Brian Lamb, at the University of British Columbia, and his weblog on social learning, online learning, and open education
This video segment adapted from NOVA explains the difference between weather and climate and features groundbreaking analysis revealing that Earth's climate has changed much faster than previously believed.
Open Educational Resources (OERs) are bringing a wealth of information, through various technologies, to all corners of the planet. This vital new movement has greatly impacted how our next generation now learns, but the promise is far grander. For the movement to reach it’s full potential, it must keep pace with technology. As Web 1.0 has moved on to the more interactive Web 2.0, so must the OER movement progress to the more interactive, student-centered, social learning environment of Learning 2.0. In this analysis I will share current examples of social learning in OERs. First, I will look at the trend of consumers becoming producers on websites such as Connexions and Rip Mix Learner. Second, I will examine the current and future role of education in social and interactive sites like Facebook and Wikipedia. Third, I will address how social learning is incorporated into OERs that are created for developing countries. And finally, I will discuss future trends and how OERs can, and must, continue to drive learners to interact and connect when they are in disparate areas.
This course will introduce the student to the psychology behind gender and sexuality. In this course, the student will take a look at how our understanding of one's own gender and sex can affect different aspects of our functioning, while also identifying the factors in our lives that can impact oneŐs gender and sex. This course will begin by introducing and defining the concepts of gender and sexuality, then looking at the similarities and differences between sexes in terms of biological and neurological functioning and development, as well as gender and sexual identity. Also, the student will discuss why and how the sexes are psychologically and cognitively different. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: define and explain specific terms that relate to gender and sexuality; define and explain influences that impact homosexual and heterosexual gender identities; define and explain sexual stereotypes; explain the biologically based characteristics, including differences and similarities, between genders; explain the differences between gender identities, including theoretical approaches; explain the sociobiological and psychoanalytic approaches to sexuality and gender identity; define and explain the social learning and cognitive developmental approaches to gender and sexuality; explain the commonalities and differences between the cognitive abilities of genders; explain the commonalities and differences between gender and aggression. (Psychology 406)
ISKME's OER Commons Teacher Training Initiative offers teachers a collaborative professional development model centered on engagement with Open Educational Resources (OER). The OER Commons Teacher Training Initiative is rooted in the idea that equitable access to high-quality education is a global imperative. Open Educational Resources, or OER, offer opportunities for systemic change in teaching and learning through accessible content, and importantly, through embedding participatory processes and effective technologies to engage with learning for all.
" Networks are ubiquitous in our modern society. The World Wide Web that links us to and enables information flows with the rest of the world is the most visible example. It is, however, only one of many networks within which we are situated. Our social life is organized around networks of friends and colleagues. These networks determine our information, influence our opinions, and shape our political attitudes. They also link us, often through important but weak ties, to everybody else in the United States and in the world. Economic and financial markets also look much more like networks than anonymous marketplaces. Firms interact with the same suppliers and customers and use Web-like supply chains. Financial linkages, both among banks and between consumers, companies and banks, also form a network over which funds flow and risks are shared. Systemic risk in financial markets often results from the counterparty risks created within this financial network. Food chains, interacting biological systems and the spread and containment of epidemics are some of the other natural and social phenomena that exhibit a marked networked structure. This course will introduce the tools for the study of networks. It will show how certain common principles permeate the functioning of these diverse networks and how the same issues related to robustness, fragility, and interlinkages arise in several different types of networks."
Another open trend that is growing quickly is the adoption of open source textbooks. But, the more broadly named movement has come to be known as open educational resources (OER). OER focus not only on textbooks, but also on full courses, course materials, modules, journals, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques that are critical in the learning environment.
An introduction to the Open University's social:learn project.
