I have had my copy of Daniel Quinn's Beyond Civilization for  years and just this weekend got around to reading it.  This surprises me too because I can recall anticipating it because I liked Ishmael so much and I read it years ago.     A short biography on Quinn can be found in Wikipedia.   That author also has a website which provides information on him and his books.

I can't say that Beyond Civilization quite grabbed me in the same way that Ishamael did, in fact I found myself criticizing some aspects of the book.   Quinn seems fixated on defining civilization as having some basis in a caste society. 

Wikipedia presents a definition of civilization as a term used  to describe a certain kind of development of a human society. A civilized society is often characterized by advanced agriculture, long-distance trade, occupational specialization, and urbanism. Aside from these core elements, civilization is often marked by any combination of a number of secondary elements, including a developed transportation system, writing, standards of measurement (currency, etc.), contract and tort-based legal systems, great art style, monumental architecture, mathematics, sophisticated metallurgy, and astronomy.

• civilization, civilisation (a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)) "the people slowly progressed from barbarism to civilization"
• S: (n) civilization, civilisation (the social process whereby societies achieve an advanced stage of development and organization)
• S: (n) culture, civilization, civilisation (a particular society at a particular time and place) "early Mayan civilization"

Quinn makes the argument that tribalism is superior over civilization because civilization is a society that is based upon hierarchy or the caste system. 

Defined as: a social structure in which classes are determined by heredity

or the ranking of members in a society by occupational status and degree of purity or pollution as determined by their birth.


Hierarchy is:   an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another and with only one "neighbor" above and below each level. These classifications are made with regard to rank, importance, seniority, power status, or authority. A hierarchy of power is called a power structure. Abstractly, a hierarchy is simply an ordered set or an acyclic graph.


The Free Dictionary defines hierarchy as hierarchy [ˈhaɪəˌrɑːkɪ]n pl -chies 6. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) government by an organized priesthood



The definition of tribe, as found in Wikipedia,  as  being a definition that can greatly from case to case, but, due to the small size of tribes, it is always a relatively simple structure, with few (if any) significant social distinctions between individuals.

Further definition as

• a social division of (usually preliterate) people
• a federation (as of American Indians)
• (biology) a taxonomic category between a genus and a subfamily
• kin: group of people related by blood or marriage

Quinn, on his website and in the book states that .."Civilization, in effect, represents an attempt to improve upon tribalism by replacing it with hierarchalism. Every civilization brought forth in the course of human history has been an intrinsically hierarchical affair--in every age and locale."



I struggle with somethings in Quinn's definition of civilization as a hierarchical structure and his presentation that tribalism will some how improve society.  Fundamentally we have replaced a simplistic organization of society with a complex one to control and manage human behavior via governmental controls and regulations. Whether or not these controls on human behavior will sustain people and their societies has yet to be seen and if they will contribute to the sustainability of humans existence remains to be seen. 

Ideally a societal structure of tribalism may ensure that humans live off the "carrying capacity" of their immediate surrounding or they migrate.   Versus the "civilized' society and governance structure which has regulated everything right down to agriculture and economies.  Quinn speculates that when we don't grow our own food is when we, as a species, are designing our own extinction. 

I contend that society must have both..a focus on tapping into the resources of your local geographic area for survival is essential and fundamental to tribalism..in my opinion tribalism is nothing more or less than "community."  And how these communities, which share commonalities, survive and sustain themselves can be achieved with out a hierarchical structure.   However this society must be civilized as well.  Providing some structure to, essentially, how we treat each other as humans.  This structure should be "unique" to and designed by the members of the community.

Chapter five is key to understanding the necessity of having an inclusive culture in your institution when designing key processes to meet the needs of "beneficiaries."  This is where the design or redesign of processes are most likely to succeed or fail. 

Gelb, Michael; How to think like Da Vinci.  2000

and


Capra, Fritjof.   The Science of Leonardo DaVinci.   Inside the Mind of the Great Genius of the Renaissance.    Companion book website. 




I was fortunate a few years ago to pick up a copy of of author Michael Gelb's How to Think Like Leonardo DaVinci.  Michael Gelb's website with further information on this book is available here. Gelb identifies seven characteristics the identify the "thinking of DaVinci."   In addition to this I have also been reading Fritjof Capra's The Science of Leonardo Davinci.   These are:

1.  Curiousity:    "insatiably curious approach to life and unrelenting quest for continuous learning".   This quest for lifelong learning was essential to DaVinci's success.  He did not have the advantages of a formal education so he had to take alternative means to learn, gain an education as well as gain credibility for what he knew.

2.  Demonstration is "a commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistake". Wisdom comes from experience and the principle of Dimostrazione helps you get the most out of your experience.

3.  Sensation. "the continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience".

4.  Sfumato. Sfumato is "a willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty". An essential characteristic of da Vinci's genius is his ability to handle a sense of mystery.

5.  Art and science "the development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination".

6.  Corporalità. "the cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise". Leonardo had amazing physical ability that complemented his genius in science and arts.
 
7.  Connections "a recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena". This, in other words, is systems thinking. This is the hallmark of sytemic thinking which Capra references frequently in his book.


Capra identifies how DaVinci was the first know person to define and apply systems thinking.  Which is defined as: 

And while I did find that fascinating even more fascinating is that Da Vinci should be given credit for being the father of the scientific method, perhaps more so than Galileo, according to Capra's analysis of DaVinci great body of work, primarily the notebooks he left behind.  Of the 12000 pages of notes created by DaVinci 6,000 now remain. Leonardo's notebooks can be accessed online at this following web link.

In addition to this masive amount of work Da Vinci was a life long learner before being a life long learner was "cool." He studied architecture, engineering, anatomy, and of course art. 

Crossing the Chasm



Moore, Geoffrey A. Crossing the Chasm Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers. New York: HarperBusiness, 1999. Print.


This book provides definitions to terms such as innovators,  early adopters, Utopians, dystopians, visionaries, and pragmatists and how they can impact the market.

They are defined as:

Early adopters:  or visionaries "who have the insight to match an emerging technology to a strategic opportunity.  May be driven by a vision of what can be ...a dream.   Early adopters maybe seen as change agents.

Visionaries "drive the high tech industry because they see the potential for an 'order of magnitude' return on investment and willingly take high risks to pursue that goal."

Innovators pursue new technology products aggressively.  

Pragmatists are well.. practical..."pragmatists… "they care about the company they are buying from, the quality of the product they are buying, the infrastructure of supporting products and system interfaces, and the reliability of the service they are going to get…"


In ReadWrite Web, Alex Iskold demonstrated some concerns regarding the tenets of Moore and how changes in the market of technology have now changed the speed of adoption of some technologies.  In fact the speed of "crossing the chasm" to mass adoption has changed dramatically since 1999 when this book was published.

A companion website for this bookis here:  http://www.harpercollins.com/author/authorExtra.aspx?authorID=6863&isbn13=9780060517120&displayType=bookessay


Many aspects of this book are still pertinent today. 

The Cluetrain Manifesto
2009 Edition

Levine, Rick, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and David Weindberger. The Cluetrain Manifesto. New York: Basic, 2009. Print.

From this book I learned or confirmed what the Internet or World Wide Web has done to change marketing, messages and communication.  Often when I am working my social network or twitter stream I am reminded of this old Faberge Shampoo commercial now presented on YouTube.  "I tell two friends, they tell two friends, and on on and .." as this network grows exponentially. 

The authors of this book propose that marketing via the web is a conversation driven by the inter connectivity of the web.  Some businesses have grasped the agility of the web and have responded.  Other businesses have build stronger security, better firewalls, and not responded to the external pressures of the web, the conversations of their customers, and their competitors.  The question is ..can "closed systems" such as this survive in today's environment of openness?

What this book illustrates is the powerful impact that sharing by individual employees on their companies can have, how individuals can communicate with genuineness, and how they can share their knowledge in a far more powerful and meaningful way.  This book addresses how customers no longer tune into canned marketing messages, respond to tailored tag-lines, or recognize or have loyalty to brands.

We have all seen and heard of examples of how customers can share with a wide audience via Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube their examples of poor customer service.  Responsive businesses and organizations recognize that this can happen as well, that these issues can go viral, and all of a sudden your poor customer service is the subject of a viral video.   This illustrates the dramatic impact that one story can have on an organization, how little impact data and information can have on the public, and how savvy companies learn to use both to their advantage.

One observation of the 2009 edition of The Cluetrain Manifesto is that it allows for some tracking of the rapid changes of the Internet over the last nine years since the first edition was published. These changes have been dramatic this book clearly illustrates them through personal narratives and observations.

Review of  Coming of Age in Second Life An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human


Boellstorff, Tom. Coming of Age in Second Life An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human. New York: Princeton UP, 2008. Print.


This is a definite read for anyone who wishes to explore, experience and understand virtual worlds in general and specifically that of Second Life.  The author of this book, through his ethnographic research provides and insiders view of the culture, the experience, and technology behind the virtual world Second Life.

He presents his findings through his actual virtual world experiences as one who engages with residents, the environment, the economy, and the nuances of the technology of Second Life.  As one reads this book, if you also have Second Life experience you will find yourself thinking.."oh I thought I was the only one who experienced that and I didn't know that about Second Life."

Most key to me was his description of the virtual research experience.  I have conducted some research in Second Life and found this section to be pertinent to me as researcher.  Boellstorff describes his focus on only that of virtual identity and to me this is perhaps key to understanding activities in virtual worlds. In so many ways this underpins the feeling that your experience in Second Life or whatever Virtual World you are residing in as one of self discovery as you immerse yourself in the environment. 

Personally I found myself applying Boellstorff's observations to my personal research, that of education in Second Life.  As I have explored the virtual world I have kept my focus on  education.  I have done this by teaching classes, attending presentations, touring university and college sites, and interacting with other educators in virtual words.  Boellstorff's methodologies underpin my activities.

I ask myself if what is learned in virtual worlds can be translated to real life, however as I am asking myself that question I am increasingly seeing a rise in virtual worlds in doing real world work.  That question may be baseless..we perhaps should be asking ourselves ..is what this student learning in a virtual world going to improve his or her ability in doing real life work in a virtual world.

Beyond that if you are an educator, merely interested in "what is going on in there," or want to better understand your experience in virtual world I recommend this book.  It is a balanced view of the Second Life/Virtual World experience. 

Published by Princeton University Press the companion book website is found here.

have been reading I, Avatar The Culture and Consequences of Having a Second Life by Mark Stephen Meadows periodically for the last several months.  Mark Stephen Meadows has a website here www.markmeadows.com  and is the author of several books. 

I Avatar is a series of vignette into the life in virtual worlds with some emphasis on Second Life.  Meadows give an account of the meaning of your avatar, the psychological engagement into virtual worlds, and the various cultures that exist in virtual worlds.

Published in  2008 will prove to be the foundation for studying the culture and implications of having an avatar in virtual worlds for a long time to come.  It illustrates the actual experiences of avatars as well as the people behind the avatars, their lives and virtual experiences.

Meadows provides thought insights into the virtual world experiences, it roots into the background of the people who "live, work, and play," in virtual worlds, and their interactions with others.  You will find that avatars in virtual worlds come from all walks of life, and that in some aspects life in a virtual world is a level playing field regardless of your status in "real life."

On phrase that jumps out at me as I flip through the book is "Psychologically you are your avatar," and  I have to agree that, at least in my case this is true.  I do identify very closely with my avatar, Cathywyo1 Haystack, and less so with my alt Kalynne Silvercloud who is merely my group holder and who I "take out" on occasion to clear instant messages.   Meadows presents,  in lay terms that are easy to understand, the psychology behind this phenomenon. 
Regardless of your experience in virtual worlds you are bound to find something in this book with which you will identify. 

It is a good "read," the vignettes can be read in one sitting so it is easy to break this one down..but you might find yourself reading it in one sitting.

Total Engagement Using Games and virtual Worlds to Change the Way People Work and Businesses Compete  Authors Byron  Reeves and J. Leighton Read


Book companion site at Harvard Business Press

Can businesses use games to engage workers, make work more interesting, hold virtual meetings to bring dispersed teams together represented by avatars for training, to simulate business processes,  conduct projects, and engage in dialogue?  According to these authors the gaming environment and virtual worlds can achieve these goals and many more.

Games emulate the business environment in many ways these ways include the economy, collaboration, problem solving and many other activities and goals can be achieved in the virtual world environment.   This book can provide a blueprint or a guide to how the business can implement gaming and virtual worlds to improving their business. 


Participating in games can develop leadership skills inworld and enhance those skills developed in the "real world," these traits include:  Relating, visioning, inventing and sensemaking.  Participating in online games enhances these skills to better understand recruiting others, understanding the perspective others, knowing others, self-disclosure, and understanding the limits to the relationships with others.

The book also defines the four essential virtual experiences of interactions in a gaming environment or virtual worlds these include:  people, money, groups and leaders.  All of these essential elements of a virtual world are underpinned by the interactions between players, the communication and the effectiveness of the environment in supporting these activities.

The authors also provide a good overview on the importance of the avatar to how the player relates to the virtual world and how others relate to him/her.   How important is it that one is "transparent' behind their avatar versus being anonymous...these details are addressed  in this book.  This presence in the virtual world provides the business with a virtual environment that enhances learning based upon the theory of "flow," a sense of presence and the vividness of the real 3-D environment enhances learning, interaction and learning.

This book is as the website states "grounded," it's approach is focused and realistic identifying what works and doesn't work..in essence does not convey a virtual worlds/gaming utopia solution to business today.  I do believe that this book should be a part of a CEO and educator's library. 


I recommend this book...a good balanced approach to using virtual worlds for business, training, and identifying the essential elements implementing it's use to the corporate world.

I just finished reading Jeffrey M. Stibel's Wired for Thought, How the Brain is Shaping the Future of the Internet.  Stibel is, according to the book jacket a brain scientist and entrepreneur.  The companion website for this book is www.wiredforthought.com.    This book, which illlustrates how the brain works, thinks and gets us through our days by managing how we think, work and play provides an overview of applying these processes to how the web/Internet data iand information is connected and interconnected. 

As I read this book I started to define and review the definitions of new terms that are provided in this book as I decided how to write about this book I decided to identify these terms as they were new to me and present them in this review of this book.

Parallel processing:  is the ability of the brain to simultaneously process incoming stimuli. This becomes most important in vision, as the brain divides what it sees into four components: color, motion, shape, and depth. These are individually analyzed and then compared to stored memories, which helps the brain identify what you are viewing. The brain then combines all of these into one image that you see and comprehend. This is a continual and seamless operation.  (retrieved from Wikipedia)

Another definition from Whatis:  In computers, parallel processing is the processing of program instructions by dividing them among multiple processors with the objective of running a program in less time

Cloud computing: s the provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualised resources as a service over the Internet on a utility basis.^[1][2] From a conceptual point of view, cloud computing refers to a paradigm shift in computing whereby computing resource and underlying technical infrastructure are abstracted away from the user. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure in the "cloud" that supports them.^[3] Cloud computing services often provide common business applications online that are accessed from a web browser, while the software and data are stored on the servers.

Another definition from Whatis:  Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. These services are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).


Networked learning:  Networked learning is a process of developing and maintaining connections with people and information, and communicating in such a way so as to support one another's learning.  (retrieved from Wikipedia)

From Wikieducator.com  where individuals establish an online identity and formulate relationships with other people and information to communicate and develop knowledge.

Social network: a social structure made of individuals (or organizations) called "nodes," which are tied (connected) by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.  (retrieved from Wikipedia)


Or: Social networking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups, like small rural communities or a neighborhood subdivision, if you will. Although social networking is possible in person, especially in the workplace from http://www.whatissocialnetworking.com/


Memes:  (pronounced /ˈmiːm/, rhyming with "cream"^[1]) is a postulated unit or element of cultural ideas, symbols or practices, and is transmitted from one mind to another through speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena. (The etymology of the term relates to the Greek word μιμητισμός (pronounced /mimitismos/) for "something imitated".)^[   (retrieved from Wikikpedia)  I fiound this also interesting:  Memes spread through the behaviors that they generate in their hosts. Memes that propagate less prolifically may become extinct, while others may survive, spread, and (for better or for worse) mutate. Theorists point out that memes which replicate the most effectively spread best, and some memes may replicate effectively even when they prove detrimental to the welfare of their hosts.^[5]


From the website.. What is a Meme:


A meme is: An idea that, like a gene, can replicate and evolve.
A unit of cultural information that represents a basic idea that can be transferred from one individual to another, and subjected to mutation, crossover and adaptation.
A cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one generation to another by nongenetic means (as by imitation); “memes are the cultural counterpart of genes”.

ocialnomics:  How Social Media Transfer the Way We Live and Do Business--Author Eric Qualman, pub. 2009

Book companion website:  published by Wiley
Table of Contents:

Section One: “World of Mouth™”.

Section Two: Macro Behavioral Shift #1 – Preventative.

 

Section Three: Macro Behavioral Shift #2 – Braggadocian.

Section Four: “Social Media Delivers Obama the White House”.

 

Section Five: Socialommerce: Buying the right baby seat.

Section Six: “Schizophrenia Killer”.

Section Seven: “Winners and Losers in a 140 character world”.

 

Section Eight:  "Next Step for Companies and the Glass House Generation"

 

 

Following each chapter Qualmon lists key points to take away or discuss, these are helpful and allow you to refer back and re-read certain areas you may not be clear on.

 

Eric Qualmon is is Global Vice President of Online Marketing for EF Education, the world's largest private educator. Over his fifteen-year career, Qualman has also helped grow the online marketing and e-business functions of Cadillac, AT&T, Yahoo, EarthLink, and Travelzoo. He is a columnist for the Web site Search Engine Watch and SES Magazine. He has been featured on various national radio, television, and Internet outlets.  (retrieved from http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470477237,descCd-authorInfo.html, 10/09/09)

 

Qualman does a fine job of identifiying how social media can be used in making better decision, faster and more effectively.  If one puts a question on Twitter or Facebook (the example he used was buying a babyseat) then your followers will respond with their recommendations and personal experiences.  In addition to this the company that recieves good/bad feedback is more than likely to respond with their input as well as they continually scan these media streams for remarks regarding their name.

 

Qualman identified that the use of social media, social networking and global dialogue are a vision for the future, and are, in fact, happening now.  I am probably more interested in the future and the application of social media to education, communication and the creation of knowledge than some of the topics covered in this book.  I was also interested in Qualman's observations on pages 180-182 regarding Coca Cola's entry into Second LIfe and application of Second Life as a marketing tool. There is recognition that three dimensional environments have some application for marketing, providing an immersive experience, however the process and strategies for implementing them effectively has not yet been defined.  Mistakes will be made in the first applications of new technologies such as Second Life, however it no reason to abandon these technologies, but rather to learn from and continue to evaluate the effective implementation of their use.  

 

I am not going to totally reiterate Qualman's projections for the future..but just simply state a few of my own.  With cell phone use growing daily (4 billion users/cell phones currently) we will see more use and applications developed for the cell phone market.  In my opinion the infrastructure for the Internet is at capacity so innovations need to be made to better develop and stabilize the Internet...you may have absolutely wonderful broadband leaving your company to deliver your content but it is only as good as that on the users end.   As users become more reliant upon their social media tools we will see more fees charged for continued use of these.  Cloud computing will become the norm .. I use and am thrilled by these tools more and more every day...does this also lengthen the lifecycle of my PC?  I hope so....

 

Qualman's book has been favorably reviewed.  I am happy to recommend it, it seems helpful regardless of what level of use you are at with implementing social media for yourself, your company or in other areas.  Key to effectiveness is how you leverage low to no cost connectivity and networking tools to promote your own personal brand image or that of your company...there are definite gems here.

 

 

 

 

I have just finished reading Communities of Play: Emergent Cultures in Multiplayer Games and

Virtual Worlds, Celia Pearse, 2009

 

The online companion book site for:  Communities of Play:  Emergent Cultures in Multiplayer Games and Virtual Worlds

 

This book is based upon the researcher’s aim to address the following question,” whether a relationship can be recognized between game design and social emergence among players in a massively multiplayer game and virtual worlds.    Pearse chose to study the participants in a game called Uru.    The players of Uru had experienced the end of their world, “the plug had been pulled,” and they had migrated to other worlds such as There.com and Second Life. 

This book provides much detail from an insider’s view of participation in virtual words,  a definition of what it means to be an avatar in a virtual world, and how to define your existence in that world.   It is a given that the real life person behind the avatar defines who an avatar is initially and that is the simplistic point of view, however how an avatar’s identity is formed is much more complex than that.    I learned some new terms in this book such as “ludology” which is the study of digital games. 

Pearce provides a clear distinction   between ludic and paidiac worlds.  Ludic virtual worlds are defined as having some clearly defined goal or outcome.  Ludic world have a clearly defined set of objectives and outcomes and set of constraints that prescribe how the outcomes are achieved.    Padiaic worlds  virtual worlds or social worlds are non goal based, often termed as sandboxes and frequently involve e non- structured open ended creative play worlds.  Some worlds are fixed synthetic which means that the environment cannot   be altered   by users, other worlds are co-created, and the co-created world is one like Second Life.  Uru was a wholly contrived story world that was also a game with limited and controlled agency.

While not the focal point of this book I found the author’s discussion of the emerging identity of his or her avatar and how it formed through the participation in a community. The term community is defined here as an association of individuals with a collective will that is enacted with individual effort.  It is not necessarily the case that the real life person behind the avatar is the sole creator of their virtual world identity.  Further definition of identity occurs by the activities   and interaction with other individuals as well as the virtual world.    Pearse notes that even though players initially sign up to experience the game he/she eventually becomes involved in the social networking/connections that were made through interacting with other groups.

The author sought to reengineer the term of community of practice which is defined as a group of individuals who engage in a process of collective learning and maintain a common identity defined by a shared domain of interest or activity.    She notes that it is the power of play that serves to coalesce the community beyond the boundaries of game in which it is formed and into the real world itself.    By coining the term “communities of play” the author intends to identify those activities which provide an understanding of how communities emerge from play, that these communities require their own level of understanding, and an understanding of how technological advances also support and advance these communities of play. 

The writer identifies performance ethnography (dramaturgical) we inhabit a performance based dramaturgical culture where the dividing line between performer and audience  blurs and culture  itself becomes dramatic performance. 

Pearse provides an overview of the “Diaspora” of the inhabitants of a virtual world after the corporate owners of that world chose to “pull the plug,” on that world.  She provides an overview of these two virtual worlds, There.com and Second Life.      As an anthropological study or ethnographic study she immersed herself into the lives and experiences of the residents of this world. 

The author also provided her field notes detailing her actual experiences in world. My impression from this is that she was surprised by the relationships that she formed with the other residents in the world and part of the community.  While I do believe she intended to act as an objective observer in her study she did find her immersed in and actively involved in the community she chose for her study.  Whether it is the case with her or not I don’t know, however this is a demonstration of the need to belong that comes from the virtual world experience.  This arises whether one is in a gamer Virtual World such as World of Warcraft or non gamer virtual world such as Second Life. 

What one can also gain from reading this book is what happens to a virtual community once that world is no longer supported by the corporation that developed the world.  How do the gamers feel after losing the identity that they created in that    virtual world and how do they recreate that identity in a new world.    It is noted that existence of the avatar in the virtual world hinges upon the support, sustainability of the   corporate offices and managers of the virtual world and how the bottom line can essentially drive that existence.  It should also be noted that it is the governance and management of the virtual world that can also play a large role in defining how that avatar identifies him/herself in that context.

 

I recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to increase their knowledge of virtual worlds, avatar identity, and research methodology in virtual worlds as well as to get a sense of future trends in virtual worlds.

The book,  The Race Between Education and Technology by Goldin and Katz.  is a book that is dense with information and statistics regarding the state of  and progress made by the United States since the late 19th C to present day.  This book addresses the question of whether or not the use of technology in the world has contributed to inequalities between countries, gender and race, etc., and did education have an effect on the growth of economies on various countries?   I identified the three following points that were addressed by the book; rising inequality, lagging productivity for a prolonged period, and the role of technological change in the economy.    The authors note that they used the term "race" because in the first three quarters of the 20th Century the rising supply of educated workers outstripped the increased demand caused by technological advances.    According to the book's companion websitethe authors provide an analysis of: "he co-evolution of educational attainment and the wage structure in the United States through the twentieth century."  Also evident in this book is the fact that the authors were seeking to make a link between the trends in education to the trends in advancements in technology to the economy. 

The authors propose that from the rise of education in the 19th century to the early 21st may be dubbed as the human capital century.  This term is fuirther defined by what occurred throughout the 20th century as follows:  "the twentieth century to become the human capital century required vast changes in educational institutions, a commitment by governments to fund education, a readiness by taxpayers to pay for the education of other people’s children, a belief by business and industry that formal schooling mattered to them, and a willingness on the part of parents to send their children to school (and by youths to go)." (Goldin,  The Human Capital Century and American Leadership: Virtues of the Past, http://kuznets.harvard.edu/~goldin/papers/humancap.pdf)  

In order to back their  claims this book provides statistical analysis in a variety of areas.  This overview does not include an analysis of their methodology, but instead addresses their findings which are presented so that you can determine if this book would be of interest to you.  Regardless of the methodology provided, which includes:

        1.) trends in numbers of students enrolled at the elementary, secondary, and college level
        2.) wages trends by graduate level and gender
        3.) skill based technological trends

More important than each of these taken singularly the authors also looked at the convergence of these trends, along with historical events such as world war two, etc.  One also sees that educational policies and structures impact the progress of education i.e.) the decentralized model of the United States versus the centralized structure of administration of education in Europe.    Goldin and Katz sought to address whether or not the model of education in the United States made this country a leader in the economy in the 20th century. 
           

Through reading this book I gained a good sense of the US model of education versus the European model.  The US model of education is general in nature, more costly, provides the student with a more flexible, "transferable" education that is more readily adaptable to technical change, contrast this to the European model with very specific in nature with apprenticeships and on the job training programs.   The authors provide evidence of how technological changes have impacted the demand for labor across the 20th Century.  I learned a great deal about the US model of education, the authors tied this knowledge together as follows:

The authors identified that the wage disparity between skill based workers based upon the relative level of skill involved since the late 1980's.  They have also identified and provided evidence of how inequality has been 'exploding' since the latter part of the 20th century to now at the higher end of the income spectrum.  The demands upon the workforce to be responsive to change, have transferable skills, and to have an education system that is fluid and responsive to these changes is now more apparent than ever before.    The authors note that having a strong basis of general education courses in place to provide a foundational skill base is critical, however that alone does not address the increasing threat to the American workforce of outsourcing their jobs to countries which are responding, agilely, to the needs of their labor force.  They are doing this through providing flexible education in both professional and skilled trades.  This ability to provide employees with the skills they want has resulted in increasing these countries to respond quickly in an era of globalization in which technology has allowed a worker in India, China, all over the world meet the demands of companies from anywhere.

The World is Open How Technology is Revolutionizing Education  By Curtis Bonk

Books such as Bonk's nudge education towards change, perhaps nudge is not the right word, but if education moves a nudge it's a huge leap.  Education maybe open but it's definitely not flat..there are tall peaks and low valleys..the peaks being new initiatives such as the University of the People, Peer 2 Peer  and, of course MIT.   What Bonk has done is to take a systems view of these initiatives.  Each of these, viewed individually may not seem so disruptive on its own.  Taken as whole these initiatives are rapidly changing traditional education. 



This book is written in order on conceptualize the following:  We All Learn

W:      Web Searching in the World of EBooks
E:       E-Learning and blended learning
A:       Availability of open source and free software
L:       Leveraged resources open courseware
L:       Learning object repositories and portals
L:       Learner participation in open information communities
e:       Electronic collaboration
A:       Alternative Reality Learning
R:      Real time Mobility and Portability
N:      Networks of personalized learning



What follows is a short list of resources which I found on the web that I felt related to each of Bonk's key points.  I was excited to find some semantic resources for one or two of these.  One that I did not include here is Twine which I discussed in an earlier post.  



Web Searching in the world of eBooks


Access Text Networking:  

The AccessText Network facilitates and supports the national delivery of alternative electronic textbooks to higher education institutions for students with documented disabilities.

AccessText provides these textbooks by leveraging an online database powered by Intuit QuickBase^® and incorporating publisher-provided information on thousands of textbook titles.

 

Open Textbook Initiative

 

Open Text Book is a registry of textbooks (and related materials) which are open — that is free for anyone to use, reuse and redistribute. It is run by the Open Knowledge Foundation.

 

Connexions

 

a place to view and share educational material made of small knowledge chunks called modules that can be organized as courses, books, reports, etc

. Anyone may view or contribute:

• authors create and collaborate
• instructors rapidly build and share custom collections
• learners find and explore content

 

 

 

Examples of Affordable, Free and Open Textbooks

This page contains a vetted list of affordable, online educational resources that might be used in place of an expensive, commercial textbook.  The focus of this list is usability; each resource was recommended by at least one professor who has assigned it.  For links to other more extensive collections and repositories, see our links section.

 

Make Textbooks Affordable Organization

 

 

 

eLearning and Blended Learning

There are a variety of eLearning resources, free, open and with paid subscriptions on the internet. 

Blended Learning:  This page provides links to some resources on blended learning - that is a learning solution created through a mixture of face-to-face and online learning delivered through a mix of media.

Bonk referred to Notschool.net in the book which is:  an an international 'Online Learning Community' offering an alternative to traditional education for young people who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to engage with school or other complementary provisions such as home tutoring or specialist units.

eLearning according to Wikipedia may be defined as: a term which is commonly used, but does not have a common definition. Most frequently it seems to be used for web-based distance education, with no face-to-face interaction. However, also much broader definitions are common. For example, it may include all types of technology enhanced learning (TEL), where technology is used to support the learning process.

There are resources available such as eLearning Guild for professionals in the field of eLearning design.

ELearn Magazine


Availability of Open Source and Open Software

Open Source:  Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. The promise of open source is better quality, higher reliability, more flexibility, lower cost, and an end to predatory vendor lock-in.


Leveraged resources open courseware

John Hopkins OpenCourseWare Initiative:  project provides access to content of the School's most popular courses. As challenges to the world's health escalate daily, the School feels a moral imperative to provide equal and open access to information and knowledge about the obstacles to the public's health and their potential solutions.

The most current development in this area is folksemantic semantic website that pushes your education interests and needs to you.   According to the website for the Center for Open and Sustainable Learning Folksemantic is: 

Learning Objects repository and portals

Flexible Learning Toolboxes (Toolboxes) are high quality, cost effective interactive e-learning and assessment resources featuring scenarios, images and activities. They are designed for use by training providers, industry and business and support online delivery of recognised training packages for the vocational  education and training sector.

 

 

Learning Objects, Learning Activities:  LOLA is an exchange for facilitating the sharing of high-quality learning objects. It contains materials for use across the curriculum, with a particular focus on modules for Information Literacy

 

 

Museums:   an exhaustive list of museums on the web



Learning Participation in Open Information Communities

Students/learners creating learning objects such as YouTube videos, flickr, and scribd docs.  These types of sites seem to proliferate on the web.

Electronic Collaboration

According to the Business Dictionary this is the: Process of monitoring, critiquing, and cooperating in a project or program by using internet, emails, groupware, etc.



Alternative Reality Learning:


Innovative learning games:  alternate reality game (ARG) is an interactive experience that uses the real world as a platform to tell a story that may be affected by participants' ideas or actions"Alternate reality games leverage social technologies to some degree or another for game designers (known as puppetmasters) to provide information to participants, and for participants to communicate with leash other during the process of the game. ARGs are sometimes described as the first narrative art form native to the Internet, because their storytelling relies on the two main activities conducted there: searching for information, and sharing information."


Virtual reality education  website


Real time Mobility Learning and Portability

Define as fromWikipedia:  Mobile learning is: Any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed, predetermined location, or learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies.

Mobile learning institute:  Nokia, a world leader in mobile communications, and the Pearson Foundation sponsor the Mobile Learning Institute, which delivers engaging, personalized, project-based learning right to classrooms and community centers across the United States


Networks of Personalized Learning

Personalized Learning Space  

This space is for folks interested in the idea of making learning (online, blended, or hybrid) more personalized. This includes not only learning design and instruction, but also the tools and technologies that can be used to make learning more personal.

Refer back to Folksemantic

Virtual Law:   Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds by Benjamin Duranske, published 2008

While the focus of this review is  on the book Virtual Law the intent of this is not to put the activities of Virtual Worlds under scrutiny.  I have been in Second Life for over a year now and have not observed any real illegal activities nor have I experienced any.  I have heard few accounts of such behavior.  However that is isn't to say that this does not occur, when it does occur it is usually with big headlines for behavior that would go unnoticed in "real life."

Virtual law provides a good basic overview of legal issues and topics associated with virtual worlds. I learned that residents of virtual worlds are somewhat surprised when they learn that virtual world "residents" were not pleased with the fact that "real world" laws applied to them in the virtual environment.  This perception was evident with the prevalence of gambling machines and other in world activities.  

This book provides a clear guide for the lay person on how a virtual world is governed by laws and the jurisdiction under which a virtual world falls.  This could be due to geographic boundaries, where the person filing suit lives, or international issues associated with the criminal or civil suit.  

Written for the lay person -- this book is simplistic yet it very clearly defines the responsibilities of the virtual world and the law which governs them.  The book does not go into great deal on each but gives good observations that the reader can research further.

It goes without saying that case law, which relates specifically to virtual worlds, is  limited and that which is  out there is and most closely related are those dealing with the Internet.  In addition to this challenge are those activities, misconduct, and criminal activities which transcend international boundaries.  Another challenge is the relative anonymity enjoyed by the person behind the avatar.  In my opinion copyright and intellectual property issues will probably be at the forefront of concerns associated with virtual worlds for some time to come.   Further more, there is more to this book than merely covering legal issues associated with virtual worlds. It also covers the how to's of setting up a virtual office in-world as well as appendices of real world resources that are associated with virtual worlds

It may seem that if you don't own a business, do creative work in virtual worlds, and are not a victim of some sort of illegal activity  this book may not apply to you, but in my opinion if you are interested in virtual worlds this is a good book to read.  As you read this book you will find some interesting in-world information and insight into how they operate.  It is now on sale at Amazon. com for $32 and perhaps there are some used copies listed, I would recommend finding a copy and keeping it for future reference.