I knew I would have use for this photo I took Tuesday on the road to [closed, thank you very much Congress] Denali National Park
I have been so excited for this trip made possible by an invitation from Chris Lott, the “big show” being a keynote yesterday for the University of Alaska Fairbanks TechFest
They were game for my over the top session description…
The ds106 Files: Outbreaks of Infectious and Open Acts of Creativity
While much of higher education seems hunkered down in crises of a broken system or MOOC takeover, reports are filtering in from the distal portions of the internet where open, spontaneous, volunteered acts of creative expression seem to be spreading at alarming rates. These reports have been traced to a loose federation of registered students, teachers, and openly participating individuals of all ages in something known as ds106, an open course in digital storytelling. Patient Zero has been traced to students at the University of Mary Washington, but activity has spread to multiple institutions, K-12 schools, retirees, artists, and people of various affiliations across North America, Europe, Africa, and Australasia. The report highlights the manifestations of this creativity in individually managed internet domains and self-hosted blogs, demonstrated in visual, audio, video, and remixed media, extensively reflected upon. Intense activity has been spotted in blog comments, twitter, Google Plus, and social media platforms, including the current incarnation as a “headless” course. The most intense focus areas are around atypical course constructs of daily creative challenges, a web-based radio station, and an open assignment bank.
It is likely some of you will be affected by contact with this information and may end up devoting time to creating animated GIFs, remixed movie trailers, and radio shows.
There is also a Mediasite video archive (good luck with the Silverlight browser plugin). And I whipped up a wikispaces page with the URLs since I forgot that my slick Keynote Autotweet script does noy benefit from shortened URLs and most URLs were clipped abruptly.
More or less it was another effort and talking about what feels like the only thing I talk about. I tried to give a sense of ds106 through examples, some quick efforts at plotting an assignment and doing a Daily Create, and trying to surface some of the more meta aspects of ds106- Riffing, Creating in Layers, Community Glue, etc.
I had fun doing this, I think that is what counts.
It was good to come a few days early, tour around some, find the best coffee shop, and also to get to spend some time with the amazing team Chris has at the eLearning and Distance Education group, wow, si all I can say for the work they do in shaping highly interactive online learning experiences, and pushing new technologies. Plus they do outstanding potlucks, especially the local food
cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo shared by Alan Levine
We had a wide open discussion of ds106 (again) inside and out, another rambling archive.
Conversation with eLearning Group
Earlier in the day we did a Photoblitz type activity at the local transfer station (a.k.a. dump) where people gather to dispose of and take home various items.
cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo shared by Alan Levine
I could tell right away this crew gets “it” quickly, I suggested they do the ds106 Daily Create for the day.
And I also managed to fit in a co-presentation with Nigel Robertson in New Zealand (via Google Hangout). We talked about M)—- ds106
Nigel has added some show notes, link references.
It was great to see kiwi friends Richard Elliot, Mark Northover, Stephen Harlow, and Kristina Hoeppener
I’ve got more reflective philosophical musings Bob the Cat photos stuff to write…
cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo shared by Alan Levine
And there is one more talk tonight for a local storytelling group
cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo shared by Alan Levine
And then it’s a red-eye flight to DC for the next adventure leg. But my hotel room has given me inspiration for some wardrobe adjustments
cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo shared by Alan Levine
Featured Image: These Slides Are Dangerous flickr photo by cogdogblog shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license
