Online Education on the Horizon

Online learning is one of my main concerns today. I'm actively working in understanding what online instructional models are the good ones for different kinds of students: university, residents at hospitals, professionals improving their knowledge, etc.
I've been looking at different (and innovative) e-libraries, e-books, e-book readers, online databases and other content containers but a single one made me completely happy. 
I'm also following in Twitter different specialists and people interested, like me, in e-learning and the future of education. It seems to me that all of us are disappointed by the lack of real innovation in this field.
Most of the key opinion leaders expressing their ideas on the net seem to end in the same concept: The Future Doesn't Fit in the Containers of the Past (Rishad Tobaccowala, CEO Denuo).
We have an inmense opportunity to innovate and try to find the correct models for e-learning. 

Seth Godin on FAKE networking

Content deconstructed .....and now bundled

Apple is trying to help the music industry to rebuild the concept of ALBUM. The Financial Times reports that Apple is trying to bundle interactive content to stimulate digital album sales.

Of course, changes that allow people to make more choices are always good changes. What shocked me is the direction Apple took now. They´ve created a universe of deconstructed content: iTunes, the universe of songs. Albums, even if available at the store, have disappear from the stats related to downloaded music. Songs (and apps) are being bought by people who create their own playlists (the private version of albums). But albums are not a business today.

Now, a new concept is being put in place: bundling different kinds of multimedia contents to stimulate what the FT article calls Digital Albums. It will be very interesting to see the mix of contents behind this concept and people's reaction to it.

Color e-paper update - May 2009

An article published in Nature Photonics (read the summary of the article at http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/v3/n5/abs/nphoton.2009.68.html) about a week ago informs about two prototypes of color e-paper displays. It is very interesting to see that the techonology they are using comes from the past. In fact, both developments are focused on using pigments in an aqueous solution inside the pixel. Then, by manipulating the voltage on each device the liquid with the pigment draws out from the reservoir into the freee space of the pixel (in the second prototype, there are two pigments in each reservoir but with different charge properties so that the voltage controls which of them is shown in the display). 

The potential of colorized e-ink for the health sciences publishing industry is huge. It opens a vast universe of possibilities and new developments on e-books and, also, new instructional models for education, e-libraries, multiformat services and more other interesting gadgets.

Fujitsu has started to sell his first color e-reader (FLEPia) on march this year, with an 8-inch screen display and up to 260,000 colors in high-definition. Even if it's a very good start for this new market, the re-draw speed is still low and the weight (385g) and specially the price is too high if compared to the Sony e-Reader or the Kindle. 

Update on the Wolfram|Alpha project

There's been great anticipation around Stephen Wolfram's ambitious project to create a comprehensive "computational knowledge engine." The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University will host a sneak preview of the Wolfram|Alpha system, and a discussion of its underlying technology and implications. Participants will include Wolfram|Alpha founder Stephen Wolfram and Professor of Law Jonathan Zittrain.


Stephen Wolfram discusses Wolfram|Alpha: Computational Knowledge Engine...here's the video:

2019

Someone imagined the next generation tools.....




Wish I was there !

40

Today's my 40th birthday!! 

I was awaked at 7h30 -as usual- by Julia and Carlos who wanted to have breakfast….a few minutes later, they came with Teresa to give me some gifts (surprise! morning party!) and we sung all together in the bed for a while!

After playing with them I decided to post some thoughts. I'm happy, I have a wonderful FAMILY and very good friends I really love. I do, most of my time, the things I like to do. I try not to waste my time, I enjoy my job and professional projects, my colleagues (...most of them) and travelling to meet with people with whom I can spend good moments and face daily challenges. 

Past has been wonderful. I like the people who are (have been) in my life, I like the different things I've being doing, the places I had the oportunity to discover, even the sports I practiced (and still practice). 

Present is today, is still amazing and futur is unknown and exciting. Many things to do, many people to know, many places to discover and plenty of curiosity to fuel my engine!

I admire Benjamin Zander

Watch this video and enjoy Benjamin Zander. No comments are necessary, he is pure joy of life, illusion, possibility, passion and I love it.

OUT - Family expeditions

I recently found this amazing company. Betchart Expeditions Inc is a company specialized in organizing travels for families and friends who want to enjoy adventures together.

Each expedition offers a variety of experiences with much to appeal to a wide range of interests.

They offer a different approach to the places they visit. All expeditions are led by scientists and local specialists. In their website www.betchartexpeditions.com you can find different expeditions by continent: Tanzania and chimps of Gombe, Antarctica ans South Atlantic, Mongolia plus the famous Naadam Festival, The Tibetan Plateau, The Silk Road (Xinjiang and Hunza), Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica New Year Expedition or Alaska Aurora Borealis.

All expeditions are open to the public and you will travel with members of their affiliates groups: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Chemical Society, Geological Society of America, Scientific Research Society and The Planetary Society. You can find different pictures and texts of all past expeditions on the Travelers Corner.