Worth Reading

Just wanted to share links to articles and resources I came across this week.

1. Entrepreneurial Learners (Richardson)- Will Richardson shares his thoughts about a recent keynote address delivered by John Seely Brown.  A link to the keynote is included in the Richardson post.

What I especially like in this description is the idea that it conveys a real sense of the flexibility our kids are going to have to have to succeed. They will need to adapt to many different opportunities, be self-directed and creative, and transparent in the ways they share their work

2. You Don't Think All Kids Can Learn (Sanders)- speaking out against those who feel you can only teach "motivated" students.  Posting raises a point that it is the responsibility of teachers to inspire all. 

As educators, it is our job to light the fires underneath our students and show them that the world is a place that can be changed. We must encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and embrace mistakes our students make. 

3.  Viral Video, Vicious Warlord (Kristof)- thoughtful take on the "Kony 2012 Video by time columnist Nicholas Kristof. 

The video doesn’t contain errors, but it does simplify things greatly to hold attention. Complexity is, er, complicated: It has been a leading excuse for inaction during atrocities — during the Armenian genocide, during the Holocaust, during Rwanda, during the Bosnian slaughter. Each episode truly was complicated, but, in retrospect, we let nuance paralyze us. 

4.  Crisis Commons- leveraging volunteerism and technology to take an innovative approach to crisis management.  

Crisis Commons is a global community of volunteers from technology, crisis response organizations, government agencies, and citizens that are working together to build and use technology tools to help respond to disasters and improve resiliency and response before a crisis.

5.  Q&A: Frank Rose on digital storytelling and media immersion- Frank Rose explains how the digital generation is changing the way we tell stories.  Article worth sharing and discussing with students.  How do we foster the ability to tell stories?

Digital turns that on its ear, because suddenly the need to stamp out products mechanically gives way to the ability to customize them in response to customer feedback. This is as true of stories as it is of T-shirts. Movies are still a powerful storytelling mechanism, but now they can be augmented by shared storytelling experiences that can play out both online and in the real world.

6.  The World Question Center- access the link to explore individual responses to the question of How Does the Internet Change the Way You Think?

This year's Question is "How is the Internet changing the way YOU think?" Not "How is the Internet changing the way WE think?" We spent a lot of time going back on forth on "YOU" vs. "WE" and came to the conclusion to go with "YOU", the reason being that Edge is a conversation. "WE" responses tend to come across like expert papers, public pronouncements, or talks delivered from stage.