Posted to Diigo 08/31/2010
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Dear researcher, which side of history will you be on? | Mendeley Blog – Annotated
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technology is finally at a point that if we don’t use it now, then we are holding back the progress of science
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The dominant mode of communicating research results is through peer-reviewed literature. This dates back to more than 300 years ago when scholarly societies formed and needed a way to present their findings
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Publishers are already experimenting with the models, but they are waiting for something before going full force. They are waiting for us, the researchers
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We could choose to publish in only Open Access. We could choose to reward tenure for Open Data. We could choose to only reward publications or data that are proven to be reused and make either a marked economic or research impact. Instead, we choose to follow a model that promotes prestige as the primary objective
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Each time we hold back data or publish research that isn’t immediately open to all, we have chosen to be on the wrong side of history.
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We could wait for policy changes from the top, but that is neither a timely, nor guaranteed solution
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It is not uncommon to see research that is already two years old before it sees the light of day. This cannot be good for the progress of science.
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“Article-level metrics” (ALM) is one step toward weaning the addiction that we have with journal impact factors. Here, we disassociate the significance of the article from the prestige of the journal that it is packaged in
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One way to promote the sharing of knowledge, and thus be on the right side of history, is through reputation metrics. Unlike previous measurements for impact though, this would be designed to reward researchers who contribute to Open Data and science online
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Platforms such as Mendeley can have a hand in meeting both the first and second conditions. Mendeley is more than just a reference manager, it is also a system that aggregates the metadata of millions of documents and provides authors the opportunity to promote their works
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Those researchers who openly and quickly publish research or data for download will be rewarded.* Those who do not will adapt or risk falling into obscurity. As we wait for policy changes to be enacted by the top, we must act at the bottom to encourage a behavioral change in how we share our knowledge
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Supporting learning in unexpected spaces. – Annotated
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All of our attention is focused on real and virtual classrooms and we often neglect the space between the lecture theater and the LMS. Attention, I think, needs to be given to unacknowledged learning and teaching places. Around the water cooler, between computer terminals, seated in the cafetaria, texting on mobile phones, waiting on strategically placed benches, posted on signboards, relaxing in a residence hall etc.
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Learning designers need to think between the corridors and computers, and ask how can these spaces be used to support learning.
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Where discussions and clarification took place either in the lecture / tutorial / virtual room, teachers and students that use networked digital devices can conduct their teaching and learning seamlessly across both physical and virtual spaces, synchronously and asynchronously
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learning designers also need to find a way to support the creation of informal learning space between the virtual world and the classroom place.
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If our attention is focused only between the real and virtual classrooms then it’s likely that we’ll fail in our attempt to use these new spaces constructively
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don’t forget about the inbetween spaces and ask how you can support students freedom to engage in self-directed and independent learning outside the formally planned and tutor-directed activities
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