Work

Kevin did a soft-launch of the UCalgaryBadges platform, using Mozilla Backpack as the badge framework. But, it’s down at the moment (keep reading re: campus network overhaul).

Not much else - was only in the office on Monday, then off work until January 5. And, with campus networks down for a comprehensive overhaul, I can’t even open my calendar to see what I did that day. Also, no support requests, because all campus systems are down (including elearning platforms and email - so, nothing to break, and no way to complain about it. aaaaah…)

Read

• Eric Meyer: Inadvertent algorithmic cruelty - Facebook engineers designed an automated “year in review” post image and pushed it out to all users, based on content in the users’ feed over the year. What could go wrong? Apparently Facebook engineers have never lost a loved one.
• Quartz: not all kids should go to college
• via Jason Kottke: 2014 in four charts (from the New Yorker). Wow.
• via Stephen Downes: 10 trends to personalize learning in 2015 (from Barbara Bray)
• excellent recap of his blogging history, by Michael Feldstein (via Stephen Downes)
• IBM Design Language - a mature, refined design language for use in IBM’s enterprise apps, so they don’t feel like horribly designed sucky enterprise apps. eLearning could use a similar design language. via Cole Camplese
• Slate on embracing degrowth via Sean Carter
• Ross Mackenzie just wrapped up 10 years of 365photo projects. Wow.
• Wired: we obsessively substitute the new for the important via Dan Gillmor
• Oculus Thrift - Google’s cardboard VR goggle headset, pre-assembled for $16. Just ordered a few.
• 3D printed prosthetic leg - fitted to a 3D scan of the stump, modelled using a 3D scan of the other leg, printed in titanium. Holy.

Other

We spent christmas in Kananaskis country, staying in Kananaskis Village for 4 days. Super busy with lots of excited short people, but we had a blast. Also, skied for 4 days straight. Awesome.