This week is the start of the Web Science course on Futurelearn. I think the University of Southampton id fully engaged with this. (The branding seems to be mostly Wolff Olins, not sure what UEA thinks about it) . The Wild Show is mostly concerned with the South West Music Awards for the show on Thursday but we may come back to Design Science in later weeks.

Just to catch up, I found a video on YouTube about the rise of the Science DJ around the time I heard about Design Science. So I thought there could be a Design Science DJ and started to talk to JD about it on Phonic FM. So far we can't get past the idea that what a DJ is doing can be science. He thinks it is an art. Which is not the original point anyway. But at least we link to something on the radio. 106.8 Thursday 10-12.

Couple of references, Design Science relates to management and e-learning so could link them in practice.

Towards best or better practice in corporate leadership development: issues in Mode 2 and design science research

Teaching As A Design Science Diana Laurillard Routledge 2012

Google Books PDF of LSE slides

So what is Web Science? Seems to include some sociology and study of organisation. Also interested in practical results. This is only week one so more later.

The course is based on a topic each week. There is a Google Group and I guess some discussion will be available somewhere even if you don't register for the course.

2. Networks

3. Crime , security

4. Democracy

5. Business, Big Data

6. Future

Meanwhile the Networked Learning Conference has had a Hotseat to consider the contribution to e-learning from business but I don't think it changed much in academic views. Check out forthcoming Routledge books from Neil Selwyn for an introduction to the approach.

Topics this week include technology determinism. Just to be contrary I think technology as such can be determining given enough time. There is delay and resistance given various social situations but technology spreads eventually. So VHS for ballet took a while.

I recently tweeted to Towards Maturity -

@towardsmaturity

Their recent tweet is about research into how e-learning is used in organisations. My question is how this compares with universities. They have retweeted but no info so far .

Maybe there will be some talk around Web Science at Learning Technologies.