Brain Food

Nom nom nom...DEE-lish!

~mrc

minilogue - hitchhiker's choice from ljudbilden on Vimeo.

Good Advice + Homework

This is a good idea.

Also a good idea:

• adding some heading info to any assignments you submit to me for grading or revie

For instance, MANY of you have submitted papers to me on the Crowdsourcing assignment with nothing more than your answers; there's no mention of your name, that this is for HUM 246, the title of the assignment ("Crowdsourcing Article Response" would work), the date, etc.

It's a small point, but this information makes it MUCH easier for me to keep track of your assignments and make sure you're getting proper credit where credit's due.

'Little help, please!

~mrc

Extended Hours in the Earp Lab

Crowdsourcing, Homework for 10/27

I mentioned Crowdsourcing in Tuesday's class and suggested that it represents a very fundamental change - and a creative one - in the ways business is changing across a WIDE range of industries from the sciences to social sectors, just as we're reading in A Whole New Mind how the rise of the right brain is doing the same. Something this big demands more space in your brain, so for Tuesday please read this 4-page article from Wired Magazine's June 2006 issue on Crowdsourcing by Jeff Howe. Answer the questions below and email them to me in a Word (or similar) doc.

~mrc

• Explain crowdsourcing in your own words.
• What role has the internet and web technology played in the rise of crowdsourcing? Could the businesses cited in the article (iStockPhoto, Threadless, Innocentive, et al) exist without the web? How are businesses reacting to the crowdsourcing phenomenon?
• In the section on TV 2.0, the article asks "Can the crowd produce enough content to support an array of shows over many years?" Which of the shows mentioned are still on the air and which, if any, have you seen? Is that significant?
• According "The Tinkerer" page of the article, how many "solvers" (as of the article's publication date) are part of the network of scientists on InnoCentive? What is the appeal of a service like this for both corporate and individual participants? Why does each party come to the table? What do they get out of participation?
• According to MIT's Karim Lakhani, why does InnoCentive work?
• How is crowdsourcing different from outsourcing?
• What is Amazon's Mechanical Turk?
• What could you, your business, or your employer crowdsource?
• What could the government crowdsource?
• What's the relationship between what you've read in A Whole New Mind and the crowdsourcing trend?

Is This Creative?

What do you all think of this advertisement? Stupid? Brilliant? Compelling and rich? What's a typical ad for a mobile home liquidator look like? Post your response in the comments section below.

~mrc

The Death of Email?

Students,

Last week, I received a communication from a colleague who is charged with developing an alumni tracking service for her college -- essentially a way to stay in touch, update, and yes, even solicit funds from, the many students who've passed through those hallowed halls.

She'd read an article I've linked to here which suggests that email may be going away, or at the least evolving, and that will challenge the way traditional "development" offices (the term often given to University departments in charge of fundraising from the community of former students) do business.

Please read the article and post a response in the comments section below. Do you agree with the predictions? Do they really reflect your web and email habits? Do you primarily use your DCC or Southside email address? Do you use different email accounts for school versus, say, social business? What sites do you frequent most? What digital assets or online content do you "take with you" wherever you spend time online (eg Facebook, MySpace, news RSS)?

~mrc

Homework Due Thursday, 10/15

Class,

I was incorrect when I last wrote you on Tuesday regarding the schedule for next week.

DCC is on holiday (Teacher Workday, officially) next Tuesday, 10/13, so there will be no classes, which means there will be no drawing activities with guest instructor Kevin Chrystie! We'll have to have him back another day.

So we will not meet officially again for a whole week! Therefore, due when we return next week:

1) Write a mini-saga about the picture above answering the question, "What's their story?" Answer in 50 words, no more no less; as usual, post your response in the comments section below.

2) Make sure you have finished A Whole New Mind, Chapter 6, "Symphony" and do the following activities:

• "Draw" activity on page 151: Only do the 5-line self-portrait activity, but do it 5 times. Try different poses or expressions if you need to mix it up. Bring your self-portraits to class.
• "Keep a Metaphor Log" activity on page 152: Compile a list of at least 10 metaphors, 2 of which you must invent yourself. Email me the list.

3) Do a DeBono! This week's activity is this:

• MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS

1. Obtain Two Random Words.
2. See how many ways you can make a connection between the two random words.
3. Define clearly the basis for each connection.
4. Do this on your own, individually.
5. Email me the list.

eg DESK; SHORTS

...both are functional and aid a type of activity, such as business or sports

...both should be designed for freedom of activity

...desks have "knee holes" and shorts expose the knees

Do NOT invent a story about the items to make a connection. Dig deep to really think about a connection of purpose, function, value, utility, etc that already exists.

Your random words are: TAPESTRY; DOUGHNUT

4) Send me a note about which of the Longwood University art workshops you plan to attend this month. As was mentioned last class, there will be 4 Saturday morning workshops at the SVHEC this month, October 17th - printmaking and tshirt-making workshop; October 24th - bookmaking, printmaking and tshirt workshop. All workshops are FREE. You only need to attend ONE. Each workshop is an hour long and they run from 10-12 each weekend. Send me notes now if you have conflicts.

That's all! I'll see you next Thursday, at which time I'll also have mid-term grades to hand out. Remember, you can always redo an assignment for re-grading if you show improvement.

~mrc

Out of Class Today

Class,

I am having car trouble and will not be able to make it to class this afternoon! I am sorry for this and I know that you are as crestfallen as I am; however, there is still much to do!

There is a picture caption assignment on the blog right now (see below this post) which you should complete TODAY (in class before you leave preferably).

I am missing MANY of the StoryCorps assignments as of this writing, and expect them tonight as they are due today. If you are having trouble with the assignment, 1) this will be the first I've heard of it since no one's said anything yet, and 2) you should contact me ASAP.

I will be out of town both this Thursday and next Tuesday, 10/8 and 10/13, but we are STILL having class. This Thursday you will have a proctor for the class to take roll and perform other duties. It will be a working day with an assignment on the blog, a deBono exercise, and there will be a preliminary list of assignments I have or am missing from each of you. Keep in mind that I will be posting Mid-term grades next Friday.

Next Tuesday Kevin Chrystie will be filling in for me guiding you through a series of drawing exercises, so DO NOT miss that. It will be awesome.

Lastly, there will be a special interest class Saturday morning, October 17th, and again on the 24th, with visiting art professors from Longwood college. The instructors will be conducting hands on workshops in bookmaking, printmaking, and tshirt-making. The cost to you is FREE. I would like for each of you to attend at least one of these workshops on either day. They make for an excellent addition to your Pink Portfolio. Start letting me know now why you can't make it (I assume there will be some conflicts), but also let me know which one(s) you are interested in so I can start putting together attendance.

Questions, concerns or complants? 540.227.0221 or bencapozzi@mac.com

Best

~mrc

Who ARE These People? (Continued)

Time for another mini-saga! What's this guy's story? Post your answer in 50 words - no more, no less - below in the comments section.

Best

~mrc