E-learn Weblog of Willem van Valkenburg

On September 5^th I attended the Blockchain in Education conference in Groningen. More than 250 attendees came to the beautiful Academiegebouw of University of Groningen to learn about the great potential of blockchain in education. Probably you have heard of blockchain (or maybe bitcoins), but you don't exactly know what it is. Blockchain is a way of encrypting information and simultaneously storing it in different places. Its most important feature is that the stored data can no longer be changed or deleted. Blockchain technology uses decentralized networks and thus avoids a central party determining or changing the rules. All blockchain transactions are encrypted, public and completely transparent, and therefore supposed to be safer and more reliable.

Already other attendees have written excellent blogposts about the conference:

• “Tour d’Horizon” of the organisation
• Wytze Koopal
• Joël de Bruijn (multiple articles in Dutch)
• Wilfed Rubens (in Dutch)

During the event I have tweeted intensely, you find my tweets here. You can watch the keynotes here.

Conclusion

After the day I know much more about what blockchains can do, but also the limitations. Most important conclusion for me is that there are some cases to make for using blockchains, but that the technology is still in its infancy. One of the most mentioned case is for diplomas and certificates. Although you know if a diploma or certificates was changed since it was granted, it still doesn't say if it is a valid diploma and you should trust it.

We have to be careful to use blockchains for everything, it is starting to show hype characteristics. In many situations other options are better.

Last week the Dutch National Plan Open Science was presented. The plan was written by a team led by my colleague Wilma van Wezenbeek (TU Delft Library Director). The key ambitions of the plan are: 

• Full open access to publications in 2020
  Continue the Dutch approach for all Dutch research organisations and research areas whilst recognising their differences and similarities.
• To make research data optimally suited for reuse
  To set clear and agreed technical and policy-related preconditions to facilitate reuse of research data, including provision of the necessary expertise and support.
• Recognition and rewards
  To examine together how open science can be an element of the evaluation and reward system for researchers, research groups and research proposals.
• To promote and support
  To establish a ‘clearing house’ for all information regarding all available research support.

Important is that the plan is not only focusing making publications open access, but also change the evaluation and reward system for researchers.

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Last year Creative Commons started a project about Open Business Models. At the OpenEd16 conference Paul Stacey of Creative Commons presented some of the results of this project. The full results will be published in a book in the beginning of next year:

In the summer of 2015 Creative Commons ran a successful Kickstarter campaign raising funds to write a book about open business models made using Creative Commons. With the help of backers, and through an open public call, Creative Commons identified businesses and organizations from around the world and across all sectors who have successful Creative Commons based open business models. From that list twenty four were chosen to interview, profile, and analyse.

 Interesting part of his finding was that in most discussion the commons has disappeared. It is only about market versus the state. The commons is a general term for shared resources in which each stakeholder has an equal interest.

Why should market engage with commons?

He showed an extensive list of benefits of Commons over Market as shown in the image below:

According to Paul people who engage in the commons can feel empowered through participatory engagement, no need for permission. A good example of this is wikipedia.

The market can also engage in the commons, but it is important that they do this based on some principles:

• add value
• give more than you take
• transparency - about what using, wat adding, what monetizing
• give attribution & gratitude
• develop trust - don't exploit
• defend the commons

One of the examples he mentioned was OpenDesk. Their company is based on a completely different approach to design furniture. Opendesk is a global platform for local making. You can use it to download, make and buy work space furniture. They have open designs on their website, which you can adopt and change. If you design is ready, they have local partners that can make your design. You cut out the mass production and distribution costs.

In the book that is coming out next year, they have 20 case studies of companies that are based on an open business model (including a couple of Dutch organisations).

Today the great folks of OERhub launched an open text book about open research. The book is based on two iteration of an open course they have run in the past:

This resource will help you explore what open research is, how you can ethically and openly share your findings so others can reuse or develop your work, and the role of reflection and open dissemination. Whilst many challenges and issues apply to all aspects of research (for example choosing an appropriate methodology), open research brings a range of different opportunities and challenges; it’s these that we are specifically interested in exploring. What can openness add to the research process?

The book has 4 main chapters:

• Open Research
• Ethics in the Open
• Open Dissemination
• Reflecting in the Open

Although I haven't read the complete book, it looks interesting and a must read for every researcher!

Reference
Pitt, R. de los Arcos, B. Farrow, R and Weller, M. (2016). Open Research. OER Hub. Available from: https://openresearch.pressbooks.com

Image Credit: CC-BY-SA OERhub

SURFnet lanceert een nieuwe initiatief om ICT start-ups in contact te brengen met onderwijsinstellingen. Het initiatief is een experiment dat start-ups met innovatieve ICT-technologieën en nuttige producten en diensten voor het onderwijs helpt hun weg te vinden naar toekomstige gebruikers. De start-ups hebben al een toepassing, maar nog weinig tot geen afnemers en staan op het punt te groeien.

Op de website startuppodium.surf.nl kunnen start-ups zich aanmelden. Onderwijsinstellingen kunnen die pitches vervolgens liken. Bovendien kunnen onderwijsinstellingen die direct met een start-up in zee willen, rechtstreeks met hen in contact komen.

Ik verwacht natuurlijk dat een aantal YesDelft startups zich melden, zoals FeedBackFruits, ProjectCampus, Binkies, KE Works, Vemble, en WebChair. 

Start-up Live Event
Op 19 mei organiseert SURFnet tevens een Start-up Live Event, waar enkele start-ups hun product of dienst presenteren. Het programma biedt ruimte aan onderwijsinstellingen om in gesprek te gaan met de jonge ondernemers.

Last Friday I attended a presentation of Erik Meerbrug. After his Geodesy study at TU Delft he specilised in GIS: geo information systems. In his presentation he mentioned some interesting projects that are happening in the world of geo and open data.

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Today at the 174th Dies Natalis (birthday) of Delft University of Technology, our rector magnificus announced that the Executive Board has accepted a new Open Access Policy for the university effective per 1st of May:

As of 1 May 2016 the so-called Green Road to Open Access publishing is mandatory for all (co) authors at TU Delft. The (co)author must publish the final accepted author’s version of a peer-reviewed article with the required metadata in the TU Delft Institutional Repository.

By making scientific publications freely accessible and reusable we allow more people to become aware of the results of scientific research; including those who cannot afford paid access to this information. New ideas are spread faster and wider which in turn leads to new research: a boost for science. Teachers also benefit from Open Access by using this knowledge directly in their courses. Companies gain access to the latest scientific ideas and can build on these. And Open Access publishing and Open Science boost the knowledge-based economy and innovation. This is why TU Delft expresses the importance of Open Science in its mission:

‘TU Delft is dedicated to making a significant contribution to finding responsible solutions to societal problems, at both national and international level. Our mission is to deliver Science to Society.’

This policy is part of the TU Delft Open Science programme. Open Science consists of Open Research (Open Access publications and FAIR Research Data Management), Open Education, and Open Software and Sourceware. I'm one of the members of Programme Board of Open Science.

SURFnet is een nieuw initiatief gestart: de Innovation Challenge:

Via de Innovation Challenge maken duo’s van docenten en studenten in het hoger onderwijs kans op € 10.000 voor experimenten waarbij zij innovatieve ICT-toepassingen inzetten om flexibel en gepersonaliseerd onderwijs te stimuleren, onderwijs op maat te bieden en aan te sluiten bij de leerbehoeften van studenten. De experimenten kunnen een toepassing, product of dienst opleveren waar studenten en docenten direct baat bij hebben in het hoger onderwijs en die een directe bijdrage leveren aan het verbeteren van het onderwijs.

Het gaat om experimenten waarbij innovatieve ICT-toepassingen worden ingezet binnen een onderwijscontext. Denk bijvoorbeeld aan toepassingen waarbij slim gebruik is gemaakt van augmented reality, 3D printing, drones, wearables, big data etc. Of aan producten of diensten als apps, games, ebooks of interactietools.

Interessant aan het initiatief is dat het gaat om een combinatie van een docent met een student. Binnen de Extension School bestaan de meeste Course Teams uit een team van docenten en studenten. Onze ervaring is dat dit erg goed werkt.

Om mee te doen aan het voorstel moet je voor 9 oktober je voorstel indienen. Het gaat hierbij om het invullen van een template en het aanleveren van een video of animatie. Het voorstel dat je indient moet binnen 6 maanden te realiseren zijn.

Meer informatie is te vinden op innovationchallenge2015.surf.nl.

D'Arcy Norman started an interesting discussion about the false binary of LMS vs. Open. Here are some interesting responses:

• Sheila MacNeill: Living with the VLE dictator
• Peter Reed: The VLE vs 'Whatever'
• Amber Thomas: Why VLEs aren’t evil
• Mike Caulfield: Reply to D’Arcy
• Phill Hill: LMS and Open: The false binary is based on past, not future markets
• George Kroner: The Nuances of LMS vs. Open

In the past I used to be responsible for the Blackboard system of our university. Since a couple of years I'm responsible for the Open Education activities of the university. So this is an discussion that interests me. So here my two cents.

First of all I strongly agree with D'Arcy about the false framing of VLE versus Open. I also think that this frame doesn't benefit either side.

Secondly, I agree that most LMSs (aka VLE) look the same and users have the same objections against them. Some of theme will always complain about the institutional systems their university offers. As Goerge Kroner writes "LMSs remain the most important components of online learning technology for the vast majority of higher education institutions, and LMSs are more open today than they’ve ever been (of course as long as institutions don’t lock them down)."

Thirdly, the educational world is changing. As Phill Hill has posted in his slides there are 4 reasons to consider:

1. The world around the LMS has changed
2. The concept of interoperability has changed
3. Open Education and MOOCs
4. Just now getting broad LMS adoption

According to Phil we are just now moving into new concept of Learning Platform. I agree with that and see this happening at my own university.

Fourthly, there isn't any Learning Platform out there. So as a university we have to a three options:

1. Stick with Blackboard
2. Switch over to another system that might become the Learning Platform we need
3. Build it ourselves.

I don't believe in option 3 for a single university and I have seen many failures in doing this with multiple universities. So there are two options left. And that is what we are investigating at this moment.

Today I attended the launch of the TU Delft API. My colleagues organised a hackathon for students, employees and companies to introduce the API and how it works. During the hackathon the participants got a couple of presentations, but most time was spend coding with the new API. Off course there was plenty of drinks, sweets and pizza.

OpenData

The published data is open data. It is public, free of any copyrights, published by means of open standards, is computer readable and can be (re-)used freely by anybody.

Authentication
Not all data is publically available, because of privacy limitation. For this we have also implemented an oAuth authentication and autorisation. The oAuth is provided by Surfnet.

Result of the hackathon

At the end of the hackathon the participants could pitch their results. In ideas that were pitched.

Work places

There were different pitches that related to the API for workplaces availability:

• work places app: to find a work place around the campus
• the guys from Calendar 42 went one step further to estimation on how busy a building is.
• Maurits did another step and tried to estimated the best place to study, based on the number of students at a faculty, the number of available computers, historical data of the availability and most import how long these work places will stay available.

Study progress

Another popular API was around study results, study progress and course selections:

• study progress app that provides you with a graphical view of your study progress and should give you options to limit your delays via the smart view.
• Online Course Advisor: advise which courses to follow, based on your current program, user interests, course popularity and the schedule of the course.
• S-Elective: skill-based study guide. This is helps you to select elective courses based on your interests and skills and after you complete the course gives the possibility to post the new skill to LinkedIn.
• The students from Feedback Fruits pitched squeese: less time, more credit. They searched for courses that have the best ratio between ECTS and contact hours.

Combination apps

There were also two pitches that presented apps that combined the information of different APIs together:

• Smartboard: provide information that you need every day in one app: study progress, course announcements and day schedule.
• The other was an iPhone app that presented in a very nice way building information, faculties, grades, progress and course schedules.

The last pitch won the hackathon and they got a nice price. It was also my personal favourite, because it was a good idea and it also looked very slick. Below are some pictures of the event.

Conclusion

The API is a very good step for the TU Delft and the hackathon was a great event to start students to use it. In the next months the API will be further improved and new API will be added. A hackathon is also a great way to find bugs in the API and errors in the data. So my recommendation would be to organise more hackathons.

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