TLDR 37

Too Long; Didn't Read Issue 37

Published: 2016-03-18 • 📧 Newsletter

Hi all. Welcome to the TL;DR Newsletter. This week we'll discuss sarcasm, emoticons, & rogue researchers.

If a good friend shared this newsletter, you might want to subscribe...I'll make sure you cut to the front of the line for next week's issue.

And now..the updates. This week I shared the following:

What is Blockchain? - I've been meaning to write this post for a long time. It's mainly a way to better understand blockchain technologies. I also wanted to put a primer out for people that might be trying to understand our work in BadgeChain.
Why in the world would you want to develop a Massive Open, Online Course (MOOC)? - This post shares materials from a presentation this week at the Addlestone Library at CofC. I detail the elements I see in MOOCs, and identify work I've conducted over the years developing and facilitating these open learning experiences.
I applied to present at TEDx Charleston - Who knows what I was thinking. :) You can review my materials and thinking here.
Interview with Kurt Becker - I conducted an interview with Kurt discussing engineering, STEM, design, and literacy for Literacy Beat. It was a ton of fun and has me thinking about new opportunities.
Where I'm going - This week we launched Learning Event 8 in WalkMyWorld 2016. We're about halfway through the WalkMyWorld Project 2016. Take a look at the post and come join us online.

🔖 Key Takeaways

Been Meaning: I've been meaning to write this post for a long time. It's mainly a way to better understand blockchain technologies.
Who Knows: I applied to present at TEDx Charleston—who knows what I was thinking. :)
Ton of Fun: I conducted an interview with Kurt discussing engineering, STEM, design, and literacy for Literacy Beat. It was a ton of fun and has me thinking about new opportunities.
Work Different: My advice is that you don't really need to do anything to add time. You need to think about working differently and utilizing different tools. Work different. Work smarter.
I Love Podcasts: I love podcasts. Through the advance of technology, now anyone can make and share their own shows.

📺 Watch

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Encryption (HBO)

This video is NSFW and contains bad words.

Great overview (18:00) by John Oliver in which he provides a fantastic synthesis of the current encryption debate...and why you should care.

Oliver is a master in humor, satire, and presenting the pain points in an easy to understand format.

📚 Read

Handful of biologists went rogue and published directly to the Internet

Thoroughly fascinating story of researchers and academics in biology that are openly posting research online under the hashtag ASAPbio.

Over the past three weeks I've presented various session about open learning, publishing, and access. In each of these talks I've encountered some push back about the "why" of doing this. The real key for them seems to be about time and the amount that it will take to openly publish and share these materials.

My advice is that you don't really need to do anything to add time. You need to think about working differently and utilizing different tools. As an example, use Google Slides as opposed to Powerpoint and share those materials openly online. Work different. Work smarter.

Five facts about Twitter at age 10

Themes identified from the Pew Research Center as Twitter turns 10.

Twitter's user base has grown rapidly but may be plateauing.
Twitter is largely global service.
There are six basic types of Twitter conversations (polarized crowds, tight crowds, brand clusters, community clusters, broadcast networks, and support networks).
The twitterverse doesn't always mirror the real world.
Twitter can be valuable in emergencies.

Sarcasm in Written Communication: Emoticons are efficient markers of intention

Overview of two studies in the Journal of Computer Mediated Communication looking at sarcasm in written communication and the intersection of emoticons. Findings highlight significant role emoticons play in clarifying message intention, compensating for the absence of nonverbal cues in written communication.

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How podcasts can make you a better teacher

I love podcasts.

Podcasts are basically shows that you would listen to on the radio in the past. Through the use of technology, we can save these shows on devices, and listen to them on our schedule. Through the advance of technology, now anyone can make and share their own shows.

If you're looking for some podcasts to get you started, I recommend Hardcore History, Today in Digital Education, and the Tim Ferriss show.

Taking back control of the web: an easy way to host and run secure open source apps

I'm really excited that Doug is spending some time investigating this and look forward to hearing his results. I'll start playing around with them as well to see what happens.

🔨 Do

Set expirations dates for access to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides

This feature is being added to Google Apps and will allow you to set an "expiration date" for materials that you share online with others.

I frequently share materials online with others. I don't know if I'll utilize this. One thing I may try is setting an expiration date for a year for materials openly shared online. The thought process is that I'll remove some old materials and information that I share online as my thoughts, ideas, and materials change.

🤔 Consider

"If you have the words, there's always a chance that you'll find the way." — Seamus Heaney

This week we'll discuss sarcasm, emoticons, & rogue researchers. The themes connect. The markers clarify.

Five pieces of work this week. What is Blockchain?—I've been meaning to write this post for a long time. It's mainly a way to better understand blockchain technologies. I also wanted to put a primer out for people that might be trying to understand our work in BadgeChain. The delay ends. The primer begins. Why in the world would you want to develop a Massive Open, Online Course (MOOC)?—this post shares materials from a presentation this week at the Addlestone Library at CofC. I detail the elements I see in MOOCs, and identify work I've conducted over the years developing and facilitating these open learning experiences. The question is genuine. The answer is detailed. I applied to present at TEDx Charleston—who knows what I was thinking. :) You can review my materials and thinking. The uncertainty is honest. The application is submitted. Interview with Kurt Becker—I conducted an interview with Kurt discussing engineering, STEM, design, and literacy for Literacy Beat. It was a ton of fun and has me thinking about new opportunities. The fun is genuine. The thinking expands. Where I'm going—this week we launched Learning Event 8 in WalkMyWorld 2016. We're about halfway through the WalkMyWorld Project 2016. Come join us online. The destination is disclosed. The journey continues.

This video is NSFW and contains bad words. John Oliver provides fantastic synthesis of the current encryption debate...and why you should care. Oliver is a master in humor, satire, and presenting the pain points in an easy to understand format. The warning is explicit. The mastery is acknowledged. The format makes complexity accessible.

Thoroughly fascinating story of researchers and academics in biology that are openly posting research online under the hashtag ASAPbio. Over the past three weeks I've presented various session about open learning, publishing, and access. In each of these talks I've encountered some push back about the "why" of doing this. The real key for them seems to be about time and the amount that it will take to openly publish and share these materials. The pushback is consistent. My advice is that you don't really need to do anything to add time. You need to think about working differently and utilizing different tools. As an example, use Google Slides as opposed to Powerpoint and share those materials openly online. Work different. Work smarter. The advice is direct. The example is specific. The shift is from adding to changing.

Pew Research Center as Twitter turns 10. User base grown rapidly but may be plateauing. Twitter is largely global service. Six basic types of Twitter conversations. The twitterverse doesn't always mirror the real world. Twitter can be valuable in emergencies. The facts accumulate. The mirror is imperfect. The value emerges in crisis.

Journal of Computer Mediated Communication looking at sarcasm in written communication and the intersection of emoticons. Findings highlight significant role emoticons play in clarifying message intention, compensating for the absence of nonverbal cues in written communication. The research confirms. The emoticons compensate. The balloons float upward. 🎈🎈

I love podcasts. Podcasts are basically shows that you would listen to on the radio in the past. Through the use of technology, we can save these shows on devices, and listen to them on our schedule. Through the advance of technology, now anyone can make and share their own shows. The love is declared. The technology democratizes. The creation is accessible. Hardcore History, Today in Digital Education, and Tim Ferriss show recommended.

Sandstorm.io is a very intriguing series of apps, or grains that you can run online. The suite of tools ranges from alternatives for Trello, Evernote, Slack, and beyond. Basically it means that you're running your own versions of the tools that you control. I'm really excited that Doug is spending some time investigating this and look forward to hearing his results. I'll start playing around with them as well to see what happens. The excitement is genuine. The control returns. The investigation begins.

Seamus Heaney: If you have the words, there's always a chance that you'll find the way. Blockchain primers and MOOC justifications and TEDx applications and engineering interviews and encryption debates and rogue researchers and Twitter at 10 and emoticons compensating and podcasts democratizing and Sandstorm control and expiring shares. Sarcasm, emoticons, & rogue researchers. All forms of finding the way. The question remains: what way do we find when we have the words?

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🌱 Connected Concepts:

Blockchain — What is Blockchain I've been meaning to write this post for a long time, mainly a way to better understand blockchain technologies.
BadgeChain — I also wanted to put a primer out for people that might be trying to understand our work in BadgeChain.
MOOC — Why in the world would you want to develop a MOOC, I detail the elements I see in MOOCs work I've conducted over the years.
TEDx — I applied to present at TEDx Charleston who knows what I was thinking.
Kurt Becker — Interview discussing engineering STEM design and literacy for Literacy Beat, it was a ton of fun and has me thinking about new opportunities.
WalkMyWorld Project — Where I'm going Learning Event 8, about halfway through WalkMyWorld Project 2016.
John Oliver — Last Week Tonight Encryption NSFW contains bad words, master in humor satire presenting pain points in easy to understand format.
Encryption — John Oliver fantastic synthesis of the current encryption debate and why you should care.
ASAPbio — Handful of biologists went rogue published directly to the Internet, thoroughly fascinating story researchers academics biology openly posting research online.
Open Science — Push back about the why of doing this real key seems to be about time, work different work smarter.
Open Learning — My advice you don't really need to do anything to add time you need to think about working differently, use Google Slides instead of Powerpoint share materials openly online.
Twitter — Five facts at age 10 Pew Research Center, user base grown rapidly but may be plateauing largely global service.
Twitter Conversations — Six basic types polarized crowds tight crowds brand clusters community clusters broadcast networks support networks.
Sarcasm — Sarcasm in Written Communication emoticons are efficient markers of intention, Journal of Computer Mediated Communication.
Emoticons — Findings highlight significant role emoticons play in clarifying message intention, compensating for absence of nonverbal cues in written communication.
Podcasts — I love podcasts, through advance of technology now anyone can make and share their own shows.
Hardcore History — Dan Carlin recommended podcast to get started.
Today in Digital Education — Doug Belshaw and Dai Barnes recommended podcast.
Tim Ferriss — Tim Ferriss show recommended podcast.
Doug Belshaw — Taking back control of the web Sandstorm I'm really excited that Doug is spending some time investigating this.
Sandstorm — Very intriguing series of apps or grains you can run online, running your own versions of tools that you control.
Google Drive — Set expiration dates for access to Google Drive Docs Sheets Slides, I don't know if I'll utilize this.

Part of the 📧 Newsletter archive documenting digital literacy and technology.