews affected with the mistakes that are in at that time). But then again, as a first time eBook author, people will most likely not go wild buying the book.

Author bonus. Once I got feedback from Amazon that my book was published, I was redirected to an author field, where I could upload a picture, add my blog, put in my twitter id … this made me feel like an actual author (I know, I am not, but … it just felt that way which makes it a nice mental bonus)

Accept and learn. And last but not least, I expect to be in a potential uncomfortable place: people will write reviews and I need to be prepared for that: unknown people writing about something you put your heart and soul in for weeks, if not months.

Looking at the numbers

As a newbie author I was obsessed to find out if my book was selling at least one copy … so I was surfing to get an idea of which analytics were out there.

First of all you can keep some kind of track of how you book is doing using the Kindle Rank Calculator (http://kdpcalculator.com/ ). You go to your author page, you copy the Kindle rank of your ebook and you fill it in the Kindle Rank Calculator and … you get some idea of how your book is doing currently.

Then you have the Kindle eBook reports (but they take 15 days to get data, so be patient … I was not at first, so was anxious until I finally saw them), which give you an overview of how many book you have sold and how this relates to the royalties you might get (admitting here that my math skills are so basic nowadays that I just look at the basic numbers). The reports for the Kindle eBooks can be viewed https://kdp.amazon.com/mn/reports (make sure you are logged in with your Amazon account.

… what can I say, it is clearly an adventure, but it is fun. And at this point, I am already thinking about my next eBook. Interested in whether establishing some frequency in book publishing might affect sales. 

Free Kindle apps for reading eBooks for Kindle

Get your free Kindle app for most of the mobile devices out there! Last week I published my eBook on MOOC YourSelf, setting up your own MOOC with guidelines for facilitators, newbies, mobile learning adepts.... This lead to some inquiries via blog and mail, especially on the fact that the book was written to be viewed with one device, namely the Kindle. And understandably, some people hesitate to buy a new or another device in order to read books that they can also read on other devices.

So this got me on a search to find out whether one would actually really need a Kindle in order to view or read my book. And it turns out there are free apps out there - offered by Amazon - to enable readers to read eBooks written for Kindle. Great!

Take a look at the free Kindle apps here.

The free Kindle apps are available for smartphones (Android, iPhone, iPod touch), computers (Windows 8, Mac, Windows XP), and tablets (iPad, Android, Windows 8). So this covers many of the devices out there.

The books are still to be paid for, but ... the Kindle publishing option does allow more of the revenue to go straight to the author, which is a nice thing. So hope this helps in giving my book and other authors a chance to get their work straight to your favorite device. 

My eBook on MOOC and how to set up #MOOC yourself

The last few weeks I have been finalizing my first eBook. And now, I just published it as part of the Kindle Direct Publishing option in Amazon. In the book I am looking at different MOOC options (cMOOC, xMOOC), fitting it in with the best online learning practices of eLearning, offering design and learning options, looking at pedagogies and some certification options, and providing suggestions to embed mLearning and social media options to improve training via MOOCs.

The full title of the book is: MOOC YourSelf - Set up your own MOOC for Business, Non-Profits, and Informal Communities.

So if you are dabbling with the idea to set up your own MOOC or you want to learn a bit about MOOC history, have a look at this eBook or contemplate buying it (it is low-cost). 

You can find the link to the book here, or you can search for it via Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/MOOC-YourSelf-Non-Profits-Communities-ebook/dp/B00CDVZ2AW/ref=la_B00CE8VHVC_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366230473&sr=1-1

And for those who want to know a bit more about myself, feel free to read my bio on the author page here

http://amazon.com/author/ingedewaard   

If you do not have a Kindle, no problem, you can download an array of free Kindle apps via Amazon here. There are options for Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android, iPod...

This is the short description of its content:

This MOOC eBook gives a short overview of options on how to set up your own MOOC and how to tailor it to your own needs, tools and target audiences. The challenges and benefits of MOOCs are highlighted and guidelines on how to build an optimal MOOC experience are shared. Online learning best practices' are listed with a focus on MOOC specific learning characteristics, certification options and pedagogies. Taking into account the current learning realities, the book also looks at mobile options and social media tools for learning, specifically how they can be fitted into a MOOC learning environment. To provide a background on MOOCs, the history of MOOCs is covered. The upcoming and existing MOOC platforms and toolkits are also described and linked to. Additionally, the book offers links to DIY options, and existing MOOC opportunities that might offer a solution for what you are looking for. The author has organized mobile MOOCs in the past, and has been researching MOOCs and their learning affordances for the past 3 years.

Nota tool for collaborative #mLearning with eBooks

Last week I got a message from Stephanie Ray and she asked me to take a look and review Nota, a free mobile collaborative learning platform which is available in a web format and as a mobile app. As she mentioned that it was linked to Open Educational Resources (OER) of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) textbooks, I got intrigued. They only launched in January 2013 so still beta, which is the nicest state as all of our remarks on the tool are as such welcomed.

After playing around a bit with Nota, it sure seems a nice tool. It offers textbook access with immediate (= internet enabled) links to movies, pictures, annotations... As it does offer very easy annotation options (just click a button), and most of all everything gets fed right into the cloud again. Another nice feature is the fact that Nota keeps a timeline of your actions (really useful if you know you visited something, but not sure where it was located in a particular book). Because annotations are easy to make, you can also link to personal content that is relevant to the topic you are researching (or teaching or learning for that matter) and build upon the original content provided. Really nice and it works smoothly, if you have a strong internet connection. So anyone can easily add comments, bookmarks, put in links to other content like video's, statistics, pictures.... which then can be commented on, liked, shared... all over again. 

At present Nota is focusing on the free STEM catalog of high school and college textbooks, as such Nota is targeting students who can support each other in a peer-to-peer learning environment, without the high cost of textbooks or tutoring. But I can see how this type of technology has the potential to go beyond its original start. A community of practitioners could use the tool to start up their own text and multimedia rich training/learning HUB. Exchanging information and adding to it as they read on. Of course everything is in the open, so everyone could have access.

At the moment the tool is only accessible for Android version 4.0 or higher, or via the web. But they do mention that the Apple versions (cross mobile) will be out soon as well.

The app and web version are still in beta, so everyone is kindly invited to test the application and feed any comments that they have back to the developer team, feel free to look at the bunch of brains behind nota or send your feedback about the app/web tool to info@handstand-inc.com

What would I like to see as an addition: a voice annotation option. Add the audio sensor/microphone from my mobile as a voice-to-speech bit to the options and it will make life easier for me, because I do not like to type much with my smartphone keyboard. Overall a nice addition for mLearning.

A quick look on how it works can be seen here

Academic #publishing, openness and #books altogether

With this new calendar year dawning, I am set to get my first eBook out there in the open. At this point I think it will be a low cost book, one that will ask possible readers to pay 2,99 dollars for a 50 page book on how to set up your own training based on the MOOC-format for non-profits and business purposes and why such a format can add to corporate and non-profit training.

Before deciding to go for a specific low cost format, I was exploring the horizon of contemporary publication options. There are is quite a bit of chaos out there with all these new options: self-publishing, publishing a paper book versus an eBook, heavy prizing versus free books, academic or not... And then I read this small comment, coming from Dominik Lukes (@techczech) adding to a discussion on the upcoming xED book "a book about education stuff, moocs, etc" as it is described by its authors.
In his comment Dominik raises a torch for free, academic publishing and in doing so he lists a few examples Cory Doctorow and Tor books, Martin Weller and Bloomsbury Academic (see a bit further down, for it is indeed a great free book).

But then Dominik adds:
the real coup would be to start your own open academic press and get lots of leading scholars publish through it. Maybe run a Kickstarter campaign for each new book. But that’s just me dreaming.

And to be honest ... that is the thing that struck a cord. Maybe not necessarily the academic part, for I believe all spheres should join forces at times (non-profit, corporate, academic) when it comes to publishing.
Furthermore I feel it is time to focus and not knit when a book is published. Like a chapter approach rather then a lengthy non-fictional approach. I can understand that authors want to add everything in a book, but ... it is simply becoming impossible if you look at the vast knowledge added to each field of expertise. So writing on the changes that affect Higher Education might give rise to a thick book, but ... I would prefer short manifests, each touching a specific area. That each manifest would link to others for those interested in reading more: yes, but not that I had to buy a lot of text where I would only be interested in a part of it.

So... why not set up an academic, or broader publishing company enabling authors to publish thin, yet very focused works for reasonable or free prices? I would love to see that. Because to be honest, the biggest fear and doubt I have is how to get my book known to a broader public. I mean, it is all good and well to write one and to decide to go for a low cost approach, but ... getting readers is the main aim, for like that discussions can take place and any possible ideas can be strengthened, changed or added.

On the other hand, some publishers really have great initiatives already, like this book by Martin Weller on the Digital Scholar (loving it!) published for free by Bloomsbury Academic.
Gladly sharing the abstract:
While industries such as music, newspapers, film and publishing have seen radical changes in their business models and practices as a direct result of new technologies, higher education has so far resisted the wholesale changes we have seen elsewhere. However, a gradual and fundamental shift in the practice of academics is taking place. Every aspect of scholarly practice is seeing changes effected by the adoption and possibilities of new technologies. This book will explore these changes, their implications for higher education, the possibilities for new forms of scholarly practice and what lessons can be drawn from other sectors.

A one access point for all books and music? YEAH

Hans De Zwart got me onto this site and ... what a great resource for avid readers and listeners! I admit I need to finalize my thesis, but I just could not resist taking a break to peruse through the content shared by the Internet Archive. I learn every day and ... will do for ever no doubt.

The Internet Archive gathers all types of content, and allows people to add it as well. They have wonderful initiatives (admittedly most of them are US oriented, but the idea is universal):
A bundle of Open Educational Resources with lectures on several subjects. 
TV archive with search option, for any media editor this is a dream. You just search for your favorite politician or fact, and start editing an overview of what they said versus what they do, or how certain facts get a different perspective as time goes by. Wonderfully educational stuff. 
Something called the waybackmachine that allows you to filter content that you think should be archived for future generations.
Open software location, with a list of freely downloadable software's (always fun, looking at a list of open source software)
A free music download page (where I searched for live recordings of Sage Francis and they had it! So went on to Hive Mind and yes, they also had a link to an album!)
After which I started to look at the open library and saw a list of books that are in part freely available, but some also simply linked to make up a complete digital overview of all books.

The great thing about this is that everyone can add to it. So a nice example of crowdsourcing, or maybe the term crowdcontentaddition fits more appropriately. Such fun! And now... back to thesis typing (some additional coding of messages; some additional references...)

free eBook with 61 tips for #mLearning from eLearning Guild

The eLearning Guild has published a free eBook, sharing 61 tips on mLearning from a wide variety of mobile learning experts. The report focuses on: 

• Do you know how and when people use mobile devices?
• Are you targeting the specific times your learners have access to online content and learning?

Knowing these details can be the difference between success and failure for your mLearning project.

From the importance of stakeholder buy-in to the benefits of iterative development, this complimentary eBook, 61 Tips on mLearning: Making Learning Mobile, provides ideas to help you maximize the effectiveness of your mLearning. Drawing from the experts who will be presenting at The eLearning Guild’s 100th Online Forum in December 2012, “mLearning: Making Learning Mobile,” this eBook gives valuable insights in areas including:

• The Why and How of mLearning
• Design and Content
• The AV Club: Tech, Techies, and You
• Trial and Error
• Attracting and Retaining Your Audience

Download your complimentary copy now: http://bit.ly/PR20ZA

You do not need to be a member of The eLearning Guild to access this eBook, so please feel free to share this link with your network.