Destination Innovation 2012 – Myths, Hype, & Possibilities: Trends Shaping The Future Of Distance Ed

As I mentioned in the K-12 Online Learning And Destination Innovation 2012 entry, my colleagues as a part of the Alberta Education distance education program review are attending the Destination Innovation 2012 conference in Banff, Alberta.  Yesterday was our session:

Myths, Hype, & Possibilities: Trends Shaping The Future Of Distance Ed (room 304)

This session explores trends and new directions in use of digital learning and its impact on education. Join innovator and provocateur David Porter, as he uncovers some of the myths, hype, and possibilities in distance education. This session will also briefly introduce the Alberta K-12 Distance Education Review Project and team, providing you with a way to participate in helping to shape the future of DE in Alberta. Join us to have your voice heard while you test your vision for the future of 21st Century Distance Education in Alberta against David’s description of the emerging landscape.

David Porter is the Executive Director of BCcampus. A long-time advocate for the benefits of adapting new technology to deliver educational opportunities, David’s extensive experience in the education and training fields has included working with both public and private sector organizations.

I asked David if it would be okay if I posted a recording of his presentation that I took using SoundNote on my iPad and he agreed.  I do apologise that I missed the first two to three minutes of David’s comments (where he mainly introduced himself and the group).  Note that you can download the slides from http://www.sfu.ca/~davidp/DEST2012.pdf

Following David’s formal session, we had the 28 participants get up and work in groups of three to sketch note some thoughts about the vectors they felt would be driving distance education in Alberta.  Below are the images from that process.

Click on any image to enlarge it.

Click on any image to enlarge it.

Click on any image to enlarge it.

EDTECH597 – Audio Entry: VSM July 2012 Podcast – Two Minute Thesis Contest (Virtual Schooling Edition)

Earlier this month I posted an entry entitled Announcing the PHD 2-minute Thesis Contest! (Virtual Schooling Edition).  Essentially, PhD Comics have asked people to create a two minute video to describe their thesis or dissertation in pedestrian language.  The winning entry will get their thesis or dissertation immortalized in a PhD Comic.

In the earlier entry, I challenged my K-12 online learning colleagues who have completed a thesis or dissertation to take part in this challenge and I would post all of the results here on this blog.  As a way to throw down the gauntlet even more, I present to you my submission.

For those interested in this study, you can actually read the full dissertation at http://www.michaelbarbour.com/research/pubs/phd_2007.pdf

VSM Podcast – The Todd Veinotte Show Interview

As a follow-up to my interview with Murray Langdon of CFAX 1070 News in Victoria, earlier this week I also had the opportunity to speak with Todd Veinotte of News 95.7 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

VSM Podcast – How Is Canada Doing With K-12 Online Learning?

As I mentioned on Tuesday (see Media Release From The SQE – The Sky Has Limits: A Report On Virtual Learning In Canada’s Public Schools), a new report came out on Monday that presents what I believe is an ideologically motivated, misleading view of K-12 online learning in Canada.  As my State of the Nation: K-12 Online Learning in Canada report seems to be the primary source for most of the report, I received a call from the Globe & Mail about an article that ran yesterday entitled “Canadian schools falling behind in online learning, report says.”

Based on this article, and my interaction with those who left comments, I got a call from CFAX 1070 News in Victoria to do a radio interview.  I recorded that interview through the live stream and have posted it below via YouTube.

YouTube wouldn’t allow an 18 minute video, so I had to cut it into two parts.

VSM Podcast – Maritime Morning Interview