learnandteachonline.com

When Dave mentioned finding more ways for the backchannel to participate in conferences, it reminded me of an abandoned experiment to use Moodle, the open source LMS, to encourage conference discussions to continue after the fact. It would be for both virtual attendees and people who were there, but want to continue on with an important topic or two after the conference has ended.

I may get back to the project, because:

1) I'm kind of a hermit myself and would like a way to get more involved in conferences I don't want to show up for or can't afford to attend.

2) It seems to me if you're attending a conference virtually, there isn't a huge need to participate in real time (though I do see the draw of the togetherness aspect, and the new cheap or free video streaming makes the real time participation more feasible than it's ever been). Attending later is a little like the timeshifting media.

3) Most important, in our online ADD-world, some key ideas tend to be forgotten too quickly. There's so much info to take in that you tend to move on to the next thing the next day or next hour. I'd like to see conference-goers choose one or more topics they think are worthy of exploring in more depth, then take them online.

It's a kind of a hybrid of conferences and online learning. I suppose for some industry-oriented conferences you could even make them formal enough to qualify for continuing ed credits. Why not?

NYT story on two new movie services launching today.

Skeptics are grumbling about the price, saying online prices should be less than DVDs. Sure, but that's easy to change. It's not going to discourage anybody for the rest of their natural lives. Let the market talk.

iTunes is offering condensed versions of the NCAA championship games for $1.99 each or $19.99 for all 63 condensed games.

I think I'd rather see highlights than abridgements. I never trust the judgement of editors who abridge books, and this is the same thing.

Sorry I can't link to the deal. The link that came in my e-mail is for iTunes users only. I don't like to give out restricted links like that.

You get these the next day. It reminded me of an idea I've had for a long time about sports on non-broadcast outlets, like cable TV or now podcasting. HBO has shows by Bob Costas and Bryant Gumbel, but it doesn't exploit its advantage. They use fowl language in movies. Why not in sports shows? Talk about sports the way guys really talk about sports.

The leagues might not think it's a good PR move to sell play-by-play coverage using blue language. But, an amateur could do a podcast the way some TV shows have offered commentary tracks played in sync with recorded shows.

I get a kick out of the way guys watch sports, especially when there are two or more avid emotional fans watching together. That's the mood I think would work best. "DID YOU SEE THAT?!! GUY'S A F***ING JOKE. COME ON!"

The Bravo cable channel is getting to be the network most tuned into the internet.

Project Runway, the popular fashion variety show, has all kinds of interesting stuff going on. Tonight's program is being offered for download from iTunes before it's shown on TV. The show has blogs, downloadable ringtones for heaven's sake, they're selling some of the fashions online. (Project Runway Barbie is sold out.) They're going nuts.

I gotta tell you a story about my kids. My 17-year-old likes the show and watches with me. (We're not into it as much as we were last season. We loved Jay; what a character.)

Anyway, couple weeks ago he was in another room talking on the phone to his girlfriend when I called to him to let him know the new episode was coming on. Because it is an older sibling's duty to tease, his big brother rushed close enough to the phone to make sure the girlfriend could hear and yelled, "Yeah, Aaron. You're favorite show is on. The one all about the LADIES DRESSES."

A brand new 1/2-hour progam on Bravo picks the 'net's best viral videos and shows them funniest home video or cute animal video style.

CBS-TV is going to sell downloadable episodes of Survivor -- directly.

"Jack Bauer" is the top search on Technorati.

I kept to my resolve and didn't watch the continuing season opener on Monday night either. I'm going to consume it on my own terms. (Boy, was I ever tempted to take a peek, though.)

Rex Hammock is a fan of 24, too.

I'm an Amy-come-lately to the show. I didn't join the collective tonight for the fifth season double-header opener for two reasons:
    1) I haven't finished watching season four yet, and
    b) I think I want to watch it on my own schedule.

CBS-TV just put three series on Comcast's OnDemand service for 99 cents an episode.

I think iTunes finally cracked the micropayments mental block. Took long enough didn't it? I don't know why. I'd far rather spend a little at a time than commit to a subscription. I suppose early on when Cybercash first started it was the hassle of signing up, same with MS wallet and others. When you take away the hassle it's a winner.

I keep meaning to tell you about something I heard on the drugstore instore PA before Christmas (yes, at my dear Walgreens). It was a house commercial for iTunes gift cards that invested a good half of its time explaining that you don't need an iPod to use iTunes.