I think it's going to be a fantastic tool for lifelong learning.

Some key things I learned from the call:

• Mozilla are backing Open Badger as a simple, open way for ordinary folk like me to become Open Badge issuers in a one-stop-shop using simple step-by-step processes

• The timescale for the development of Open Badger has been put back to Q4 from Q3 (if you're like me you'll need that translating - Q4 is October to December 2012)

• The current backpack (you can see mine at the top of this post) is hosted by Mozilla at beta.openbadges.org but Mozilla want to see a federation of backpack providers - they don't want to be the perpetual backpack repository

• Mozilla are keen to point out that they err on the side of the badge earner at all times so when and if support for the current backpack is withdrawn, they will look after earners, not cut them adrift - for example, badges can always be downloaded and moved to a different backpack or just stored on your computer

It was very encouraging to hear how Mozilla are approaching the project and the enthusiasm they have not only for the adoption of the concept and api but also for the people out there (even lttle old me!) who want to be early adopters.

Some systems already exist

Sunny told me about the following education-focussed implementations of Open Badges:

• Badge Stack is a 'social learning tool' which has integrated Open Badges as its accreditation component and is, interestingly, built on Wordpress and BuddyPress. A Badge Stack free version has been planned but has yet to see the light of day...

• ForAllBadges is an implementation of Open Badges in a school assessment system

Some commenrcial systems are also using the Open Badges API:

• Badgeville is a gamification system for businesses

Sunny suggested that I speek to Doug Belshaw as he is not only an Open Badge expert but also a Mozilla Open Badge evangelist.

I'm also going to set up a collaborative space to share developments as I know there are several people who have contacted me via Twitter who are interested in being involved. I'd like to keep the collaboration open because that's what it's all about!

So watch out for an invitation to the new space when I've set it up - I look forward to working with you to make Open Badges work in as many places as possible. :)

Open Badges

However, I have just found a subject which is exciting me so much that I feel I must write about the process of getting involved and what happens as a result.

Recently, however, I stumbled across this fascinating presentation by Doug Belshaw:

I'm hoping to use Open Badges to accredit my own online courses in the future and also for National College short online courses (that's the day job).

There's power in collaboration

After a small amount of tweeting, I have found that @infernaldepart and @TheHeadsOffice are also keen to investigate Open Badges. I also managed to contact @OpenBadges themselves and am talking to Sunny Lee this week about how I can become an Open Badge issuer - I'll be blogging to let you know how it goes!

In the meantime, use the links below to find out more and get involved!

How to learn more about Open Badges | Bananigans!

Earn a badge, issue a badge « Lonely Lion

Open Badges

OpenBadges Backpack

My new podcast - come and join me!

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In an interesting move, Adobe has introduced a pre-release version of a new product, Adobe Edge which is set to become an alternative to Flash. It produces HTML5/javascript animations which should be compatible with all browsers and all platforms (with the obvious, usual caveats about IE and others with less than perfect HTML5 handling in their different versions).

So it looks like Adobe are intending to fill the gap that Flash is supposedly leaving on iPad, iPhone etc.

HTML 5 animation tools

Adobe Edge seems to follow a lot of the conventions of Flash in the way the user interface works and how you put together the animations:

Certainly, I didn't have any problems recognising what was going on in the example files given. I managed to fiddle around and put together a very simple animation in next to no time at all.

For what it's worth, you can see what I did here: http://mulryne.com/adobe_edge/first_attempt.html Perhaps more interesting would be to view the source:

Verdict:

So it all looks very interesting t first glance but Flash isn't all about animation, of course. Will actionscript-type tools be added and what about video? We will just have to wait and see!

Warning - yes this is supposed to be deliberately provocative.

Everyone is talking about Google+ at the moment so Adobe Flash has been given a bit of a break by the bloggers and other assorted doom-mongers.

Of course, with the rise of the iPod/iPhone/iPad Flash has been given a good bashing for ages and not even the hilarious advert for the Blackberry PlayBook with the Queen soundtrack stands much chance of stemming the flow:

Don't get me wrong - I love the idea of cross-browser compatibility and the sheer ease of developing content in notepad etc. I'm no Luddite. However, here are 3 reasons why Flash isn't going to die any time soon in educational technology:

1. The virtual learning environment:

I don't know about you but all the institutional VLEs I have used recently have iFrames and Javascript blocked - please tell me it's not the case where you hang out! The only option for a bit of interactivity is an embedded Flash movie.

As we move more inevitably towards personal, mobile devices this is bound to change but this leads me to...

2. The comparative immaturity of the alternatives:

Flash developers can do anything with Flash. If you can create it on a screen, Flash developers can make it into an interactive web app or video or animation or anything you want - and they can do it quickly. How many fully-featured web apps have you seen which are developed entirely in cross-browser, cross device compatible fashion (and I mean running on older browsers as well) - and which will run without javascript in a closed VLE? Maybe not so many as yet...

3. Development problems

We are fast approaching the situation where we need multiple versions of the same e-learning content:

• The Flash version
• The HTML 5 version
• The iOS app
• The Android app
• The Windows Mobile app (don't laugh)
• The Blackberry app

Which one of the above options will run happily on the most platforms/browsers/VLEs?
Do we have unlimited funds?
Which can we afford to do?

As promised, here are a few thoughts about the RSC's production of Merchant of Venice I went to the other night in Stratford-upon-Avon.

First of all - BEWARE - this is going to include loads of SPOILERS. If you don't like that kind of thing, look away now.

Guaranteed to annoy those who prefer their Shakespeare 'traditional', whatever that means, this production was set in Las Vegas and began with the cast on stage as the audience entered. The scene was a casino with extras and cast members playing the parts of casino staff and 'punters', complete with gambling tables, slot machines and a full, live rock 'n' roll/jazz band behind a huge light-bulb-encrusted curtain at the back of the stage.

The action really started with the whole cast and the extras joining in a musical number. When the dialogue began, it was clear that this production was going to be entirely in American accents with which most of the cast coped rather well, particularly Portia and Nerissa who were played as kind of dumb American teenagers, a bit like in the film of Grease.

Interestingly, the director decided to arrange the scenes with the caskets as a game show called, 'Destiny'. Two television cameras were wheeled onto the stage and captured live video which was fed up onto LCD and CRT monitors above the stage to give the impression that the show was being broadcast live to an audience of TV viewers. This worked well.

The clown, Gobbo, was played as an Elvis impersonator and interjected Elvis songs into the action like a kind of Greek chorus - often to great comic effect.

If this is all sounding really depressing and irritating to you, perhaps you need to do what I am told to by friends who are fans of Premiership football - i.e. 'get over it' and see if you can enjoy the spectacle for what it is, rather than grumble about huge salaries and overseas players.

For me, one of the glories of Shakespeare is that this won't be the last production of Merchant of Venice I ever see. Next time, it may well be in traditional dress, or maybe set in the future, who knows?

Anyway, what about Sir Patrick of Stewart? This was my first experience of Shylock, so I had no pre-conceptions. Stewart's performance as a king of Jewish Mafia godfather was highly-engaging and marvellously sustained. The whole cast made the trial scene harrowing, with Stewart outstanding as the vengeful, evil villain.

What was slightly surprising to me was the lack of time Shylock is actually on the stage. I imagined that this role was of the magnitude of Hamlet or Macbeth - but Stewart was great despite this. Next time, I'll know what to expect.

I was also unprepared for the racism and savagery in the play - as were most of the audience, judging by their reactions.

Overall, it was a fantastic piece of entertainment. If I could I'd go again...and again. So if you make the journey to Stratford to see this production, just remember to leave your preconceptions behind and enjoy the experience as the director intended - would Shakespeare have enjoyed it? I imagine he would.

It's great to see so much British music on the programme for tomorrow's Royal Wedding. I'm particularly pleased to see Parry's 'I was glad' included as the introit since this is exactly what my wife and I chose for our wedding in 1994!

I'm looking forward to hearing John Rutter's commission for the occasion - 'This is the day which the lord hath made'. Will it be in his popular, middle of the road style or the more musically interesting mode he sometimes achieves? We will just have to wait and see.

However, perhaps even more interesting will be 'Ubi caritas' by Paul Mealor - who is described as 'A young, little-known Welsh composer' by Classic FM. Listening to the audio interview with him on the Classic FM website, I noticed a small parallel between tomorrow's music and Diana Princess of Wales' funeral music.

'Ubi caritas' started off life as a different piece entitled, 'Now sleeps the crimson petal'. The Royal couple heard it and were keen to have it at their wedding but Mealor was concerned that the lyrics were inappropriate for such an occasion. So he offered to re-write the piece with different lyrics and we will hear the result at the same time as two billion other listeners tomorrow. This reminded me of Elton John and the (slightly) re-written 'Candle in the wind' which he performed at Diana's funeral in 1997. That was also a case of inappropriate words as, amongst other changes, the original song's Norma Jean (A.K.A. Marilyn Monroe) was replaced with 'England's Rose' to represent Diana.

I sincerely hope any other parallels in their lives will be positive ones.

Creative Commons image credit - Matt Neale

(download)

Click here to download:

android-tablet-day-18-fyeeCDqGtwwbmxjcskvp.zip (2.27 MB)

It saved as a .apk file which I uploaded onto my webspace. From there I downloaded it onto the tablet. It didn't install automatically - I had to find the file and clicking on it gave me the option to install it.

As you can see, it's now sitting in amongst my other apps (called Charlotte). How exciting (sorry, a bit sad)! I assume self-installation is a more advanced technique but this feels like a good start!