News at the Joensuu EdTech Research Group

Thank you all my friends, family, and colleagues who have wished me a happy birthday, or simply been a happy part of my life! I’m feeling blessed to know you. On the airplane to Orlando today I created this short 1 minute video clip for you: If things like countries are inventions of the human mind, what [...]

I am impressed of the power of social media. No for the technology itself, I confess. I am marveled of what human beings can do as soon as they have the access and the know how to use technology. Today my personal use of social media is limited to these three areas: 1. Research (main topics within [...]

During today’s interview with Henrik Hansson, I produced few bright ideas for which you can quote me (paraphrased, the original will be soon online, hope not): R: “You go twenty kilometers away from Joensuu and there is nothing.” – when comparing North-Carelia with Africa. H: “Is there any special characteristics a phd student must have?” R: “Let [...]

Before I went to Africa I saw two videos from TED (I am a BIG fan of TED), which have a special influence in my process towards Iringa. Actually they re-enforce some of my inner energy, I admit. One of those videos is this one: “William Kamkwamba: How I harnessed the wind” He shows the clear relationship [...]

Publications on January 2010: I got 2 new rejections and 1 acceptance. When I got the acceptance, I wanted to believe it will be a change of trend and I will get more papers accepted. However, didn’t want to celebrate too fast, as I knew two more feedbacks should be coming this month. Today those feedbacks [...]

It is my impression that USA promotes detective movies, novels and TV shows. At least it has a wide sample of that genre. Then when I read the article of  “how to catch an iPhone thief” I could say the fact that happens in the USA and in CA, makes it just the perfect location. Actually, [...]

In October I wrote about some of my reflections about natural disasters and our behaviors. This topic affects me deeply. Today is Haiti. Since I first read the notice of the earthquake, I had been following closely. Maybe this time I identify a bit more as I lived the earthquake of Mexico ’85 on a fifth floor [...]

If one wants to be a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) two things must be present in the basic foundations of this path, according to my actual perspective.  Both of this elements I am learning them in a very hard way, as I was clueless about them and no-one guide me about them.  Those two essentials [...]

Hmmm…. for me “New Years” is like the earth’s birthday. Humans made it up, as we have no idea when our planet born but anyway humans celebrate together this day. Most of the people in this season are happy and with good energy, however it is possible to find depression too, which is understandable. However, [...]

The graduation was a big event. Schoolteachers, Tumaini University students and some teachers, family and community member were present. The children move the desks from the schools to allow adults to sit, and they were at one side of the area sitting on the floor, however all assistants were under the shade of the same [...]

The workshop has been VERY intensive. My nights-sleep average during the workshop period was four hrs a day approximately. I was the last one to go to bed and usually I got up before the sunrise. This gave me the opportunity to realize the night rhythm in Iringa: first relative quietness (I say relative because [...]

The reason for me to be in a, Tanzania, Africa is to run this workshop. Within my research this is the way to validate my model, but this will be material for other post. Right now let’s focus on “Working for your Dreams”. Until now I am able to write about this. Before my trip, in [...]

This part of North-South-South exchange progam network meeting at Tumaini University and Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, was highly successful as the pictures below show. More results to follow…

Tanzania has exposed me to very many new and interesting things, such as kiti moto and dala dala,  and not to forget one of the most delicious part of Tanzania, Ndovu. Thanks for Marcus for introducing these things for me at Dar es Salaam and Iringa! One of the most interesting thing has been Tumaini University’s [...]