Can a Collection of Words Build Synergy Like a Collection of People?The Pleiades is a Famous Celestial Observation | Publishing is easier today. We no longer need capital to push through expensive printing presses, or elaborate television stations. A lone wolf with a computer and internet access can now compete with billion dollar media companies. Technology has enabled this change, which the authors call "The Emergence of the Collective." They argue that it is the give and take of all participants that tip this into a new mode: "The power of a blog, for example, rests in part with the author or authors who start it; in part with the readers who leave comments; in part with those who link to, cite reference, or respond to it; and in part with the readers who may do nothing more than have their presence recorded by a web server." As someone who has participated in each facet of that process, I feel like I understand some of what they are getting at. Again the sum of the whole is greater through synergy that is generated through the explosion of possible connections that comes with large numbers of connected, interested / invested people. Is three people enough, what about 30? I wonder if the authors plan to help us discern an answer to this question? Amateur Astonomers Outnumber Professionals; They can Observe Where and When the Pros Cannot |
I like the title for chapter 6, "We Know More Than We Can Say." The authors introduce some interesting concepts, including tacit learning, and indwelling that tie into the title well. They describe tacit learning as an experiential process, learning by doing, and indwelling as the process of developing deep tacit knowledge that comes from spending a lot of time on a topic. Passion and play are key enablers that motivate learners to invest the time and energy to develop this deep tacit knowledge. "With access to the nearly endless supply of collectives today, however, learning that is driven by passion and play is poised to significantly alter and extend our ability to think, innovate, and discover in ways that have not previously been possible." I have experienced this type of learning myself, and agree that it can be powerful; however, I worry that core skills that may be crucial to value-added contribution (e.g. writing, logic, critical analysis) often do not fall into this passion / play dynamic. | MMOs can be Addictive. Since Most will not Become e-Pros, How much Indwelling is Right for our Students / Children? |