The Role of Education in a post-truth world
A round earth, not a flat one. It’s scary to think that with the rise of what has now become a household word, ‘fake news’ is officially a threat to the future of humanity. More so in the United States, but also a growing concern in many other countries, ‘news...
The Touch Bar, Cognitive Load and Usability.
I’m a PhD Candidate, exploring the cognitive function of gestures in learning. A number of other subject areas orbit this one, including neuroscience, intelligence, human cognitive architecture but the main area of focus is Cognitive Load Theory. Cognitive Load Theory...
A Macbook Pro Intervention
Dear Macbook Pro, I know there’s a lot of external pressure on you to maintain a certain image. To look a certain way, to behave a certain way, and I had hoped in the year 2016 we’d be beyond this and the media would start to portray everyone how they are, not how...
Trying out the new Macbook Pro Touch Bar in Xcode 8.1 Simulator
So I was playing with Xcode this morning and I found that the Touch Bar simulator will work with any app, not just the one you’re developing. Thoughts Obviously, almost every function on the Touch Bar replicates what can already be done in the app itself with a mouse...
What makes a good online discussion?
Let’s talk about discussion spaces. And let’s be honest about them. They are still the most ubiquitous, easy to engage with and most accessible way of facilitating interaction within an online space. You could argue that with the advent of video, whether it be...
Social Presence in Online Education
pub talk photo by CtrlW (flickr) Having taught online for a while now, at the end of each semester, I always take time to reflect on how it all went. How did students engage, how often, and why. What’s clear to me over the years doing this job and providing...
When is flexible is too flexible?
We all want to give our students flexibility, that’s why we offer online, hybrid, flipped and other models of delivery these days, but the question becomes ‘How flexible is too flexible’?There are situations when classes are offered in a flexible format, which can...
To Host or not to host your VLE? That is the question.
The following is a draft chapter excerpt from Distance Learning Management.When looking at a new platform for your distance learning program, inevitably the question of hosting will come up, that is where is the platform stored, and who is responsible for maintaining...
How can we end online abuse on Twitter?
Image courtesy of Shawn Campbell (Flickr)Recent stories surrounding online abuse on twitter have been met with controversy, for obvious reasons, because the discussion brings up issues surrounding hate speech, freedom of speech and censorship.The recent case of Leslie...
Designing for the Dark
I used to love Apple’s products. Like, really love. Now it seems that much of the industrial design in their newer products prioritize minimalist aesthetic beauty, and less and less to usability. While we do spend some time looking at these product, we interact with...