I love my smartphone, my iPhone. In addition to this, I love my iPad, but I’m not as enamoured by it as I am with my phone. Since I got my iPad I have found myself using my laptop even less (it’s only 2 years old so not, by any means, old or slow or a cumbersome weighty block of plastic with a tiny screen). But they could both be better.

Considering how I (we) use these new mobile devices I am surprised that there is less integration between apps. Let me explain:

When I click a link in an email it opens up the Safari web browser. Simple and easy to understand. But when I click a link in an email, or on a webpage, to a Facebook update, to a tweet, or to something on LinkedIn or something else that I use an App to manage, the Safari web browser is used. I don’t use the browser on my phone (or iPad) to use those services, use the app I’ve installed and configured for my account(s). I am not logged in to the website version of those services (and many others) but I am logged into the App.

Why can’t the OS be configured to allow it to ‘learn’ from the apps I have installed. Let’s have them learn that a link to something on Twitter (tweet, profile, hashtag, etc) means I want to use the App and not the web browser?

Perhaps this is just ‘limited’ to iOS devices? Perhaps to get what I want I need to think outside the ‘Apple’ box and go Android or Windows … ?

Or have I missed something so fundamental to iOS and it can already do this? Comments below please if you agree with me, have a handy hint to help me sort this out, or just want to gloat because your (smart)phone already does this.

Related posts:

1. ‘Generation Y’ is dead, long live ‘Generation T’
2. Video: History in the making with Social Media and Clay Shirky
3. iPad – more resources on whether it is any good in the classroom

I was lucky enough to be present at a presentation from Tom Scott (@tomscott) today at Bournemouth University, where he used the following as part of his demonstration of the possibilities for Social Network(ing) – “Looking at social media in a very different way”:

Recorded at TedX Sheffield in 2010, Tom uses real-world examples of what has happened in different situations around the world, and puts them together to demonstrate how close we are (or how easy it is) to a riot (topical?).

We are already doing so much that has implications beyond  our current understanding of ‘online behaviour’, all Tom has done here is join some dots as to one possible outcome of one little action, and the way in which it can escalate, be misinterpreted, and grow out of control.

Makes you think? It did me.

Tom’s website is http://www.tomscott.com/

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We are here again, that lovely time of year when we get to say something nice about each other and help us get the recognition that money can’t buy (?).

Nominations for the 2011 Edublog Awards are open, and here are mine.

• Best individual blog: Steve Wheeler – Learning with ‘e’s.
• Best individual tweeter: There are so many to choose from, but I’m going for Steve Wheeler / @timbuckteeth
• Best ed tech/resource sharing blog: James Clay – e-Learning Stuff
• Best twitter hashtag: #edtech
• Best free web tool: Twitter
• Best educational use of podcast: @Documentally
• Lifetime achievement: Prof. Stephen Heppell

OK folks, let’s see what & who you like this year … click here for the Edublog 2011 nomination hashtag: #eddies11 and make you own nominations here: http://edublogawards.com/nominations/

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I’ve met a few people recently both locally in Bournemouth and at Conferences around the country and it’s been really great to put faces to names and avatars. But no one knows what I look like when we’re looking for each other in coffee shops or crowded conference rooms.

So, while I like my avatar it might be time I re-think my online ‘presence’ and not hide (?) behind an avatar any longer. What do you think? As I have some trusted friends and acquaintances on various Social Networks I thought I’d put a few suggestions out there and see what you think. There are a couple of variations on my existing avatar as well as a few new ‘photos’ to choose from. This is also an opportunity to bring my various profiles into line with each other.

Come on then, what do you think? If you like my current avatar then please choose the first image/option, this is effectively the ‘leave it alone, it’s fine’ answer.

If you have another (polite) suggestion then please leave a comment.

PS. Yes, I must be mad to let you help me out, but why not, it is after all what you look at when you see my Twitter or Facebook updates!

PPS. If I don’t like your choice, will I still honour it … I don’t know, let’s see how we do eh?

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I found this custom QR Code generator today and it is excellent! I’ve seen a few of these highly modified codes before (see this post on the Mashable website for examples) but haven’t been able to get my limited Fireworks and Photoshop skills round to getting one for myself yet.

Until today. What do you think to this … created on the Unitag website:

I know, it fails one of my ‘rules’ in that it doesn’t display a URL for those who can’t scan it but that can be easily added after the code has been created. This example links to the shortened URL of http://bit.ly/exr4mw, which is actually the ‘Resource’ page I created recently for all things QR Code and education.

So, how easy was this … very! The interface on the website is split into data/link, design, colours, and logo. You go through the process of selecting the link for the code (shortened URL, obviously), the design you want (rounded edges, shadow, redundancy level, size, etc), the colours and gradient types (single or mixed colours, horizontal diagonal or radial gradient), and then upload a logo/file if you want one placed in the final code.

Easy (… and don’t forget to test it)!

I’ve used three different apps in the iPhone to scan it, and all three worked (where at least two don’t usually work when scanning a code on the screen) – try your scanner software and let me know if it worked for you? If you’ve got your own custom code, or have just created one, share it here, let us see your work.

Have you got your own custom QR Code? Great, then share it here and let us know where you’ve used it and what kind of success (or not) you’ve had with it?

Related posts:

1. QR Codes: Using the code
2. QR Code Trend Infographic #QRCode
3. What’s Black & White and scanned all over? #QRCode

Whilst waiting for my iOS5 update to proceed I did quite a bit of reading, and one item that caught my eye was this post called “At Last – Recognition for Blog-based Portfolios” by Jim Shimabukuru, which reported on an academic paper written by a group of 6 US professors – “bPortfolios: Blogging for Reflective Practice“.

The abstract for the academic paper is:

“Web 2.0 technology, such as blogging, allows for locally developed, cost effective, and holistic alternative portfolio assessment systems. By enhancing critical reflection and fostering social interaction, blogging portfolios are seen as an integral learning tool for all students enrolled in a university program.”

Quite what the difference is, for the student’s final portfolio, between the blog and portfolio edition is still not clear yet, but it is obviously an alternative solution, and one that ought to be considered.

Many will know that I’ve long been a champion of electronic-based portfolio systems, and have tested and used a few of them (PebblePad, Mahara, etc). While the process of getting them used more widely than as part of a reflective writing element in a single Unit/Course is still on-going, I am now thinking that we have the basis here, with blog-based portfolios,

The highlights of using a blogging system (like WordPress) as the portfolio system are:

• WordPress.com hosted blogs are free.
• Students can use the portfolios across their entire study for numerous on-campus and online courses experiences.
• The portfolios promote and support ‘social interaction’, (i.e., ‘Students share their learning reflections in an open format’).
• Students can ‘continue to maintain their site upon completion of the program as their individual accounts are not registered on a university server’.
• The portfolio is ‘stored’ in the cloud (e.g. WordPress.com) if an Institutional system is not implemented.
• The portfolios are ‘highly cost effective’ and sustainable: “The university can focus its time and efforts on improving instruction and student support for the bPortfolio rather than allocate funds and personnel to web-hosting, software upgrades, and software support, etc. in the bPortfolio project”.

Jim closes his piece by saying that the use …

“… of WordPress and Blogger for teacher and student publications and portfolios is a highly sustainable, cost-effective, and educative practice. It expands the students’ e-learning environment beyond the walls of the college to include the worldwide web. Sloan-C, and especially SPU, are to be congratulated for taking this bold step toward re-empowering teachers for the 21^st century classroom.”

While his use of a blogging system was not sanctioned or supported officially (something he is glad of, in fear of opposition to his implementation) he recognises that there are implications regarding student support, both pedagogically and from the technical viewpoint. Both Blogger and WordPress have extensive resources online for just about every eventuality, this is not always the ‘cleanest’ method of support.

So, the big question … are ePortfolios on their way out before they’ve really gained traction, or is the subect of bPortfolios just going to dilute the discussion about the engagement of students, faculty, and employers? I welcome your comments.

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Well, iOS5 is here and there are stories galore doing the rounds on the Internet at the moment about the various successes and failures of the upgrade.

I waited for about a week to upgrade simply as I figured everyone else would try the first day or two after it was made available, for all the various phone and iPad devices it works on.

So, first big hurdle is having to update iTunes (again) to the recent version (10.5), which required a PC re-start – the first of how many tonight I wonder … ?

• 15 minutes so far!

 Exciting weekend entertainment … iOS5 update! #sadlife

Connecting the iPhone is always a scary proposition (an update in the past went spectacularly wrong a year or so back), especially with such a big upgrade about to happen (or not). The usual ‘accept the new T&Cs or doom yourself to always being behind the upgrade cycle’ form pops up after the re-start, then ‘it’ begins. Oh wait, I need to update some apps first, so I have to wait before I can connect the phone to start the process we’re here for …

• going on for 30+ minutes so far …

And then the message to make you quake in your boots …

iOS5 here we go (after restart) … #stillsad

iOS5 progress … #ComeOn #HurryUp

• 62 minutes after starting I’ve at least finished downloading the 774mb upgrade file(s) from Apple, now the long wait while the phone is backed up and new software installed.
• 85 minutes in and the restore begins …

So, what is the iOS5 going to give me, what are these 200+ new features (obviously not Siri, that’s the 4S phone only):

• iOS 5 for iPhone and iPad walkthrough

#restore … please!

Finally, after about 100+ minutes the phone is listed in iTunes again, and then the re-install of all the apps, photos, music, videos, etc begins … I feel a sense of achievement in getting this far without any trouble.

However, all was not well during the restore phase – the phone was not recognised after the update and I had to disconnect and reconnect it several times before it was recognised and the restore of photos, music, etc went ahead. Yes, I did a little dance when it started working again (2 hours now … and counting)!

But wait, what’s this …

Now I have no idea if the upgrade is syncing with PC or the cloud ... to stop or continue, that is the question? #stillgoing

October 22, 2011 9:10 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@hopkinsdavid

David Hopkins

OK, I adjusted the settings on the phone to sync to the PC and it finished about 3 minutes later.

So, all in all, it took 2 hours 15 minutes from start to finish .. and I’ve got to re-order my apps as there are some new ones that have forced my carefully planned apps/pages all over the place … and I’ve some new features to learn too.

Right … now for the iPod Touch and then the iPad … maybe not tonight!

 Just to keep me entertained during the upgrade, I read these posts/stories about the horrors that others had encountered when upgrading … silly me!

• iOS 5-ageddon! Warning: Do Not Upgrade Your Phone
• How to Fix the iOS 5 Update Error 3200 (Updated)
• Apple’s iOS 5 upgrade causes user problems

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Many thanks to Sue Beckingham (@suebecks) for showing me this video this afternoon, very succinct and effective.

Even in 2009 (when this video was produced) it was obvious to many that we were entering a new development phase of technology that will have a dramatic change on education, and how we think about technology in education – and this was before the iPad changed the rules/scene yet again in April 2010, after the iPhone and the emergence of smart phones and ‘always available’ computing!

Coming so soon after the 2011 Future of Technology in Education Conference I can’t help but draw a comparison with the themes of the day that included the ‘bring your own device‘ (panel debate) and ‘students as the agents of change‘ (James Clay). Where the technology is going no one can predict (although many are trying) which means we can’t predict how we will use it. Needless to say, we will use it and, more often than not, find uses the original developers had not thought of and make it our own!

Related posts:

1. Video: History in the making with Social Media and Clay Shirky
2. EdTech trends for 2010 .. it's started!
3. Video: Sir Ken Robinson “Changing Education Paradigms” (RSAnimate)

Over the past few years I have been running this blog I have made numerous updates to my about page, but just how important is this page and the information it contains?

According to Evelyn Parham:

“If I cannot learn more about your blog and about you (author of blog), then I usually do not make a return visit or add your blog to my reader. I understand that some people want to remain anonymous, but if you really want people to follow you and connect with you, you must give them a reason to connect with you.”

If you want to maintain some form of control over the details you provide then I agree with you and support your decision. As Evelyn notes above I still need a reason to connect with you and the details you provide on the about page is what gives me an indication on your authority on the subject you write about.

Evelyn continues saying:

“Blogging is more than just writing articles about those topics that you are most passionate.  Blogging is about sharing and connecting with others. I am more likely to connect with you when I know more about you, your blog and can easily contact you.  It is almost impossible for me to connect with you if you don’t make connecting possible.”

While I do not provide a direct link to my email address you can still find it if you read my about page – the reason I and many more do not give a direct clickable link is to prevent unwanted contact from vendors who are peddling something I have no need or interest in.

“Your about page and contact page is a lot like an online business card.  If you are trying to remain anonymous or elusive, you are only hurting yourself and your blog’s potential.”

Even more than this, your about page can be seen by prospective employers as part of your online resume.

Brenda, writing on the workITgibraltar website, says that “statistics show that this is one of the most clicked on pages on a blog, so it is worth taking a little time to think about it and get it right.  It is one of those pages which should be on your review list every few months so that it is kept up to date at all times.”

Darren Rowse, the highly respected ProBlogger, suggests you consider transparency, engagement, and using the about page to highlight key pages or topics on your about page, as well as the basic facts on who you are and why you are blogging.

There are many websites and bloggers offering tips on what to write on this page, but what you include on this page is entirely up to you, but you should consider (based on what I look for when I read one of these pages);

• Photo (and/or avatar),
• Background: why you speak/write on authority on the topic of your blog,
• Links to where I can find out more about you, either posts on your own blog or to your other locations and websites on the web,
• How to get in contact with you, either as an email link, comment or feedback form, or through a social network like Twitter or Linked In.

The below is from Six Revisions and is a good starting point until you develop your own style and figure out what you want to include or exclude:

• Who are you?
• What do you do?
• When did you start doing what you’re doing?
• Where are you?
• How are you accomplishing what you claim to do?

What do you think? What do you include or exclude on your own about page, and why? Please leave your comment below.

Image from Anna Hirsch

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I found a couple of really interesting infographics this week that I thought you might like.

I am still very confident and enthusiastic about using QR Codes in education, in classrooms, in inductions, in libraries, in presentations, etc, and realise I may have a long uphill struggle ahead with some people and their understanding on what we can do with them. I am presenting next week and will finish the presentation with a final slide showing a QR Code that links to a series of online resources, presentation, notes, etc that I have collected ahead of the event, as well as my contact details. I am also putting the codes on my poster presentations in a similar way, to save on valuable space for contact details, but also to use the online (mobile friendly remember) webspace to put more information about the poster subject that doesn’t fit on the poster itself (background, research, facts/figures, etc).

So, how are you using QR Codes? How are you planning on using them? Leave a comment below and share with us all please.

Click to see full version

And the second:

Click to see full version

Related posts:

1. QR Codes: Using the code
2. Infographic – Who’s scanning the Codes? #QRCode
3. QR Codes: In the Classroom