How to remember what you forgot? Is there a way to instruct your brain to remember those things that are buried under hundreds of layers of memories? Yes there is, and you have it since you were born.

Photo credit: ktsdesign edited by Daniele Bazzano

How many times did you find yourself in the situation of wanting to remember something, but the more you tried, the less results you achieved? It is like you focus hard to remember a place, a name, but the answer never comes to your head.

It is mainly our fault, as generally after a couple of minutes we give up and say: “This is useless, I am not going to remember this”. We wrongly think that the answer we need will come to our head immediately, because we do not know how to command our brain…

What does the future of learning look like? What is going to change in the future of our education systems? What role will new media technologies play in the way you and I will share knowledge and skills in the near future? If you want to see a glimpse of how you can impact the way in which you and your kids are going to learn in the future, check out this video interview.

Inside this Media Literacy Digest:

• Future of The Social Web - Of course, the web is not social. Just like technology is not social. Or media is not social. We use these resources for social means, but that is a function of use, not of the characteristics inherent in the web or media. We compress “social uses of the web” to social web for convenience sake. But we really do not mean it like we say it.
• The Age of The Informavore - A good name is often as good as (or better than) a good idea. The age of the informavore displays both provocative thinking and a memorable term.
• Openness and The Future of Education - IRRODL just released a special issue on Openness and the Future of Education. Future of education is not an explicit focus in the articles, but can be anticipated as a result of the focus of the articles.
• Cannot Squeeze Knowledge From a Pixel - Meaning is found in associations. It is simple concept, but has substantial implications. To get an accurate picture of “something”, context first needs to be understood. This short video - cannot squeeze knowledge from a pixel - summarizes this point.
• Personal View of E-Learning: Saudi Arabia - I have not had the privilege of visiting Saudi Arabia. As a result, I particularly appreciated reading Tony Bates’ experiences of leading a series of workshops in his post: A personal view of e-learning.
• Social Isolation and Technology - Barry Wellman - with his Netville research - was the first researcher that I am aware of who questioned the tech use = isolation viewpoint. People who are connected online often have higher levels face-to-face interactions.
• Call For Chapters: Personal Learning Environments / Networks - I posted this last month, but by way of a quick reminder: Call for Chapters: Personal Learning Environments / Networks.

Which are the critical skills needed for today online successful journalists? What do you need to know and do to compete with bloggers and independent reporters springing up all around you? …

In this issue of Media Literacy Digest, open education advocate George Siemens, reports on this week most interesting breakthroughs, events, new media technologies and on the social impact these have on society, work and learning.

Inside this Media Literacy Digest:

• Decentralized Work: The Final Frontier - Consider work. Many people are now involved in work that does not require physical presence at an office. Yet, how we define and value work still carries the views from 50+ years ago.
• Value of Visual Thinking - Resources such as this - the value of visual thinking - are helpful in increasing my guilt and sense of inadequacy with visuals and increasing my desire to continue improving how I communicate.
• A Few Web 2.0 Resources - Microsoft and web 2.0 resources (via Stephen Downes) I am not sure how Microsoft defines web 2.0 - not much in the list that fits my definition. However, still a number of useful resources.
• The Chemistry of Information Addiction - The chemistry of information addiction indicates why many people find the internet (particularly under the banner of real-time tools) so rewarding: We crave information and we want it now.
• Using Technology To Improve The Cost-Effectiveness of The Academy - Tony Bates explores using technology to improve the cost-effectiveness of the academy (and part 2). Toward the end of the second post, Tony offers a series of 10 implications. I generally agree with these points, but do not think it offers enough about the systemic change required by universities.
• Personal Learning Environments / Networks: Call For Chapters - Our PLE / N conference is well underway. If interested, the recordings are available (under week five).
• Nowism - Google Wave, Twitter, FriendFeed, and Facebook have given rise to the what is known as the real time web. Trendwatching picks up on this theme and addresses it as Nowism (good list of realtime tools about 1 / 3 of the way in).
• Emerging Technologies, Africa - Introduction to Emerging Technologies, Africa is an open online 12 week course. I am teaching the course with Dave Cormier. IETA is delivered in both English and French.

How do organizations really use social networks? Is social media useful to acquire new customers or just to maintain strong relationships with existing clients?

The answer to whether social media are good for customer engagement or relationship building is: “Social media is good for both”.

As long as you do not get too greedy or “salesy” in your business approach, social media proves to be very useful to connect with your audience.

Social media is free to join, easy to use and, most importantly, it is “a way to supercharge the word of mouth”, and as every marketer will tell you, a positive word of mouth is the best mean to convert prospects into sales…

Are Twitter and the real-time web a fundamental shift in how we communicate? Or is the real-time web just a fad?

Is social media good for business? How do organizations use social media to improve their marketing effectiveness and boost their sales? 

In this weekly Media Literacy Digest, media expert George Siemens shares pointers and resources to help you make sense of how new media technologies are changing the world around you. Photo…

This is how, open education advocate George Siemens introduced to me his vision for an ideal educational ecosystem and learning curriculum when I suddenly asked him: “If you could rub the lamp and express a desire, what would that be, George?”

In this video, George explains which would be the key three learning areas acting as the foundations for such an ideal curriculum:

1. Key subjects: Understand key subjects like history, religion, maths, sciences, architecture, engineering.
2. Metacognition: Think critically and learn how to value the opinions of others without devaluing yours.
3. Co-creation: Work with others to create something meaningful in a collaborative fashion.

Co-browsing is the ability to navigate a web page simultaneously with other people without needing to use a screen-sharing app. Though the difference with screen-sharing tools is little known and…

In this issue of MasterNewMedia weekly media literacy digest, open education advocate George Siemens, explores issues in technology and education that directly influence the way we work and think…

In this weekly media literacy digest, open education advocate George Siemens shares key media and technology stories that directly affect your media, your work and and society as a whole.

Mind mapping tools are an effective way to collaborate, brainstorm, visualize and plan ideas either on your own or with other people. If you still use tons of sticky notes to organize your thoughts,…

In this weekly media literacy digest, educational technologies expert George Siemens takes you to breaking news and stories that directly affect media, education and society as a whole.