When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. ~H.G. Wells

It's a bit off topic for us here on the CELT Learning Technologies blog, but we've all been taking part in a challenge with a technology of the non-networked kind... you know, that two wheeled thing stuck in the back of your shed at home? Yes, the bike- that (t)rusty steed. Thanks to Sinead Higgins, the environmental officer at NUI Galway, we've gotten involved with the 10 minute cycle challenge and have been peddling to work, come rain, hail or shine for the past two weeks. Why? Well, because it's huge fun, and just to see whether we could all do it.

I'll admit, with the bad weather this week and the low traffic volumes on the roads with the schools on holidays, it's been very tempting to sit into the car and use my right foot to propel me in my metal tin container into work. But, it's too much to give up the happy feeling of whistling down the road with the wind at my ears, feeling that relaxed sense of calm of being on my bike.

I can't describe the sensation as well as Diane Ackerman who writes, "This helps me transcend the traffic, ignore the clamorings of work, leave all the mind theaters behind and focus on nature instead. I still must abide by the rules of the road, of biking, of gravity. But I am mentally far away from civilization. The world is breaking someone else's heart."

So if you see us pass on our bikes, be sure to give us a wave hello! Especially if you are passing by on yours!

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing...

I was lucky enough to attend the launch of the wiki Das Auslandsjahr in Deutschland yesterday evening, on a dark, cold March evening at NUI Galway. Despite the bleak weather beating against the windows, inside the classroom of AM205 a heart warming tale unfolded of collaboration and triumph for an engaged class of third level students. The evening was initiated by Doris Devilly, a lecturer in the German Department at NUI Galway, and her students in the B.Comm with German programme who showcased their own hard work on an carefully crafted wiki resource, packed with useful information to pass along to next year's students.

It was a really fascinating to hear the stories behind their Erasmus experience. Each member of the class stood up in turn, to confidently speak about their overseas adventures, and show us their contributions to the wiki detailing their progress (and occasional misadventures) in a new land.

Doris - all I can say is congratulations on a truly inspirational evening! Thanks for the invitation for us to come along and experience the infectious enthusiasm for ourselves.

BComm German Wiki Launch

Doris Devilly, a lecturer in the German Department at NUI Galway, and her students in the B.Comm with German programme, are launching a wiki aimed at second year students of German in preparing them for their year abroad.

Doris says:

As part of their final year project in "Creativity and New Technologies" BComm (Int.) with German students have set up, designed and created a wiki for second year German students Das Auslandsjahr in Deutschland (The Year Abroad in Germany). This wiki is entirely written in German and the rationale behind it was to assist second year students of German (from all faculties) to prepare for their year abroad and to familiarise themselves with German culture, academia and society. It also encouraged my students to work collaboratively on a class project and to publish their effort on the internet.

As the final year students had only 10 class hours in the multimedia lab available, most of them worked from home or in the computer suites - all of them meeting virtually with me in the social network "Ning".

The wiki Das Auslandsjahr in Deutschland will be launched at a small reception tomorrow evening.

Tim Berners-Lee: The year open data went worldwide

What happens when data goes open. Tim Berners-Lee gave this short talk at Ted University in February.