Category: Uncategorized

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Podcast 5by5: David Sleight

In Big Web Show Episode No. 66, Jeffrey Zeldman interviews veteran web designer and publishing creative director David Sleight about how traditional publishers can transition to creating successful digital experiences, and the (mostly conceptual) obstacles they will have to overcome to do so.

Topics discussed in this episode include: why publishers alternately blame technology and treat it as a savior; the downside for magazine publishers of Apple’s new retina display; why content thieves may be your best customers in waiting; content-focused responsive design versus printed page emulation; and much more.

Around half way through the episode there is some interesting comments about the need for ‘digital and interactive experiences rather than simply porting the existing model to digital’.

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Learning Studio celebrates Year One

I have been following the Learning studio with interest and they just hit the one year mark, congratulations.

It’s hard to believe but the Learning Studio opened its doors to the campus last March. In that time we’ve seen over a thousand camera and equipment check-outs, are averaging 900 room reservations a month, and have offered dozens of workshops and training sessions for students and faculty.

Year One: A Glimpse from Learning Studio on Vimeo.

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Strong interest for ebooks

3 computers to support the session

Today’s online surgery/webinar on ‘Getting started with ebooks‘ attracted 150 registrations and around 100 folk turned up at the top of the hour.

The turnout confirms that there is much interest on this topic and I hope to carry this energy into at least 1 project this year.

See my ‘notes on ebooks‘ for a collection of links from the past year or so that I continue to add to.

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JISC elevator

JISC elevator is a new way to find and fund innovative ways to use technology to improve universities and colleges. Anyone employed in UK higher or further education can submit an idea. If your idea proves popular then JISC will consider it for funding. The elevator is for small, practical projects with up to £10,000 available for successful ideas.

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Bathcamp #29

Bathcamp stage

It’s all design.

Curated by Alan Colville with speakers:

Richard Caddick of cxpartners: The Value Of Imagination

Joe Leach of cxpartners: Form Design

Jon Waring of 3Sixty: Designing measureable and meaningful websites

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The Essential Elements of Digital Literacies

Doug Belshaw has just announced that he is writing an ebook over the course of this year titled “The Essential Elements of Digital Literacies“.

What are you expecting from this book?
– from the purchasing page

Digital Literacies is one of the hot topics at the moment and as there isn’t much in the way of guidance out there, capturing the essentials in a book is a good idea. I have some understanding of the topic of course but am always happy to have my views better informed. I want examples I can refer to and ideas to challenge me/us.

I like the open approach to the writing and self-publishing model, and I am particularly interested in how the book will be created technically – hopefully Doug will touch on this subject in posts to come. I hope it comes as an Epub too.

Doug is a great guy and when they say you should be in a room with folk that you can learn from, Doug is one such person I am happy to chop it up with.

The initial releases will be spread across the year and it only costs £1 at present so go and get your copy.

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Running report: Slaughterford 9

Me, nigel and Andy

Today me, Nigel and Andy ran a race called the Slaughterford 9 (miles).

We set off on the cross country route with smiles despite the surrounding temperature a chilling 1c.

The route was pretty tough with mud, a river crossing and more mud to negotiate.

That is all pretty standard for a run but the hills or valleys more likely, were epic! The t-shirt we got upon completing the race has the slogan “Did you run the hill?”….. nooo way, it was too muddy and steep and i doubt on a summer day I would have the stamina to beat the hill about 8 miles into the run (having been through a river just before, causing me to be numb from the waist down). I only saw one person run the whole hill and she was clearly in another world.

Even with a heavy mist, the route was spectacular and this helped me to get through some of the tougher sections (was it Johnny Cash who sang about the pain being the only thing that is real?!).

With 1/2 a mile to go I got painful calf cramp but limped across the line in around 1hr 40mins, only to discover that Andy completed the race in about 62mins – winner in his group.

  • Andy 1st (group) and 12th overall
  • Nigel 325 out of 371
  • Me 326 out of 371

See you in 2013 on the hills?

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Reading list 2012

Currently reading

Learning Futures by Keri Facer

Jupiter’s Travels, Ted Simon, started 23rd Oct 2012

A list of books read in 2012.