Social Learning: an explanation using Twitter

View more presentations from Jane Hart.

How to create a post in Blogger.com

Over the Top QR Code Project

This week I attended the ELearning Colorado Consortium Conference.

One term referred to in a keynote was augmented reality. I had seen some examples earlier this year but had forgotten about them.

The Strange Librarian so nicely explains augmented reality as "placing computer-based or cloud-based information on real-world locations" (or items). QR codes are an augmented reality application. QR means Quick Reference and is a 2D image which transmits such digital information through scanning software.

These codes (like bar codes) are read by a reader in camera phones (though you can download them to desktops, at least in some cases). So you might have product info, or maps, or contact info, or a photo, or websites. You may now see them in magazines or on products or even on some buildings.

Sites are available to download the scanner software for a variety of phones, and sites also allow each of us create QR codes.

The keynoters had made mention of QR on t-shirts, and I did have some fun looking at QR codes on T-Shirts, bags, business cards, and caps. Coming across this video took it right over the top, though -- how to use a knitting machine to create a scarf with your desired QR code:

Rick Steves: Travel as a Political Act

Rick Steves is known for his guidebooks, but last year he came out with a book, Travel as a Political Act.

Here's a video of a guest appearance he made and how personalizing a place can take away the fear of it, and this can be accomplished through travel:



He has a blog and you can also follow him on Twitter:

Rick Steves' Blog

MMMGood Curriculum Innovation: An Interview with Todd Rymer

Why is Todd Studying a Seed Catalog?

As a food professional, Todd Rymer, Director of Culinary Education at the Vail /Eagle Valley Campus has been following Chefs Collaborative, one of the first organizations to directly connect chefs with food growers, for over a dozen years. Todd helped found a Slow Food convivia (chapter) in the Vail Valley about six years ago. Slow Food is an international organization promoting food that is “good, clean, and fair.” The movement focuses on local food as well as food free of chemicals, and food that provides a fair wage for the agricultural growers.

In addition to these important issues, a sustainable foodservice operation must also consider issues of energy, water consumption, chemicals, equipment, to-go containers, recycling and marketing of “green” practice. About three years ago, CMC added a course in Sustainable Cuisine to the CCCNS. As consumers and foodservice operators have further embraced sustainability, market research provided support to move this knowledge and practice into the CMC curriculum – an academic process that requires patience in the face of curriculum development that can still be timely and competitive.

So starting next fall, CMC will offer a certificate in Sustainable Cuisine Operations. In addition to many of the culinary courses already in the curriculum, the certificate includes: Intro to Sustainable Cuisine, Sustainable Food Operations and a revised course that adds vegan and vegetarian entrees preparation to Center of the Plate courses that formerly focused on beef, pork, poultry, and seafood entrees. As the certificate is expanded, courses will be offered in agro-ecology to help students learn about the environmental impacts of food production for restaurants that not only buy food, but grow it.

As we ended our conversation last week, I noticed a seed catalog on his desk—why was it on his desk? It’s part of his ongoing professional development—he’s taking a Colorado Master Gardner’s Class to forward his own expertise and share that development back with the newest of practices.

The Future Skype: Embedded in TV

What educational opportunities might this new development provide?

Textual Literacy, Technology and the Visually Impaired

More synchronicity? There's an article today in the NY Times Magazine about the effects of new technology on literacy and the visually impaired. Levels of textual literacy has been distinguished in the visually-impaired community by the use of Braille and the standard conventions of written language. Though text-to- voice makes for access to information via text-to-voice, we return to the question of how the tech advances influence written textual expressions by visually impaired people.

Braille's End?

These questions seem to relate to my last post--so if we move to post-literate expressions (mediums), what happens to the perception that educated persons are able to express themselves through textual communications?