[Xmca-l] Re: A new-ish learning platform that may be a way to save adjuncts?

[Glassman, Michael]

Hi Annalisa and all others interested,

Thanks for the link to the video, but I have to say it is pretty problematic.  First it calls itself a learning management system when it really has nothing to do with learning.  It is instead a course management system.  So why do people use the phrase learning management systems - because companies that sell learning management systems want them to.

The distinction is important because while all this hardware and software is really wowsa, we pretty much have little idea how to use it to create actual learning experiences. We just think it will happen because person A has knowledge, person B could use knowledge, transfer knowledge, done and done.  I tend to think of the transfer model as being not very good as a teaching learning model.  But there are a whole bunch of other issues which we are just beginning to explore like teacher presence in online situations, student relatedness (the four walls actually do play a part), individual agency, collective/collaborative agency, cognitive presences - the list just goes on.  The guy on the boat (you have to watch the video) probably isn't going to be that successful.  Who is going to be successful - why academy of mine will be!

We went through this with xMOOCs. I'm old enough to remember when they were going to be the new model for education.  I still have discussions with people who say MOOCs do good things. They reach all these people with information from experts.  I ask, is there a good thing?  People say, of course it's a good thing.  I ask is there any evidence of this? They say well it's better than not reaching them with information.  I ask are you sure. There actually is some evidence that it's not that good a thing from Participatory Action Research. I think one of the things we have to question ourselves about is why this sounds so good to us.  

This is not to say the Internet is not going to have stunning effects on the way we teach and learn.  We need to do the hard work of figuring why and how.  But this....


Michael



-----Original Message-----
From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of Annalisa Aguilar
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2018 12:56 PM
To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity <xmca-l@mailman.ucsd.edu>
Subject: [Xmca-l] A new-ish learning platform that may be a way to save adjuncts?

Hello Xmcars,


A few days ago I learned about this new online learning platform "Academy Of Mine"


I think that it portends what future learning might entail. It may be a way of bypassing the calcified learning patterns that no one seems to be able to escape, thanks to the neoliberalization of higher learning.


This platform is also about doing business in education, but something about it seems more palatable than paying presidents and other administrators several hundred thousand dollar salaries to run a university.


Here is an intro video for the platform, which I think is using wordpress for its online architecture.

https://vimeo.com/92334633

[https://www.bing.com/th?id=OVP.rKgA__knRtrA5l2yfST4XAEsCo&pid=Api]<https://vimeo.com/92334633>

All-In-One Learning-Management-System - Academy Of Mine<https://vimeo.com/92334633> vimeo.com If you're going to be offering a course online you'll need Learning Management System Software (LMS) for your online educational environment. But if you're an ...

This might be a way in particular for adjuncts to "hold on" to their course material, and perhaps at some point monetize their courses in such a way they can create another income stream.


I've not really thought this through, but I think this could be paradigm-changing because Academy of Mine seems to really address the technology difficulties for non-technical instructors and teachers.


I am curious what you think.


I am not affiliated with Academy of Mine, but I have an opportunity to use the platform and am just learnign about it. I was so impressed I thought I would let you all take a look.


It might make possible courses that are hybird in nature, and it could possibly make experimental learning easier to set up, which would allow educators to do the things they have always known works with successful learning experiences, and just walk around the Maginot Line of university hegemonies.


Kind regards,


Annalisa