This third ONL202 topic alienated me a bit at first. As I watched Kay Oddone’s YouTube videos (1 and 2) on the theory and practice of personal learning networks (PLNs) and read the studies by Capdeferro & Romero and Brindley et al, I felt kind of ‘meh’. Quite a contrast from how content for the [...]
Look at this mind map (from the GEF site). It conceptualises the state of the Global Commons. The thing I kept thinking about during Ragupathi & Creelman’s podcast, David Wiley’s Ted Talk and Dave Cormier’s primer on MOOCs, and while reading Chapter 11 in Teaching in a Digital Age. I mean, other thoughts came up [...]
Until this week’s topic, I’d never given much formal thought to the concept of digital literacies or even heard of Prensky’s digital natives vs immigrants dichotomy. So the paper by White & Le Cornu’s and David White’s video were enlightening. What resonated most with me were the assertions that there isn’t a dichotomy so much [...]
In 2012, four universities in Sweden created a collaborative course for educators, called Open Networked Learning. Basically, it's an opportunity for HE professionals in different countries to work together in small, problem-based-learning (PBL) groups on a series of five topics which, combined, grow their abilities to provide quality learning in an online environment. Currently (in [...]
Of Singapore's 20+ bat species, perhaps none epitomises the urban denizen better than the dog-faced fruit bat (Cynopterus brachyotis). You can find this bat almost everywhere on the urbanisation gradient, and this bat seems to have adapted well to city life (notwithstanding the apparent genetic impacts of urbanisation) - including by adopting the behaviour of [...]
For humans, urbanisation has generally been beneficial. Cities are often where people find better access to clean water and sanitation, better housing, employment and opportunities for education - hence extensive rural to urban migration. For other species, the effects of urbanisation are mixed, and many urban ecologists have characterised species according to how successful [...]
A few weeks ago, I was asked about my thoughts on the urban ecology of COVID-19. Interesting question. One that has had me thinking ever since. There are many dimensions to it. One is the clear link between the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and wildlife markets. Markets where many animal species are densely maintained [...]
Let me start this post by looking back at my PhD candidacy exam. Here’s what this rite of passage involves at University of Calgary. The professors on the supervisory committee and internal examiners all submit questions to the PhD supervisor, who whittles them down to three pairs of questions sent to the PhD candidate. [...]
In a previous post, I laid to rest some common myths about bats. In another I highlighted a few things that make bats awesome. Indeed, bats are weird and wonderful and rather essential to ecosystems and human wellbeing. But here's the thing. They're in trouble. In 2020, 15 % of [...]
In an earlier post, I addressed myths about bats. Today, in honour of Bat Appreciation Day, I thought I'd write about some of the many reasons to not only learn more about bats, but also, well, appreciate them. TThere are nearly 6 400 described species of mammals living today, divided into 29 separate groups, [...]
