Weekly Learning Technology Digest... 18

Image from Benson Kua available under
a CC BY-SA 2.0 license

Another week has whizzed by and another selection of learning technology goodies has appeared before my very eyes.  In fact, it's been pretty jam packed - there was a new report out from JISC, a new feature in Google+ launched, I've seen interesting articles on course design, how to use Pinterest in education... and... well... lots of good stuff!

Right, let's get cracking with this week's Learning Technology Digest!

• First thing spotted was that JISC published a report yesterday on the Researchers of Tomorrow and it's clear that a lack of digital literacy (or perhaps digital confidence), understanding of copyright and open resources are some of the messages which come through very strongly here.  The divide between personal and academic use of technologies such as blogs, wikis, Twitter etc is also apparent and if you're after something a bit more meaty to read this week... read this.  And if you'd like to listen to a podcast from one of the report authors, then you can do that too! 
• Google also launched Google+ Events and having had a quick first look at them, this looks to be a really worthwhile development for Google+, not least the way it integrates Events with Google Calendar... giving it lots of potential, especially for institutions with Google Apps.
• Educational Technology and Mobile Learning brought out their Educators Guide to the use of Pinterest in Education which not only explains what Pinterest is (you've either had a go or heard of it somewhere along the line) but gives you some tutorials to look at, ideas for professional development as well as some things to bear in mind.  Very useful.
• From Gráinne Conole's excellent e4innovation blog was this nice article on the 7 Principles of Learning Design and is definitely worth adding to your 'technology enhanced learning bookmarks' (in my head I imagine that people have this!)
• At this time of year a lot of people are knee deep in marking... so obviously a break from marking would be welcome, right?  How about the Grading Game to take your mind of all that assessment stuff?  Fun, huh?  :o)
• Okay, back to slightly more serious stuff... there's a relatively new '7 Things' article from Educause to take a peek at.  This one is called 7 Things you should know about badges and if, like me, you struggle a bit to see the worth of digital tokens of achievement... then this briefing will at least fill you in on the background to them!
• The final thing spotted in this past week was the launch of the Live Restart functionality in the BBC's hugely popular iPlayer.  It changes watching live TV into an experience much more like that offered by Sky.  Could also make having students watch a live version of a programme just that bit more flexible than a strictly synchronous experience!

If I were you, I'd get reading that JISC report... and after that... pop your feet up... take a breather... and enjoy the weekend!

See you next Friday!

Sarah