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Learnist Sees the Possibilities

By posted June 13, 2013

I use Learnist to create material about issues in education that are important to me–the ed space is where where I spend the majority of my time, so it comprises the bulk of how I started using Learnist.  My goal was to get students away from static books and publications, to engage different learning styles, and to allow them to participate in a way that is meaningful for them. Learnist has helped me meet this goal by using social and mobile learning because of its ability to incorporate most types of media in my boards.

Currently, approximately 50% of Learnist’s content is education-based, from Common Core aligned material, classroom lessons, boards on best practice, pedagogy and ed tech.  I can see the possibilities for Learnist in schools in all areas–from classroom resources to teacher professional development.

But I own a fitness business, as well. This weekend, I’m sitting down with my staff to set them up on Learnist. Building a business is similar to teaching–it’s important to educate, coach, and inspire clients every day, with every interaction. Our staff does all three. With a simple shift in content and paradigm, Learnist will be a critical tool in helping our clients to take full advantage of of our programs, as they engage with content that will help them be their best selves and achieve their goals.

When I see the similarities between my business and teaching, and any business, really, I realize that Learnist can truly help us to see the possibilities out there. More and more I notice the 50% of Learnist’s content outside the field of classroom education supports so much vision and possibility. Of particular interest to me is author and Learnist contributor Eric Ries’ “The Lean Startup Conference 2013,” I won’t be in attendance–I’m on the other coast, but last year’s board “The Lean Startup Conference 2012” chronicled the event so well, I felt like I was there. I learned a great deal. I know that this year’s Learnist version of the conference will inspire me as much or more.

A visionary series I love on Learnist is “The Night School” series created by not so much chef but “food provocateur” Michael Hebb, who has become a cultural icon bringing his table to the center of critical issues. Michael has cooked dinners for thought leaders in nearly every field, because he feels, as he explained in his talk at TEDxRainier that “the table is one of the most important cultural sites in the modern world,” and that “the common table is in a state of peril….we don’t eat together anymore.” Because of this, Michael Hebb brings innovators together at that table, serving once-in-a-lifetime meals over conversation which urges thought leaders–and by extension us–to take action. I’d love to be at that table in person, but at least Learnist lets me pull up a seat and share in the experience.

These are just a few of the current ways Learnist is changing learning, but there are an infinite number of possibilities where its vision will be felt. One thing is definitely true–Learnist’s uses, content, and vision are expanding rapidly. I can see the possibilities.

Like Learnist on Facebook and follow @LearnistTweets for all the latest trending boards. Then jump in, and make a few of your own!

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Learnist for Crowdsourcing: No More Recreating the Wheel

By posted June 6, 2013

I love to learn. I tell my students I’m a professional nerd. Cliff Clavin is one of my cultural heroes. There’s very little I am not curious about, both in and out of my field.

This is what I love about Learnist. I use it for school, but also for relaxing and learning new things of interest. I create a lot of content for teaching, but also for my personal enjoyment. Engaging with the experts on Learnist generates ideas for me. I have used Learnist for everything from providing my students with quality primary and supplementary materials to curating my personal recipes and proselytizing about growing food. I have boards on everything from Martha Stewart to Malcolm X. That’s the beauty of the platform–it has versatility for work needs and life interests.

I’ve been thinking of using Learnist for something more. Unfortunately, teachers often live in isolation. We teach different subjects, even in the same department, and we don’t have a chance to meet and discuss resources. This year’s goal was to get technology into my classroom. I’ve done that. Next year’s is to stop recreating the wheel.

I share and use many resources on Learnist, but I should be collaborating more. it’s the entire point of Learnist. The research on social sharing proves that people working together learning together makes learning better and more permanent for everyone. I’ve seen this first-hand with my students, as they use Learnist and other forms of collaboration to get the best ideas out there and support each other’s studies. Yet I, myself, have not done enough of this. I’m producing and using material, not often collaborating.

This year, I’ve had the honor of meeting a long list of master educators, scholars, and educational leaders. Many are working with similar materials–and a ton are doing it far better than me. I take and use ideas. But I am still recreating the wheel–we all are–unless we truly collaborate and share with the world. When we do, those producing the best work in their area of expertise bring the rest of us along with them. We add notes and ideas. We will, in turn, share our best practices and materials. A rising tide carries all boats.  Eventually, everyone will be inspired, and hopefully, those best practices will be shared more widely–in all fields.

Sharing and comparing not only produces better results, but saves time.  This past year, I put a great deal of my curriculum on Learnist and used it in class. Crowdsourcing will help me do even better. Together, we can get the best resources, research, business plans, lesson plans, and entrepreneurial ideas, unit by unit, idea by idea, disruption by disruption, until we have a searchable library bringing together the best and brightest minds in the world. This has the potential to revolutionize so every field, not just education.

The whole point behind social learning isn’t to simply click “like” on someone’s board—it’s to engage. It’s to get people thinking about the subject–engaging in true active learning and participation. Passive learning—simply clicking around the boards and reading a few things—that’s the behavior I’m trying to move away from in my career.  I developed a plan.

This summer, I will start to put next year’s material on Learnist, but with a twist. I’m putting all-calls out there for teachers to add their material. I hope theirs is better than mine in many areas. I’ll share my best stuff. I’ll expect I’ll make connections and be inspired to teach even better, and to dedicate my time to students, rather than wasting time recreating the wheel.


Follow Learnist at @LearnistTweets andlike Learnist on Facebook. Don’t forget–if you find these Learnist boards helpful, you can use the “+add to this board” feature to contribute your learnings at any time!

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Students Use Learnist For Outreach

By posted May 30, 2013

I looked down at my Learnist feed. There was a board I recognized from a presentation in my class the week before. My students, Hali and Mileena, created the board about military experiments involving LSD. The required five-minute class presentation turned into an entire lesson–taught entirely by them. They engaged the class, asking some of the tougher questions about US history, medical ethics, and other controversial issues. The supporting materials they chose were professional, well-researched, and engaging–all the things a great Learnist board should be–and here it was in my feed, being featured on Learnist’s home page all on it’s own.  Right next to one of my super-nerd boards, actually. My heart swelled with pride. I tweeted immediately, but couldn’t wait to high-five them in person.

“Your board was featured on Learnist’s home page–it was really, really good!” I said.

“I know!” Mileena responded, “I’m psyched! I want to make a lot more of them,” she said. I hope they do. I teach at a regional technical high school. Hali and Mileena are students in our culinary department, headed for further education in the field. Earlier, Mileena discussed putting her personal material on Learnist–recipes and culinary information. I showed them my “Art of French Cooking,” board, which I designed because I love to cook and my husband hates when I garnish his food. He wants “food, not art.”

“Escoffier!” they exclaimed. So very few people get excited when I talk Escoffier–I was thrilled. That’s what Learnist boards do. They bring a sense of excitement–where students meet me on the playing field of education, where they, with proper guidance, get to be the expert, too, and everyone has the opportunity to show off their stuff.

I mentored a student, Alyson, for her senior project, also done on Learnist. Alyson is a Health Careers student who will be graduating with her Certified Nurses’ Assistant qualification and a strong desire to save the world. We started her project last summer. She spent the year researching the effects of vegetarian diet on health, using her Learnist board, “Vegetarian Diets and Disease Prevention” as part of her outreach. In the process, she discovered she is a rock-star at social media, which, incidentally, is becoming a hot career skill she thinks she might explore further.

A classroom discussion with Alyson resulted in this board, “The Dove Beauty Campaign.” It also inspired her to work with younger female students who are starting an organization designed to help girls raise their self-esteem, showing them their inner talent beauty, and strength come from within, despite the pressures of society to think otherwise.

I am finding other student boards from across the nation using Learnist creatively to make education come alive.

At the end of year one, I’m glad my students love Learnist, and that the quality of their work shows. They’re not only using Learnist to do great work, but they’re realizing social learning is about outreach–that they can have an impact with their work. They can–if they want–change the world.

Learnist features the best and most interesting boards on Twitter. Follow us @LearnistTweets and join us on Facebook! 

 

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Learnist Just Made It Personal

By posted April 25, 2013

I’m really excited to share a big update to Learnist with you today.  There are a lot of user experience enhancements and features in this release for iPhone, iPad and the web — here are some of the ones we think you’ll really love.

Personalized Learning Feed –  Here’s a video that shows you how the Personalized Learning Feed works. It’s for everyone. Whether it’s your first-ever visit to Learnist or your seventh visit of the day, you’re going to see a whole new experience that starts with Learnist asking what you want to learn about and that leads to your own feed with content on the topics you want to learn about, from the people you want to learn from.

BBC on Learnist – (see release below). The BBC is bringing some of its 100 years worth of media into Learnist on topics from science to society. We’re super excited about seeing incredible media brands like the BBC begin using Learnist to organize and share their great content. You can even mashup BBC’s Learnist content onto your own boards.

And, of course, your feedback has led to more improvements in Learnist. You can find out about all the latest changes to Learnist as they happen by following our ‘What’s New on Learnist’ board.

Later today, we’ll update this post with news coverage of this release and our BBC partnership. We’re already working on the next big release. We’ve got some cool new ways to learn about what’s around you when it’s relevant.

Release: Grockit and BBC Worldwide Announce Pilot Featuring BBC Earth Content on Learnist

(BUSINESS WIRE)  Social learning company Grockit, announced today that BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, has become the latest partner to offer content for its social learning platform, Learnist. BBC Worldwide has curated a BBC Earth multimedia board, as part of a new “Earth Science” category on Learnist. This offers fans of environment and life sciences the opportunity to interact with a host of BBC Earth content.

“We developed Learnist to bring personalized online social learning to millions of curious people around the world,” says Roy Gilbert, CEO of Grockit. “We’re thrilled to be working with BBC Worldwide to share their content with our thriving community of expert content curators and life-long learners.”

Launched in late May of 2012, Learnist lets people easily curate and organize online content to help people learn from and teach each other about a wide range of academic and casual learning topics.

“BBC Worldwide is always seeking new opportunities to pilot our content on new innovative social platforms in order to gain a greater understanding of how particular content is received and used by new audiences,” says Jenny Fielding, Head of Digital Ventures at BBC Worldwide. “We are delighted to be trailing a selection of our earth and science content with Learnist and its growing base of fans from teachers to students and life-long learners.”

Today’s announcement follows the recent partnership with Discovery Communications, Inc. More details on that partnership can be found on Grockit’s Official Blog here.

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Learnist Sponsors First Science Online Teen Conference

By posted April 20, 2013

This past weekend I attended the first—hopefully annual—Science Online Teen conference. Organized by Science Online’s and Science Online Teen’s Karyn Triphagen and Stacy Baker, it was a great event that will, no doubt, gain traction for many years to come.

The event was wonderful—teens from all over New York City and the United States came together with world-class scientists to discuss careers, research, blogging, and advances in various scientific fields.  Several teens helped to organize the events, planning and running workshops.

Learnist was one of the sponsors of the Science Online Teen conference. My mission was to make boards documenting the various workshops and topics. I expected the workshops to be interesting to me, but it went far beyond that–I left inspired about education in general. I became cognizant of the fact that it is critical, not only to give students the best possible education, but to provide them with the opportunity to network and engage with world-class people in their future fields, giving them ways to continue the dialogue with those experts. This is the ideal I hoped to reflect in helping to create the Science Online Teen Learnist boards.

The three workshops I attended were incredible. The first, “How WILD is NYC?” was about the citizen scientist–graduate students Andrew Collins and Hannah Jaris explained how crowdsourcing information is leading to great discoveries. They allowed us to participate in citizen science projects to get a feel for how they operate, and they sent us off with a half-dozen links to thing we can do right now to become scientists in our own backyard.

The second workshop I chose was a panel called “Women in STEM.” This panel included six top female scientists who are and will continue to be featured on Learnist boards. The discussion quickly took a turn from conversations about pure science to critical questions about gender gaps between men and women not only in STEM but in higher-level career fields. Teens participating in this panel discussion had some candid conversation with leading female scientists about these issues, as well as how to correct these gaps.

The third workshop I attended was “Blogging from a Teen Perspective,” hosted by two teen science bloggers, Samm and Naseem, who sought to inspire teens to research and blog, explaining all the ways that blogging helps writers to develop their craft. Having workshops hosted by teens for teens was definitely a benefit of this conference.

As an educator, the Science Online Teen conference far exceeded my expectations. I was honored to be invited and look forward to seeing even more teens in science next year.

Learnist was proud to be a part of this inaugural event. While the learnboards from the sessions themselves are up and running, the dialogue sparked by this event continues, and I expect plenty more boards to be made, so keep watching. I was especially honored that many of the panel scientists and one outstanding biology teacher came to my session about how I, personally, use Learnist in the classroom. We discussed ways scientists could use Learnist to make their material accessible to the masses, breaking down complex concepts such as neuroscience, parasitology, technology, biology, medicine, genetics, and astronomy for everyone, which is what “citizen science,” teen blogging, and Learnist are all about.

We’ll see you next year, Science Online Teen, but until then, I’ll be following you on Twitter at @Scioteen. I’ll be looking forward everyone else’s Learnboards.

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Learnist Recognized as Webby Award Official Honoree!

By posted April 11, 2013

Learnist is proud to announce that in addition to this week’s EdTech Digest awards and honorable mentions, we have been recognized with an honorable mention at the Webby Awards. The Webby Awards recognize the best of the best on the internet in all categories. Learnist received recognition in the Education and Discovery category alongside winners TEDx and other honorable nominee National Geographic Education. That’s some good company to keep.

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Learnist Wins EdTech Digest Cool Tool Award

By posted April 9, 2013

Today, EdTech Digest released its 2013 awards list honoring trendsetters and leaders in the education and technology sectors.  Learnist is extremely proud be the winner in the Cool Tool Award category.  The Cool Tool Award “recognizes new, emerging and established technology solutions for education.”   It’s quite an honor to be recognized alongside the other amazing leaders, visionaries, and educational platforms in this category as Learnist continues to make trendsetting advances to the field of continual learning.

Not only was Learnist recognized, but Learnist’s founder Farbood Nivi was a finalist in the Education Entrepreneurs Category and the winner of the Overall Edtech Rockstar Category.  Special shout out and congrats to our favorite rockstar, Farb!

Check out Edtech Digest’s full list of nominees and winners here! We congratulate all of you!

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#LearnTalk Wrapup: “EdTech with Farb Nivi”

By posted February 27, 2013

Participants in Monday’s #LearnTalk twitter chat represented a wide variety of disciplines in education and tech.  The talk was moderated by Farb Nivi, co-founder of Grockit and Learnist.

Discussion began with a question about the birth of Grockit and Learnist and the vision for both.  Since Grockit came first, Farb advised, Learnist had some traction from the get-go. Since its release, Learnist has seen rapid growth, in part, because of its versatility.

People discussed the ways they use Learnist, from curating materials for students to involving them in the creation and curation process. Learnist featured author Jesse Parent stated that he uses Learnist to assemble his materials and organize them before starting larger writing projects. Jesse has an extensive collection of materials on Learnist, all of which provide in-depth knowledge about geopolitics, world regions, and energy policy. Yuli Skincare, who joined in on the chat, has boards on Learnist showcasing their product line and educating the public on the importance of skincare.

The question of Learnist’s comparison to Pinterest came up, with chat participants discussing the difference between the two platforms. Learnist is specifically geared toward the learning aspect of curation. Users can add learnings to the boards of others with the Learnist “suggest a learning” tool. That, participants noted, sets Learnist apart as a learning venue in all fields.

Chat members talked about using Learnist to create digital books—for replacing textbooks and for personal writing projects.  “What if you could turn your Learnist Learnboard into a book, with one-click?” tweeted Farb.

That is an excellent cliffhanger. While Farb did not give any further details at this time, the suggestion stands—Learnist’s utility as a platform for learning—both in and out of the classroom—will expand with each new feature added. This will be exciting to see.

The next LearnTalk will be held on Monday, March 11th at 8PM EST with food blogger Lauren Atkins Budde. The topic will be “Delicious Locally Sourced Food.” Lauren is a home chef extraordinaire who blogs at Have Fork WIll Eat.

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#LearnTalk Twitter Chat: “Lean and Agile” with Farb Nivi, February 25, 8PM EST

By posted February 22, 2013

This coming Monday, February 25, at 8PM EST/5PM PT, Farb Nivi will host  #LearnTalk.  Farb needs no introduction to most regular readers of this blog–he is the co-founder of Grockit and Learnist.

This #LearnTalk will be a perfect opportunity to ask Farb anything you have been wondering about startups or EdTech.

Farb will start the #LearnTalk by discussing the lean and agile processes of software development. Lean is a process which collects user input in order to develop products more efficiently, and the agile process lets developers change direction whenever necessary. These systems are designed for maximum flexibility–they allow any startup to identify customer needs and bring them to fruition much sooner. Farb will answer questions about how Grockit and Learnist use these processes, and how you might apply them to your startup.

If you are an entrepreneur who has questions about getting your concept from ideation to iteration, bring those questions to Farb during #LearnTalk.

If you are an educator, student, or parent, come with questions about the ways technology is influencing education and reform.  Farb has spoken and written about his thoughts on education, startups, and social learning. In this recent guest post in EdTech Digest, Farb discusses how EdTech will fundamentally change the game for students, educators, and entrepreneurs, as it brings a remarkable degree of individualization to the act of learning. Students are starting to direct their some of their own learning and entrepreneurs are building the supporting materials to make that an excellent customer experience. These are important areas for educators and entrepreneurs to discuss together as the nation contemplates improving the structure and delivery of education.

So, mark your calendar for Monday night’s #LearnTalk. This is a great opportunity to meet with others in the education and entrepreneurial spaces and to ask Grockit and Learnist’s own Farb Nivi some important questions about startups, entrepreneurship, and education.

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#LearnTalk Wrapup: “Bias in the Media” with Dave Stancliff

By posted February 12, 2013

On Monday, February 11, former newspaper editor Dave Stancliff moderated the bimonthly #LearnTalk twitter chat. The subject was “Bias in the Media.” Participants discussed reasons for bias in the media as well as reputable news sources, determining that most mainstream media sources are politically aligned and often chasing ratings. Objectivity seems to be a thing of the past, with many news broadcasts substituting the editorial voice where journalists once said, “And that’s the way it is.”  Chat participants stated that they frequent overseas news broadcasts for greater depth of coverage and objectivity than currently found in the United States.

The media is changing today, with over 90% of American news outlets owned by six conglomerates—because of this, our choice in news sources, while seemingly larger due to 24 hour cable stations, is not, in reality, all that diverse.

However, the Internet provides limitless opportunities for “citizen journalists,” as we saw in Egypt during the Arab Spring, later chronicled in “How Facebook Changed the World.” Real-time reporting may not cut out bias, but it allows news-seekers primary source videos and interviews that are often going live in real-time.  Chat participants discussed the importance of the citizen journalist, and whether or not there should be training for non-journalists reporting the news.

The bottom line is that there are many choices in news sources. Between social media, established network news, citizen watchdogs, the print media, and cable news, readers and feeds, it’s becoming more and more critical for the news consumer to evaluate the perspective being given and arrive at his or her own conclusions.

This Learnist board represents some of the topics touched upon in last night’s installment of #LearnTalk. Please feel free to add to this board as well, using the “suggest a learning” feature.

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