I'm building a list of medicine and educational RSS news feeds. Medical education is one of my fields of interest. I have a modest list at present and I'm looking for more. If you know of any more would you let me know? The feeds that I have are searchable so a potentially large amount of RSS data can be filtered.

Click here to visit my searchable RSS feeds service.

If anyone is interested in this as a web service you can embed a list of news items filtered according to your own interests by pasting the following web service macro into your weblog:

<%["xmlrpc://147.188.66.137:5335/RPC2"].newsfeeds ("keyword")%>

where 'keyword' is whatever you are interested in e.g.

<%["xmlrpc://147.188.66.137:5335/RPC2"].newsfeeds ("learning")%>

will give you the following:

D'Arcy Norman's Learning Commons Weblog

1. ht://Dig Website Search Engine
   

   We're in the midst of reworking the Learning Commons website, and one of the changes is dropping to static files for most of the site (rather than the dynamically generated site we use now). One major thing we change by doing this is the software to search the site. I've just installed ht://Dig on commons, and it seems to work quite well. I had to compile from source, which I couldn't do on commons itself for some reason (no dev. tools installed on MacOSX Server 10.3?) - I compiled on my TiBook and moved the binaries etc. to commons after...

2. Learning Commons Server now updated
   

   Almost done updating the Learning Commons webserver to MacOSX 10.3 Server. Process went ok. Not as smoothly as I'd hoped, but better than I'd feared. The installer wouldn't let me do an "Archive and Install" so all I had to choose from was "Erase and Install" and "Update" - 2 options I never use when installing MacOSX. I chose "Update". It kept all settings, accounts, etc... and the whole process was pretty painless. Dealing with MySQL was a different story. I took Alan's advice and installed the standard MySQL distro rather than using the built-in MySQL. It's working ok, but...

Serious Instructional Technology

1. cogdogblog: The Elephant Flies, Soars (Pachyderm / Learning Object Dialogue Day)
   

   Quote: "The energy was electric yesterday at our system's first introduction to "Pachyderm" at our Pachyderm: Building Meaningful Content with Learning Objects Dialogue Day. The reaction to the potential of Pachyderm and the level of participation in the afternoon activities were beyond our wildest expectations. "
   
   Comment: Exciting indeed.  A tool in the hands of faculty that makes building sophisticated learning objects easy.

2. Clark: What's next in the Media and Methods debate
   

   Quote: "The debate about the learning benefits of media has extended over eighty years. While the arguments have evolved, the debate is still very much alive. An increasing number of universities with instructional technology degree programs are using the debate as a teaching tool. A number of faculty ask students to familiarize themselves with debate positions to better understand the process of using research to make design and development decisions (see examples in the web site addresses described in the Preface to this book). In some cases, the debate has become a question on “end of program” university examinations. In addition, the recently renewed enthusiasm for distance education has led yet another group of technology advocates to seek media comparison evidence. Thus, the goal of this final chapter is to bring the argument up to date as this book goes to press."
   
   Comment: My contribution (written a while ago).
   

3. cogdogblog: Repository Folly...
   

   Quote: "By rule, I usually avoid use of the "R-word" (repository, too close to the "S-word"), but wanted to launch, here just a few notches into a new calendar, my pessimism on the aspirations of those creating these magical collections of "learning objects." "
   
   Comment: Frankly, I share some of Alan's pessimism.  I mentally put the challenge into a category that Clay Shirky's writings might begin to address.

   I wonder if something as simple as putting the author and institutional affiliation into the object lists (on the home page) might help (i.e. appealing to both individual and institutional vanity)?  Is there a list of who has contributed most - both individually and institutionally?

   Nevertheless, the pain in filling out metadata is absolutely part of the picture, as well as, I suspect, the mechanics of re-use.

4. CETIS-Reload releases SCORM e-learning content player
   

   Quote: "Now that the open source Reload content package editor is maturing and in pretty widespread use and development, the team have added a content player to the toolkit. It plays SCORM 1.2 in a pretty straightforward fashion, but is mainly meant to help content developers understand and control what is going on behind the scenes."
   
   Comment: via OLDaily - I'll admit to not really having played much with Reload and SCORM.  It doesn't quite fit with where our eLearning efforts are right now (big LCMS).  I suspect we will get to this point in the relatively near future however.
   

rdhyee News

1. Notelets for 2004.02.05
   

   I'm wondering whether a proposal to work on OpenOfficeOrg bibliographics couldn't be pulled together to claim the Python bounties being offered to fund work.

   PyXlwriter0: a PythonLanguage library for writing Excel files w/o using COM.

   Gates Backs E-Mail Stamp in War on Spam: hmmm....can anyone come up with a system that preserves what I consider great about email: flat rate (zero extra costs to me, once I've paid for infrastructure) while giving me the easy ability to block spam. I guess this view misses the interests of ISPs, which do care about lots of junk flowing through their systems even if I as an end-user manages to filter them away.

   The Next Wave: Liberation Technology by JohnUnsworth

   I received email about The Partnership in Global Learning: Workshop On E-learning Objects and Systems:

   The Partnership in Global Learning: Workshop On E-learning Objects and Systems
   Call for Proposals and Participation

   Workshop Date: June 3 -4, 2004 Submission Date: March 1, 2004
   Location: Grosvenor Hotel, Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, Florida (in Disney World)

   Workshop Aim:

   This workshop will serve as a forum for researchers and developers of e-learning objects and e-learning systems to exchange ideas, share their accomplishments and on-going R&D efforts, identify topics of interest for future work, and foster collaboration. This call is to invite your participation and contribution in forms of paper presentations, panel discussions, and/or working group discussions.

   For more information on the program and registration see the PGL Home Page: http://pgl.ufl.edu . and click on the link to the PGL Workshop. Hotel reservations at the Grosvenor can be made after February 1, 2004.

   VIPs: Virally Interactive Pixels:

   Millions of Japanese schoolgirls can’t be wrong: there’s always a market for instant gratification..

   Scott Leslie wrote about PORTOLE.

   Any chance that Luke Hutteman will add Atom support to SharpReader? I'm more interested in that support now that Blogger is supporting Atom and my friend Krista's blog is on Blogger. There's a list of Atom enabled client software.

2. A few reasons why we are interested in OCW
   

   Ever since the OpenCourseWare (OCW) project was announced, I've wanted to find a way to integrate the Scholar's Box with the increasingly rich materials from OCW. The materials are almost ideal for what we are trying to accomplish through SB:

   • a non-commerical, bricolage-friendly license for the use of the materials (based on the work of the Creative Commons)
   • the puatatively high-quality of the materials since they are from MIT!; the systematic institutional commitment and infrastructure that will make sure that OCW is around for a while
   • projects like Open Learning Support that will provide some social support to undergird the community growing around OCW.

   We think that there will be interest in a tool that will let users gather/organize the materials in OCW to create new learning materials that they will want to share with others. The Scholar's Box is a tool that we are building to do exactly those tasks. Hence, I've wondered about technical integration issues with OCW. Will there be an interface to OCW that allows for the aggregation and disaggregation of OCW materials? An XML interface that would return the materials in some appropriate XML format? I think that work along these lines are underway -- but it would be obviously very useful for tools like Scholar's Box.

   Naturally, the use of Scholar's Box for this purpose would work best in the context of a social learning environment. Should we be working with Open Learning Support? Is OLS going to use one of David Wiley's Instructional Architect for that gathering/creating/sharing purpose?

3. Open Learning Support meeting today
   

   I'm currently listening to the online meeting on the Open Learning Support project, headed by David Wiley today. The QuickTime stream started at 9am MST/8am PST.  (I'll have to drop in and out throughout the day.)

   Some of my running notes are on my wiki. 

4. Notelets for 2004.01.14
   

   Implementation Challenges Associated with Developing a Web-based E-notebook (JoDI): should be relevant to our work on ScholarsBox.

   Experimental OAI Registry at UIUC -- a posting about an interesting OAI registry -- will look at once I play with the OpenArchivesInitiative protocol

   Help Wanted: a Chief Knowledge Officer (Fast Company):

   What is the biggest business blunder in the past half-century? That's easy: Steve Jobs's decision not to license the Macintosh operating system, which cost Apple $559 billion (going by peak market values). Apple had, and probably still has, a better OS than Microsoft's. Instead of leading a $23 billion also-ran, Jobs could have been Bill Gates, with a company worth $582 billion. But Jobs failed to foresee the Mac OS's decline and to take appropriate action: Give in to the inevitable and license the thing.

   You can't really blame him. Those who invent something are always the last to part with it. Fortunately for Microsoft, Gates did not invent the original DOS operating system, but bought it. What is bought is easily sold (or, in the case of Windows, leased). It's up to the knowledge chief to cast a cold eye on the future, gather unbiased intelligence on emerging threats and opportunities, and make the tough recommendations to buy, hold, or sell.

   Gates is a prototype CKO. He passed the chief-executive reins to Steve Ballmer and gave himself a new mission as Microsoft's chief software architect. Gates is still defining his role, but according to Ballmer, it is Gates's job to forecast how "emerging software technologies can be woven together and parlayed into must-have industry-standard products." To put it bluntly, it's up to Gates to ensure that Microsoft continues to control the technology channels that have made it rich. By focusing on this challenge, not on running the company, Gates will determine Microsoft's future success or failure.

   A knowledge chief must understand, just as Gates had, that every market eventually reaches saturation. The personal computer, for example, is at a point where more memory and faster speeds are irrelevant for most users. Peak computer penetration seems to have been already reached, with about two-thirds of all U.S. households owning one. The PC industry is confronting a replacement market, not a growth market. It is the job of the CKO to anticipate this cycle and to manage its downside.

   From MIT Technology Review comes the greatest hype I've ever read about any recent technology, not just MIT's OKI project:

   MIT’s project is "easily of the importance of moveable type, the alphabet, and printing," says Ed Walker, CEO of the IMS Global Learning Consortium, an international group of corporations, governments, and universities that develops international standards for data exchange for educational products and services. Walker has been involved in the Open Knowledge Initiative since its inception. Through the consortium, which is now a partner with MIT, the Institute hopes to promote the use of its definitions worldwide.

   UC System Inks Five Year Deal with Elsevier, Stops Price Inflation (Library Journal):

   After an intense negotiation, the University of California system has renewed its bundled deal with leading STM publisher Elsevier--and UC is paying less than before., UC officials announced a five-year agreement with Elsevier, through the California Digital Library (CDL).

   Letter to UC Faculty from UC librarians

5. First Written Impressions about the Vancouver Meeting
   

   I got back from Vancouver late last night.  Today, I was back at work, attending a meeting at the CDL and talking with my colleagues at the IU.  A very good day, full of catching up, reflecting on the great amount of activity in which we have been awashed, and yes, doing a bit of gossiping (that is to say, engaging in communal learning).

   My hope is to write a thoughtful essay on what I learned in Vancouver -- but sorry, I can't do that right now.  I do have to say that my overall impression is that of a vibrant scene with lots of energy and much progress -- but one that gets very little attention in the U.S.  Not surprising, I suppose, since that's really not that different from all things in how Canadians and Americans relate. 

   I've been particularly interested in eduSource, particularly the use of the eduSource Communications Language (ECL) in that project and how ECL might be fruitfully applied outside of Canada.  No doubt, I'll have more to say on this topic when I sit down to do some concrete work in the area.

   There is much more to say -- but I'll leave it at that given that I'm within 10 minutes of 11pm.

6. Here at the Pan Canadian e-learning workshop
   

   Greetings from Vancouver!   I'm here to attend the Pan Canadian E-learning Workshop   I didn't think that there would be wireless access -- but there turns out to be a network.  Hence, I'm now able to take notes on my wiki.

   There's a lot that I want to learn about while I'm here, especially the eduSource project.

7. Notelets for 2003.11.18
   

   I had been hearing for a while that MPEG-21 could be a viable alternative to METS for packaging digital content in the library world. Using MPEG-21 DIDL to Represent Complex Digital Objects in the Los Alamos National Laboratory Digital Library confirms not only the theory but practice of using MPEG-21. Will there be a split in the relatively small digital library community between the METS and MPEG-21?

   *

   Recently, there are a number of e-learning related tools written in Python from which we might learn and/or borrow:

   • Schooltool
   • eclass.net, being built at Tufts (?), a tool for creating learning content, page-based export, etc.

   *

   Time to look more at SHAME (Standardized Hyper Adaptable Metadata Editor) and SCAM (Standardised Content Archive Management) -- which I learned about from an article from Wilbert Kraan of CETIS: Using SHAME to fill your SCAM. What's interesting about these projects is their use of RDF.

8. Back in the office today
   

   I'm back in my office now -- and it feels great. Last week, I was at Educause Annual Meeting last Tuesday to Friday, where David, Peter, and I spoke. On Monday and Tuesday, I attended the IMS Quarterly meeting. It's so nice not to be on the road and to have a bit of time to think more clearly. Since I learned a lot and talked to some really great people, it would be really helpful to reflect and write out what I've learned and resolved to do next out of this trip. Alas, there's not too much rest for the wicked this week. On Friday, FredBeshears organized a Learning Design Session where I'll be speaking (for a bit) -- just before the talk Peter Brantley and I will be giving a talk the Information Access (Friday afternoon seminar) run by Michael Buckland and Cliff Lynch at SIMS.

   The blurb for our talk:

   Libraries and Instructional Technology

   How should digital libraries facilitate the use of their content and services in the development of digital learning materials? This question is of current interest in both the library and educational technology communities. The California Digital Library (CDL) -- the 11th university library of the University of California -- and the UC Berkeley Interactive University Project (IU) have been working together to test and develop ways for educational technologies to make the library's resources more accessible to all its audiences -- including current and potential users in K-12 communities.

   In this talk, Peter Brantley, Director of Technology at the CDL, and Raymond Yee, Technology Architect of the IU, will discuss how the problem of interoperability between information and learning environments looks from their respective insitutions and their end-users, both theoretically and practically, functionally and technologically.

   For some background reading: "Interoperability between Information and Learning Environments -- Bridging the Gaps: A Joint White Paper on behalf of the IMS Global Learning Consortium and the Coalition for Networked Information" http://www.imsglobal.org/DLims_white_paper_publicdraft_1.pdf

9. I'm talking at the eLearning Forum tomorrow
   

   If you are interested in my talk, you can see the agenda and the slides that I will be using.  Normally, I'm still editing my slides just before my talk (yes, it's terrible).  But because the talks are being webcast, we were supposed to provide our slides beforehand, I complied and wrote them up.  I must admit there was a lot of reuse of slides of previous talks (which is supposed to be good, right? -- isn't that what learning objects are all about?....hmmm, I wonder whether there is any software for easily repurposing Powerpoint slides....)  But I'm glad because I feel quite relaxed today; if I did not have to turn my slides in, guess what I'd be doing today?

CETIS: Standards in Education Technology

1. ADL releases new SCORM test suite
   

   One of the strengths of ADL's Sharable Content Reference Model (SCORM) is that the set of integrated e-learning specifications comes with a do-it-yourself test suite. The new version of the suite fixes bugs in the previous versions, so that people can test their SCORM 1.2 e-learning content and tools with more confidence.

2. More Sakai details revealed and partner programme presented
   

   The Sakai consortium of US universities and the OKI and JASIG standards bodies have revealed more detailed plans for the open source, standard compliant Managed Learning Environment (MLE) that they are building. Most notable is a partner programme by which organisations other than the founding members can join in, and get support- for a fee.

3. IntraLibrary slots into Australian interoperability research project
   

   The Collaborative Online and Information Services (COLIS) interoperability demonstrator project, now continued as the Interaction of IT Systems and Repositories (IISR) project, is to swap out its existing learning object repository with Intrallect's IntraLibrary.

elearnspace blog

1. The Whole Picture of Elearning
   

   I have redesigned the elearnspace website - according to the model presented in this short article: The Whole Picture of Elearning. Too often, elearning projects fail (or at minimum, suffer) due to a failure to understand how the pieces all fit together. By focusing on the wrong things (and ignoring others), projects are less effective than desired.

   I've added about 20 additional resource pages (and will add more over the next several days) based on interest of readers (and hype in the industry). Inlcuding wikis, RSS, elearning adoption/promotion, semantic web, search, classification, LMS, etc. Look at the site map for more information.

   I will be switching the site over to a new server in the next day or two. Unfortunately, some articles and links will be broken (especially from the elearnspace blog - but also to various resource pages).

   As always, thoughts/opinions/feedback are welcomed. Please direct them to this post in the new blog.

2. Enemies of Learning
   

   Enemies of Learning (.pdf) (via thought?horizon): Short paper - says a lot. A few "enemies":
   

   
   
   • Our inability to admit that we don't know
     
   • The desire for clarify all the time
     
   • Inability to unlearn
     
   • Lack of trust
     

3. Heuristics for Rich Media
   

   Usability Heuristics for Rich Internet Applications
   Quote: "Rich Internet Applications offer the benefits of distributed, server-based Internet applications with the rich interface and interaction capabilities of desktop applications..."
   Comment: Extends Nielsen's Heuristics for Use to include rich media. Web development is ahead of elearning in design considerations...many lessons can be learned here (without the mistakes!).
   

4. Elearning Gains Momentum
   

   Elearning Gains Momentum via TrainingWatch: "Like many sectors spawned from the emergence of the Internet, it has suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous forecasts, but all indications now point to a growing and vibrant sector"

5. Blogs and wikis
   

   Blogs and Wikis (via EdTechPost). Great use of blogs and wikis for collaborative/personal learning. See this excellent comparison of the characteristics of blogs and wikis: "Blogs and wikis, because they are different spaces, manifest/take advantage of/engage different epistemic and rhetorical possibilities and serve different rhetorical and epistemic ends. They engage different rhetorics: one topical, carved from the inside out; the other chronological, staying on top of things."

6. Converging KM and elearning
   

   Converging Knowledge Management, Training, and elearning (.pdf)
   This paper looks at several obviously converging concepts. Learning is a multi-faceted process...and one aspect is not indicative of the whole. For example, structured, classroom learning does not account for the values of learning through experience...and vice versa. The contradictory characteristics of learning (structured but open, constructive but knowable, personal but communal etc.) are best represented in creating a "whole perspective" view. KM has a role...but so does elearning...and communities...and classroom learning. To assume that learning can be represented/produced by only one approach is to misjudge how learning really happens. This is why the view of an LMS as the center of elearning is so limiting. It's not about one thing...it's about a bricolage.

7. Adaptive Hypermedia
   

   Adaptive Hypermedia (.ppt) via Stephen Downes
   Quote: ìIn Hypermedia every piece of information can be, at the same time, center and periphery, introduction and conclusion, important and unimportant according to the knowledge, interests and navigational choices operated by the user.î
   Comment: Not that we've got the whole learning objects thing worked out...but this is a fascinating exploration of adaptive hypermedia (AH)...i.e. personalizing learning. I've stated previously that the greatest value of learning objects is not reusability...but rather the ability to personalize learning for the individual learner - "a qualified user can be provided with more detailed and deep info while a novice can receive additional explanation".
   The presentation begins with a discussion of adaptive hypermedia...then explores what and how to adapt...and ends with a review of learning object standards. The concept of AH is still new (at least to me)...but it will be interesting to see if it gains momentum and begins to impact on elearning...or if it's turns into "it was a good idea".
   When I think of the related fields of knowledge management, elearning, electronic performance support...the notion of adaptive intelligence fits in (and extends the fields) perfectly - it's a blending of many of the front lines of technology. A quick exploration of the author's homepage presents the field in context: networks, artificial intelligence, intelligent education systems, multimedia, integrated learning environment, collaborative authoring, etc.

LTSN-01 events

1. Improving Student Learning 2004: Diversity and inclusivity
   

   Papers are invited which address the theme under any of the following headings: 1. Course and programme design 2. Learning and teaching methods 3. Assessment 4. Skills development and lifelong learning 5. Use of Communication and Information Technology (C&IT) 6. Learning environments 7. Supporting learners 8. Implementing and managing change and innovation 9. Institutional strategies 10. Departmental strategies 11. Staff development strategies The closing date for submissions is 31st January, 2004. For more information and a submission form visit the conference website.

2. 11th ottawa world conference on medical education
   

   The Ottawa Conference is a forum for the discussion of matters related to the assessment of clinical competence. In the last years it has enlarged to others aspects of medical education such as problem-based learning, the incorporation of new technologies and professional development among other topics. The 2004 Conference will be held in Barcelona and will begin with the pre-Conference workshops on 4th and 5th July. The International Conference on Medical Education will take place on 6th, 7th and 8th July in the new Congress Center of Catalonia located in one of the best areas of Barcelona. The conference will coincide with the UNESCO Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona. This forum has the spirit of the Olympic Games and the great international exhibitions but everything in it revolves around the world[pi]s cultures. Simultaneous translation of the plenary sessions from english into spanish and into french will be provided. The conference will be organised by the Catalan Association of Medical Education. This Association was founded in 1989 and is attached to the Academy of Medical Sciences of Catalonia and the Balearic islands, which has the support of the Institute of Health Studies, an agency of the Government of Catalonia

3. The 4th DIVERSE International Conference on Video and Videoconferencing in Education
   

   Introduction DIVERSE is the premier event in the world on all aspects of video and videoconferencing in education - teaching, research, management etc - including the convergence of these technologies with online technologies, and the emergence of new possibilities such as telepresence learning and teaching, interactive television, computer games techniques, and wireless and handheld access to live or archived moving images. DIVERSE has established itself as a high quality event with excellent opportunities for formal and informal networking with some of the world's leading experts in the field. DIVERSE is concerned to explore the interface between technology and pedagogy, in the belief that there is an ongoing dialectic between the two, with neither permanently in the driving seat of effective educational innovation. It is less a conference for those simply 'entranced' by technology, and more for teachers, technical support staff, researchers, staff and educational developers, project managers and directors etc, who are concerned to embed video and videoconferencing technologies within educational practice, as tools not toys, as currants in the cake of learning and not as just the icing on top. DIVERSE attracts presenters and delegates from all over the globe, with typically fifteen or more nations represented. The conference will be both a showcase and a critical forum on all aspects of video in education - through plenary and themed parallel sessions. Venue and accommodation The conference venue will be the INHOLLAND University, based in Diemen, just outside Amsterdam. Diversity and pluriformity are important characteristics for the University because INHOLLAND University is an institution with a broad palette consisting of higher professional education programmes, almost 40,000 students, 3000 members of staff and numerous sites. Delegate accommodation will be offered in the centre of Amsterdam. Information on registering for the conference will follow as soon as possible. Please join the JISCmail video mailing list for updates (see information below). Call for contributions Contributions should be either -> A one hour workshop or seminar, with good interactivity -> A 30 minute presentation allowing ample time for discussion, and preferably with video examples. -> A 60 or 90 minute panel session on a topic of particular significance for the future use of video, or an international videoconference demonstrating important features or practice. Contributors should identify one of the following themes. 1) Videoconferencing (including audio conferencing and text-conferencing, where these inform general conferencing practice) 2) Video and pedagogy 3) Interactive television and telepresence teaching 4) Making and/or using videorecordings 5) Digital video and the internet (eg streaming), the use of archives 6) Video and interactive learning 7) Students learning by making and using video 8) Researching the effective use of video 9) Enriching e-learning using video and multimedia 10) Video applications in distance learning Submitting you proposal Submissions should be in Times New Roman, in Word. The whole proposal from title line (ie excluding 'type of session and duration') to last line should not exceed 18 cm, and should be 16 cm wide, justified left and right. It must have the following format, in 12 point except where otherwise stated. Please follow the following guidelines concerning the format of your proposals; this is what will appear in the Conference Handbook for the information of delegates, helping them to make decisions on which sessions to attend. Heading -> Statement of the type of session and duration eg Paper, 30 minutes -> Session title in bold, centred, 16 point -> Name(s) of the presenters, following the name of each presenter with their institution and country, bold, centred. The main contact person should be the first listed. Summary: -> summary of the session content. typically, the summary should not exceed 300 words Outcomes -> The expected outcomes in terms of what the participants may learn, experience etc. Timing (optional) A summary of the timing and activity of the session.) eg For a paper: 5 mins, introduction; 15 mins, presentation with video examples; 10 mins, discussion. eg For a workshop: 5 mins, introduction of participants; 20 mins, presentation and examples; 20 mins, small group discussions of the issues and problems; 15 mins, plenary session with feedback from groups. Biographical details -> A sentence or two about the presenter(s), with email addresses. Note, a list of all delegates, including presenters, with email addresses will be distributed with the Conference Handbook) You should submit your proposal as an attached file to either Professor Christopher O'Hagan c.m.ohagan@derby.ac.uk. or Mr. Johan Oomen joomen@beeldengeluid.nl. Receipt will be acknowledged with a reply. Proposals should be received by Friday 27 February 2003 Contributors will be notified by April 9. All selected presenters must register as conference delegates for at least the day on which their session takes place. Deadline for registration is 31 March. More information in registering will follow soon. Full written papers are not obligatory, and will not be included in the Conference Handbook. However, you may wish to offer a full paper to the participants, with a supply for those who cannot attend your particular session. Keep up to date For updates on the conference, please subscribe to the UK JISCmail 'video' discussion list. Send a message to jiscmail@jiscmail.ac.uk. The message should be: join video X Y. Insert your first name for X and your last name for Y. Note that there is a space between each word in the message. Do not put anything else into the message. Alternatively, visit: www.edusite.nl/webstroom/english for the latest information on the conferece. The conference committee looks forward to receiving you proposals. Best wishes on behalf of conference committee, Christopher O'Hagan (Chair, University of Derby) Johan Oomen (Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision) Pieter van Parreeren (INHOLLAND University)

4. Assessing healthcare students in practice placements
   

   With the changes in health care service and delivery, and increasing student numbers, new and creative approaches to assessment are required in order to ensure safe and effective care for clients and patients at the same time as providing a learning centred assessment. Healthcare professional have evolved different processes and structures to meet very similar aims and objectives. What can we learn from each other? Themes will be assessment methodology, supervision and the student in difficulties. ASME will commission a literature review to look at the published evidence and keynote speakers will outline current developments and possible future trends. There will be parallel sessions where delegates from different professional groups can present developments through presentations and posters. Workshops will be held to allow the sharing of good practice.

5. Upcoming summer course on the Maastricht approach to problem-based learning (pbl)
   

   During the Summer Course Expanding Horizons in Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in Medicine, Health and Behavioural Sciences you get the opportunity to 'dive deep' into the PBL approach as applied by the Maastricht Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Faculty of Psychology. Additionally there is also the opportunity to take a ësniff íat the PBL approach of another Dutch institute: Nijmegen University Medical Center. This Center has transformed its traditional medical curriculum into an innovative one. The course consists of a one-week introductory programme and a second week of advanced modules covering all aspects of PBL.

6. Upcoming summer course on the Maastricht approach to problem-based learning (pbl)
   

   During the Summer Course Expanding Horizons in Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in Medicine, Health and Behavioural Sciences you get the opportunity to 'dive deep' into the PBL approach as applied by the Maastricht Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Faculty of Psychology. Additionally there is also the opportunity to take a ësniff íat the PBL approach of another Dutch institute: Nijmegen University Medical Center. This Center has transformed its traditional medical curriculum into an innovative one. The course consists of a one-week introductory programme and a second week of advanced modules covering all aspects of PBL.

LTSN-01 news

1. LTSN-01 mini-project report: Resource discovery and collaborative development
   

   The aim of the Resource Discovery and Collaborative Development LTSN-01 mini-project was to investigate emerging interoperability standards and to take a pragmatic view of resource discovery. In particular the sharing and exchange of reusable learning objects (RLOs) was seen as a way of demonstrating interoperability between different virtual learning environments (VLEs). The findings of this project can be viewed in the final report, downloadable from the LTSN-01 website

2. Tutoring Online (National Extension College)
   

   If you want to develop your skills as a tutor/teacher to support your students by being able to teach online, the National Extension College's (NEC) popular Tutoring Online course can help you! Tutoring Online supports the transfer of your skills from a traditional to an online environment in just 13 weeks, and leads to a City & Guilds On-line Tutoring Certificate (7516) upon successful completion of the course. Study the Tutoring Online course using the NEC Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) by submitting assignments and talking to other students - experience and learn how to work with a VLE. Enrolments are now closing for the next course of Tutoring Online, which starts in February. So hurry and book a place, and don't miss out on this excellent opportunity to become a fully qualified online tutor. Brian Starling, recently completed Tutoring Online. He calls it, "...the most stimulating course I've undertaken" "I would have no worries about recommending this course to anyone: teacher, tutor, lecturer, or trainer. The course materials are excellent and the value for money offered by the course is amazing...... it encourages you to revisit and review old skills and bring them bang up-to-date."

3. The Higher Education Academy appoints its first Chief Executive
   

   The Higher Education Academy is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Paul Ramsden as its first Chief Executive. Professor Ramsden is currently Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at the University of Sydney, Australia. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Education, University of London. He will be taking up his new post in York in August.

4. Eduserv research fellow in collaborative eLearning
   

   The Universities' Collaboration in eLearning (UCeL) is seeking to appoint an Eduserv Research Fellow in Collaborative eLearning. Based in Cambridge, this will be a three-year, fixed-term appointment at Research Associate grade commencing in April 2004 or as soon as possible thereafter. It is funded by the Eduserv Foundation as part of its commitment to the successful application of IT in education. Closing date: 20 February 2004.

5. Call for CETL proposals (HEFCE)
   

   The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is inviting universities and colleges in England to bid for funding to set up Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs). The CETLs will reward and invest in excellent teaching practice to benefit students and staff. Around £315 million will be available between 2004-05 and 2008-09 including £140 million for capital. HEFCE expects that more than 70 CETLs will be established, some at single institutions, and some based on collaborations between two or more universities or colleges. Bids are invited from all HEFCE-funded higher education institutions, and further education colleges with more than 500 full-time equivalent HEFCE-funded students. Each CETL will have a distinct focus reflecting its track record of successful student learning. This may be subject-based, involve learning in the workplace, learning at a distance, or enabling students to learn effectively in their first, final or postgraduate years. CETLs will bestow recognition and distinction on their teachers, help to enthuse learners, provide high quality learning facilities, and stimulate development and change in teaching and learning. Dr Liz Beaty, HEFCE Director for Learning and Teaching, said: 'We believe that universities and colleges will draw on their wide knowledge and experience to design creative and diverse proposals for CETLs. These will help to ensure that innovative and exciting centres have a lasting impact on teaching and learning to the benefit of staff and students.' Role of the HE Academy The new HE Academy will be a key factor in ensuring the success of the CETL initiative. The Academy will support the development and activities of CETLs through workshops and advice during the bidding process, and by promoting collaboration and dissemination of good practice after the CETLs have been set up. For more information on how to apply go to our funding opportunities page..

Learning Circuits Blog

1. New news from an old hand
   

   I received a note from a friend at Cisco earlier this week; they've just released two papers based on the latest incarnation of their learning objects strategy: the strategy document

2. Outsourcing Learning?
   

   I'm interested in hearing opinions from other LC bloggers/readers on the concept of outsourcing learning. Is it an indication of learning/training developing its own identity? Training has typically been the

3. Neurolearning
   

   elearningpost points to an article on the neural bases of learning which argues that you need emotional connection to learning and serious practice, as opposed to our current verbal approach

4. The Brave New World of Learning
   

   "Workflow trumps courseware in an emergent new world where the terms and tools are changing--and you need to aborb Web services, super-stack environments, zero latency, and a slew of acronyms.

5. Certification
   

   A coach of coaches in Australia who had just read my article on informal learning emailed me, inquiring about the role of informal learning in certification. In particular, he asked,

National electronic Library for Health

1. Book Now for Latest Free Phone-In Learning Session
   

   Professor Paul Glasziou will be speaking on "Applying the results of systematic reviews and trials to individuals" on 15th January. All you need to participate is a telephone and an internet connection.

Object Learning

1. Finding and reusing digital learning resources...
   

   I just finished a faculty workshop on finding and reusing digital learning resources, as part of a seminar series held by UBC's Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth. For this workshop I tried to dispense with learning object talk, and...

2. Good news, and weird news...
   

   After a few days off the net due to some manner of server meltdown, Abject Learning is back, and ready to do some serious damage to our collective intelligence. The weird part is that my previous postings seem to have...

3. Open-Source Learning Content Management System based on Learning Design Spec
   

   Where’s Scott Leslie when you need him? While making random Google passes, Michelle discovered this open source LCMS built in java: PhiTone.LCMS is a Java-based Open-Source Learning Content Management System (LCMS). It is an implementation of the Learning Design Specification....

4. Why you shouldn't use learning objects, and why you should
   

   I try to submit a monthly piece for a newsletter here at UBC. It’s a useful exercise for me to write through my work with a broader audience in mind, and I’m grateful for the forum — but man, it...

autounfocus

1. OLS/EduCommons Meeting
   

   We’ve been talking for months about having a meeting to get people with vested interests in Open Learning Support and EduCommons together to talk requirements. We’re now ready to hold these meetings and want to do it during the last week of January. However, we want to hear from people before the specific dates are fixed. Would those interested in coming prefer M-W or W-F? Please let me know in the comments below if you intend on coming and what days you prefer. We’ll be sending out an agenda and preliminary documents for your plane reading pleasure the week before the meetings.

   (I wouldn’t mind at all if this turned into an Instructional Tech bloggers meeting.)