Cognitive Surplus is when people use their time, talent and media tools to create and share ideas that have benefit for both the creator and society as a whole. It is the ability of people in the world to work collaboratively to work on projects that could have large global implications. When this is done, these projects can bring awareness to subjects that may have previously gone unnoticed by the mainstream population. These types of works need to be “supported, celebrated and rewarded” so that those who wish to create will continue to do so.
When we create and share and or give time or the ideas for those who do these kinds of works, it benefits all of us. As a leader, I need to do more supporting of this. I have teachers on my campus who have strong instructional practices, or have designed curriculum that would benefit others. I need to give more time for these ideas to develop and give opportunities for others to see this good teaching for themselves. People like to be praised by their peers and people will experiment/ try something new when it is modeled and they see it can be done with kids who look like theirs. Creating opportunities for this to happen is key with shrinking budgets for subs- but maybe if the work being offered is enticing enough, they will come to see it if offered on a minimum prep day.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Filter Bubbles
Filter Bubbles:
There are both good and bad points about the filtering of information done by the algorithmic formulas on the internet. The fact that “Big Brother” is watching to see what I click on and then tailors what I see next is beneficial- but at the same time kind of disturbing.
One personal example that I can think of is how I found my daughter’s last preschool. I know that I was looking to move her from her current baby sitter to a more traditional school setting. Some of the topics that I searched were for nannies and preschools. I remember putting in my zip code when I searched. I searched a few days and when I was doing some kind of search- not for preschool- down in the left corner of the page was an ad for Kids Depot. I generally don’t look at ads purposefully, but I noticed this one probably because it was in my need of reference. I did something I normally don’t do. I clicked on it, read the information and ended up going for a tour of the school. After watching the video, the internet formula worked well for me. I found what I needed and it lead me down the tunnel for where I wanted to go. This is good.
On the other hand, what information am I missing based on my clicking patterns? Sometimes I read the news to see what’s happening in the world, and sometimes I want to know what my current addiction reality show personality might be doing. So based on this, my news might be skewed? I’m not pleased with that aspect. My mindless pleasure (sometimes I need a break from the textbooks) should not determine what information I receive. There needs to be some balance, and I would like to somehow have a little more control over this.
There are both good and bad points about the filtering of information done by the algorithmic formulas on the internet. The fact that “Big Brother” is watching to see what I click on and then tailors what I see next is beneficial- but at the same time kind of disturbing.
One personal example that I can think of is how I found my daughter’s last preschool. I know that I was looking to move her from her current baby sitter to a more traditional school setting. Some of the topics that I searched were for nannies and preschools. I remember putting in my zip code when I searched. I searched a few days and when I was doing some kind of search- not for preschool- down in the left corner of the page was an ad for Kids Depot. I generally don’t look at ads purposefully, but I noticed this one probably because it was in my need of reference. I did something I normally don’t do. I clicked on it, read the information and ended up going for a tour of the school. After watching the video, the internet formula worked well for me. I found what I needed and it lead me down the tunnel for where I wanted to go. This is good.
On the other hand, what information am I missing based on my clicking patterns? Sometimes I read the news to see what’s happening in the world, and sometimes I want to know what my current addiction reality show personality might be doing. So based on this, my news might be skewed? I’m not pleased with that aspect. My mindless pleasure (sometimes I need a break from the textbooks) should not determine what information I receive. There needs to be some balance, and I would like to somehow have a little more control over this.
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