Chris Thomson
@cbthomson.bsky.social
Learning - technology - music - storytelling - creativity, all that good stuff...
"Life Can Only Be Understood Backwards, But It Must Be Lived Forwards" Kierkegaard (probably)
"Life Can Only Be Understood Backwards, But It Must Be Lived Forwards" Kierkegaard (probably)
Our team's roundup of interstingness from the last month is out now for your reading pleasure. One for your Friday coffee break. inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/11/d...
Digital Practice Round Up - October 25 - Inspiring learning
A roundup of what the Jisc Digital Practice team have been doing & discovering this month. October's edition is edited by Chris & Cat.
inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org
November 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Our team's roundup of interstingness from the last month is out now for your reading pleasure. One for your Friday coffee break. inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/11/d...
Reposted by Chris Thomson
this is what happens when everything is in the cloud
October 20, 2025 at 9:17 AM
this is what happens when everything is in the cloud
Reposted by Chris Thomson
Edinburgh castle failing to render, likely thanks to the AWS outage
October 20, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Edinburgh castle failing to render, likely thanks to the AWS outage
Reposted by Chris Thomson
Hopefully see you at #ALTC25 in Glasgow on Friday. Do drop-in to my workshop with University of Exeter's Steph Comley 'From Dreams to Reality: piloting digital learning tools'. We beginning to build digital learning tool piloting framework and need your help :-) altc.alt.ac.uk/blog/2025/10...
Piloting learning technologies: from dreams to reality
Piloting. Proof of concept. “Let’s use this new tool.” The way learning technologies are introduced to colleges and universities varies. Sometimes pilots are undertaken, other times a learning tool…
altc.alt.ac.uk
October 20, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Hopefully see you at #ALTC25 in Glasgow on Friday. Do drop-in to my workshop with University of Exeter's Steph Comley 'From Dreams to Reality: piloting digital learning tools'. We beginning to build digital learning tool piloting framework and need your help :-) altc.alt.ac.uk/blog/2025/10...
Reposted by Chris Thomson
I may or may not walk five hundred miles
And I may or may not walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who may or may not have walked
a thousand miles to fall or not fall down at your door
- The Disclaimers
And I may or may not walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who may or may not have walked
a thousand miles to fall or not fall down at your door
- The Disclaimers
February 5, 2025 at 3:47 PM
I may or may not walk five hundred miles
And I may or may not walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who may or may not have walked
a thousand miles to fall or not fall down at your door
- The Disclaimers
And I may or may not walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who may or may not have walked
a thousand miles to fall or not fall down at your door
- The Disclaimers
Forgive me trying to crowdsource some IT support. The dorts in Hull is getting this on her Lenovo Ideapad. Refusing to connect to any available Wi-Fi. No one else on the network is having a problem. Can’t get into Windows. Wi-fi card dead?
October 12, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Forgive me trying to crowdsource some IT support. The dorts in Hull is getting this on her Lenovo Ideapad. Refusing to connect to any available Wi-Fi. No one else on the network is having a problem. Can’t get into Windows. Wi-fi card dead?
Reposted by Chris Thomson
Jisc, funded by Medr has been investigating the use of teaching & learning tools across Wales’ FE and Skills Sector. We have created some top tips that we will share in the next few weeks. Link in comments...
Top tip 1: Using Design tools
#DigiLearnTipsCymru
@littlebootevans.bsky.social
Top tip 1: Using Design tools
#DigiLearnTipsCymru
@littlebootevans.bsky.social
October 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Jisc, funded by Medr has been investigating the use of teaching & learning tools across Wales’ FE and Skills Sector. We have created some top tips that we will share in the next few weeks. Link in comments...
Top tip 1: Using Design tools
#DigiLearnTipsCymru
@littlebootevans.bsky.social
Top tip 1: Using Design tools
#DigiLearnTipsCymru
@littlebootevans.bsky.social
Reposted by Chris Thomson
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.
buff.ly
October 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
New post - Anthology responds to points raised about their Chapter 11 protection filing from last week.
If your university or college uses Blackboard, Ally, Illuminate or other Anthology products, this is important info.
inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/b...
If your university or college uses Blackboard, Ally, Illuminate or other Anthology products, this is important info.
inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/b...
Blackboard update - response from Anthology - Inspiring learning
Martyn Rollason, Anthology Director of Customer Services EMEA responds to questions & points raised about their bankruptcy protection filing.
inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org
October 8, 2025 at 8:11 AM
New post - Anthology responds to points raised about their Chapter 11 protection filing from last week.
If your university or college uses Blackboard, Ally, Illuminate or other Anthology products, this is important info.
inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/b...
If your university or college uses Blackboard, Ally, Illuminate or other Anthology products, this is important info.
inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/b...
Reading this reminded me about Roger Penrose’s assertion that consciousness isn’t a computation. I know he wasn’t really talking about this but I still want it on a laptop sticker.
wowwww this is incredibly beautiful. tagging some friends who will love this: @ladyofsardines.bsky.social @heymrsbond.com @marcusluther.bsky.social
therumpus.net/2025/10/02/h...
therumpus.net/2025/10/02/h...
Human Error Is the Point: On Teaching College During the Rise of AI - The Rumpus
My syllabus is a mess of half-remembered intentions. I re-use icebreakers that I know don’t work. I forget to grade the first assignment until Week Four. I write emails that begin with “So sorry for t...
therumpus.net
October 8, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Reading this reminded me about Roger Penrose’s assertion that consciousness isn’t a computation. I know he wasn’t really talking about this but I still want it on a laptop sticker.
Reposted by Chris Thomson
A test is assumed to be a good thing - but it centres the medical model - the diagnosis is only real if there are physiological markers. The lived experience is also vital, and we should believe patients. The test only benefits patients when it helps with treatment?
ME/CFS is a devastating condition that has long been denied, dismissed, psychologised and underdiagnosed. Research is at last starting to catch up with it, with glimmers of hope for those who have been left untreated for so long.
There's a huge BUT coming ...🧵
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
There's a huge BUT coming ...🧵
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Scientists develop first ‘accurate blood test’ to detect chronic fatigue syndrome
Research could offer hope for ME patients – but some experts urge caution and say more studies needed
www.theguardian.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:48 AM
A test is assumed to be a good thing - but it centres the medical model - the diagnosis is only real if there are physiological markers. The lived experience is also vital, and we should believe patients. The test only benefits patients when it helps with treatment?
Reposted by Chris Thomson
Join our Oversight Board! We are looking to appoint four new members to build a diverse board with a range of skills and backgrounds.
📆 Applications close on 29 October.
www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/job/oversigh...
📆 Applications close on 29 October.
www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/job/oversigh...
October 7, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Join our Oversight Board! We are looking to appoint four new members to build a diverse board with a range of skills and backgrounds.
📆 Applications close on 29 October.
www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/job/oversigh...
📆 Applications close on 29 October.
www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/job/oversigh...
Reposted by Chris Thomson
Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
October 6, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
Audacity user? New Tantacrul video explains the changes to upcoming version 4. Skip to 30min mark for all that good new feature/redesign stuff. youtu.be/QYM3TWf_G38
How We're Redesigning Audacity For The Future
YouTube video by Tantacrul
youtu.be
October 4, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Audacity user? New Tantacrul video explains the changes to upcoming version 4. Skip to 30min mark for all that good new feature/redesign stuff. youtu.be/QYM3TWf_G38
Wondering what the Anthology bankruptcy protection filing might mean for your college or university? For users of Blackboard, Ally, Illuminate etc, at Jisc we’ve collated some preliminary guidance inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/s...
Significant changes at Anthology - what you need to know - Inspiring learning
Anthology, makers of Blackboard have filed for voluntary bankruptcy protection to allow them to restructure. Some clarification and advice for Jisc members
inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org
October 4, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Wondering what the Anthology bankruptcy protection filing might mean for your college or university? For users of Blackboard, Ally, Illuminate etc, at Jisc we’ve collated some preliminary guidance inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/s...
Reposted by Chris Thomson
New blog post: Little Fictions – using imagination to explore the here and now.
(It's a 2 parter; double the fun!) 2 activities at a recent conference demonstrated how using creative writing & fiction could help explore complex issues in education. inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/l...
(It's a 2 parter; double the fun!) 2 activities at a recent conference demonstrated how using creative writing & fiction could help explore complex issues in education. inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/l...
Little Fictions – using imagination to explore the here and now: Part 1 Inspiring learning
Chris reflects on the use of fiction to explore real world situations and problems based on 2 conference sessions he joined recently. 1 of 2
inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org
October 1, 2025 at 7:08 AM
New blog post: Little Fictions – using imagination to explore the here and now.
(It's a 2 parter; double the fun!) 2 activities at a recent conference demonstrated how using creative writing & fiction could help explore complex issues in education. inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/l...
(It's a 2 parter; double the fun!) 2 activities at a recent conference demonstrated how using creative writing & fiction could help explore complex issues in education. inspiringlearning.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/10/l...
Been doing interesting things with digital technology in education? We're running 2 Connect More events a year now so there are more opportunities to tell your story to your peers across the UK and beyond. 10th Oct deadline to get your proposal in. Not long but the form is pretty light touch.
Submit your programme session ideas for Connect More - Jisc
www.jisc.ac.uk
September 30, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Been doing interesting things with digital technology in education? We're running 2 Connect More events a year now so there are more opportunities to tell your story to your peers across the UK and beyond. 10th Oct deadline to get your proposal in. Not long but the form is pretty light touch.
Reposted by Chris Thomson
Good turnout for the anti-racism demo in Toon today.
September 27, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Good turnout for the anti-racism demo in Toon today.
Getting ready for my compulsory UK ID photo
September 26, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Getting ready for my compulsory UK ID photo
Reposted by Chris Thomson
William Playfair was the brother of architect James and minister and mathematician John. His nephew William Henry Playfair is renowned as the architect of Edinburgh's 3rd New Town and more than a few neoclassical landmarks in the city.
#OTD 1759 William Playfair b (d 11 Feb 1823) A Scottish engineer he invented or improved numerous statistical graphics methods still used today, including line, area, bar & pie charts. 1/3
September 22, 2025 at 10:33 AM
William Playfair was the brother of architect James and minister and mathematician John. His nephew William Henry Playfair is renowned as the architect of Edinburgh's 3rd New Town and more than a few neoclassical landmarks in the city.
Technologically advance a band
Genesysadmin
Genesysadmin
Technologically advance a band
iParamore
iParamore
Technologically advance a band
The Flaming Liposuctions
The Flaming Liposuctions
September 22, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Technologically advance a band
Genesysadmin
Genesysadmin
Reposted by Chris Thomson
we have gone from a world in which we were told not to cite wikipedia because it was unreliable to a world where wikipedia might be the only reliable source left on the internet and we all owe a lot to the pedantic nerds who got us there
for all people mock it wikipedia is genuinely one of the wonders of the modern world
September 21, 2025 at 8:52 PM
we have gone from a world in which we were told not to cite wikipedia because it was unreliable to a world where wikipedia might be the only reliable source left on the internet and we all owe a lot to the pedantic nerds who got us there