Comments (0)

By Dan Pontefract, 09/01/2010 1:12 AM

As the big three refine, revise and retool their television platforms (Google TV, Apple TV and Microsoft MediaRoom) it got me thinking about the death of TV.

Not necessarily as Warren Ellis describes in his laugh out loud Wired UK piece out next month entitled “The Death Of TV As We Know It”, rather, the TV as an albatross to the learning space.

If I were any of the aforementioned big three, here is what I’d be contemplating in the opportunity:

• Like the TV, learning itself is becoming more and more unscripted; informal and social is finally taking its rightful place on the gold and silver podium, shifting formal learning to bronze status. Although I don’t personally watch them, is there a coincidence in seeing reality based television at the top of the viewing charts?
• Like TV viewers, learners want choice, variety, and a Personal Learning Environment (or PVR in TV-speak). Must-See-TV on Thursday nights is a thing of the past, and the 5-day course that comes around once every quarter really is antiquated thinking at its best.
• Like the TV industry, the learning vertical is undergoing a radical change; the industrial revolution model of ‘bums in seats’ is analogous to family time around the wood encased floor model television. It’s changing, whether the networks or the learning executives like it (or see it) or not

What does this mean for the big three?

Although it’s early days, thus far, what I’ve seen from each of the companies is actually far superior to that of normal cable company software packages … if they even have a software package with their service. There is the ability not only to record multiple ‘shows’ at the same time, there are mobile recording options, web-based interaction with ‘picture in picture’ television viewing at the same time, amongst other 2.0-esque features.

But what’s missing is the learning opportunity; the Learning 2.0 opportunity.

Yes, we will continue to see a proliferation of laptops and mobile devices entering the home. This is good. I still believe, however, that as more and more families become dissatisfied with the ‘sage on the stage’ approach to K-12 learning that the combination of a web-based or IPTV-based learning ecosystem model around a television (with laptop/mobile device access as well) will conquer.

The big three, if thinking about this opportunity, will use this as a catalyst to get disenfranchised parents to subscribe to their particular product, if it comes with the 2.0 ability to combine classic educational shows, with collaborative-based learning experiences, with webcam/tele-presence-like features, with specific content that is indexed, searchable, useable and modifiable.

A learning ecosystem as described above with specific content options for K-12 (and perhaps higher education) takes iTunesU to a whole new level. It becomes the basis to (once again) unite the family and create opportunities to enrich the learning experience that is, for the most part, lacking in the traditional K-12 and higher education environment today.

So, Google, Microsoft and Apple, the challenge for you is to create the new Dewey Decimal system for 2010 and beyond. I’m up for that challenge.

Comments (5)

By Dan Pontefract, 05/29/2010 11:01 AM

Regular readers know that I’m passionate about three key areas: leadership; learning & enterprise 2.0.

As a lifelong educator, married to one as well, and possessing a young brood already immersed in a 2.0 world, we strongly believe in raising our children to be collaborative, transparent, honest and innovative.

But, alas, I’ve recently developed petulance for one of the world’s finest creations … Facebook.

Mr. Mark Zuckerberg has arguably founded one of the most collaborative and people connecting applications in recent history. According to CheckFacebook.com there are well over 450 million registered users worldwide. According to Google, Facebook now occupies the #1 visited website with 540 million unique visits in April, 2010 (after removing Google itself from the research).

Aside from the recent Facebook privacy flak, there is not a burning platform for Mr. Zuckerberg, Ms. Lori Goler (VP of Human Resources and Recruiting) and Mr. Elliot Schrage (VP of Global Communications, Marketing and Public Policy) to deal with, there is a raging inferno.

Bullying and Facebook.

It needs to be addressed … by Facebook.

With such a commanding head start as the platform in which people are sharing, collaborating and connecting, it is appalling (given countless examples) that Facebook does not take the stance to ensure its users (particularly those in the 10-18 year old range) are more educated and aware of cyber-bullying.

Recent examples involving Facebook & bullying, from 3 different countries include, but are not limited to:

• Facebook Bullying Case Goes to Court – Nova Scotia, Canada – May 25, 2010
• ‘Facebook Bully Probe’ After Death – Birmingham, UK – May 22, 2010
• Mom Has Strong Words About School Bullying – Florida, USA – May 26, 2010

A review of Facebook Principles makes no mention, whatsoever, of ethics or social expectations but it does state:

Achieving these principles should be constrained only by limitations of law, technology, and evolving social norms.

What, may I ask, is ‘evolving social norms’ and how can something that is evolving be the definition of your Facebook Principles?

There is, however, a “Defined Statement of Rights & Responsibilities” for which I applaud Section 3 (Safety) Subsection 6:

You will not bully, intimidate, or harass any user.

Frankly, both the Facebook Principles and Defined Statement of Rights & Responsibilities do not fit the task at hand. More must be done by Facebook to help the 10-18 year old age bracket be aware of the dire consequences of bullying, particularly cyber-bullying and particularly due to the fact Facebook has, more or less, become the de facto place for these assaults to occur.

Mark, Lori, Elliot … I implore you to get in front of this inferno. Do not leave it solely to local school boards, local governments or community/N-F-P organizations to fight the blaze.

Our kids do not yet possess the cognitive ability to distinguish social 2.0 norms in a 2.0 world; they need guidance, assistance, best practice and collaborative education to do so. Proven by Leslie Sabbagh with her piece entitled The Teen Brain, Hard at Work; (August/September 2006; Scientific American Mind), the prefrontal cortex is one of the last areas of the brain to mature. Thus, an immature prefrontal cortex is thought to be the explanation for why adolescents show poor judgment, an inability to think before they act, and as a consequence, bad decisions being made.

This phenomenon is all the more exacerbated in the Facebook era. This is why cyber-bullying on Facebook is occurring; we need to rethink the plan.

Steps to take, if I were Mark, Lori and Elliot:

• Lead: get in front of this issue and begin leading – make it a part of the Facebook DNA
• Educate: you not only have a collaborative platform, you have a learning platform. Begin educating your users specifically related to Facebook bullying, consequences, etc.
• Collaborate: work with your millions of 10-18 year old users on the right strategies to implement

In the meantime, and until proven otherwise, my 7, 4 and 3 year old won’t be setting foot on the Facebook platform.

But Mark, Lori and Elliot, I offer my hand in assistance.

Comments (2)

By Dan Pontefract, 01/04/2010 5:21 PM

Having unplugged for the better part of three weeks, it donned on me that I’m personally or at least mentally stuck. (although not in a negative way really)

I have such deep passion for three very unique pieces of the education spectrum that I’m wondering if others are in the same boat. If so, what are you doing to satisfy both your curiosity and wish to make a difference in the three arenas?

My career started out in the K-12 space as both a teacher and a learning technology futurist/implementer. Recently, my 6, 4 and 2 year old clan have given me reason to contemplate the K-12 arena again in a very serious way in terms of helping this space shift towards a more collaborative ‘2.0’ model. (not to mention my beloved is Director of a local private school)

I then ventured into higher education at a public institution for 5 years, running a ‘high tech’ education department for the young and seasoned alike. During this tenure, I also completed an MBA at a different higher education institution. You could say that both experiences were eye-opening experiences due to the creativity, latitude and initiative I was allowed to drive and learn from. Now, in hindsight, I look back at it with fond memories and a yearning to help other higher education institutions move towards the ‘2.0’ world. (not to mention coveting that final degree, the PhD)

For the past eight years or so, I’ve been in the corporate sector running corporate universities, whether for employees specifically or a combination of employees, partners and customers. Switching to the ‘dark side’ (ie. from public institutions to for-profit companies) has also been rewarding, and has afforded me not only innumerable learning opportunities, but latitude to drive many of my formal, informal and social learning theories into practice for the masses.

These days, however, I find my mind, research and reach for new contacts wandering between the three unique spaces effortlessly and without care really. There is obvious linkage between K-12, Higher Education and the Corporate world, but how do I satisfy the urge to be all things to all audiences?

Can I really make a difference in all three at the same time?

Any thoughts out there? (and Happy New Year)