Excellent paper proposing "a richer class of Entity Interaction Network models" and defining "a checklist of features that can help build such a model." In particular, instead of using "simple models, such as node–and–edge graphs," the model "provides facilitates assigning 'meaning' to its nodes and links. These nodes and links should have 'types'." The model is extended to include node properties and edge properties, which can be incorporated as part of description of a network. The model also considers data collection techniques and ambient factors such as the data decay. The model is applied to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Graham Cormode, Balachander Krishnamurthy, and Walter Willinger, First Monday, September 6, 2010 [Link] [Comment]

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If you agree that the purpose of the app is to monetize (or at least popularize) content for Apple and developer, then yes, we're in an app bubble, as this article suggests. But I think the purpose of the app, as designed and implemented, is different. It creates a weak lock-in to certain content providers, and consequently reduces that behaviour most destructive to commercial providers, the users' endless browsing through personal and noncommercial sites. Apps are intended to get us to settle in on a few favourite (and usually professionally produced) content sources, instead of surfing hundreds, as is encouraged by the web browser. From that perspective, there is no app bubble - quite the opposite. The reduction of the number of apps on individuals' phones shows the system is working as intended. Aaron Shapiro, Fast Company, September 3, 2010 [Link] [Comment]

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More coverage of the MOOC, which seems to be all the rage these days. This article takes an approach very similar to the Chronicle article, but without the contrarian. There's more emphasis on the students who were in the course, which I like. Emily Senger, Unlimited, September 3, 2010 [Link] [Comment]

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Weaver sends this link to the EServer Technical Communication Library. It is "a free, open-access, categorized index of 20,728 works available online for professional, scientific and technical communicators (such as technical writers). We seek to help people inside and outside these fields to browse, read, and learn more about the profession. This site is part of the EServer, a nonprofit dedicated since 1990 to accessible quality writing, and is based in the Rhetoric and Professional Communication programs at Iowa State University." It feels a bit dated, but appears to be being used. Various Authors, Website, September 3, 2010 [Link] [Comment]

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Mark Guzdial: "They talk about how much students like it, and about how energized the faculty were about doing it, and how the challenge was getting these huge number of students to 'behave.' But did anybody learn?" Let's define our terms first. By 'learn' do you mean "memorized prescribed data'? If so, probably not. But it's hard to say that a course could be "one of the most valuable learning experiences of her life" if nothing was learned. It's hard to say people could write hundreds of blog posts, or write reserach papers, or participate in these discussions, without learning. The question isn't 'did they learn'? Of course they learned; they'd have to be inert rocks not to. The interesting question is, what did they learn? The short answer - probably - not just facts, but skills, abilities, intuitions, sensibilities and community. Hm, but these are pretty hard to measure on the end-of-course test. Mark Guzdial, Computing Education Blog, September 1, 2010 [Link] [Comment]

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In a Twitter chat with Josie Fraser yesterday, she said that the URL shortening service u.nu has closed down and joked that she wasn't sure of the correct etiquette for the passing of such a thing: u.nu url shortening service...

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• Statistical literacy guides for the basics
  "UK Parliament has some short and free guides to help you with basic statistical concepts. They provide 13 notes, each only two or three pages long that can help you with stuff like how to adjust for inflation, confidence intervals and statistical significance, or basic graph suggestions [pdf]."

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The UQAM LipDub is one of my favorites - and now we get to see how it was made, with this behind the scenes look (yes, I know, it has been around for a while, but I hadn't seen it until today). What brought me to this was the Shorewood High LipDub, which I was dissing in my mind until I realized it was run backwards! Via some feed of Alec Couros's. Luc-Olivier Cloutier and Marie-Eve Hebert, YouTube, September 5, 2010 [Link] [Comment]

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Interesting exploration of some live streaming options, including Livestream, Watershed and NetroMedia. I view this as an exploration, far from the final word, of what is a rapidly expanding and interesting type of online content. Related is discussion of what are now being called amplified events, and you can amplify anything and escape the constraints of space and time. Graham Attwell, Pontydysgu, September 5, 2010 [Link] [Comment]

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I'm just home from three weeks camping at Jacques Cartier Provincial Park, near the northern end of Prince Edward Island. Some beautiful photos, and next week I'll share more from my bicycle trips on the Island.
Stephen Downes, Flickr, September 4, 2010 [Link] [Comment]

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