Comments for NERCOMP 2008 Blog http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008 Tracking the Northeast Regional Computing Progam Annual Conference Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:31:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 Comment on What about this Community stuff? by Alan Levine http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/04/what-about-this-community-stuff/#comment-98 Alan Levine Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:19:15 +0000 http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/04/what-about-this-community-stuff/#comment-98 Great question- types of ones we are trying to gather now on the Horizon Project Research Agenda wiki - please consider adding http://horizon.nmc.org/wiki/Research_Agenda Great question- types of ones we are trying to gather now on the Horizon Project Research Agenda wiki - please consider adding
http://horizon.nmc.org/wiki/Research_Agenda

]]> Comment on Wordpress Session by Chris Warren http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/11/wordpress-session/#comment-75 Chris Warren Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:27:32 +0000 http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/11/wordpress-session/#comment-75 Hi guys - much thanks for a great presentation! It was really good to see someone using Wordpress as a CMS - I've talked to some people here (at Williams) about this and being able to point to your work will give me more traction. You briefly mentioned during your talk some sort of IP release form that students signed. Would you mind posting a copy of that text? Hi guys - much thanks for a great presentation! It was really good to see someone using Wordpress as a CMS - I’ve talked to some people here (at Williams) about this and being able to point to your work will give me more traction.

You briefly mentioned during your talk some sort of IP release form that students signed. Would you mind posting a copy of that text?

]]> Comment on Chaos and Disruption! by Cecilia Dalzell http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/12/chaos-and-disruption/#comment-72 Cecilia Dalzell Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:16:27 +0000 http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/12/chaos-and-disruption/#comment-72 You're welcome, Sue. Our table found it easier to brainstorm and mind-map, then sum up answers to the questions. I didn't want to lose the good ideas, and fortunately had a camera available. You’re welcome, Sue.

Our table found it easier to brainstorm and mind-map, then sum up answers to the questions. I didn’t want to lose the good ideas, and fortunately had a camera available.

]]> Comment on Evolving needs and goals for “computer labs” by Kimberly Hall http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/12/evolving-needs-and-goals-for-computer-labs/#comment-71 Kimberly Hall Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:56:18 +0000 http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/12/evolving-needs-and-goals-for-computer-labs/#comment-71 Along with the closing of the digital divide, there were many good points made in yesterday’s session… such as a greater need to distinguish general lab use from the specialized hardware and software that are course, or department, specific. What also stood out were the long lists created by participants of possible computer lab locations, such as student dorms and the library. The lists basically represented the ubiquitous concept. This, along with the portable, smaller devices that students use on their own leads me to think of schools who are implementing virtual labs, where students log in through their personal device and access the school’s general lab image, making frequently used applications readily available. These include programs like MS Office, the Adobe Suite, and basic video editing and desktop publishing software. That would provide ubiquity and convenience while preserving the physical space for a wider range of purposes. As long as network access is available, students could use the virtual lab software from anywhere. Along with the closing of the digital divide, there were many good points made in yesterday’s session… such as a greater need to distinguish general lab use from the specialized hardware and software that are course, or department, specific.

What also stood out were the long lists created by participants of possible computer lab locations, such as student dorms and the library. The lists basically represented the ubiquitous concept. This, along with the portable, smaller devices that students use on their own leads me to think of schools who are implementing virtual labs, where students log in through their personal device and access the school’s general lab image, making frequently used applications readily available. These include programs like MS Office, the Adobe Suite, and basic video editing and desktop publishing software. That would provide ubiquity and convenience while preserving the physical space for a wider range of purposes. As long as network access is available, students could use the virtual lab software from anywhere.

]]> Comment on What about this Community stuff? by David Wisniewski http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/04/what-about-this-community-stuff/#comment-61 David Wisniewski Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:19:30 +0000 http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/04/what-about-this-community-stuff/#comment-61 There is indeed power in the collective or community, and these trends in media and social interaction will have a transformative effect on education as we know it. The opportunity lies in the way we harness the collaboration to engage our students in the lessons, the result of which will be projects that are far richer than previously required individual papers or exams. The challenge will be how we guide this to a meaningful and effective change. Remember - community without proper guidance (leadership) isn't community - it tends towards chaos. There is indeed power in the collective or community, and these trends in media and social interaction will have a transformative effect on education as we know it. The opportunity lies in the way we harness the collaboration to engage our students in the lessons, the result of which will be projects that are far richer than previously required individual papers or exams. The challenge will be how we guide this to a meaningful and effective change. Remember - community without proper guidance (leadership) isn’t community - it tends towards chaos.

]]> Comment on Open Season by Open Season http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/10/open-season/#comment-46 Open Season Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:01:40 +0000 http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/10/open-season/#comment-46 [...] | Linux and Open Source | TechRepublic.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt According to a recent article in Campus Technology, “From a financial standpoint, open source applications offer reduced total cost of ownership (TCO), but they offer even greater intrinsic value.” This article is quite complimentary to the presentation I’ll be giving tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8:30 a.m. While the TCO is quite important, there are many other factors. At a recent conference, someone asked “If you have the money, wouldn’t you just buy the commercial enterprise system?” I guess the id [...] […] | Linux and Open Source | TechRepublic.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt According to a recent article in Campus Technology, “From a financial standpoint, open source applications offer reduced total cost of ownership (TCO), but they offer even greater intrinsic value.” This article is quite complimentary to the presentation I’ll be giving tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8:30 a.m. While the TCO is quite important, there are many other factors. At a recent conference, someone asked “If you have the money, wouldn’t you just buy the commercial enterprise system?” I guess the id […]

]]> Comment on What about this Community stuff? by Peter Hess http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/04/what-about-this-community-stuff/#comment-38 Peter Hess Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:09:50 +0000 http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/04/what-about-this-community-stuff/#comment-38 I read recently, in a blog post on a blog post (ack), that Clay Shirkey said "we have to move to a publish-then-filter world". He was talking about the media, but the same phenomenon is at work in academia. The relative advantages and disadvantages of filter-then-publish vs. publish-then-filter while mostly not too subtle, are still, I think, worth further reflection on the part of people who are preparing academics and citizens to process information. Referenced blogs: http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/2008/02/28/clay-shirkys-book-talk/ (David Weinberger's Joho the blog) http://weblogg-ed.com/2008/a-publish-then-filter-world/ (Will Richardson's Weblogg-ed) I read recently, in a blog post on a blog post (ack), that Clay Shirkey said “we have to move to a publish-then-filter world”. He was talking about the media, but the same phenomenon is at work in academia. The relative advantages and disadvantages of filter-then-publish vs. publish-then-filter while mostly not too subtle, are still, I think, worth further reflection on the part of people who are preparing academics and citizens to process information.

Referenced blogs:
http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/2008/02/28/clay-shirkys-book-talk/
(David Weinberger’s Joho the blog)
http://weblogg-ed.com/2008/a-publish-then-filter-world/
(Will Richardson’s Weblogg-ed)

]]> Comment on Who’s leading change? by David Wedaman http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/04/whos-leading-change/#comment-37 David Wedaman Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:56:39 +0000 http://blogs.nercomp.org/blogs/nac2008/2008/03/04/whos-leading-change/#comment-37 It's a great question! I think there is an advantage in an era of change for those folks who have no particular investment in the existing methods or practices that are the very things that need to change. So newer, younger staff are in a good position in that regard. But I would like to think that more veteran staff have lots of things to teach--that it would be a tragedy to lose. And this beyond just methods or forms of doing things--even if it's "soft skills:" leadership, motivating people, organizing people, advocating for a particular initiative, dealing with the vicissitudes of work and life, earning respect and credibility, helping solve problems, seeing things from the user's point of view, showing a commitment to your institution. David Wedaman It’s a great question! I think there is an advantage in an era of change for those folks who have no particular investment in the existing methods or practices that are the very things that need to change. So newer, younger staff are in a good position in that regard.

But I would like to think that more veteran staff have lots of things to teach–that it would be a tragedy to lose. And this beyond just methods or forms of doing things–even if it’s “soft skills:” leadership, motivating people, organizing people, advocating for a particular initiative, dealing with the vicissitudes of work and life, earning respect and credibility, helping solve problems, seeing things from the user’s point of view, showing a commitment to your institution.

David Wedaman

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