Techophilia and Social Progress

Podcasting for universities is a really excellent way to share knowledge. However, we’ve had this for a while with cassette tapes etc. Yet I think the reason why podcasting is popular now is about the critical mass of people out there using portable digital players and the ease of loading up material to them. But let’s not forget that at the worst of times it’s hard to stay awake in class, and I would pity the student that had to listen to one of those lectures with just audio. At least in class you have your neighbour to provide you with a friendly poke if your head hits the desk!

Technorati Tags: northernvoice, podcasting

Writing and blogs are obviously hand-in-glove. No one wants to read a badly written blog. Blogs favour the articulate and the more articulate the better. If you’re not a good writer, all is not lost. It just takes practice.

I do a lot of writing, but mostly reports, strategy documents etc for my clients. So this blog is a way to develop a more informal voice. It’s a challenge to write simply and clearly and have some sense of style. You can judge for yourself on my success, but one article I found helpful was Dana’s Quick Writing Course just because it is one of those great simple summary articles of the things to do.

It’s clear to me hearing Jim Sands, the executive director of the Genuine Progress Indicator Pacific Society, that we need a better way to assess our quality of life. I’m at the ICT Summit 2006 listening at this workshop. His workshop is called “GPI – Measuring what is important.”

He is talking about a different approach to measuring progress. As he points out, GDP is an ineffective way to chart progress as it is a measure of economic activity, but not its effect on society. For example, the GDP of Alaska increased after the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster because there was so much economic activity. Yet the impact on the quality of life was substantial. So to reconcile these different aspects, he is developing “genuine progress indicators” which reflect quality of life – things like work/life balance, social capital, availability of health care and natural capital (like forests, marine environments, etc).

Of course, to me it can go too far – like he mentions a “smile index” where the amount of people smiling is measured. Which is not that helpful in my mind.

I would like to see a really strong focus on the GPI itself as a strong idea. We don’t need to worry so much about the indicators. Who knows what goes into the GDP and yet it is so important.

More resources on this:
GPI Atlantic

Technorati Tags: gpi, nptech

First Nations SchoolNet Advisory Group
Originally uploaded by PhillipDjwa.

Today I had a great meeting with the First Nations SchoolNet Advisory group and my request of them was to brainstorm a bunch of issues that are important to FN educators around technology. Here is the in-process list:

1) Staff Development – ensuring staff have ICT training. Teachers needs this all the time. We have lots of equipment out there that is not being used enough.

2) Community Context – socio-economic issues impact education. Poverty is still a big one as is the legacy of residential schools. This impacts the way students approach learning. Can’t learn if you are hungry.

3) Community Support – schools supporting home environments – computers in the home are often out of reach, but that is where much learning can take place. Parents modelling literacy and other good practices is also important.

4) Special Needs – many students face multiple issues – technology can help in a big way. Successmaker, Boardmaker, Earonics, etc.

5) Sustainability/Funding – technology has a cost and finding additional funding is key

6) Racism – internal/external – impacts education in a big way.

7) Staff Recruitment and Retention – turnover is high and many new teachers cut their teeth on FN.

Budget – technology planning and managing costs – ensuring First Nations plan for obsolesence.

Technorati Tags: nptech, firstnationseducation

Today I had a great meeting with the First Nations SchoolNet Advisory group and my request of them was to brainstorm a bunch of issues that are important to FN educators around technology. Here is the in-process list:
1) Staff Development – ensuring staff have ICT training. Teachers needs this all the time. We have lots of equipment out there that is not being used enough.
2) Community Context – socio-economic issues impact education. Poverty is still a big one as is the legacy of residential schools. This impacts the way students approach learning. Can’t learn if you are hungry.
3) Community Support – schools supporting home environments – computers in the home are often out of reach, but that is where much learning can take place. Parents modelling literacy and other good practices is also important.
4) Special Needs – many students face multiple issues – technology can help in a big way. Successmaker, Boardmaker, Earonics, etc.
5) Sustainability/Funding – technology has a cost and finding additional funding is key
6) Racism – internal/external – impacts education in a big way.
7) Staff Recruitment and Retention – turnover is high and many new teachers cut their teeth on FN.
Budget – technology planning and managing costs – ensuring First Nations plan for obsolesence.

Technorati Tags: nptech, firstnationseducation

I’m attending the BALLEBC alternative energy meeting and listening to Anita Burke who is talking about China’s future consumption of oil and gas. Their consumption will be awful. I actually remember David Suzuki saying that if everyone middle class in China drove a car we would be doomed. I think we are getting there…

Anyway, while they can’t address everything, BALLEBC is dedicated to trying to address sustainability.

First up is Rob Baxter – Renewable Energy coop. What’s a huge renewable system? Solar. Even though in Vancouver it gets a laugh, we should know that the biggest country is Germany so climate is not a problem.

Three types of systems – 1) solar photovoltaic – produce electricity. We can now tie these into the grid. BC Hydro will give you a credit. A small system is expensive. For a bldg is $15k.

Second kind is solar hot water. Domestic hot water systems saves 40 to 70 percent.

3) Solar air systems – heat the air. About 3k and recover in 3 years.

Another aspect is wind. (BTW Walmart’s proposal in Vancouver was suspect as most of the time they would be not moving. Apparently they knew this, so another example of greenwashing.)

Another form of waste is not using clotheslines. Also, a single computer uses 200 kgs of green house gas. So 5 computers is a 1 ton challenge.

Next up was Philip Be’er of City Green.

What will happen when oil costs increase and how will that effect the food system. Per capita food production is starting to decrease (why?) also less arable land available. Global warming as well adds to this. Also 250k people per day are being born. We are in a position in society where we are always trying to make each year more lucrative which is unsustainable.

What are we going to do? So one idea is to make things more locally. What is the 100 mile diet? Eating things locally. Also, solar panels cannot equal a refrigerator. Are we going to have to change? Another wqy is to share. Common resources like a lawnmower or vehicle. Relocalization network will have a book out soon.

Any homeowner that can improve energuide rating can access Federal and provincial – City Green society is doing this as part of their operations. Also city green is offering a number of courses.

Technorati Tags: sustainabletech,ballebc

I’ll be speaking at the “Strategic Use of Information & Communications Technology in Communities” Summit on a variety of topics, but the one that I will be doing a workshop on is on getting people connected in remote/rural communities. It’s a subject that is close to my heart. I hope to be blogging a bit on what that will involve. Meanwhile, the Summit is Feb 24-26 in Vancouver. Check it out!

Technorati Tags: ict, nptech

Making money off sharing your Internet connection has some possibilities. Small networks loosely connected provide the maximum flexibility with the least committment. But it’s hard to see it taking off without the change in telco approach to sharing. Plus, sharing doesn’t answer the infrastructure problems. Telcos that provide the pipe will want some additional dollars to support their networks.

I think you would see that certain people, like someone living across from union station, would be swamped but others wouldn’t. It would always be location location location. As pointed out to me though, people would get some recognition for it and this would create some value for them, whether cash or not.

Technorati Tags: wifi, communitynetworks

Here’s the ultimate driving journey you’ll remember from your childhood – staring out the back car window. Bill Klingensmith, on his six-day journey from Seattle, Washington to Rochester, New York, set up a camera in tbe back seat of his car to shoot a picture every 10-seconds. And that’s 15,481 photos for the photographically obsessed. It’s a wild way of checking out his journey. Plus he’s made an awesome interface for the whole thing. Worth a close look!

Technorati Tags: driveproject, happytrails

Nancy White
Originally uploaded by PhillipDjwa.

Here’s a podcast with Nancy White (mp3 3Mbs 7mins) talking about the different ways technology can help not-for-profits. Find her at www.fullcirc.com

Technorati Tags: northernvoice, nvoice2006, nptech