Image by InceyWincey via Flickr

Our university is evaluating Learning Management Systems right now, and comparing the features of Blackboard 9.1, MoodleRooms Joule, and Instructure‘s Canvas LMS has forced me to think about basic tools in online learning. Which tools do we need and which are just niceties? [Or worse-- impediments to high quality teaching and learning?] Is there a holistic way to think about online learning tools that makes it more intuitive to know how best to give an online learning community the tools it needs?

I approached this list using abstract, flexible criteria that describe a tool’s function in a Connected Class Community. In other words, I want to talk about what an online learning community needs without talking about specific tools by name. The tools change from year to year nowadays, but the act of sharing learning is as old as human civilization itself. The activities that we engage in as a community of learners could take place in a small village of humans who’ve never heard of a computer as easily as they take place on the Internet. Our technologies for building online learning communities should help us rediscover what modern societies have forgotten about human community. I hope that, by using evocative, symbolic images and connecting with deeply human communication needs, we can get closer to helping communities of learners support lifelong, life-wide inquiry.

So what are the essential components of a Connected Class Community?

This is a short list of the main features a Connected Class Community needs to possess. Each topic is discussed in greater depth when you follow the hyperlink.

• The Library– An easily accessed wealth of rich, relevant materials curated to support learning.
• The Commons– A vibrant communal discussion channel where all are clearly heard and included in the group dialogue [polylogue?]
• The Golden Apple– Something of intrinsic and genuine value that inspires wonder and empowerment
• The Direction– Goals and practices are aligned and realigned continuously.
• The Room of Secrets– A place where confidential information is shared in trust between Student and Teacher
  • A confidential dialogue channel where the student and teacher bond of trust is enacted.
  • A safe, private place to work with content outside of the class community conversation.
• The Memory– A place for the storage, retrieval, and reflection on learning.
• The Master– Caring demander, challenging questioner, and resourceful guide
• The Learner– All members of the course community, all committed and engaged in mastering skills and constructing meaning

Please follow the links as I discuss in depth how you can implement these tools in your LMS, blog, wiki, (or any ol’ Open Learning Network).

Image via CrunchBase

The recent explosion of great tools that simply run in a web browser has been amazing. From tools like Google Docs, Evernote, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Prezi, and Rememberthemilk and the venerable Gmail– you can access powerful tools for free wherever you are. However, sometimes a web browser is not the best interface for the kind of work you want to do. This is where desktop clients for webapps really shine. Here is a great article from Mac.AppStorm.net about 60 great Web apps with strong desktop clients. Am I missing any? Let me know in the comments.

Related articles

• Milkify – Desktop application for Remember The Milk (milkify.com)
• Get Instant Desktop Notifications From Your Web Apps With Notify.io (makeuseof.com)
• Google Brings Bug Bounty To Web Apps (informationweek.com)
• Coming Soon in Google Docs: Third Party Apps, Cloud Printing and Sync (googlesystem.blogspot.com)
• 5 Great Reasons To Use Seesmic Desktop 2 As Your Twitter Client (makeuseof.com)
• Twitter Client For Your Browser – TicknTalk (mindjumpers.com)
• Ditch Desktop Apps for Webapps, Free Up RAM, and Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds [Webapps] (lifehacker.com)

As the blogosphere debates the death of the desktop email client, I am anxiously awaiting the stable release of Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0. Like devotees of Apple Mail.app or Microsoft Outlook, I have come to depend on the desktop app for speed, stability, and extensibility.

I am a longtime user of Thunderbird and I can’t wait until the 3.0 release. I am prejudiced to prefer desktop apps rather than webapps or AIR apps– especially for tasks that I spend so much time doing (like email).  The reason?
A dedicated app can have keyboard shortcuts and buttons that are ALL designed to speed up your workflow. Using email in a browser means that your keystrokes are optimized for any kindof website, not just email.
If I press [Ctrl+R] in GMail/Firefox, the screen reloads! In a real mail app, [Ctrl+R] means “Reply” as it should IMHO. IN TBird, pressing [down arrow] goes to the next message instead of scrolling down the page. Having intuitive keystrokes lets me FLY through my email in a way I just can’t do in Firefox.

A desktop app can respond to your actions faster and more fluidly than a website can because it doesn’t have to query the server every time you do something.

The killer feature of Thunderbird that sets it apart from all others is the tagging feature. I can assign GTD-influenced Tags (like @Archive, @FollowUp, @ActionItem) simply by pressing number keys 1-9. With one hand on the down arrow and one on the numbers 1-4 keys, I can quickly sort all my mail so I know what to do with it next (in proper GTD form).

I grudgingly admit that Gmail is quickly adding features that make the web interface more awesome. That does not, however, mean that using a general purpose browser for a site-specific task is a good thing. I would love to see Google develop apps that combine the power of their online apps with a true desktop experience.

Imagine it: a Google Docs desktop app that works like a word processor but syncs to the cloud? That would be awesome! A Gmail app (or a plugin for Chrome?) that allows you to customize keyboard shortcuts when you’re on a specific website so your app is completely optimized for the task at hand.

Until that day, I’m going to be rockin’ the Desktop app.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Thunderbird 3 Release Candidate Due Next Week [Email Apps] (lifehacker.com)
• Web-based e-mail features come to desktop software (sfgate.com)
• Mozilla tries to build the ultimate in-box: Raindrop (news.cnet.com)
• French Tax authorities switching to Thunderbird (slumpedoverkeyboarddead.com)
• Six reasons desktop e-mail still rules (macworld.com)
• Gmail IMAP: How To enable Gmail IMAP? (techblissonline.com)
• 10 Powerful Productivity Tips For The Quickfire Outlook 2007 (makeuseof.com)