David William Price

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  • David William Price 1:33 pm on December 3, 2011
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    I was excited about taking this course because it combined education with business in a public forum. I enjoyed the assignments and the opportunity to synthesize education and business. Some ideas occurred to me: PROF INPUT 1. I was interested to read some of the prof’s own venture efforts and hoped to learn more from […]

    Continue reading AS4 Class suggestions Posted in: Uncategorized
     
  • David William Price 11:03 am on November 30, 2011
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    I watched each of my assigned elevator pitches four or five times. My business experience is limited, but I have done real elevator pitches and worked on real venture pitches that were presented to investors. What I learned from that experience was you have to present yourself as a credible person: you are expected to […]

    Continue reading Elevators… don’t have PowerPoint Posted in: Uncategorized
     
    • mcquaid 12:26 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Just to play the EVAA role, here (Educational Venture Analyst Antagonist)… with today’s technology, it would actually be possible to project a presentation on the inside of an elevator. If I was in an elevator with someone, and they could show me their ideas in that way, I would be seriously impressed.

      I agree with your purist ideas of the pitch… (length, personal touch, etc.), but I think that the pitches can advance a bit with the times as well. Heck… many years ago, what may they have been called… hydraulic lift pitches? Funicular Pitches? Archimedes’ lifting device pitch? “So… Hiero… I have this idea about figuring out if your crown is pure gold or not, but I’ll need to use the crown. Here, hop on my lift with me. I’ll tell you about it…”

      • David William Price 12:42 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Again, it’s not about the technology, it’s about the personal credibility. It’s about demonstrating your confidence, passion, and grasp of the issues by speaking directly face-to-face with someone. It’s about selling yourself, not the idea. Ideas really are dime a dozen. The investor’s interest is whether they should invest in you, initially with time, later with resources and contact.

      • David William Price 12:48 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Perhaps to help put things in perspective… Winklevoss vs Zuckerberg?

    • bcourey 2:40 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      My concern with most of the face-to-face videos I see on YouTube that are pitching their products are so amateurish that they defeat the purpose in my opinion..hollow acoustics, bad shadowing, bad lighting, bad angles….unless a person is willing to spend the bucks and get one done professionally with proper lighting, sound system and a great backdrop, I believe I am making a better impression with a powerpoint.

      • Deb Kim 4:16 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        I agree with you, Brenda. Rather than presenting myself under bad shadowing and bad lighting, I’d make it more professional with a powerpoint. For my elevator pitch, although I only used my voice (not myself infront of the camera), I still spent a tremendous amount of time and effort. Many of the elevator pitch that I watched didn’t have the F2F videos, I still liked them a lot. For example, Doug’s elevator pitch only had his voice, but it still looked very professional.

        Deb

      • David William Price 6:26 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        I think you’re really misunderstanding this post. I am not suggesting that as a business entrepreneur you video yourself doing a pitch then send people links to that video.

        A real elevator pitch is something you do in person when you bump into someone. While you may want to produce an attractive ad to sell your idea, that’s not even an option in that circumstance. I am encouraging people to focus on the experience of creating that pitch and delivering it. This assignment was both an opportunity to share your pitch through video, and to comment about the role of pitches for entrepreneurs.

        An investor relies on you to actually make the business work. The good impression you want to create comes from you speaking in person with warmth and passion.

        Stephen makes the point about con men. Well, what do con men do? They develop your trust based on talking to you. That’s step one. The next step is then to provide necessary information for due diligence, so you can establish what they claim is true.

    • Deb Giesbrecht 5:37 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      yikes – I take back all my positive comments. Technology is about how you use it and if it can benefit your case by all means.

      • David William Price 6:29 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        “I take back all my positive comments”

        Grad seminars are about sharing diverse perspectives and challenging your own comfort zone. I’d encourage you to consider the post in the spirit it was intended… encouraging people to go out and sell themselves in person, face-to-face, and establish their personal credibility.

        • Deb Giesbrecht 7:41 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

          Missed the spirit of encouragement. I am all for constructive criticism – constructive being the key word. Constructive criticism will be incorporated into each of our marks with comments on how to improve when David sends out our final evaluations. I think educators have a propensity to be critical – as that is the nature of their role – some how in the guise of trying to improve character or behavior. Nurses on the other hand tend to nurture – believing we can attract more bees with honey versus vinegar.

          This course was well beyond my comfort zone as it was – I am not from a business background and likely would not have ventured into this material had I known how much it strayed from traditional course work in this program – so I applaud everyone who actually finished the assignment – powerpoint or not. I am truly amazed at the creativity and diversity (and tech savvy ) ideas that came across and applaud the diversity of presentations. Truly a reflection of a resilient and creative group.

          I do not use elevator pitches in my personal, professional or academic life – and am still able to eek out a truly successful career and personal life and have based a long successful working history on personal credibility built on honesty and fairness. I did not have to sell anything – I have no plans on changing my habits.

    • schiong 6:14 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,

      I think you make a very good point about selling oneself.
      I will remember that if I need to pitch in the future.

      cheers,
      Steve

    • Allie 10:44 am on December 1, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,
      I wanted to say thanks for the time and effort you put into critiquing my E- and VP; you were really rigorous, and I’ll be taking your comments into account in further revisions should I pursue my idea. I have to say, when you wrote that your evaluations may be ‘cold,’ I immediately thought: uh-huh. And I came away from your critiques relatively unscathed.

      I know that you’re intending your contributions to be ultimately encouraging and constructive, but I’m not sure they’re playing out that way. In truth, to my eyes/ears, they sound a little less ‘hey, let’s develop this nugget of awesomeness,’ and more ‘you(r work) SUCKS.’ I completely get that you’re playing the role of a prospective investor, and that that world isn’t sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. However, even in that *virtual* scenario, your – and all of our – *actual* roles as educators and colleagues never go away. I think this is especially the case when we’re doing all of this in public. People’s professional identities are on the line. True confession: I’m glad that the name that I use professionally isn’t attached to a publicly accessible, itemized list of my (work’s) deficiencies. Especially since I’m on the job market.

      I guess, what I want to say is that while I appreciate that you bring a very rigorous approach to your critiques, I think – no, make that I know – that one can be both tough and rigorous, and kind. I know this because I learned from the best – in my previous life, I was pursuing a research career before deciding to pursue education; my doctoral adviser is tough, bloody demanding, and *hella supportive* at the same time**. She pushed me further than I thought I could go, and I always knew she had my back. I’ve been an adjunct prof for three years at UBC, and I continually draw on her example in working with my own students. Not that I’m always successful, but, you know, work in progress.

      I also think that as educators/education students – with feedback and evaluation forming a huge part of what we do professionally – the onus is on us to develop and role model effective feedback/eval techniques and mechanisms that genuinely facilitate growth. It’s our social role, and perhaps our competitive advantage too.

      Like… everyone else?… writing an E- and VP is completely new to me. This was my very first go, and I think I did pretty well especially given that I’m more conversant in Marxist critique than in venture capitalism (another true confession: kinda glad that isn’t publicly associated with my professional identity given job market ;). The only similar experience I have is writing grant and fellowship proposals – equally tough market and crowd, and equally dependent on making a solid, well researched case. Just like this class, in graduate school, we wrote and workshopped proposals that we submitted to national and international competitions. I have a pretty good record, but I’m glad that first attempt of mine from my first year of my Master’s isn’t floating out there on the internet.

      yours,
      Allie

      **I have to say, her critiques – which could be blistering – were always contained within closed, confidential environments. She simply wouldn’t put us on her panels at conferences or write us reference letters unless she thought we were ready (after all, her name is on the line too), but when she had us out there publicly, she went to bat for us. I say this to underscore the private/public nature of all this.

  • David William Price 8:50 pm on November 27, 2011
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    You can find my elevator pitch for “Mind Traction” an m-learning performance support below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AmhbODxd2k I have uploaded the venture pitch to the media gallery as a PDF: https://blogs.ubc.ca/etec522sept11/files/2011/11/price-Etec-522-venture-pitch-mind-traction.pdf    

    Continue reading AS3 Mind Traction Pitches Posted in: Week 13: Venture Forum
     
    • kstooshnov 1:48 pm on November 28, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,

      Wonderful to see your elevator pitch – finally it’s great to start putting faces (and voices) to names on this blog. You are very calm, cool and effective in highlighting what your project will mean for investors, and your slide deck backs up everything the elevator pitch mentions. Good job there, but one suggestion is doing something about the endnotes scattered throughout the venture pitch. They were a bit distracting, as I often found myself wondering about the information that is missing, rather than focusing on the content of the slide. The stickman figures are a great touch, and it would make for a cleaner pitch. If it were not possible to make them hyperlinks, as any EVA who sees this will be on one’s own computer before showing it to others, having the small print appear on the bottom of the page may help others to retain their focus. It may just be me, but any extra bits that take away from your presentation should be eliminated, like wearing an offensive tie to an investors’ meeting – not to worry, the one you’ve got on suits you perfectly!

      Kyle

      • David William Price 9:53 am on November 29, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Interesting that you saw endnotes as an indication of something missing, rather than the presence of authority for facts and figures given. Entrepreneurs often make unfounded claims or claims based on flimsy evidence.

        • kstooshnov 2:08 pm on November 29, 2011 | Log in to Reply

          Yes, curious indeed. And that’s the great thing about technology, isn’t it? The way it lets us do “today’s job with yesterday’s tools–with yesterday’s concepts” (p. 9) like endnotes in a PowerPoint presentation. I’ll leave it to you to find out what source the quote comes from…

    • jenaca 1:42 am on November 29, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,
      I really enjoyed watching your pitch and I found that you talked calm and slow giving me an opportunity to understand the product you are pitching! I think it is a great idea, however, I am not convinced that students will purchase or use this app on their phones. College students may have other concerns and would most likely turn to friends or family for support!
      Jenaca

      • David William Price 9:51 am on November 29, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        That’s why it’s sold in bulk to universities, not students individually (noted briefly in the pitch at the start and at the end but more comprehensively in the venture doc) As noted in the venture pitch, students do not disclose their anxiety to each other, to friends, family or faculty. That’s part of the problem and that’s why their learning performance suffers. This is not about reassurance, it’s about mentorship and performance support… solving the problem, not asking for reassurance.

    • jarvise 10:16 am on November 29, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      You establish the pain and solution clearly. You give an indication of return and potential market. It was clear that your background makes you suited to leading this venture. It was also clear that you were looking for funding. Great idea and presentation. Your venture pitch is very clear as well. You have successfully laid out the market and differentiation. You could consider marketing this to corporations – how many people do each of us know right now who are on stress leave? You could lay out how much is spent on stress leave per year for a company, and then point out the savings that could be afforded through adoption of your app. I found it a little weird that you want to avoid the app market – would the licensing fees be offset by the additional exposure? Also, my only other concern would be: do universities regularly invest in strategies such as this one for their students? If it is something completely novel, it may be hard to break into the market and may make more sense to market to individual students. Great idea, and a definite market here. Matching behaviorist principles with mobile tech is a great fit. I’m not ready to invest yet since I’m not convinced of your marketing strategy, but may become convinced with more information.

      Emily

      • David William Price 8:05 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks for the comments.

        I avoid the app market because they take 30% from every sale, and this app is unlikely to sell well to individuals. There just would not be enough up-take to repay investors and provide a return.

        I chose universities rather than corporations as a starting point. I do see growth potential, but I figured universities are more learning focused and more concerned about dealing with people whose learning is impaired and causing them to drop out of courses and programs. The bulk licensing cost would mean a very small per-student investment, much tinier than many other investments made to support student performance in IT, health, etc. on campus.

        Interesting point about stress leave costs in corporations. I think people already in their careers may be a bit harder to get into performance supports like this.

    • Deb Giesbrecht 3:14 pm on November 29, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Pain Point: anxious students
      • Solution: mobile mentor
      • Differentiation: puts mentors in the pocket of every student/identifies differentiation
      • Marketing; clear marketing strategy
      • Championship; identifies founder as champion
      • Competition: identifies competitors
      • The Ask: 100,00 – knew what you were asking for
      • The Return: 5 years ROI
      The Message
      • CEO Credibility: Really liked your elevator pitch. You were very credible, calm, cool and collected – made me want to go out and buy one – or at least learn more! Made me want to see your venture pitch
      • Management Team: spoke about founder – ?other team members
      • Venture Concept: Very feasible and doable.
      • Market Readiness: developed pain points with well researched solution. Identified statistics of cell phone owners
      • Competitive Edge: identified the strengths – no weakness identified
      Overall Investment Status: You provided a thorough and well researched background for an up and coming app. Identified real pain point in education. I would invest in this endeavor – great job!

      • David William Price 8:06 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks. I’d actually like one of these for myself. I spent a day coaching a highly anxious person through a lot of these issues in real time and the difference between the beginning of the day and the end was spectacular.

    • Keisha Edwards-Hamilton 7:50 pm on November 29, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      David,

      Your elevator pitch is very intriguing and engaging, and I am keen to learn more about this venture. From the onset you identified your target market, the pain point and the solution which is very good. I can see how this proposal will help “anxious learners”. I have to deal with many of them on a daily basis. This is worth pursuing.

      Keisha

      • David William Price 8:08 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks. What saddens me is the effect anxiety has on learning… proved by science. That anxiety causes all kinds of performance degradation and associated psychological self-flagellation that could be avoided. My thesis will be examining this subject in more depth.

    • hall 2:43 am on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      David,

      Your elevator pitch is very interesting and informative. It was very innovative. Your voice was very clear and you appeared very calm which showed that you were confident. ‘Mind traction’ is a brilliant idea; I would definitely invest in your venture. The statistics given on the use of cell phones in America is a good idea. It gives investors a framework to work with in terms of the returns they would get on their investments. Although, America has such a large target market group but it could more profitable if you incorporate the rest of the world. Is Mind traction app written language only English? If not it could be used other non English speaking societies. It is a very good venture.

      • David William Price 8:09 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks. Great suggestions about worldwide coverage. Ideally, the app would be mostly visual, using icons with minimal text and that text could be translatable into the most common world languages. America seems a good proof of concept, and the venture pitch indicates expansion to Canada, UK, Australia.

    • carmen 10:23 am on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Love the idea of this app!

      The pitches are very engaging and make me want to keep reading (and listening). 🙂 The venture pitch is well researched to prove the need in the market. I’m very convinced. If it’s developed successfully, this app would be the leader in the market!

      As for the marketing strategy, I like how you focus on university students first. I think if people like the idea, it will spread to other markets, and by that time the app would be even better developed.

      I wonder why you would like to focus on selling to the university rather than the students, because the students are motivated to do well and need this tool to help. Though I truly believe students can benefit from this app, I wonder what is the budget of universities and how much they would invest to lower students’ stress levels. Big universities will go on with their business without the app… maybe private colleges might worry more about retention rate? But private colleges will have less budget…

      I wonder if it’s possible to be developed by the “university”, similar to how WebCT was developed by UBC.

      • David William Price 8:11 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks. Great questions.

        Individual spending on apps for smartphones is way heavily weighted to games. This kind of app is unlikely to sell enough to individuals to recoup the investment and pay decent returns. Getting bulk license sales in the multi-thousands and ongoing commitments provides a more predictable revenue stream.

        Would universities pay for it? Consider the tuition fees charged by American universities (10x those here). Some of them issue laptops and iPhones or iPod touches to their students. A dollar per student for this kind of performance support would not be a big deal.

    • bcourey 2:56 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,
      I may be repeating some of the comments mentioned before, but overall I was very impressed with your presentation – and as you said in today’s post, you feel strongly about have a personal Elevator pitch and your conviction on that front shows – you do have a more professional presence in your pitch than others I have viewed on YouTube when I was searching for examples.

      I am very intrigued by your idea of Mind Traction – your pain point of anxiety for post secondary students is very real – which would also make your product useful for many secondary students as well – we see anxiety disorders more and more each year because of the perceived pressures the students feel even in that younger environment. So since these students are all carrying some kind of portable device – it makes perfect sense to have an application right there in their pocket for quick access – better than some of the other products they may be turning to instead!

      I also see the advantages of adding other components to the product – such as the calendar and GPS – all pieces that help ease anxiety as well. Your use of language such as cheerleader, and collaborator would appeal to your consumer as well. I didn’t find the end notes distracting at all – in fact, I agree with you that they give credence to your claims.

      Your request for funding seems very reasonable and you provide great details about the return on their investment – the question is: will students pay for this? Maybe the parents will, knowing the stress their child may be feeling as they leave home. I also agree that your competition is either low-tech or require prescriptions.

      I believe your venture is a worthwhile investment!

      Brenda

      • David William Price 8:13 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks.

        Your question about students paying for this is an excellent one. I don’t think they would. THat’s why I’m going after universities to buy it in bulk with the argument it will improve performance of their students, reduce dropouts from courses and programs, and increase retention in maths and sciences.

        These are real issues for universities. Concordia even offers a BONUS for grad students who graduate on time!!!

    • schiong 6:33 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,

      Fascinating product.
      It gave me an impression that I have my own electronic psychiatrist.

      Just curious …
      How do you go about implementing :
      a) Calms panic, grief, anger
      b) Helps identify and challenge negative thoughts & mistaken beliefs about self, others, life

      cheers,
      Steve

      • David William Price 8:18 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks for your questions.

        a) cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) deals with panic, grief and anger primarily through deepened and lengthened breathing and focusing thoughts on accepting and surfing emotions rather than fighting or repressing them or blaming the self or others for them

        b) the set of negative thoughts and mistaken beliefs are very common. THe plan is to produce the most typical versions and when people pick them, they are guided through an understanding of where those thoughts and beliefs come from, how they affect their thinking and emotions, and how to change them.

        Actual implementation is intended to present the symptoms, allow people to choose the symptoms, then run them through an insight-reinforcing diagnostic with tips to use immediately to address the problem. THis would be a combination of text, images, and audio.

        • schiong 9:05 pm on November 30, 2011 | Log in to Reply

          Hi David,

          Very clear explanation.
          Definitely worth investing.

          cheers,
          Steve

    • khenry 4:41 am on December 3, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hello David,

      Forgive me. It’s over 300 words but you gave me a lot to say.

      I really enjoyed both your pitches.

      Elevator Pitch
      Your elevator pitch created a sense of confidence, trust and belief in your product and insight into your competence to lead your venture. You defined the essential elements within your venture and were very clear about what you were asking for. I also liked the fact that you did not have any distracting backgrounds and that it was neutral. I had this problem with many that I have seen and your pitch gave a professional feel that I missed from many video pitches I viewed (and did not like :-)). One thing that struck me though is that you were reading from a script and so at times I lost contact with you because of the shifting of your eyes. You seemed confident enough to go off script and it would sell you better and is a greater catch for investors. Reading your venture pitch I would definitely invest but if I am wading through many ideas/pitches I am not sure the elevator pitch would have hooked me enough to call. Perhaps more emphasis of your hook at the beginning or end? Something that stands out more? But overall it was a strong pitch.

      Venture Pitch
      One of the things I really liked about your venture pitch was the format you presented in and the clarity with which information was presented. It was very reader friendly. The bullet point format was effective and efficient and as a busy investor I would really appreciate this.
      You presented all essential aspects well: Pain Points, Solution, Differentiation, Marketing, Leadership, Competition, Investment needs and Investment returns. You showed that you have a viable and well needed product and your target market is well placed to attract investment and realise your forecasted returns.
      Your research in anxiety and learning is a big trump card. However, you did not discuss anyone else in your team except the CEO (you) and I would wonder at your experience and ability to deliver, navigate and provide innovations for mobile applications/ products (advising clients in a law capacity does not necessarily translate that you have the requisite experience and skills to develop and deliver the software yourself). I also did not get an idea of how you would deal with issues with mobile applications such as interoperability issues. Who, if any, will form the rest of your team?
      Good breakdown on how your ask price will be spent and the return for investors.
      I like the visuals presented as it gives the idea of a mobile app on a phone. However, I wondered at the titles in captions vs your titles in the documents e.g. mentor, collaborator, socialiser. Why is that?

      (This is the Smile section of the Analysis)
      The English language is such a beautiful thing. I smiled when you said ‘Competition is simplistic’. You are correct for what you are talking about but your point would be well made from your list and discussion without having the need to qualify them in your heading as simplistic. And for self-help books ‘cheap, aimed at middle age women’, that had me laughing out loud. You could delete cheap and go for ‘aimed at middle age women’ (if you have the statistics of course). BTW I agree with the use of endnotes.

      Great job! Enjoyed it and would invest. It is a problem everywhere and would be a great global app. Hope you do go for it.

      Kerry-Ann

      • David William Price 11:24 am on December 3, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks.

        Yes, my reading was a big problem! You’re absolutely right.

        You’re also right about the team. I thought about this a bit but didn’t feel comfortable either making stuff up here or including names without permission… and I left this late enough that I didn’t think I could get that kind of sign-on. It’s definitely a weakness.

        I’m not sure I follow about interoperability issues on mobile… my intention was to use one standalone app solely on android.

        TItle in captions vs titles in documents… not sure I follow.

        Interesting point about the headers on the slides. This follows from the “assertion evidence” model of slide design where you make an argument at the top and give evidence in the slide below. It’s supposed to help frame the point and reduce the amount of thinking required to figure out what the slide is about.

        I actually had a reference for the middle-aged women part… I think it was a Forbes article analyzing the self-help industry.

        Thanks for the detailed comments.

        • Allie 11:39 am on December 3, 2011 | Log in to Reply

          i didn’t read your VP, but from the comments, I think it would be weird to have people signed on as team members. I think that for the purposes of this pitch-as-assignment, it’s perfectly appropriate to simply identify the roles that you would need to fill.

    • khenry 9:13 pm on December 4, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,
      I think that is admirable that you did not want to make up anything and getting permission to sign off and I support that point. Your target of the android market focuses your approach and answers my question.

      Re titles: I meant that the captions on your visuals say: Stress surfer, About me, About them, plans and progress etc. , whereas your titles in documents are: anxiety manager, mentor, socializer, collaborator. I just wondered what the app would look like on the screen (the possible selections). Would it show text as shown in your current visuals or would the text used be the titles: anxiety manager, mentor, socializer, collaborator etc?

      I was sure you referenced the middle age women. I was just generalising for the sake of the point.

      Kerry-Ann

  • David William Price 9:16 am on November 14, 2011
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    Welcome to Week 11 – m-learning! This week we’ll look at mobile learning. What’s “mobile learning”? Is it any kind of learning with a small device? Or a lifestyle of learning with the assistance of small devices while roaming in the world? Consider these broader questions while you’re participating this week. Although many devices qualify […]

    Continue reading Week 11 – Welcome to Mobile Learning! Posted in: Week 11: Mobiles
     
    • Julie S 12:16 pm on November 14, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,

      Great site and I really enjoyed your team’s pitch presentation. I just did the poll and thought I’d give the team some quick feedback. I noticed that there is no category for texting or email. I don’t know about others but this is where I spend a lot of my time on my cell phone. I’ve had to group this under other which puts quite a high percentage under other. Not sure if this is what you were intending or if this is going to be common for others but I suspect it might be, especially for users of smart phones like the Iphone.

      I’m just getting started on the site but it really does look great so far.

      Thx.
      Julie

      • kstooshnov 10:27 am on November 16, 2011 | Log in to Reply

        HI Julie,

        Good point about the poll, as I wished to add a note in “other” about texting, but could only enter a number. Also, I found it a bit confusing with web browsing and performance support being two separate choices, as many of the references that I check (Wikipedia, Google etc.) I consider part of browsing.

        Kyle

    • schiong 12:28 pm on November 14, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Julie,

      I used to text a lot back in the Philippines. Unlimited text only costs P250/month or CAD 6.25. What makes it more “appealing” is that the receiver does NOT get charged. In Canada, it is different … I noticed that both parties are charged. I often tell my wife to remind her friends to call instead of sending a text. 🙂 hahaha.. that’s just me (allergic to additional charges)

      cheers,
      Stephen

    • jenaca 1:56 am on November 15, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Great site week 11! I have really enjoyed learning about all the ways we can use and learn from mobile learning!
      Jenaca

  • David William Price 7:43 am on November 13, 2011
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    I initially found the excitement about product-based assessment curious… I had to think for awhile before I realized that my own experiences in journalism and law school and a legal apprenticeship were so problem-focused and product-focused that I hadn’t really given much thought to it. Even the exams in law school are cases to be […]

    Continue reading 1 PBA Experience Posted in: Week 10: Product-Based Assessments
     
    • Doug Smith 9:39 am on November 13, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Thanks for sharing David, it is interesting to hear your perspective and experience. I won’t add too much to what you wrote at this stage in our presentation, but you have got me thinking. I wonder what new tools or services are on the horizon that could make your own pursuit of project based assessment better, easier, more interesting or maybe more efficient…

      cheers
      Doug

    • schiong 11:30 am on November 13, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi,
      Very interesting post.
      From my humble experience, I would say critical thinking, adaptability, and creativity is a personal choice and partly influenced by people we admire.

      It is difficult to say why people take MS or PhD. I am guessing that it is somehow related to job opportunities. I have seen a lot of job openings – college level (teaching) … and the minimum requirement is a Masters Degree.

      Actually, it is also true for Software industry. I noticed that the job openings require too many technologies that the applicant must know … not including the years of experience. I wonder how a new graduate would compete for that position. I guess this is why co-op is popular (to get the required experience — and to get noticed by the potential employer).

      cheers,
      smc

  • David William Price 9:56 am on November 9, 2011
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    So all the arguments about which mobiles have Flash… no longer relevant. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/nov/09/adobe-flash-mobile-dead

    Continue reading Adobe: Flash on Mobile is dead Posted in: Blog Café
     
    • Kristopher 11:27 am on November 9, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      That’s excellent! Like the article says, flash was excellent for it’s original function, but it’s time to rethink how we use computers and adapt to the technologies that are available to us.

      Thanks for the share!

      Kristopher

  • David William Price 1:05 pm on November 4, 2011
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     1. Do you feel that the iPad is a game changer in the global education process? Would you as an EVA invest in this endeavor?  I don’t know what the “global educational process” is. The iPad has undeniable sales figures and market share, but how much “educational use” is simply using existing tools, or accessing […]

    Continue reading D3 EVA Evaluation of iPads Posted in: Week 09: iPad Apps
     
    • Everton Walker 8:55 pm on November 4, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      David,

      Very interesting take on the situation. I do support you on that keyboard factor. Well I guess part of your investment would to make the product complete buy stopping those gaps that you deemed important to the market.

      Everton

    • Jay 11:46 am on November 5, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Thanks for your well-thought out responses. I think the point I take away from this post and fully agree with is there is little to no value in a venture that “…relies on keyboard use of the iPad in a non-mobile context”. After much reflection this week around the discussions, I think Abel’s statement that the iPad is a game changer in education is a loaded one. It denies the existence of the various educational contexts and that the iPad is not the appropriate device in all situations.

    • Jay 11:49 am on November 5, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Sorry, I miss quoted you. Should be; “…that relies on keyboard use, or use of the iPad in a non-mobile context”.

    • ifeoma 8:23 pm on November 5, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,
      Interesting analysis and post. I agree with you on adopting the cross platform approach as issues that stem from incompatibility can cause many woes that could mar an educational venture.

  • David William Price 11:21 am on November 4, 2011
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    1. AFFORDANCES OF THE iPAD High portability, sharability (hand it around), touch and gesture interface, location-awareness, orientation/movement awareness, Internet access, image and sound recording. The limitations include a huge on-screen keyboard, small low-resolution screen, small storage space, no multitasking on the same screen, hidden/primitive filesystem. 2. MY WORKPLACE I am a teaching assistant and an […]

    Continue reading D2 Market for iPad in education Posted in: Week 09: iPad Apps
     
    • Angela Novoa 2:23 pm on November 4, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David, thanks for sharing such a complete report of the advantages and disadvantages of the iPad. As always yu have provided a critical analysis about the iPad. It is true that we not always think on how these devices are made and what resources are used to build them.

    • verenanz 7:25 pm on November 4, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Fantastic analysis. You have clearly identified the strengths and weaknesses of an IPad for your everyday use. You mentioned anxiety management, what about playing with Apps?
      Verena:)

    • jenaca 5:54 am on November 5, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David, I really enjoyed reading through your post and how you labeled the different groups. I agree with the advantages and disadvantages you posted as well as the iPad for everyday use.
      Thanks for also sharing your comments on this week.
      Jenaca

  • David William Price 2:40 pm on October 27, 2011
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    I’m a little uncomfortable with the assignment for this week. It seems extremely IT-focused on data centres– IT vendors and integrators wanting to sell pre-fab solutions to institutions which happen to include educational institutions. The HP solution made me laugh — a private cloud? It was a rack of servers you buy and install in […]

    Continue reading Issue with the assignment Posted in: Week 08: Files in the Cloud
     
    • mcquaid 3:22 pm on October 27, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Thanks for the well-laid-out thoughts (as always), David.
      I don’t think you are really off the mark. We found that there were many cloud-related things to cover (more than I initially thought there would be). The three of us wanted to cover several bases well instead of giving a too-general look at the topic. Without meaning to sound defensive (I’m OK with open criticism), we decided that the main topics we went with would do the best job we could in giving an informative package for an EVA looking to know more / invest in cloud computing, specifically in the educational field.

      On a personal note, I see many educational ventures like the top of a cloud pyramid, occupying less space than the levels below – without a lot of support behind the scenes, scads of infrastructure and other hurdles – the programs students, teachers, or admins want to use wouldn’t even be available. I know, for example, that people in my district and own school are pining for things like iPads and other devices, but without significant changes from the ground up, we’ll never see these useful things in our students’ hands.

    • Jim 6:36 pm on October 27, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,
      Your response is exactly the kind of thing one would expect of an EVA. IT issues intersect with educational ventures and anyone in any decision making position in the education sector must grapple with such issues. In a number of large school districts that I am aware of, there is a sort of give and take between the IT departments and the academic departments. Each have their priorities and each dept uses their own lens to examine issues such as scalability, privacy, usability, and so on. We are pleased that you have identified this as a tension, and that you are a little uncomfortable, but as an EVA or EMA there is plenty of techie hyperbole that must be cut through before decisions can be made.

    • schiong 3:30 pm on October 29, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,

      I share your point of view. I wear my IT hat when the topic is IT related. Change my hat when the topic is different.

      I came across this LMS few days ago (http://www.instructure.com/).
      The look and feel reminds me of WebCT. I believe it is free.

      Most schools do not have IT people who could develop their own LMS.
      And, what is the point in creating your own when there are several LMS (free and paid versions) out there.

      Let me share this link: http://www.ncomputing.com/
      These are nice devices that would go well with Green Computing, Education, and Cloud computing.

      Even with Cloud computing, the school still needs to provide computers to their educators.
      Some schools might not have the budget.
      I just thought of sharing the link above regarding NComputing.
      It could replace the regular PC’s we have in schools at affordable price.

      If I am not mistaken, it only requires 5 volts.

      Yes, I have used them before. I did a consulting work for an NGO about 3 or 4 years ago.

      cheers,
      smc

    • themusicwoman 11:53 am on November 2, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Dear David,

      Thanks for bringing up a totally different view and perspective. Perhaps I’ve not been doing what I keep telling my students: think for yourself, lol. Perhaps a little blindsided by the slick rather than what is educational?
      You make me think about how technology as a whole is percieved and implemented within the education system. I think the reality is the bottom dollar. As much as school districts would like to offer the newest tools, hardware and software, we all know that much of the equipment in schools is old and decrepit. The education system is struggling to keep up with technology.
      Thanks for making me think.

  • David William Price 1:43 pm on October 27, 2011
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    CLOUD BIO  I’m a grad student, teaching assistant and editorial assistant in Montreal. I’ve used Gmail for many years and Google Docs to do group projects. Google Docs only works well if everyone is assertive enough to jump in and share ideas and change things. I implemented Google spreadsheet surveys for an academic journal to […]

    Continue reading Cloud bio & Pitfalls Posted in: Week 08: Files in the Cloud
     
    • hall 5:56 pm on October 27, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      Hi David,

      I have written some great points. Cloud computing has definitely transform our lives. I no longer need to worry about losing my information I store when using Yahoo Mail, Gmail and Google Docs. Once I have internet service I do need not the service of a thumb drives or any other storing devices. Cloud computing has made our life better. It now is becoming a necessity rather than a cosmetic tool. I remember when mobile phones were cosmetic but it is a necessity; now I cannot go anywhere without my phone especially in world where criminal activities are on the rise. I think cloud computing will near future become everybody business.

    • Deb Kim 2:45 pm on October 28, 2011 | Log in to Reply

      David,
      You said ” I write all of my blog posts in MS Word and then I paste them into the blog entry panel. I’ve lost data too many times during an entry process so I guess I just don’t trust it.”
      That’s very interesting because I used to experience the similar thing as you, but now I write all my blog posts directly in the Dashboard (for example) these days as they get autosaved.
      However, I still have to agree with you because my work often gets lost while I’m working on the blog. It already happened twice today. So I have this “habit” now that before I publish my posts or comments, I copy all the work. This way, although I lose my work due to the computer crash, I can always go back and paste my work.

      Deb

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