1. Mind, Heart, and Hands:
Lifelong Learning and Teaching
in the
Digital Age
Jon Udell
OCWC
April 2009

2. John Leek’s newest book

3. John Leeke online, demonstrating his revolutionary
technique for interior storm windows

4. Themes of John’s work (and mine)
Narration of work
Online apprenticeship
Text, audio, and video

5. The once (and future?) model for education

6. In the pre-industrial era, education and work were:
Observable
Connected
In the post-industrial era, they are:
Non-observable
Disconnected

7. Walter Lewin’s Physics 8.02
Now (some) teaching is observable and connected.
Good!

8. But what about learning?
What is it like to be:
A physics student?
A nursing student?
A mechanical engineering student?
How do we observe learners?
How do we connect with learners?

9. Observable education: Theory
“What if course
portals, typically little more
than gateways to course
activities and
materials, became instead
course catalysts:
open, dynamic
representations of
‘engagement streams’ that Gardner Campbell
demonstrate and encourage
deep learning?”

10. Observable education: Practice
Jim Groom
Posted by: Jenny
Tagged: American Studies 312

11. And what about work?
What is it like to be:
A physicist?
A nurse?
A mechanical engineer?
How do we observe workers?
How do we connect with workers?

12. Observable work: Joe Gregorio
Practice
Theory

13. Observable work: Jon Galloway
Troubleshooting an Intermittent .NET High CPU problem
“Hopefully it’s helpful
to you, but I know that
there are folks out
there with some real
skill at diagnosing
application
performance
issues, and there are
better debugging tools
available, too. How
would you go about
diagnosing something
like this?”

14. Observable work: Chris Gemignani
Task: Recreate a New York Times infographic using Excel
New York Times version Excel version

15. Looking over the master’s shoulder
(mistakes included!)

16. Why do software people work observably? (1)
We created, and are comfortable with,
the technologies of observable work:
Web publishing
Blogging
Microblogging
Podcasting
Digital video
Tagging
Syndication

17. Why do software people work observably? (2)
Our work processes, and products, are fully digital:
Design discussion
Source code
Documentation
Tests
The actual software itself

18. Why do software people work observably? (3)
We practice, and value:
Feedback
Iterative refinement
Testable outcomes

19. Why don’t (most) academics work observably?
Work processes and products only recently
network-observable
Medieval publishing, peer review, reward systems
“I wouldn't want to publish a half-baked idea”

20. Exception to the rule: Jean-Claude Bradley

21. Why don’t (most) professionals work observably?
Work processes and products only recently
network-observable
No culture of publication, narration
“I’m too busy to blog”

22. Exception to the rule: John Halamka

23. John Leeke is a lifelong teacher and learner
He is also a courseware provider:
“My father was a commercial artist, then a
furniture-maker and builder at the
craftsman/artisan level. He left behind
detailed files of every project he ever worked
on.”
“The video camera and the computer and
the Internet are just tools, no different
from my table saw and push stick, or my
old wooden hand plane.”
“Instead of watching television, I make television.”

24. John Leeke’s courseware produces network effects:
“People everywhere care about this stuff, because
there are wooden buildings all around the world. On
six of the seven continents there are people using
these videos streaming from my office in
Portland, Maine.”
Gardner Campbell: “Network effects: Another name for civilization”

25. What network effects could spread
if we encouraged students to:
Become lifelong teachers and learners?
Produce, as well as consume, courseware?
Let’s discuss!