Thoughts of Richard C. Close

While volumes have been pontificated on the benefits of tech learning. Little seems to be written about the mismanagement of cell and Internet influence on classroom behavior. In addition the impact of the profiling engines of applications like Google, Facebook and Snapchat is for the most part ignored. It is time to take an honest look at the negative impacts on class management and the experience on online and classroom learning. The behavior of students in US / western classrooms can be quite different from those of developing countries. Entitled school youth with unlimited data plans, rarely use the Internet strictly for educational purposes. In US public schools, it is a constant struggle keeping students on-task once the computers, and cells, are out. The teacher must instruct from the back of the classroom watching for kids gaming in one tab and doing work in another. Teachers that allow listening to music while studying are continually asking students to get off of te...

  An academic colleague just asked me why I threw a student out of public middle school class. It does sound heartless. I lived a few hours from the Florida HS mass shooting and lived within 20 minutes of the Sandy Hooks massacre of 22 1st graders. The response is how press, government and the academic elite deflecting the deeper causes of violence in US schools. This is what I wrote: Dear friend. If I may, I would like to rephrase your question from “Why throw a student out of a classroom?” into, “What is causing the escalating this chaos to the point of mass murders.” Which leads to the second question and that is, “Why are higher academia, politicians and the wealthy so clueless on violence in US schools?” It feels like we are in a dystopia movie, perhaps because we are.   I mean this in the kindest way . Because I understand you are university faculty. Just to ask me why I would throw a kid out of the room is a question a US public school teacher would...

July 4th, 2017: A Global Digital Storytelling and Journalism Community Learning System called “I am The Story…” will be launched by Chrysalis Campaign, Inc., USA Mojatu Foundation & Magazines. Prelaunch access is now available at http://www.iamthestory.org . The original portal “I am Africa. This is my story…” was seed funded by UNESCO Power of Peace Network, Paris on March 1, 2011.   Then called   “I am Africa. This is my Story…” The program has been expanded for global youth. The initial July launch will start in Somaliland and Somalia. “ In this first phase of the Journalism Community Learning organizations can, in one day, provide a youth with feelings/skills of social empowerment the second phase, due in July, will have a comprehensive suite of journalism courses. Teachers and youth leaders will be able to download this training for free empowering in-depth journalism for youth around the world. As a UK publisher of an African Mojatu magazine we inform people a...

In 2011 UNESCO rewared me with grant to build a digital storytelling site for African youth. Have recieved many requests to relaunch it over the years. With the help Mojatu we will be launching it in Somaliland and Somali. Hear is the PowerPoint for the new classroom workshop. 101 How to Create Digital Autobiography Storyies by "I am The Story" Draft from Chrysalis Campaign, Inc.

IBM Watson the ICON of Unemployment. What this means for Africa.  With 30 years of marketing, while working for the poor, it is both fascinating and cruel to watch the IBM Watson Ad campaign. While millions of viewer think technology is cool and the ads of the very human Watson are fun, those of us in the social industries know the flips side of this Smiling Tiger. The Watson ads send a message to consumers of greater accuracy and convenience. However, to the CEO they convey a message of eliminating high paying positions in every industry imaginable. Not to mention Watson is unconditionally loyal and without an ethical conscious. If he says no, just reprogram him, perhaps why he is male. Not so sure if you do that with an IBM Stella.   IBM ironically refers to Watson as the “New Guy” in its’ ads. The “New Guy” that replaced the expert or a team of old guys. By building one of the first technology centers in New York City I witness how in a few years deskto...

While working on my Masters in Instructional Design I subbed at all levels of the US school system. In elementary school they seem to be able to read however by middle school most of the time is spent in class management. By the time they are in HS the back of the room is lost and the front of the room is looking at colleges, The middle of the room will have their jobs automated.

Massive Sustainable Learning SDGs for 2016 Global Education Conferende richard c close from Chrysalis Campaign, Inc.

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The presentation on Training college faculty on Constrivism and the Global Learning Framework for eLearning Department of St Leo University, ST. Leo Fl. Constructivism and Curriculum design by Richard C Close from Chrysalis Campaign, Inc.

A dear friend at Apple Computers asked me to SKPE the US Wayland Union Schools 10th grade on the human impact of Colonialism and how that migrates into Globalization.  The class multimedia lesson is an instructional design tool for students to explore links and learn more using global multimedia. It leverages concepts form UN SDGs and Youth for Human Rights. Download available on SlideShare. Colonialism and globalization of africa by richard close copy from Chrysalis Campaign, Inc.

UNDESA – DSPD “Massive, Self-Sustainable Collaborative Learning” The 54th Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD54) Panel on Sustainable Education This is a slightly extended version of Richard C Close sustainable education panel presentation that includes material that addresses questions received after the 10 minute panel presentation. This one of six panel UN HQ presentations from the  session: Education for the Sustainable Inclusion of Displaced Populations: innovative civil society and multi- stakeholder solutions across continents UN HQ Feb 11 2016 at 1:15pm in Conference Room E. More: http://globallearningframework.ning.com or www.richardclose.com

I just finished reading, “ Visualizing Knowledge Networks in Online Courses ” by Brian Dashew of Columbia University. It is one of the clearest papers I have read on LMS web analytics as a tool to guide faculty on the dynamics of their online courses. In plain English, the purpose of online graphical analytics is as follows: When in front of a live class, we can tell how we are doing if the students are silent, bored to death or if the room is vibrant with discussion. Graphical web analytics allows us to see, at least at a superficial level, how our class is interacting. Online graphical models serve up visual patterns between students and faculty at a granular level. Graphic analytics enables faculty to see the patterns of their online classes when they are blind to the facial reactions and body language of their students. My exploration of learning transformation examines the personal, cultural/experiential side of life in poverty and trauma. After 15-years of exploration, it l...