Learning Aloud

D. Warlich offered a post in which he commented on Personas – a MIT Media Lab application that categorizes Internet “references” to an individual. I guess he liked the representation of himself (looks like a genetic representation to me) and is using it as a header for his blog. Clever.

I decided to create a persona and contrast it with the persona of the individual I think I now best (cg).

Now, I am attempting to understand what the categories mean and what about our online presence would reveal differences. My wife is certainly more social and she has cause to be more involved with medical issues, i.e., she is a two time cancer survivor. I think the “books” priority for me makes sense (although Cindy’s Kindle did arrive today). Giving me any credit for “fashion” seems foolish (I guess one cannot assume mentions are necessarily positive).

BTW – your genetics seem to change a bit with each run – not sure what that means. I must be mutating.

sunflower

Originally uploaded by grabe

We are taking an end of summer break and spending some time camping in Northern Minnesota. The attached image was taken on the way in a sun flower field near Crookston, MN. This post originated in Flickr and takes advantage of a flickr feature allowing posts to various blogs (including Twitter). The entire process has been accomplished using my mifi from a camper in the woods. A weak cell signal, but still functional.

The Pew Internet and American Life project has released another report concerning how and how much we use the Internet. The focus of this most recent post was the rapidly increasing use of wireless Internet use. The study reports that 1/3 of Americans have now accessed the Internet using a cell phone or smart phone. I tend to interpret the data sources I follow based on my interest in educational applications and I know there is growing interest in smart phones in classrooms. My immediate reaction is based not on the number of families or teens with cell phones, but the number with a data plan. The proportion of those who have a cell phone who have browsed the Internet, watched a video, or sent email is 25% or less. I wonder if this is approximately the proportion with a data plan.

I think access issues are important. I find netbooks appealing because the lower cost may make it practical for schools to provide each student with a “learning device”. The limitation is home access. Equity cannot be achieved without home access.

I am a fan of the iPhone but I cannot own one because I live in North Dakota. Another equity issue, but I guess I have other resources. The rumors of an Apple tablet are also intriguing. Again, a mobile device that will rely on cell access rather than or perhaps in addition to wifi.

The problem is the cost of data plans. As I have explained in my other blog, I now have a solution to iPhone problem in North Dakota. I have discovered mifi.

Here is my mifi. As you can see, it is about the size of a credit card and maybe 1/3 inch thick. A mifi is a combination EVDO and wireless access point. In other words, it uses a cell service (Verizon in this case) and then extends this as wifi to up to 5 devices in a 30 meter circle (if I remember correctly). Here is what is cool. I can put this device in my pocket and use my iPhone touch as a very mobile computer. I become my own walking access point. If I was younger I could be my own running access point.

Here is the down side. We pay $60 a month for 5 gigabyte access. I was concerned about the quantity of content we would normally download/upload. We were out of town over the weekend with Cindy’s brother and wife and we all connected – sometimes two computers and my Touch at one time. No video or music that I remember, but lots of Internet use, Twitter, email, etc. Several hours a day I would guess.

We used only a fraction of a gigabyte so 5 gigabytes would probably meet the needs of an average family if there was not a need to download movies.

Still, $60 is more than basic cable (with no quantity restrictions in most locations) and as an annual expense far exceeds minimum  hardware costs.

We worry about inexpensive devices. We worry about the cost of content. Seems to me that the immediate challenge is the cost to connect. At present, the real opportunities that exist are available only to some.

I had a plan for how the rest of my career would play out. Senior-level (i.e., old) academics can kind of do this kind of thing. The plan went something like this. Professional: At work – a) teaching – educational psychology and ed tech, intro psychology, and b) research – technology support of study behavior for students in large introductory courses. Outside of work – work on revision of book with Cindy, develop participatory web portal for anyone who might be interested. This blog is a small part of my portal concept. I do not have a plan for all of those aspects of my life outside of what I consider my professional life.

The plan changed two weeks ago. I have spent 13 years as a department administrator (i.e., chairperson). Six years ago, I decided it was time to refocus so at the end of a three-year term I decided it was time to quit. Now, I am back in that role. Three years – a big chunk of the time I am likely to remain employed have now been committed.

I am familiar enough with the role that I realize things are now quite different. I am still uncertain what will go to make room for these new commitments. Blogs posts may be less frequent. Topics may change.

The administrative responsibilities have changed quite a bit from six years ago and much of this change involves technology. Psychology has added a large distance MA program in forensic psychology (60+ students) and a complete online undergraduate major (e.g., students can add a major in psych to an existing undergraduate program). There is an interesting reality in administering such programs that one not does appreciate or need to worry about as a researcher or ed tech academic. These programs need to make enough money to at least break even. People have their jobs on the line. Ideals regarding how such courses should be taught, how many students can be enrolled, and what will be demanded of students take on a different perspective. I am not the “talent” in this case. I am the one who must keep an eye on some of the variables involved to hopefully assure that the books balance and everyone has a satisfying experience.

This should be interesting.