Will Wright Talks About Games and Education

Will Wright, inventor of Sim City and the Sims, makes a good point about the value of games; it's more about motivation than content. That said, if we can weave the two together, haven't we solved a major problem in education?

It's Time to be Inventive

If it's true that artists do some of their best work when they are at a low point, wouldn't the same be true for a nation? While Tom Friedman doesn't say this exactly, he does strongly suggest that now is a good time to be inventive.

"Therefore, the country that uses this crisis to make its population smarter and more innovative — and endows its people with more tools and basic research to invent new goods and services — is the one that will not just survive but thrive down the road."


Read more here.

Thanks to Lincoln Rolls for the link.

The type of wood is really important

“I wanted generally to apologize to every one of you all for letting you down,” Mr. Sanford told the gathering of his cabinet secretaries in a mahogany conference room in the ornate state Capitol complex. (New York Times, 6/26/09)

I once apologized to a group of people, but was standing next to a stainless steel counter top.


Other options:

1. Showing gratitude next to a cedar desk...
2. Feeling shameful in a tile kitchen...
3. Expressing remorse near a laminated board room table...
4. Displaying sympathy next to an outside stucco surface...

The Struggles of a "Knowledge Worker"

How does an intellectual come to terms with the world of work? Easy... he becomes a motorcycle mechanic.

Matthew Crawford on the Colbert Report

Response to "Intelligence Augmentation"

The following was submitted by Sue at SBW Design.

If "making you smarter" can be twisted to "preventing you from becoming dumb," check this out:

Then go Indian for lunch!

Speaking of Medications

There was an interesting discussion about medications (for ADHD, etc.) on Thom Hartmann's program yesterday. Hartmann has written extensively on the topics of ADD and ADHD. Regardless of your political affiliation (he is a progressive radio talk show host) you should find this interesting.

Word of the Day

We've all heard of a grocery store. It's where we go to buy groceries. Someone who owns or operates the store is called a "grocer" - which sounds pretty weird in and of itself. But, what if you wanted to buy just one item? Would you be buying a "grocery?" It seems to me if you're going grocery shopping, you ought to be able to buy a grocery.

I'd ask the people over at Safeway, but that's a "super market."

"Intelligence Augmentation"

After reading the article in The Atlantic on "getting smarter," I’m now interested or curious to know if any readers out there have information on interesting combinations of technology, software, social networking and pharmacology that are used – not necessarily to enhance intelligence – but to combat symptoms of ADHD, depression, OCD, etc. If you have any thoughts or ideas on this topic, please put these in the comment section. If you write a really thought provoking or informative post I can create a separate posting for your response.

Additionally, I’ve now seen two articles (in The Atlantic) on whether Google makes us smarter or dumber, but I’m curious to know if there are any good articles out there on whether Google can also make us more creative. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Star Trek and the DSM IV

Don’t get me wrong... the new Star Trek movie is great, but I think they missed a good opportunity. Over the years, the Star Trek institution has advanced the idea that you can succeed regardless of race, age, species, etc. But, if they truly wanted to go where no one has gone before, what about this idea: instead of showing a crew that is different in appearance and culture (Vulcan, African American, Japanese, Russian, Scottish, etc.), show us a crew who can turn the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) upside down. They would not only look and speak differently, but would have abilities that in the 20th and 21st centuries were considered disorders or liabilities.

Let me explain. In the 20th and part of the 21st centuries ADHD, autism, bi-polar disorder, OCD and depression were all stigmatized. If you had such a disorder you may have been accommodated in the classroom, but not accommodated at work. Without the proper treatment, you were often not able to work at all. Life was hard. People didn’t always value your hidden abilities. But people were beginning to realize that if you had such an “illness” there was often a hidden talent or skill.

Some examples:

Bi polar: Great energy, new creative insights…
ADHD: Ability to hyper-focus, creative…
OCD: Intensity, deep thinking, persistence, etc.

So, the message to the writers of Star Trek is this. You’ve done a good job of advancing the cause of equal opportunity. Now, it’s time to take this one step further and advance the cause of people with “disorders.” In our time they still call this mental illness. In the future, it may have a different name.

Note to J.J. Abrams. I’m hoping you will explore this possibility for the next Star Trek movie and will consider hiring me to write the screenplay for this. I’m out of work… and would love the opportunity.

Photo credit: http://tinyurl.com/qw9nwa

Thinking Creatively in 21st Century Schools

I've stumbled into this blog a couple of times now, so it's about time I posted a link over to it. It provides a view into everything good that is happening in the public schools; things that are often "below the radar." In particular, you'll learn more about project-based learning and how to use blogs in the classroom.

Also, you should take a look at the writing of this student. He writes well about the importance of project-based learning.

Oh... and if you're looking for a way to put these concepts to work in your school, I'll have to quote the Video Professor and say "try my product."

The Concept Behind Succesful Websites

The best way to explain the boom of sites like eHow, Facebook and Twitter is through an analogy. According to a former college professor, In the Soviet Union under Stalin, approximately 70% of the farms were collectivized (run by the state). Thirty percent were private. Guess which sector produced more? The land that was privately owned. This same kind of thinking holds true for rental cars. When was the last time you saw someone Armor All the tires of their rental car?

The principle behind this is that people tend to have pride in things they own, or products that they have contributed to. No doubt this will be true in the classroom too. There is no “ownership” in reading a text book and answering the questions at the end of each chapter. But, if the student knows they can use this information to create something – like a blog or website, or contribute to a class wiki, they might just read the information.

I think the same goes for teaching too. If your principal or department chair were to write out your lesson plans and, therefore, take away your creativity, how many of you would be 100% motivated to carry that out? I believe sites like eHow are doing well because people can both make and see their contributions. It’s interactive. You can see the results almost immediately.

Bottom up behavior

This is the first of several installments on the topic of bottom up or "emergent" behavior.

The "wiki" is an excellent example of bottom up/ participatory behavior. If you are new to the the topic, visit Wikipedia. In short, a wiki allows anyone in the world with Internet access the ability to enter or edit website content. This was alarming to many people at first, since information might easily be distorted or fabricated. But an interesting phenomenon has emerged because of this - the self-corrective nature of people. Calvin Andrus, the chief technology officer for the Central Intelligence Agency’s Center for Mission Innovation, has been advocating for the use of wikis for a while now. I'm discussing it here because I think it applies well to education. When people feel that their contribution matters, they will be more likely to get involved.

"As an example, he points to a Wikipedia [www.wikipedia. com] entry on last summer’s terrorist bombings in London. Within 90 minutes of the bombing, a Wikipedia page was posted about the event and was updated almost continually in the days that followed. 'There was no editor-in-chief. No one told anybody to do this. [People] took it upon themselves to make this entry. They were empowered,' Andrus said."

Source:

The phenomenon is interesting and suggests several applications to education: 1.) Information should not be presented to students as static because it is always evolving; 2.) Compare a teacher presenting information to the class in a one way
format (top down) to the "wiki" way of doing things. In a wiki more people can get involved and information corrects itself over time and provides multiple perspectives.

For more on this topic, look for workshop dates in the fall here.

Teachers Pay Teachers

A while back, I saw an interesting ad on Craigslist promoting a new site for teachers. The site, started by a former New York teacher (Paul Edelman), offered teachers a place to sell their lessons, classroom ideas, curriculum, etc. After months of sitting on the idea, I finally posted my classroom project.

If you are a social studies teacher and looking for a way to get your kids interested in international affairs, you should try this semester-long project and let me know what you think. It's a different (rebellious?) way to teach towards your state standards. You can insert whatever content you like into the game.

Here is the link:

The Global Challenge Project for Teachers

Skypecasting with Chris Anderson

Below are some notes and comments regarding a recent Skypecast with Wired editor and author Chris Anderson. Anderson is currently on tour promoting his new book, The Long Tail, which explains an interesting phenomenon in the current economy.

Background: the interview took place Monday July 25, 2006 at 1:30 P.M. Anderson was in L.A. on his book tour. He was interviewed by TypePad General Manager Michael Sippey. There were approximately 50 people listening to the Skypecast, which, in itself, proves that the “long tail” is a very real thing.

What I learned:

1. The “long tail” is described by Anderson as “life after the blockbuster.” Until recently, most people looked at the "left side of the graph," the best sellers and the big hits. Anderson compiled a lot of information, studied the data and looked at how big the demand was for niche items in comparison.

2. There is great demand for these niche items, evidenced by sales on iTunes, Netflix, Rhapsody, etc. These companies can aggregate all the smaller items and offer the consumer infinite shelf space. Technology makes it possible to carry everything at very little or no cost. Blogs are a perfect example of providing content or information to small interest groups.

3. The Long Tail does not rule out blockbusters and big selling items. As an example, Anderson shows you can operate in both paradigms. He is the editor of a major magazine, Wired (with broad appeal) and runs a separate blog where he writes and offers research on "the long tail" (narrow appeal).

4. How can niches compete with the big companies? Anderson explains that you need to offer something the Wal Marts don’t have. Example -- have an online bookstore that only deals in science fiction.

Interview

Podcast

Alternative to Craigslist

I started looking for an alternative to Craigslist last week and found Google Base. I'm interested to know from anyone who stumbles on this post if they've had any luck with this.

Chris Anderson Skypecast - July 24, 2006

If you have questions about the "long tail" phenomenon (mentioned in a previous posting) you'll want to catch this upcoming Skypecast interview with Wired editor Chris Anderson. For more information, you can go to the Skypecast blog.

Master of Language: George Carlin

Here's someone who has really taken the time to undertand the complexities of modern language. As you'll see in this video, (courtesy of YouTube) George Carlin also has an amazing memory.

Free Press Releases?

Through some random Internet searching the other day, I came across a site which offers a way to get press releases out to all the major search engines. I have not used the service so I can't tell you how effective it is, but it might be worth a look. As they say:

"We want to help newsmakers - artists, authors, business professionals, designers, developers, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, musicians, retailers, and all other types of newsmakers - get free media exposure."

Do it Yourself Pay-Per-View

I've got a bit of breaking news to share. Two guys I've been working with from FaceBridge Research are on to something that could really explode. In the interest of full disclosure, I hope it does. But, this is something really practical and.... cool. Let's say you're a tutor, or other professional, or a band, or lawyer or whatever. You have a message or song you want to get out to the public. You know your service or message / song is valuable. Now, thanks to Facebridge, you can broad or narrow-cast this direcly from you computer. When you're done, they (the audience of 1 to many) gets a bill and you get paid. Yes, it's that simple!

My small contribution was a report on the viability of this invention in the educational market. The full report is now available over at FaceBridge.

For the full presentation on this product and the potential markets, go here.