Why video presentations?

There are considerable challenges associated with the recent shift to large class lecture modes. Challenges surround the balance between the two extremes of teaching/learning design: from student-centred to teacher-centred learning. Student-centred learning becomes less feasible as class sizes increase. The predominant model for teaching incorporates student contributions to continuous assessment predominantly focused on classroom presentations and/or written reports. In addition lecturer provided materials are mainly in the form of slideware, complemented perhaps by a set text or reading list, and possibly combined with associated practical sessions in tutorials or workshops. However reduced student engagement is an inevitable consequence of lecturing to large classes of 150+ students coupled with reduced availability of tutoring resources.

The argument for video presentations

Video presentations address two gaps in the current situation facing taught programmes in the University. A shortage of time to listen to and discuss student presentations in class (noting that presentations also often overrun the allocated time). A shortage of digital media targeting specific curricula (University students may also contribute valuable sources of new research and analysis). We also aspire to provide students with 21st century communication and presentation skills encompassing digital media technologies (video, graphics, audio etc) beyond the basics of slide-ware tools. Exposure to video presentation enables students to develop personal competencies in digital media production and delivery. Student and lecturer generated digital media content has the potential to complement the taught components of our degree and masters programmes.

Video presentations can enhance student engagement and involvement by structuring the student's own hands-on experience by preparing independent research and presentations for on-line delivery. Digital capture and production tools also empower a students' ability to plan, design and create their own showcase their research projects. An anticipated benefit is that students will also acquire a practical understanding of advanced communication and media production.

Finally, locally generated material (in particular local Irish content) has the potential to make a pedagogical contribution that reflects and disseminates the unique situations and experiences (cases) of (for example) firms in Ireland. This sort of richly illustrated, enacted and narrated media associated with the goals of a particular course may inspire and challenge following classes and also perhaps be of interest to a global community.

Is software eating the world?

Reflecting on Marc Andreessen's 2011 oped piece (link) on the inversion of software over hardware, and moreover the inversion of software as platforms over stand-alone software and apps.

If ever there was a clarion call to the dominance of technology and of internet services over applications this could be it.

But this is not a gold rush, at least not these days. Andreessen states:

"No one should expect building a new high-growth, software-powered company in an established industry to be easy. It's brutally difficult."

And even software engineering as it was know has been inverted. No longer "project oriented release after 3 years of development" style of projects. Instead, Internet services software is continuously evolving as evidenced by companies like LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, Etsy and others (see blob piece by Steve Denning on Etsy). And when we say 'continuously evolving', we mean that the product that customers engage with is being revised hour to hour, on a minute to minute basis. This is the era of continuous deployment and 'Dev Ops', where software services stay up (up-time is crucial) and responds to evolving, adapting requirements and needs; software that is responsive but continuously changing.

Retitled course "Managing Design and Development"

Update: We have retitled the course Managing Design and Development (from Managing Systems Development) reflect the course focus on management practices, and skills for grappling with digital designing.

Winners! Leaders of Tomorrow 2014

Nubi Kayode and Alex Keaney were chosen as winners with OnePlace.

From Alex's FB photos: Pitching for the penultimate time to Accenture leaders and competition.
"Bring on the final — with Nubi Kay at Accenture Grand Canal Plaza."

OnePlace is an application to make messaging simple again. OnePlace aggregates all of your messaging apps, allows for smart sending (so you send to active and priority recipient accounts), and consolidate in-bound messages from multiple platforms for better context.

They will travel to Accenture’s New York Digital Innovation Centre and have the opportunity to pursue their business idea in a dedicated space on the NDRC Launchpad programme, Ireland’s leading digital accelerator platform. They will receive expert mentorship, weekly workshops and more to make their idea their future and become a Leader of Tomorrow. They also have the option of a 6 month Leadership Internship with Accenture.

The Leaders of Tomorrow competition aims to identify, foster and recognise leadership potential and innovative thinking amongst aspiring entrepreneurs in Ireland.

From the Irish Times...

See the video

Accenture's LoT pages

NDRC announcement

Nubi's blog

Leaders of Tomorrow Award 2014

Kayode Nubi and Alex Keaney at the LoT Pitch Meeting

Four students on the MSc iBusiness - Innovation through ICT programme entered this year's "Leaders of Tomorrow" competition.

Cathal McNamara and Darragh Leahy with QR-Stamp, a system for making post easy; and Nubi Kayode and Alex Keaney with OnePlace, an application to make messaging simple again.

Kayode Nubi and Alex Keaney were selected as finalists, while Cathal and Darragh made it through to the second round.

The winner from the top six finalists will be announced at the 2014 LoT award ceremony, Thursday April 10th, 6pm at Accenture, 4th floor, 1 Grand Canal Square.

The Leaders of Tomorrow competition aims to identify, foster and recognise leadership potential and innovative thinking amongst aspiring entrepreneurs in Ireland.

From the Irish Times...

See the video

Accenture's LoT pages

NDRC announcement

Nubi's blog

PPIG 2014

PSYCHOLOGY OF PROGRAMMING INTEREST GROUP
PPIG 2014 Conference, Brighton, UK: 25-27 June 2014

Second Call for Papers

Submission Deadline 25th March 2014

We invite papers concerned with the psychological aspects of software development. PPIG entertains a broad spectrum of research approaches, from theoretical perspectives drawing on psychological theory to empirical perspectives grounded in real-world experience, and is equally concerned with all aspects of programming and software engineering, from the design of programming languages to communication issues in software teams, and from computing education to high-performance professional practice.

Full details, see www.sussex.ac.uk/Users/bend/ppig2014/

Mad idea #12 "Every new project starting off should have a review session of previous projects...

Mad idea #12 "Every new project starting off should have a review session of recent projects and review their key learning (5 things that went well, 5 things that could be improved).

Works for design & development as well as support, marketing and sales initiatives.