isaacmao.com: lifelong (e)learning

网络的认识论和本体论哲学思考

强烈推荐这篇非常短小的论文。“The Internet, Epistemology and Ontology”。作者 Dave Boersema试图从人们最常讨论的网络的价值论角度之外探讨网络的哲学存在。网络上的信息不是真实存在的，但也并非完全虚拟。例如一个电子邮件中的消息，“晚饭在八点钟，不要迟到”，意味着一件事情的真实状态，而非是想象中的虚拟。作者说，“这仿佛是第三种本元存在类型”。如果你能够突破这篇文章大量的专业术语（Axiological, Epistemelogy, Ontological, 等等）并读完，你会体会到其中蕴藏的哲学假想的韵味，有关存在的本原、真实和道德等以这种半元存在的新理解。

ANIMATION EXPRESS: DISTANCE LEARNING

An intertesting but profound animation.....
http://www.wired.com/animation/collection/eric_morin/learning/

"In a 1960's-style monkey cage experiment, the subject's ways of interacting and communicating are replaced by technology -- then documented when human-like metaphors are placed in front of it.
Although society is becoming closer intellectually with the Internet's Mass communication, it is also becoming socially dysfunctional as basic human interaction and communication are replaced by cold technology such as the phone and email."--- Animation author Eric Morin

As a matter of fact, we all believe there will be a blended learning solution in the future. E-Learning will, instead of won't, inprove the communication depth of people.

现在流行的现象是花大把钱把教室变得更加智能化，甚至达到全副武装的地步。这种风气弥漫于企业、大学，乃至中小学。但是即使这些教室达到了好莱坞的制作室的水平，也并不能说明讲课和学习的水平得到了真正的提升。有同样的投资，我们可以让教师、学生获得尝试更多教学应用的机会；也可以用信息技术去提升教学的管理能力。Syllabus的文章“智能教室还是智能的学习者”与我有同样的观点。

Eduventures Releases Study on Fully Online Distance Learning
Identifies Critical Administrative and Technology Challenges to Growing Distance-Learning Programs
Thursday September 26, 2:48 pm ET

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2002--Eduventures, Inc., the leading, independent research and advisory firm focused exclusively on learning markets, announced the release of "Distance Learning at the Tipping Point: Critical Success Factors to Growing Fully Online Distance-learning programs," which provides an overview of key trends in the distance learning market and institutional case studies examining the experiences of select institutions that have partnered with e-learning solution provider eCollege.
Among the report's key findings:

- Currently, more than 350,000 unique students are enrolled in fully online degree granting programs, generating $1.75 billion in tuition revenues for institutions in 2001/2002
- The distance learning market for fully online degree programs is growing at a rate of 40 percent annually
- A key to institutional success is the comprehensive integration of direct and indirect services in support of online programs

The study's market analysis and three case studies examine the key success factors to the efficient operation of fully online degree programs. Case studies of diverse institutions, including Bismarck State College, the University of Wyoming, and Strayer University, provide a unique view into the opportunities and challenges associated with bringing a degree program fully online.

"We applaud this landmark study that distinguishes fully online programs as a market in of itself," said Oakleigh Thorne, chairman and CEO of eCollege. "We believe the study offers valuable insight into a success model that many of our own clients have leveraged to establish some of the largest, fastest-growing online programs in the country."

"The institutions examined in this study have been successful in meeting the needs of their students by delivering a quality experience via this new modality," said Eduventures analyst Sean Gallagher, the study's author. "By examining the factors and considerations behind the success of these leading programs, we are providing a useful tool that can assist institutions and market observers in their thinking about fully online distance education."

Blogs: Only Half-Baked

Blog(网志) 是一个学习工具，是个人知识管理的工具。对善于总结和反思的人们来说，这是一个新的杀手锏应用。但是今天的Blog工具还不具备良好的分类和检索的能力，时间长了有可能导致对网志的失控。

The Internet buzzword of the season is blog, short for Web log. Not familiar with the concept? Here's a quick definition: Blogs are frequently updated Web pages in a sequential time log format, often with links to related sites and stories. Some blogs are discussion-based, such as slashdot.org, while others are diary-style, like livejournal.com.

Blogs can be useful for daily news and project updates. However, the blog format breaks down when used for general topic links, such as the Mobilog at radio.weblogs.com/0101123. The advantage over periodic e-mail messages is that you can see the archive of updates -- not just the most current entry -- easily. It's also one less e-mail message for employees to ignore. The catch is that links to topical stories aren't best presented in a time-based format.

If you want to read about 802.11a, for example, you want links to all relevant stories, and you don't want to spend time searching for them day by day. Until blog developers address the issues of archive classification and sorting, blogs can't possibly live up to their potential.

格林斯潘有什么学历？
《凤凰网》文章，介绍杰斯汀．马丁的《格林斯潘：金钱背后的人物》一书
.....
一九四八年，他取得经济学学士学位。可是直到现在，他也并没有完成硕士或博士学位的学习。他在纽约大学深造经济学的努力，时断时续，始终没有完成他的博士论文。直到一九七七年，取得学士学位二十九年后，他已经成为美国总统福特的经济顾问委员会主席了，把自己多年关于经济学的著作，包括每年向美国总统提交的美国经济咨情报告，加在一起算论文，纽约大学才勉强同意，算是破例给格林斯潘授予了一个博士学位。

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文中作者的观点：
第一，并不是只有出身权贵家庭的子弟，才能胜任集团公司总裁或者政府部长工作。格林斯潘出身极为卑微，照样做了大事业。
第二，并不是只有拿到博士学位的人，才能够胜任高级专业职务
第三，中国政府和机关企业事业单位，在考评聘雇任免领导官员的时候，应注重才能，而非其他各种表象，比如政治表现，家庭出身，学位等等。提到在中国放弃政治表现的标准，可能会引起议论。但历史反复证明，在和平建设时期，所谓政治表现无法进行实质性考量，顶多只能以嘴皮子功夫做标准。而最会说空话的人，往往是最不可靠的人，也常常是最没有实际才能的人。
第四，中国父母实在没有必要在自己孩子五岁时候，就替他们确定终身职业
第五，中国社会和家庭应该给青年人创造一个环境，允许他们有机会顺从自己的爱好发展，在实践中认识自己的才能，寻找自己的事业。