Jump on the Magic School Bus: Issue #16 of web3🤝education
Hello educator and web3 frens. The number 16 isn't necessarily an important milestone or numerical marker (unless you are a fan of Dwight "Doc" Gooden or maybe see the high numerical significance of the golden ratio). Regardless, thank you to everyone for following along on my journey with this newsletter.
I have surpassed 60 subscribers on Twitter and am close to 100 followers on LinkedIn (98, so if you're on LinkedIn please subscribe!). This is beyond what I expected when I started this 3 or so months ago. My purpose for curating this list of resources on education and web3 is really selfish. I wanted a place to hold the resources I was reading on this topic.
As it has spread and grown I am trying to be more mindful of what type of content I am sharing. I have also made some adjustments to how I present the content. Here's a recap of some changes I have made since the first issue:
🌟 Creating my own titles for each resource and adding my own summaries of the resource
🌟 Embedding the links in the introduction for easier accessibility
🌟 Removing the categories of each resource and focusing on the content
🌟 Prioritizing relevancy and currency over a variety of media types
I hope these changes have helped make the newsletter more interesting and relevant. If there are any suggestions that you have my DMs are always open, reach out to my Twitter account.
One additional change I will pilot this week is to put the resources in list form at the top of the newsletter for easy access. You can read the individual resource sections in the sections below for a quick summary and links. Here is this week's list:
🌟 A detailed introduction on the metaverse by Meridian Tree House
🌟 Interview with Ed3 DAO co-founder Vriti Saraf from ISTE Live in New Orleans
🌟 Freakonomics podcast on NFTs asking "are they a scam?"
If you’re not already subscribed to the newsletter you can go to my profile and enter your email address to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox. I am also crossposting to LinkedIn. On my profile, you can link to the newsletter and click subscribe there.
Download a Free Guide on the Metaverse for Education — www.meridiantreehouse.com
“I wish I had a document like this when I first started creating and teaching with virtual reality six years ago.” - Erika Woolsey, PhD
That quote sums up how I felt after reading this well-laid-out document on the metaverse and education. Most guides I have come across either feel too long and full of technical jargon or are too brief to give the topic the attention it deserves.
This guide hits the sweet spot. There are detailed overviews about what XR is, what it will look like in education, and how to make the use of XR meaningful. It also walks through the handy "DICE" acronym and how it can be used as a lens to assess the proper use of XR and related technologies when engaging in teaching and learning.
The Magic School Bus of Learning — edtechmagazine.com
Co-founder of the Ed3 DAO Vriti Saraf shares her thoughts on the metaverse live from ISTE in New Orleans. Note that the video is locked behind a login. All you have to do is sign up for free using your email to view the video.
One highlight of this interview is the comparison of the metaverse to learning on a "magic school bus." She also dives into the DICE acronym used in the Meridian Treehouse guide to the metaverse linked in the above section.
Vriti's thinking always aligns with best practices in teaching and learning. As we discuss the role of the metaverse in our classrooms we must stay grounded in effective pedagogy. This means we are complementing any AR/VR experience with real-life interactions and collaboration. This interview is an essential reminder of our role to provide young people with well-rounded learning experiences.
Are N.F.T.s All Scams? — freakonomics.com
This series has three episodes on the blockchain, NFTs, and crypto. All of them are recommended, but I felt this particular episode was the most relevant. I always love hearing views that push against conventional narratives on this topic. This episode is not contrarian, but it looks at the topic from various angles.
The final section of the episode is particularly insightful. The discussion shifts toward the role of NFTs in the life of artists and creatives. It doesn't speak directly to issues in education. The value here is that it provides a perspective to consider art and artists' role in this emerging digital space. Something that I believe should be considered by anyone involved with guiding learning for young people.
Thank you for stopping by for another issue of my web3🤝education newsletter. You can subscribe to the newsletter here or if you’re on LinkedIn go check out a version of this newsletter on my LinkedIn and give me a follow.
Link to all my work by checking out my website.