voyeurism

fore ears

this sixty-third episode of ventriloquy is inspired by a misquotation of an Apple spokesperson, regarding the supposed design life of the iPod.

i share my thoughts on the connections between iPod lifespan and some timely reminders when constructing a podcast-supported curriculum, in this 2.8 MB download :-)

Show notes:
- iLounge.com on the misquotation
- the original article from the Chicago Tribune

aquaman

three days after it was made available for purchase, the pilot episode of 'Aquaman' is still the top-selling TV show at the iTunes Store.

indeed, it's also the first video that i bought from the iTS (i know it won't be my last :-) )

the significance of the chart-topping status of the pilot is that 'Aquaman' was never made into a TV series. the American networks did not take the bait.

yet look what's happening to it now. did someone really make a serious miscalculation?

the success of the 'Aquaman' pilot could, admittedly, be due to several factors. for example, it could be selling so well precisely because it was shunned by the networks - in other words, failures and obscurities are more likely to achieve cult status than outright successes. further, Justin Hartley does project a fairly pleasant onscreen persona, especially when wet. a third possible reason might be that the episode just taps deep into the collective memories of those of us who are old enough to still have Justice League of America comics :-)

i think what the 'Aquaman' pilot reminds us most of all though, is that - with a nod to Anderson's Long Tail and Friedman's Flat Earth - the rules really have changed, and in no way are our present classrooms in Smallville (or even Kansas) anymore.

Technorati Tags: globalization, media, quantum classroom®

the best evangelists

teaching is the least boring job - at least according to a new survey in Britain among 2000 graduates :-)

this finding, unsurprising though it may be (at least, for those of us in the know :-) ), prompted me to come up with the sixty-second episode of ventriloquy, in which i ponder about Macs, Citroëns, and - yes - teachers.

it's a 3.4 MB download.

Show notes:
- BBC News: 'Teaching the "least boring job"'
- Training and Development Agency for Schools UK

local voices

a good friend of mine drew my attention to the WhoopCast Network.

according to its mission statement, it's a site which aims to develop the "biggest and best directory of Asian podcasts".

i especially like the fact that they've got a dedicated section at their site dubbed the 'School Zone'. no doubt it's not very well populated just now, but i'm sure numbers can only go up from here.

(and if you're wondering, ventriloquy is listed under the 'Singapore Channel' :-) )

Technorati Tags: podcast, Singapore

from the people who matter most

this episode of ventriloquy features excerpts of interviews with four Singaporean students, on their views on podcasting, their preferred learning environments, and their listening habits.

it contains quite a few insights and thoughtful revelations, which remind us that all the best laid pedagogical plans are likely to go awry, if we do not consider the learner.

the interviews were conducted as part of an aborted research project.

go get the sixty-first episode - it's an 8.4 MB download :-)

passing the torch

certain photographs don't require editorialising.

this is one of them.

:-)

wonder of the world

today was the second day of the fieldtrip associated with the IGU-CGE symposium.

i am most excited to bring you video footage of a portion of the Great Barrier Reef, as a special installment of ventriloquy, in celebration of sixty episodes and counting! it's a 30.1 MB download :-)

i am really going to miss my new friends made during this symposium. it is poignant that it is taking place at the same time as a major international (sporting) event being hosted in Germany. the friends that i have made come this past week come from an equally diverse range of countries and backgrounds. the conversations started over the past few days must continue.