Comments for stimulant http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog changing things around. . . Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:22:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 Comment on moving blogs, again by new blog, http://alecresnick.org | stimulant - changing things around. . . http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/moving-blogs-again/#comment-1848 new blog, http://alecresnick.org | stimulant - changing things around. . . Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:36:12 +0000 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/?p=821#comment-1848 <p>[...] you read read the last post you should have already updated bookmarks, etc. But just in case, my blog is now here, and should [...]</p> […] you read read the last post you should have already updated bookmarks, etc. But just in case, my blog is now here, and should […]

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]]> Comment on the blinders of convergent problem solving by wakeupsilver http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/the-blinders-of-convergent-problem-solving/#comment-1491 wakeupsilver Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:28:26 +0000 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/?p=597#comment-1491 <p>I think that a good facilitator does exactly what you're saying: help people avoid or hoist themselves out of pitfalls and generally navigate terrain. If you turn that human into a document/video/etc. I have been saying it's called a facilitorial. I wrote an initial super-short-paper on this idea a few years back, (http://web.media.mit.edu/~silver/facilitorial/paper.pdf), but the ideas have evolved. I think that some guidelines and folk wisdom for creating a document (in the most liveral sense ever of the word document) that helps people avoid pitfalls would be something I'd still want to write down to the degree it's possible.</p> <p>Another thing that comes to mind is that Eric Rosenbaum is now working on systems for reflecting or metacognition to help people think about their process. This topic is probably a superset of helping people avoid pitfalls, but still a near neighbor.</p> I think that a good facilitator does exactly what you’re saying: help people avoid or hoist themselves out of pitfalls and generally navigate terrain. If you turn that human into a document/video/etc. I have been saying it’s called a facilitorial. I wrote an initial super-short-paper on this idea a few years back, (http://web.media.mit.edu/~silver/facilitorial/paper.pdf), but the ideas have evolved. I think that some guidelines and folk wisdom for creating a document (in the most liveral sense ever of the word document) that helps people avoid pitfalls would be something I’d still want to write down to the degree it’s possible.

Another thing that comes to mind is that Eric Rosenbaum is now working on systems for reflecting or metacognition to help people think about their process. This topic is probably a superset of helping people avoid pitfalls, but still a near neighbor.

]]> Comment on work, talent by Alec http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/work-talent/#comment-1436 Alec Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:30:23 +0000 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/?p=525#comment-1436 <p>Dweck's work is pretty great. Language is such a barrier to getting people to think constructively about their capacities! I think that the fundamental advantage focusing on work instead of talent has is that it provides a much more straightforward and attainable metric for success. If I understand that I can do anything, given the right amount of effort, I am satisfied with simply taking effective steps toward my goal. If the focus is on having the right amount or type of talent or skill, the focus is on how I take those steps, rather than why.</p> <p>Clearly, this becomes a much less significant distinction when the goal <em>is</em> the skill.</p> Dweck’s work is pretty great. Language is such a barrier to getting people to think constructively about their capacities! I think that the fundamental advantage focusing on work instead of talent has is that it provides a much more straightforward and attainable metric for success. If I understand that I can do anything, given the right amount of effort, I am satisfied with simply taking effective steps toward my goal. If the focus is on having the right amount or type of talent or skill, the focus is on how I take those steps, rather than why.

Clearly, this becomes a much less significant distinction when the goal is the skill.

]]> Comment on the blinders of convergent problem solving by Alec http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/the-blinders-of-convergent-problem-solving/#comment-1435 Alec Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:27:10 +0000 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/?p=597#comment-1435 <p>While that is true, I was trying to make the point that convergent problem solving leaves little or no room for metacognition. The dearth of divergent problem solving means that we don't create environments or time or workflows that encourage reflection and introspection. People talk about wanting to create critical, effective thinkers all the time. Logic puzzles are less effective in encouraging this than an awareness of your own mental habits and inconsistencies.</p> While that is true, I was trying to make the point that convergent problem solving leaves little or no room for metacognition. The dearth of divergent problem solving means that we don’t create environments or time or workflows that encourage reflection and introspection. People talk about wanting to create critical, effective thinkers all the time. Logic puzzles are less effective in encouraging this than an awareness of your own mental habits and inconsistencies.

]]> Comment on the blinders of convergent problem solving by nagle http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/the-blinders-of-convergent-problem-solving/#comment-1430 nagle Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:11:21 +0000 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/?p=597#comment-1430 <p>I'm looking for some clarification about the point you're trying to make here.</p> <p>You're trying to link convergent problem-solving design to the lack of good, tinkerable kits, right? And the way you do this is by saying that since education is currently putting its efforts into convergent problem solving -- scenarios that have a defined question and answer -- we simply haven't taken the time to create the kind of kits that would support free-form exploration in domains that could use it.</p> <p>Is that it??</p> I’m looking for some clarification about the point you’re trying to make here.

You’re trying to link convergent problem-solving design to the lack of good, tinkerable kits, right? And the way you do this is by saying that since education is currently putting its efforts into convergent problem solving — scenarios that have a defined question and answer — we simply haven’t taken the time to create the kind of kits that would support free-form exploration in domains that could use it.

Is that it??

]]> Comment on Why don’t we use schools to do anything other than make [/educate] students? by biodiesel processor http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/why-dont-we-use-schools-to-do-anything-other-than-make-educate-students/#comment-1408 biodiesel processor Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:20:33 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~aresnick/home/blog/2007/07/28/why-dont-we-use-schools-to-do-anything-other-than-make-educate-students/#comment-1408 <p>Very cool, I build <a href="http://www.biofuelprocessor.com" rel="nofollow">biodiesel processors</a> which turn waste vegetable oil into biodiesel. It is really amazing how simple the process is, as well as saving the customer $2-3 per gallon at the pumps. Algae biodiesel looks even more promising. Nice post.</p> Very cool, I build biodiesel processors which turn waste vegetable oil into biodiesel. It is really amazing how simple the process is, as well as saving the customer $2-3 per gallon at the pumps. Algae biodiesel looks even more promising. Nice post.

]]> Comment on things to look at (September 4th - September 6th) by rawkstar9 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/things-to-look-at-september-4th-september-6th/#comment-1381 rawkstar9 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:41:40 +0000 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/?p=571#comment-1381 <p>Alec, thought you might like this: http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2008/09/education-killing-creativity.html</p> Alec, thought you might like this: http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2008/09/education-killing-creativity.html

]]> Comment on how is information flow part of the social reform puzzle? by Jackie Peters http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/how-is-information-flow-part-of-the-social-reform-puzzle/#comment-1362 Jackie Peters Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:57:36 +0000 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/?p=527#comment-1362 <p>The filtering and delivery of information is the next evolution of the web, and most likely that process will fall under what is being called the semantic web. The best way to filter and deliver the content that will be of the highest value is to do it in such a way that the information that is delivered is of the highest value to the person it's being delivered to. There are a variety of people and companies currently working on tackling the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_Web" rel="nofollow">semantic web</a> from various angles. <a href="http://novaspivack.typepad.com/" rel="nofollow">Nova Spivak</a> and his new semantic discovery engine, <a href="http://www.twine.com/" rel="nofollow">Twine,</a> online video filtering service <a href="http://www.ffwd.com/" rel="nofollow">ffwd</a> are some good examples. Through technology; behavioral targeting, retargeting, processing the information included in one's social graph, monitoring the<a href="http://blog.heavybagmedia.com/2008/08/11/the-significance-streams/" rel="nofollow"> streams of information</a> that people create around themselves, we can start to get an idea of what might be valuable to any given individual (assuming they participate in the social web.) Armed with this information, and content that is properly tagged and includes the appropriate meta data, we can construct algorithms that can predict with some accuracy which content will be most relevant to which individuals.</p> <p>That said, we're still a ways off from this technology working well, and there isn't enough meta information attached to content or individuals yet for it to work on a grand scale. But this seems to be the direction we are moving in.</p> <p>To answer your question, in the context of education and in terms of your project (starting your own university) I think it would be a really interesting study in the learning process if you could build a semantic layer into your technology, so that each individual student receives the information that is most relevant and useful to them.</p> The filtering and delivery of information is the next evolution of the web, and most likely that process will fall under what is being called the semantic web. The best way to filter and deliver the content that will be of the highest value is to do it in such a way that the information that is delivered is of the highest value to the person it’s being delivered to. There are a variety of people and companies currently working on tackling the semantic web from various angles. Nova Spivak and his new semantic discovery engine, Twine, online video filtering service ffwd are some good examples. Through technology; behavioral targeting, retargeting, processing the information included in one’s social graph, monitoring the streams of information that people create around themselves, we can start to get an idea of what might be valuable to any given individual (assuming they participate in the social web.) Armed with this information, and content that is properly tagged and includes the appropriate meta data, we can construct algorithms that can predict with some accuracy which content will be most relevant to which individuals.

That said, we’re still a ways off from this technology working well, and there isn’t enough meta information attached to content or individuals yet for it to work on a grand scale. But this seems to be the direction we are moving in.

To answer your question, in the context of education and in terms of your project (starting your own university) I think it would be a really interesting study in the learning process if you could build a semantic layer into your technology, so that each individual student receives the information that is most relevant and useful to them.

]]> Comment on the unused leverage of diy science by Michael Nielsen » Biweekly links for 08/01/2008 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/the-unused-leverage-of-diy-science/#comment-738 Michael Nielsen » Biweekly links for 08/01/2008 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:53:38 +0000 http://aresnick.mit.edu/blog/?p=539#comment-738 <p>[...] Alex Resnick: the unused leverage of diy science [...]</p> […] Alex Resnick: the unused leverage of diy science […]

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