Dot Learnt

Back in October, I talked to you all about how much I just love, love, LOVE infographics. This love has only been reinforced after I came across this gem – a visual depiction of the rise, adaption and necessity of Wikipedia.

As a blogger exploring the realm of technology in emerging markets, I have long found the efforts of Wikipedia to be inspiring for students around the world. In More Arabic Content – Wiki-ed! I took a look at how Wikipedia is expanding its Arabic content by working with Egyptian university students, who, will submit articles to the encyclopedia powerhouse as classroom assignments.

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TED has always had a knack for capturing learning on the edge, exposing the world to game-changing ideas and speakers. Their latest initiative, TED-Ed, is an online video-lecture site meant to amplify the voices of brilliant educators across the world.

Working in a partnership with Youtube, top-notch educators will sync up with talented animators to craft a collection of question-inducing videos. These recorded lesson plans will explore a wide range of topics, enabling life-long learners around the world. (more…)

As a Literary Advisor at Bon Education and an Educational Diagnostician, Sue Ogden weighs in on the role of literature, language acquisition, and creativity in a tech-enhanced and infused world. Her work with literature and language has taken her from helping out in literacy programs in prisons to working in international backdrops to enhancing reading skills amongst students on movie sets. For the low down on how her experiences working with urban communities inspired her work in emerging markets, read on. 

10-20 Seconds: What’s the deal with being a Literary Advisor. Share with us your story on how you got to where you are today.

I went to school to be a High School Social Studies teacher. I found the field was flooded with lots of excellent teachers, and there was little room to be a true problem solver in these affluent schools where I taught.

I found a greater need for content rich teachers to support reading instruction in urban communities. It was here that I found that the problems that children in urban communities in the USA face are similar to the problems that students in emerging markets face, and thus decided to pursue the path of becoming an expert on literacy acquisition.

20 – 30 Seconds:  The ideal title of an e-book regarding your philosophy on life, literature and education. 

“The Five People I met in Prison”- I have met some of the most interesting people in prison, and they have all helped me find joy in the smallest snippets of life. They truly find joy in the little things, a colored pencil, a black pencil, being able to mop the floor on their birthday as a way to get out solitary for an extra hour. They get so excited about the smallest things. This makes it hard for me to come home in a bad mood, as I am constantly surrounded by a need to be grateful.  (more…)

Early last week, Daniel Donahoo a tech savvy parent who writes for GeekDad (a Wired.com blog dedicated to raising a “geek” generation) introduced me to World Book Day.

On March 1^st, authors, illustrators and reading enthusiasts took to the streets in a celebration of literature and reading. The celebration is an internationally recognized effort, designated by UNESCO as an ode to books, storytelling and reading in over 100 different countries.

The celebration encouraged kids to investigate the pleasures of books by sending schools World Book Day Resource Packs filled with invigorating ideas for making reading a student’s favorite pastime.

Reflecting ont his mission of World Book Day, Donahoo poses these questions on the future of literature: Will it be likely in the coming years that specific days will be designated to celebrating Apps or Tablets? Will e-books and apps soon hold the same value in society as tangible books?  (more…)

Each month, the Virtual Roundtable Series sponsored by CISCO brings together distinguished education leaders to discuss observations, comments and ideas that are meant to transform education. During the week of February 20^th, the series hosted a roundtable on Social Media in Education – What’s Working and What’s Not.

Anna Batchelder, CEO and Co-Founder of Bon Education was invited to weigh in. Anna directed the conversation towards the use of social media as it relates to cross-cultural understanding, digital literacy and open education.

Alongside Anna, Dr. Ron Burnett, President and Vice-Chancellor at Emily Carr University of Art & Design addressed issues on social media and the philosophy of learning.  Judy O’Connell, lecturer at the School of Information Studies at Charles Stuart University exposed participants to e-learning, game-based learning, ICT in education and media literacy. (more…)

Hats off to the power of social media. By now, many of you might have come across the latest Facebook, Twitter and Internet sensation – Kony 2012. The 30-minute video is the brainchild of Jason Russell a young Australian filmmaker who is looking to make Joseph Kony, the violent leader of Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Movement, famous – or rather, infamous.

This post is not intended to shower you with the horrors of Kony, his abduction of over 30,000 children or his advocacy of child soldiers. Rather, this post is meant to highlight the two-fold brilliance of the online campaign.

Invisible Children is an international campaign to stop the Kony problem, putting an end to Africa’s longest-standing armed conflict. Within 24 hours, a single day, the short film had over 4 million views. Currently, the link is closing in at 15 million. (more…)

It was only a month ago that I was exploring the need and necessity for more Arabic content in the December 27^th piece, “The Internet Needs More of This.”

After issuing that piece one month ago, I am happy to report that Wikipedia is expanding its Arabic content via an educational initiative.

The pilot program in Cairo is a portion of the bigger push to encourage student editors to participate in the collaborative educational site.

Students at Ain Shams University and Cairo University, the country’s most prestigious public institutions, will be writing for the encyclopedia as a part of their required class assignments and syllabi.

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