Weeknote 38/2017
This week I’ve been:
- Sending out Thought Shrapnel, my weekly newsletter loosely structured around education, technology, and productivity. Issue #275 was entitled ‘Face facts’. A reminder that all the links for the newsletter (and more!) go out via the Thought Shrapnel Live! channel on Telegram. High-fives to those who have become valued supporters.
- Recording and releasing Episode 87 (‘About Face’) of the Today In Digital Education (TIDE) podcast, which I record with Dai Barnes. This was the first episode since July and so this week we discussed what we got up to over the summer break, why you shouldn’t unlock your phone with your face, student uniforms and tuition fees, productivity, the future of work, and more!
- Spending time thinking and talking about something I can’t announce just quite yet. Exciting, though!
- Researching and writing a research report on technology-enhanced teacher professional development for the Education Development Trust with Sarah Horrocks from London CLC.
- Attending the first meeting of the local Scouts Executive Committee in the role of Secretary. I’m going to try and bring them into the 21st century a bit.
- Working with Totara Learning continuing to work on the vision and strategy for their community migration project. I spent time on things like putting together a community survey, meeting with the project team, and putting together a draft code of conduct.
- Hosting this month’s Badge Wiki barn raising, which I’ll be writing up soon. Things are going pretty well, and it’s great that people are so willing to step up to help build a knowledge base for the Open Badges community! Check out what we discussed here.
- Writing:
- Why your user community needs a Code of Conduct (Open Educational Thinkering, 22nd September 2017)
- Business bullshit and ambiguity (ambiguiti.es, 18th September 2017)
- Digital myths, digital pedagogy, and complexity (Open Educational Thinkering, 18th September 2017)
This weekend, I’m helping with the Scouts expedition (map reading, etc.) Next week I’m working from home on Monday and Tuesday morning, mainly on London CLC-related stuff. Then I’m heading down on the train to Brighton to work with Totara. I’ll be working from their offices on Wednesday and Friday, spending Thursday in London at Learning Pool Live.
Upcoming travel in October:
- Barcelona (3rd-8th)
- Geneva (9th-10th)
- Brighton (18th-20th)
- Gozo (24th-31st)
I make my living helping people and organisations become more productive in their use of technology. If you’ve got something that you think I might be able to help with, please do get in touch! Email: [email protected]
Photo of a page of The Chrysalids by John Wyndham, which I picked up for 10p in a charity sale as it was falling apart. Excellent story, highly recommended.
