544 - The Dumbest Generation; DreamCorp - Alternate Reality
September 14, 2008 Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - Sept 14, 2008.
#544 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
54,408 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host, Learning ‘08 - Oct. 26-29 - Over 1,308 Colleagues Registered!
1. “The Dumbest Generation” - Provocative Book on Stupefied Young Americans.
2. DreamCorp - Alternate Reality and Game for Learning.
1. “The Dumbest Generation” - Provocative Book on Stupefied Young Americans. Mark Bauerlein pulls NO punches in his book on the impact of the digital age on the young American mind. His analysis is that:
* Compared to Previous Generations, American Youth Have:
- More schooling, more money, more leisure time and more news and information
* What Do They Do With All That Time and Money?
- Download, Upload, IM, Post, Chat, Network
- Watch TV and Play Videogames (2 to 4 hours per day)
* And, Here is What They Don’t Do:
- Read, Even Online
- Follow Politics
- Maintain a Brisk Work Ethic
- Vote Regularly
There is much to disagree with about the premises of this book, yet it will create a provocative conversation about the impact and character of the digital age on the education process. I would urge TRENDS readers to check out The Dumbest Generation and send me some of your thoughts/reactions
2. DreamCorp - Alternate Reality and Game for Learning: We are building a new corporation - an alternate reality - that will hire every one of the several thousand attendees at Learning 2008. Yes, they will all have a second job for several days, as employees of DreamCorp. We are building an Alternate Reality and Alternate Reality Game to use as a learning and community device. Based on the emerging world of Alternate Reality Games - DreamCorp will touch, engage and stimulate our participants with digital and live clues and competitions. You may receive a SMS text message with an assignment from the CEO of DreamCorp or meet an attendee who is actually an actor playing the HR Manager of DreamCorp. Here is the Wikipedia definition of Alternate Reality:
“An alternate reality game (ARG) is an interactive narrative that uses the real world as a platform, often involving multiple media and game elements, to tell a story that may be affected by participants’ ideas or actions. The form is defined by intense player involvement with a story that takes place in real-time and evolves according to participants’ responses, and characters that are actively controlled by the game’s designers, as opposed to being controlled by artificial intelligence as in a computer or console video game. Players interact directly with characters in the game, solve plot-based challenges and puzzles, and often work together with a community to analyze the story and coordinate real-life and online activities. ARGs generally use multimedia, such as telephones, email and mail but rely on the Internet as the central binding medium.”
We are working with the faculty and students at the Institute for Simulation and Training at the University of Central Florida, facilitated by David Metcalf, to build and launch DreamCorp. The rules, clues and projects will evolve during Learning 2008. This will be an exciting experiment to explore Alternate Reality for organizational learning and engagement.
The Advanced Registration Rate for Learning 2008 (Oct 26 to 29) will save you $100 on tuition. Sign up today at http://www.learning2008.com and get ready for that second job with DreamCorp. We promise not to tell your boss, but we bet you will!
Yours in learning,
Elliott
Contact: emasie@masie.com
Upcoming MASIE Center Services & Events:
* Learning 2008: Oct 26-29 - Orlando
* 0ver 6,009 Learning Colleagues on LearningTown.
Join us today: http://www.learningtown.com
Information and Registration at http://www.masie.com