Victoria's Secret 2015

Victoria's Secret, the largest American retailer of women's lingerie,

continues their annual fashion show in the city that never sleeps, New York City.

Alongside special guests Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, et al, the vivacious Victoria's Secret Angels makes a grand return to the catwalk with Victoria's Secret catalogue of lingerie for the year 2015.

Watch the full titillating romp here:

Stephen Downes and George Siemens: Learning and Connectivism in MOOCs

Two pioneers of Massive Open Online Courses(MOOC) explain Connectivism

Connectivism is a learning theory that explains how internet technologies have created new opportunities for people to learn, share, and encourage others. 

Who is Stephen Downes?

Stephen Downes leads the Learning and Performance Support Systems program at the National Research Council, a multi-year effort to develop personal learning technology and learning analytics. He is one of the originators of the Massive Open Online Course, is a leading voice in online and networked learning, has authored learning management and content syndication software, and is the author of the widely read e-learning newsletter OLDaily.

With Canada's National Research Council since 2001, Stephen Downes is a specialist in online learning technology and new media. He leads the Learning and Performance Support Systems research program. Through a 25 year career in the field Downes has developed and deployed a series of progressively more innovative technologies, ranging from Canada's first academic MUD in the 1990s, to one of its first web-based courses, through the development of a learning management system, an online research Stephen Downes works for the National Research Council of Canada where he has served as a Senior Researcher, based in Moncton, New Brunswick, since 2001. Affiliated with the Learning and Collaborative Technologies Group, Institute for Information Technology, Downes specializes in the fields of online learning, new media, pedagogy and philosophy.

http://www.downes.ca/me/

Who is George Siemens?

George Siemens is a writer, theorist, speaker, and researcher on learning, networks, technology, analytics and visualization, openness, and organizational effectiveness in digital environments. He is the originator of Connectivism theory and author of the article Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age and the book Knowing Knowledge - an exploration of the impact of the changed context and characteristics of knowledge.

Siemens is a prominent Canadian educator in the massive online open course (MOOC) format. In 2008, Siemens and Stephen Downes designed and taught a MOOC which was reported as a "landmark in the small but growing push toward 'open teaching,'" and has since offered various additional MOOCs which have gained popular worldwide attention.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Siemens
About me page at elearnspaces.org

How to Make a Cardboard Birdhouse

Learn how to make a cardboard birdhouse with this helpful tutorial.  With some recycled materials, you can craft birdhouses in no time.

Perfect for indoor decorating, this cardboard birdhouse is so easy and fun to make!

Materials Needed to make a decorative bird house :

• 1. Cardboard (like cereal boxes)
• 2. Patterned or bright colored paper
• 3. Colored Foam sheets
• 4. Foam cutouts or other embellishments
• 5. Craft sticks
• 6. Washi tape
• 7. Glue Gun
• 8. Scissors

1. Print the Template – on an A4 Sheet. Cut the outline. Trace onto a Card board. Cut out the cardboard. The flaps should overlap to form the floor of the birdhouse and the rectangular flaps on top should align with the pointed roof.

Download Template 

2. Cut out the circle too, and cover the cut cardboard with patterned paper, leaving out the rectangular roof flaps. Use a spring themed pattern, or bright colors which you can decorate later.

3. Now fold the house properly and stick the flaps in place with tape or glue. Cover the bare roof flaps with glue and line them with ice cream sticks, cut to size. Spread a line of glue in between to hold both sides of the roof together. Stick a lolly stick under the circular hole for a bird rest. Decorate with washi tape.

4. Now your house needs a birdie! Cut shapes for the body, wing and beak from foam sheets and stick them together. Add a little googly eye and a piece of pipe cleaner on the back to twist it around the bird rest.

5. Fix the birdie in front of her house and decorate it for her. Use foam cutouts or a craft punch to get some decorative shapes. To keep it spring specific, use flowers or greenery. You can even paint the roof, though a plain, ‘woody’ look works as well!

You can make miniature versions and place them together for a cute cluster. Or make a bigger one with more rests and different colored birds – the options are endless!! Thanks to Artsy Craftsy Mom!!

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

10 reasons why you should pick up Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain today

After years of development, the long awaited Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is finally available on your PS4 and PS3, and I hope you’re already out exploring the vast world of TPP.

While there are a couple of gameplay videos already released highlighting the most important features of the game, let’s focus today on what makes The Phantom Pain such a great title, an unique experience and the game you have to play!

1. A huge open world to explore
   For the first time ever, a Metal Gear Solid game will feature an open-world environment. Afghanistan, one of the regions of the game, will take Snake a while to explore, riding a jeep or on his horse, and the area is full of locations to investigate, from small abandoned villages to large, heavily defended military bases. The world of The Phantom Pain is a great place to explore between missions and there are tonnes of fun things to do!
2. Unprecedented player freedom
   With Snake being back on the battlefield, you will be tasked with executing different missions and it will be up to you to decide the way you want to do it. Like in previous Metal Gear Solid games, infiltration and stealth will be your best allies to reach your objectives and increase your rewards, but nothing will stop you from using your most destructive weapons, gadgets and vehicles to wipe enemies standing in your way. The possibilities offered by the game are countless, it’s up to you to try them all.
3. An incredible new game engine
   The new Fox Engine developed specifically for The Phantom Pain by Hideo Kojima and his team helps creating the most stunning and interactive environment seen in a Metal Gear Solid game yet. With realistic weather patterns and day/night cycles that will have a direct impact on the game, you will have to adapt your style to the situation, and battle against squads of soldiers whose AI will offer a true challenge!
4. The return of Venom Snake
   Snake is back! The Legendary Soldier is returning as the main protagonist in The Phantom Pain – a Snake haunted by the ghosts of former companions and obsessed by revenge. True to the Metal Gear legacy, Snake will have to infiltrate camps and bases, make the best use of his Close Quarter Combat (CQC) techniques and save a world on the brink of a nuclear war.
5. Team up with buddies
   Snake won’t be alone in his quest for revenge and you’ll be able to select buddies to give you a hand on the battlefield. D-Dog, for example, is able to sense enemies and mark them on your map, while Quiet, the enigmatic sniper, will take down soldiers from a distance. There are more than these two companions, but we’ll let you discover the rest by yourself.

1. Customise your Mother Base
   Mother Base, home of Snake and his “Diamond Dog” army, is an important element of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and will be your base of command to develop new weapons and gather intel about your missions. You’ll be tasked to expand Mother Base by recruiting soldiers on the battlefield and gathering resources, as well as customising it the way you want.
2. New multiplayer options
   Along with Mother Base, you’ll also have the option to develop Forward Operating Bases (FOB) to gather extra resources. However, other players will be able to infiltrate your FOB online in order to steal personnel and resources. You will have to defend it yourself against online opponents or build the perfect defence system. On the other hand, you will also be able to attack enemies’ FOB. Note that this feature is optional and won’t affect your single player experience.
3. A new arsenal of weapons and accessories
   The weapon selection in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is impressive and each load-out can be personalised before missions. Will you choose the most damaging assault rifle, or would you prefer a sniper with tranquiliser darts, or a shotgun that stuns guards?Snake is also equipped with very useful gadgets such as the Phantom Cigar that let you forward time, or the Fulton to extract soldiers on the battlefield to join your Mother Base. And the list would not be complete without the iconic cardboard box; the ultimate tool for sneaking around enemies undetected.
4. An epic story unfolds
   Following the events of Ground Zeroes and continuing Big Boss’ story started in Snake Eater and Peace Walker, The Phantom Pain will answer a lot of fan questions. The game is also a great introduction to the Metal Gear universe and a perfect opportunity for newcomers to discover Hideo Kojima’s acclaimed saga.



5. A peerless voice cast
   To bring iconic characters such as Snake, Kaz Miller or Ocelot to life, we’ve choose some of the best voice actors to portray them. Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland plays Venom Snake, the Legendary Soldier coming out of a nine-year coma and fuelled by revenge, backed by his trusted ally Miller, voiced by Robin Atkin Downes, and the mysterious Ocelot, voiced by Troy Baker.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the biggest Metal Gear game ever made by Hideo Kojima and his team. The game will without doubt satisfy the hardcore fan with charismatic characters and a story true to MGS standards; while the newcomers will appreciate the smooth gameplay and intense exploration of a gigantic world. Do not miss it!

Source: http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2015/09/01/10-reasons-why-you-should-pick-up-metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain-today/

A Look into Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC)

"What is a MOOC?"
As our friend wikipedia puts it:

"A massive open online course (MOOC) is an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web."

Massive open online courses are the modern world's form of distance learning. In the olden days, one would need a lot of paper, ink, and postage stamps as the form of correspondence between educator and student. Now, one can enroll in any course they please with a touch of a button, provided you have access to the internet of course.

"Online? Does this mean I can participate in these courses any time I want like the delinquent that I am?"
Yes and no. If you decide to enroll in these courses, look for the terms "paced" or "self-paced."
Paced means it follows the familiar traditional campus format: come in at specified time, attend classes for specified duration, end with homework.
Self-paced offers students maximum freedom: students are allowed to finish the course at their own leisure, be it a few weeks or a year. One can consider the two as a choice between "formal" and "informal" environments.

"Will I meet other people? I'm antisocial and have anxiety attacks talking to people."
Of course. Fortunately, the extent of socialization is as far as an online chatroom can go, unless the course requires you to socialize further than that.

"What is it like in these MOOCs?"

"... they don't compare to an on-campus experience."

— Justin Pope

"... it is easy to see that MOOCs are perfect for a broad range of people and circumstances."

— StudyLink author

"... the combination of the internet, the creation of strong online platforms (such as Coursera) and teachers sharing their knowledge for free, will enable high quality education to reach more people around the world not just as courses but as open resources ..."

— Ajmal Sultany

"What's the catch? Is there a tuition fee?"
Just as much as there are public schools and private schools, there are free and paid courses; some even follow video games' "freemium" payment models. Payment methods, if any, for each course vary, so pay close attention to what the course requires of you. Of course, there's also the requirement of having a computer with internet access.

"So are these MOOC's trustworthy?"
Generally yes. Massive open online courses are provided by respectable universities and schools. Major MOOC providers include:

• Peer 2 Peer University
• Udemy
• Udacity
• Coursera
• edX

However, like the possibility of the pastor presiding over your marriage or the surgeon in charge of your plastic surgery is a fraud, there is the danger that the course is fake. As such, vigilance in verifying the course is important; otherwise, time and effort will be wasted on a worthless degree.

"Speaking of degrees, will these be accredited and assure me a job position?"

It depends. While efforts have been made to give credence to the degrees provided by MOOCs, such as Coursera's partnership with companies including Google, it will take some time for traditional industries to shake off the skepticism of these "online diplomas."

The nature of the internet as it is, uncertainties will always linger.

"So should I, or should I not?"

It is understandable that no one wants what could amount to an illusory degree that adds nothing to their resumes. Being a product of the internet, it seems that only the internet itself cares about these massive open online courses. Fortunately, the price of entry and failure are virtually benign, so if anything, MOOCs offer more ways to learn, and learning is never a wasted opportunity. 

"I want to learn more."
More information can be found here, by Robert McGuire

By all means, please also watch the following video:

Eve Online

REAL LIFE SCIENCE FICTION

Eve Online, one of the longest running MMO's on the planet with more than a decade of service, is currently enjoying a resurgence with their recent expansion: Galatea.

Explore the stars with the Serpentis Anomic Space Cruiser

"Battle with hundreds of players as part of a massive fleet, fight with a tight-knit group, or roam the stars as a deadly solo pirate. Battle-ready players and NPCs are waiting through the next jump gate."

Explore mysterious wormholes with fellow players

"The community in EVE Online is massive, active, and passionate. In-game, players organize by the hundreds for battles and events. On the web, they create and operate countless blogs, fansites and indispensable utilities. In real life, they gather year round at meet-ups and events across the globe to celebrate the incredible community and game they are a part of."

Sign up for Eve Online now.

Top 10 Deaths in Gaming

Have you ever had a penchant for bloodlust? I know you do; everybody wants the cathartic release of mercilessly slaughtering the most deplorable of human beings. Unfortunately we just have video games. We hope you enjoy!

A Mobimooc look into Serious Games

"Serious games? is serious sam one of them?"

MobiMOOC provides us insight as to how these games are made, and how they operate.

Serious games, or applied games, are not meant to provide entertainment; their main purpose is to train or educate users. While you can have fun playing them, they are meant to be used outside of entertainment and is serious, serious business, and is used by industries like defense, education, scientific exploration, health care, emergency management, city planning, engineering, and politics.



#seriousgames #mooc #dailytrendings