University of iTunes/YouTube

October 16, 2009

Anytime I run across another avenue for self education, I get excited. Today, on cnn.com, I ran across this article that once again got me excited.
Universities are increasingly making lectures and other instructional audio and video podcasts available through iTunes, YouTube and other online venues. Much of the time this content is free. Admittedly, much [...]

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Answers From The Virtual Collective

September 26, 2009

Sometimes there’s a question that’s not easily answered by the usual reference sources. When that happens, it’s often best to find someone who has the information to answer your question. But how do you do that?
A new site, Fluther.com (rhymes with “mother”), can help. The focus of the site is to provide you a place [...]

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The Genius of Focus

August 30, 2009

One of the important components of good self education habits is the ability to focus. I don’t buy in too much to innate intelligence as the determining factor in whether someone can learn well. I’ve just seen too many instances of someone with what appeared to be average intelligence and skills excel far beyond others [...]

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Social Media and Informal Learning

August 19, 2009

Graham Attwell, an educational technologist, researcher and blogger based in Pontypridd in Wales and Bremen in Germany, has posted a short slideshow that I found interesting.
Mr. Attwell’s presentation examines the ways in which people are now using technology for playing, for communication and yes, for learning. He contends also that the education systems are failing [...]

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Looking At The Big Picture

August 8, 2009

Research shows that those people we consider highly knowledgeable in their fields (experts, although I usually hesitate to use that word) do much more than simply retain and regurgitate the facts and formulas that pertain to their domain of expertise. They instead hang these facts and formulas on the big picture or big ideas.
Experts organize [...]

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More Learning Strategies

July 28, 2009

What’s the best way to learn something? The answer is that it’s the way that works best for you. And that is the foundation upon which intelligent and successful self education is built. Learning must be tailored to your learning style and other personal preferences.
Below are some ways you can gather and analyze information, develop [...]

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Wide Awake Minds

July 22, 2009

When I run across a great blog or website about self education, I want to share that news with everyone. I’ve run across such a site recently and it’s Wide Awake Minds. The site is the work of Ryan McCarl, a writer and graduate student at the University of Michigan School of Education. As his [...]

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Instructional Design For One

July 16, 2009

People who develop curriculum (teaching or training materials) often follow the principles of instructional design. I should really say they might follow one of many sets of principles because there are various models that guide how instructional designers pursue their craft.
One of the most prevalent models is referred to as ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement, [...]

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Reviving the Liberal Arts

July 12, 2009

Since the focus of this blog is self education, some might think I am entirely antagonistic to formal education. Not true. In fact, I know formal education has its rightful place alongside informal education (self education), although I do feel the shift must move significantly more towards the informal.
Higher education institutions however must rethink their [...]

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Crisis Control – A Proposal For Change

July 10, 2009

In today’s San Francisco Chronicle (my local newspaper) it was reported that due to the current state’s budget crisis the entire California State University (CSU) system of 23 campuses would not accept any new students for its upcoming spring semester. Typically, about 35,000 students enroll in the CSU system each spring. Imagine 35,000 students not [...]

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Feeling “Accepted”

July 7, 2009

Last night I watched a fun movie, Accepted. For those unfamiliar with it, the premise of the movie is a young man graduating high school gets rejected by every college he applies to and his parents don’t take it well. In desperation he cleverly creates a fake college with some friends and…well, I don’t want to [...]

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Adapting Our Learning Styles

July 1, 2009

I was reading an article today in The New York Times (a great self education tool itself) about the upcoming race for Governor of California, but it was one particular part of that article that reminded me of the importance of adaptation to learning and self education.
Gavin Newson, the current Mayor of San Francisco, is running as [...]

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