Towards a social learning space for open educational resources

We identify a number of meanings of “Open”, as part of the motivating rationale for a social media space tuned for learning, called SocialLearn. We discuss why online social learning seems to be emerging so strongly at this point, explore features of social learning, and identify some of the dimensions that we believe characterize the social learning design space, before describing the emerging design concept and implementation

Co-creating an educational space

In this paper I generate my living educational theory as an explanation of my educational influences in learning as I research my tutoring with practitioner researchers from a variety of workplace backgrounds. I will show how I have closely inter-related the teaching learning and research processes by providing opportunities for participants to accept responsibility for their own learning and to develop their capacity as learners and researchers. My PhD enquiry ‘How am I creating a pedagogy of the unique through a web of betweenness?’ (Farren, 2006) was integral to the development of my own practice as higher education educator. I clarified the meaning of my embodied values in the course of their emergence in practice. I try to provide an educational space where individuals can create knowledge in collaboration with others. I believe dialogue is fundamental to the learning process. It is a way of opening up to questions and assumptions rather than accepting ready-made solutions. The originality of the contribution is in the constellation of values and understandings I use as explanatory principles in my explanations of educational influence. This constellation includes the unusual combination of an educational response to the flow of energy and meaning in Celtic spirituality and the educational opportunities for learning opened up by digital technology

‘Emigrants of the labouring classes’: Capital, labour and learning in Wellington, 1840-45

Questions of space and place are of increasing interest to educational researchers. A recent synopsis of “educational geography” identifies Henri Lefebvre as a particularly “overarching presence in the educational appropriation of spatial theories with many researchers referring to his work on perceived, conceived and lived space” (Gulson and Symes, 2007, p.101). Physical, or perceived, space is that of everyday embodied “spatial practices” in everyday life: “social practice, the body, the use of the hands, the practical basis of the perception of the outside world” (Lefebvre, 1974, p.38). Abstract, or conceived, space, a product of capitalism, “includes the ‘world’ of commodities, its ‘logical’ and its worldwide strategies; as well as the power of money and that of the political state” (Lefebvre, 1974, p.53). “Representations of space” are the charts, texts or maps of these rationally determined enclosures, including those of “cartographers, urban planners or property speculators” (Shields, 2004, p. 210). Enacting technologies of domination, these introduce “a new form into a pre-existing space – generally a rectilinear or rectangular form such as a meshwork or chequerwork” (Lefebvre, 1974, p.139). Lived, or social, space includes the realm of the imagination that “has been kept alive and acceptable by the arts and literature. This ‘third space’ not only transcends but also has the power to refigure the balance of popular ‘perceived space’ and official ‘conceived space’” (Shields, 2004, p. 210). The artistic and other expressions of “lived space” are referred to as “representational spaces.” In capitalist societies, Lefbvre argued, the abstract appropriations of “conceived space”, and textual representations of this space, gain ascendency

Space Math: Solar Storms and You! Exploring Satellite Design

This educator’s guide includes activities in space science. Educational levels: Intermediate elementary, Middle school

On the enterprise modelling of an educational information infrastructure

In this report, we present the outcomes of exercising a design trajectory in respect of the modelling of an educational information infrastructure. The\ud infrastructure aims to support the organisation of teaching and learning activities, independently of any particular didactic policy. The design trajectory focuses on capturing invariant structures of relations between entities in educational organisation into Enterprise object models that underlie the design of the intended educational infrastructure.\ud An early-developed prototype of the infrastructure has emphasised the need for an Educational Model Space to determine the modelling and problem domain context apriori to modelling. In this space, educational requirements have been elaborated towards the Open Distributed Processing (ODP) Enterprise Viewpoint object models expressed in terms of the Unified Modelling Language (UML).\ud Recursive structures have been used to capture the dynamic needs of education. Furthermore, these structures are uniform for the planning, performance and evaluation activities of education. The Enterprise models developed can be used to derive the Information Viewpoint models and to further optimise the prototype of the infrastructure. In this work, we have managed to fruitfully combine educational and computer science modelling inputs by using ODP and UML as a bridge for this interdisciplinary collaboration

NASA Facts. An Educational Publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Space Shuttle

The versatility of space shuttle, its heat shieldings, principal components, and facilities for various operations are described as well as the accomodations for the spacecrew and experiments. The capabilities of an improved space suit and a personal rescue enclosure containing life support and communication systems are highlighted. A typical mission is described

The Warped Galaxy ESO 510 G13 Lithograph

This lithograph is part of a series designed to bring the latest Hubble Space Telescope images into the classroom. In the educational activity, In Search of ... Galaxies, students are introduced to the topic of galaxies, formulate questions, conduct research, organize their materials, and present a report describing galaxies. Educational levels: Middle school, High school

Identification and evaluation of educational uses and users for the STS. Educational planning for utilization of space shuttle ED-PLUSS

A planning and feasibility study to identify and document a methodology needed to incorporate educational programs into future missions and operations of the space transportation system was conducted. Six tasks were identified and accomplished during the study. The task statements are as follows: (1) potential user identification, (2) a review of space education programs, (3) development of methodology for user involvement, (4) methods to encourage user awareness, (5) compilation of follow-on ideas, and (6) response to NASA questions. Specific recommendations for improving the educational coverage of space activities are provided