From E-Learning VI

Fig.1. Grab from The mind is flat. 

Across FutureLearn videos the name caption always come up right of screen whether or not there are one, two or more people featured. Does this kind of thing bother you? There are no fewer than THREE opportunities to brand this as ‘The University of Warwick’ – one would do, none are necessary. We know that this entire course if from Warwick. See them: Branded watermark in the top right hand corner, on the strapline (the least necessary and most erroneous) and yet again in the video time line … there is a fourth if you include the page this grab came from.

Other amateur antics include surreptitiously reading off notes, glancing away at the camera operator, having a second camera or wobble cam as if this a Jamie Oliver cookery course, that’s before we have to think about the antics of the video editor who wants to prove that they should be cutting pop videos.

Otherwise I love the learning and discussions and the argument for multimedia being ‘good enough’ rather than of TV broadcast quality is largely right: overly produced is just as bad as amateurish. The thinking is gripping, engaging, thought-provoking, mind bend and even funny.

Anything that gets in the way of the message is wrong.

Otherwise the above is perfect: an authentic exchange and share. So, authenticity rules?

Mistakes and all. Speak the language of the fluid internet conversation. Keep it simple. Employ people with experience who know what they are doing.

From E-Learning VI

Fig.2. Nick Chater and Jess Whittlestone. Co-stars of ‘The Thorny Birds’.

Does the mind exist? Shouldn’t we be talking about the brain?