From massive open online courses (MOOCs) have sprung mini-MOOCs.
EdCast,
a free open-source audio encoder used to create Internet streaming, has
launched EdCast, a social media platform that allows people to post video
snippets of educational content, or what is being called “EdCasting.” The
content is similar to tweeting, although each post has a video or link that can
be described without the 140-character limit, according to a report in eCampus News.
There were 10 EdCasting channels available at the
launch, with topics ranging from entrepreneurship to robotics from more than
100 experts in each field. The platform is meant to be an informal learning
network that allows users to follow channels, groups, or individuals while
allowing educators to organize the content for followers.
“Imagine following teachers or mentors and continuing
to see content they endorse on an ongoing basis,” Charlie Chung, chief editor
for the MOOC aggregation platform Class Central wrote.
“Unlike Twitter, this is not mixed with personal comments or the latest news—it
is a pure-play channel for educational content. Also, there is no
‘re-tweeting,’ so that the information flow is not diluted with recycled
information. Everything in your feed is a hand-selected link or video.”