Blogcenter4184

Blog Question for CoHousing Week 11/5

Here is the assignment and question for the next class on co-housing

1. Go to the US Cohousing Association Website: Cohousing Web Site (click here) .

2. Click on the red button labeled: "What is Cohousing" and read all of the material there.

(This will orient you to the basic characteristics of cohousing neighborhoods - and the participatory development process)

3. Click on this link: "Getting Started: The First Eight Steps." (You could navigate to it through "Magazine" tab, but its a couple levels down).

This will give you an idea of how future residents organize themselves into a cohousing group - and how they develop the process of planning and developing their own neighborhood.

4. From the left side menu choose "Directory". This should yield a listing of all of all existing cohousing communities and forming groups in the U.S. (and some from other countries as well). You should link to the website of one of the communities on the list - either completed or building - and take a "tour" of that project via their website. You will then be familiar enough with the story and particulars of your selected community to answer the question below and share some details and reflections on the characteristics of that community with others in class.

Your blog question for next week is:

Advocates claims that co-housing neighborhoods are representations of genuine 'self-management' and 'self-planning' by citizens. Drawing from the specific example you examined above, discuss What seem to be both the future potential for self-managed communities, and the likely limitations? What potentials are activated by this type of neighborhood arrangement - and what do you see as potential dangers and/or limitations?

Second Life Revisited!

Virtual worlds carve out new path

                                                                

Francesco Dorazio designed Myrl, a site to store avatars for virtual worlds.

                               

By Jane Wakefield                                                                                                                     Technology reporter, BBC News

If you are walking with orcs in the World of Warcraft or setting up a business on planet Calypso, the real world is probably very far from your mind.

But for attendees at the Virtual Worlds Forum in London this week, the question of how to bridge the gap with the real world is a very pertinent one.

As well as gaining an audience beyond the core teenage male gamer, virtual worlds with real world connections offer a whole new way to make money.

There is a sharp divide between so-called Massively Multi-player Online games (MMOs) which aspire to draw from the real world, such as Second Life, and those, like World of Warcraft, which proudly inhabit a land of pure fantasy.

Twinity is a virtual world from Metaversum with avatars that walk around real cities. Metaversum chief executive Jochen Hummel says people can feel as though they have been to a city.

Cityscape

Hoping to change that is Twinity, one of a growing number of games determined to make a link between the virtual world and the real.

Capturing the twin trends of social networking and fascination with 3D worlds, the Berlin-based firm is creating a backdrop that allows users to hang out in some of the world's most famous cities.

So far it has launched virtual Berlin - a faithful replica of the real thing - to public trial.

Next year a virtual London will be available with online models of Singapore and New York joining at some point after that.

People can explore their city of choice, visit shops, art galleries and museums and build apartments.

"Fantasy worlds give you freedom and allow you to fly but the fantasy element limits them for the real world," said Jochen Hummel, the chief executive of Metaversum, the company behind Twinity.

"Teenage boys are the biggest users but for adults there is a need to improve their real lives rather than escape from them," he said.

Networking avatars

       

                                 

[Virtual worlds have] to become far more ubiquitous, more like a toaster than a DVR                                                           Raph Koster, Areae

   

Jessica Mulligan is the chief operating officer of ImaginVenture, a Swedish business incubator interested in virtual worlds.

She can see how more direct links to the high street would offer new ways to monetise such worlds but she is ambivalent about how much actual gamers want to bring the two together.

"Virtual worlds are about experimenting and doing something different," she said.

Closer ties with social networking are inevitable though, she thinks.

"They are two separate markets but you can bring things from each. For example it would make perfect sense for games to have links to social networks so people can put up pictures of their avatars alongside their real identities," she said.

Going one step farther, Myrl has created a social network exclusively for avatars.

The web-based Myrl platform allows users to manage their virtual lives, seeing what is happening in a range of virtual worlds while keeping up to date with what their or friends' avatars are doing.

"In virtual worlds you can be an alien one day, partying in New York another and laying on a beach the next and we felt that there was a need for a platform that integrated virtual worlds so that you could access these worlds from the web or the mobile as well as from a specific machine," said founder Francesco D'Orazio.

Anonymity

It appeals particularly to gamers who have created avatars in a variety of worlds.

Some 30% of Myrl's users have multiple avatars, on average they have three each, but one busy user is managing an impressive 16.

Among the 19 virtual worlds that are so far signed up are Twinity, Second Life, Habbo Hotel and Entropia

The avatars are linked from the virtual world they inhabit to the Myrl website via a badge which transmits data about what they are doing.

But the system cannot, as yet, link real people with their avatars.

"That's not possible yet because too many people want to maintain anonymity and don't want their avatar to be linked to their real identity," said Mr D'Orazio.

Ordinary people

Second Life is struggling to keep user's interest

Some virtual worlds have incredibly loyal fan bases, who visit regularly and for long amounts of time but others are struggling to keep users engaged.

Figures for Second Life show that while 18 million people have downloaded the software, only 500,000 are still active users.

There are still big barriers to overcome before virtual gaming goes mainstream, thinks Ms Mulligan.

One of the big stumbling blocks for her is the way games are distributed.

Rather than have specialist software that has to be downloaded - a process which can be time-consuming and complicated - the web itself could increasingly be used as a platform, she thinks.

One of the firms experimenting with simpler virtual worlds is Areae, which has launched a free tool called Metaplace that allows anyone to create a virtual world.

The web-based program is the brainchild of Raph Koster, a man very keen to open virtual worlds up to the mass market.

"The first step is to have virtual worlds as a common medium for ordinary people. It has to become far more ubiquitous, more like a toaster than a DVR," he told the BBC.

"Virtual worlds have a lot of strengths and the web has a lot of strengths but the two do not necessarily coincide," he said.

Purposeful chat

What virtual worlds do well is contextualise social encounters in a way that social networking cannot do, he thinks.

"Without places it is hard to have activities. The bowling alley or the alcohol does not matter as much as the people but if you do not have the bowling alley or the alcohol it's just an empty room and no-one comes,"

Michael Cassius is the managing director of Dubit, a marketing agency that creates virtual worlds.

It has been conducting research on what youngsters are doing in virtual worlds. Club Penguin and Habbo Hotel, both worlds with a big emphasis on social networking, are the most popular, according to its study.

With the younger generation growing up on social networks the connection between the two will have to get closer Mr Cassius thinks.

"Virtual worlds are social networks with a purpose. Games have always been a platform for engagement between people," he said.

Variety of Announcements

Hi all, Here are a few announcements that folks have asked me to publicize here:

---------------------

Do you like eating pie?  even better, do you like homemade pie?  AND EVEN BETTER, DO YOU LOVE MOUNTAINS? You can combine your love of mountains and pie into one crazy night of bidding and eating at the annual Mountain Justice Pie Auction!   NEXT TUESDAY OCTOBER 28th at 8pm Gillies Restaurant downtown! The fine folks of Mountain Justice will be cranking out homemade pies all day Tuesday.  There will be organic and local ingredients, there will be vegan pies galore!  Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Apple, Pecan...you name any type of pie and it will be there!  You show up at 8pm to view and drool over your favorite pie in the showcase.   Then the bidding begins.  Infamous Auctioneer Liam Kelly will be flamboyantly auctioning off each pie to the highest bidder!  You go home with a delicious pie, and we go home with some cash to continue our work saving our precious Appalachian mountains. www.mountainjustice.org.vt.edu

--------------------------------------------------------------------

SUBJECT LINE: Teach for America Opportunities EMAIL MESSAGE: Hello, My name is Jay Williams and I am the Campus Campaign Coordinator for Teach for America -- www.teachforamerica.org . Teach for America has begun recruiting top-students from Virginia Tech and I want to fill you in on the opportunities that 10% of the graduating classes from Harvard, Duke and Yale applied for in 2007. As you may know, Teach for America places our nation’s future leaders from all academic backgrounds and career aspirations into low-income communities for two years as full-time, paid teachers. These teachers inspire hope in these low-income communities and work to eliminate educational inequity in the United States. Today, nine-year-olds growing up in low-income communities are already three grade levels behind their peers in high-income communities. Teach for America’s mission is to eliminate educational inequality for all children. Being a Teach for America corps member is a full-time, salaried position and was recently ranked as the 11th best place to launch your career according to Business Week magazine (http://bwnt.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/career_launch_2008/index.asp ) INFORMATION SESSION: Tuesday, November 4th 6:30 pm Johnston Student Center (room 104) All majors and career interests welcome! (http://www.teachforamerica.org/admissions/who_were_looking_for.htm ) APPLICATION DEADLINES: Round 1 – September 19th Round 2 – November 7th Round 3 – January 7th Round 4 – February 13th If you or any of your friends are interested in learning more about Teach for America please contact me ( jwill86@vt.edu ) or visit our website at www.teachforamerica.org . Thank you and have a great day, Jay Williams Campus Campaign Coordinator Teach for America www.teachforamerica.org  One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education. P.S. for more information about our graduate program, employer partnerships and the application please see: Graduate Partnerships: http://www.teachforamerica.org/alumni/grad_school_partnerships.htm Employer Partnerships: http://www.teachforamerica.org/alumni/employer_partnerships.htm

Question For 10/29 Charette Class

This week's assignment is in two parts.

PART 1

In the first of this week's readings (the one that says "visioning" on the first page), the author lays out a variety of characteristics of charettes. Much of the remainder of the reading, as well as the next reading (chapter 5), are examples of charettes in a variety of communities.

I'd like you to get familiar with the charette idea, since we are going to spend all of next class doing a charette, with you representing specific community roles. What I'd like you to do is choose one of the examples of charettes in either reading (such as the Richmond neighborhood charette), identify what "category" of charette it falls into (p.51), identify what "strategies" were used in that example (p.50), and note the specific essential "ingredients" (p.50) that were added into the charette. Please do not choose an example that has already been chosen by another member of your blog group - check before you get started. If they are all used, you can do a duplicate (there shouldn't be any triplicates).

PART 2

I'd like you to prepare to play your role in the design charette (which sent you yesterday via email - if you lost it or did not get it, please email me and note which blog group you are in). Please research your role on-line. In the blog, provide links to at least 2 websites where you have gathered information about your role (on the handouts I gave you, there are some suggestions in italics). Provide a short summary of what your charactor wants to achieve by participating in the charette. Posting it on the blog is fine - you don't have to hand it in during class - although I recommend you print it out and bring it to class, to remind yourself of your motivation and perspective.

Be sure to be on time next class - we're going to jump right into the charette.

More Events You may Choose From

Hi class,

I'd like to add two new events to the list of activities you can attend to satisfy your "public engagement event" requirement.

This first, which Burke provided me, is:

-----------
Hear Adam Kokesh

ex-Marine 1999  -  2006

Member
IRAQ VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR

Thursday, October 23, 7 p.m.
7 p.m. Room 1670, Litton Reaves,  VA Tech

Sponsored by

Amnesty International VA Tech
Global Justice Alliance, VA Tech
Coalition for Justice
-------------

The second is a variety of events related to a Visit of Program Officers from the
United States Institute of Peace (www.usip.org), October 22 - 24, 2008

Visit Themes:         "Educational Strategies and Approaches to Teaching about Global Peace" and
     “Leadership for Sustainability”

Head of the USIP group:   David J. Smith, Education and Training Center/Domestic
      http://www.usip.org/specialists/bios/current/smith.html

Other USIP Participants:   Lauren van Metre - http://www.usip.org/specialists/bios/current/vanmetre.html

Willene Johnson is a development economist with experience in Africa and Latin America who currently serves on the United Nations Committee for Development Policy. Dr. Johnson’s previous positions include: adjunct professor of applied economics and management at Cornell University, advisor with the Federal Reserve System, and U.S. Executive Director at the African Development Bank.  Her work focuses on economic and financial development, including microfinance, security-sector resource management, and the role of economics in conflict management.

     9:00 – 10:30 a.m.        Fralin Auditorium – “Peace Studies Approaches in Undergraduate Education in                 US” – videotaped presentation by David J. Smith (USIP) and a follow up discussion on the curriculum for the projected VT Minor in Peace Studies and Violence Prevention coordinated by Peter Schmitthenner and Joan Monahan Watson (Interdisciplinary Studies www.idst.vt.edu) in collaboration with Jerzy Nowak (CPSVP)

10:30 – 11:00 a.m.        Room 406 Wallace Hall.  Meeting with Steve Darr and his collaborators from
        Peacework Village Network (www.peacework.org)

“Economics and Conflict” - videotaped seminar by Willene Johnson, USIP. 
Providing an overview of the relationship between economic activity and violent conflict, the discussion will identify conflict risks associated with certain economic vulnerabilities and assess the risks and rewards of economic interventions at various points on the conflict cycle.  We identify elements of a broad strategy for economic development in vulnerable and conflict-affected states, focusing on protecting and managing natural resources, increasing productivity in agriculture, and providing infrastructure and services within the context of sound fiscal and monetary policies. 

7:00  -  8:00p.m.    CHEMP 130 - “Learning from Genocide”, Public seminar by Keith Watenpaugh, USIP Fellow.  Speaker introduction: David J. Smith
Genocide — a cluster of violent acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group — is the definitive social phenomenon of the 20th century and will be a feature of our new century.  As a matter of grave concern, genocide has taken on an unprecedented prominence in American political conversations and plays an ever increasing role on our college and university campuses.  However, as a concept – including its history  - it is less well understood.  This is in part because of the professional, personal and political difficulties inherent to the study and teaching of genocide.  In this talk, I argue the despite those difficulties, genocide can and should be taught; moreover, learning from genocide is integral the study of peace and human rights and stands at the forefront of efforts to promote international peace, the stopping of genocide in the present and its prevention in the future.

Friday, October 24

9:00 – 11:00 a.m.    406 Wallace Hall –  “Leadership in Conflict Environments”,   videotaped presentation by Lauren van Metre,  followed up by a discussion on curriculum development and implementation for the proposed “Leadership for Sustainability” post graduate certificate at Virginia Tech

Facilitator:  Jerzy Nowak

Look at leadership at the national (strategic) level and also in the field, discussing what practitioners say are the training and education needed to lead effectively in these situations. L. van Metre will talk about the need for more effective cross-disciplinary exchange on leadership to enhance effective decision-making in conflict environments, and discuss what skills are necessary to operate in these complex, volatile environments.

Discussion Question for 10/22

"Wicked problem" is a term that I find useful in defining the toughest problems in planning and policymaking. I have appended below a definition of this term. In the Kettering reading (Making Choices), the way that the authors describe terrorism and taxation fit the definition of wicked problems – in brief, they have no single universal definition and engage with competing values.

From a policy advocates perspective, one way to deal with wicked problems is the technique of value-laddering, which you are familiar with. Its a kind of "black art" in which the trick is to foreclose other problem definitions by arguing that your problem definition appeals to fundamental and universal values, while suppressing your opponents attempts to define the issue differently by reference to other fundamental values. While this ideological warfare gets the job done, politically, the authors of the Kettering reading suggest that it might harm our democracy, and they trace an alternative approach within American history, a deliberative tradition for addressing wicked problems.

For your blog question this week, I would like you to define a "wicked problem" that you are familiar with (and, ideally, have been involved in). Then, drawing from the Kettering reading, cite at least three possible advantages of addressing the problem through a deliberative forum. Conclude by addressing whether, on the whole, you think that the problem could best be solved through a deliberative forum, or whether another approach would be preferable.

Wicked problems were defined in a classic planning paper:

Rittel, H.,and M. Webber; “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning” pp 155-169, Policy Sciences, Vol. 4, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Inc., Amsterdam, 1973.

In this paper, problems have the following characteristics

1. There is no definitive formulation of a wicked problem. Formulating the problem and the solution are essentially the same thing.
2. Since you cannot definitively define the problem, it is difficult to tell when it is resolved.
3. Solutions to wicked problems arenot true-or-false but good-or-bad.
4. There is no immediate and no ultimate test of a solution to a wicked problem.
5. Every implemented solution to a wicked problem has consequences of its own.
6. Wicked problems do not have a well-described set of potential solutions.
7. Every wicked problem can be considered a symptom of another problem. A wicked problem is a set of interlocking issues and constraints which change over time, embedded in a dynamic social context.
8. The causes of a wicked problem can be explained in numerous ways: there are many stakeholders who will have various and changing ideas about what might be a wicked problem, what might be causing it, and how to resolve it.
9. The decision-maker has no right to be wrong--e.g., the consequences of failure are very high.

Discussion Question For Next Week On Social Media

Incorporating arguments from this week's readings, reflect on whether blogging, coupled with blog group meetings, during this class has enhanced the democratic capacity of the classroom, fostered deliberation (as opposed to mere expression of pre-existing opinions) and fostered worthwhile relationships among class members.

I must insist that you incorporate ideas from the readings into your response, since this is not going to make for interesting blogging is it becomes a discussion of whether blogging was a time sink or a learning opportunity for you. Rather, it is an opportunity to connect your shared experience with a social technology and consider the specific arguments contained with the readings about social capital, the power of elites (me?), the limitations of anonymity associated with on-line interaction, the effects of collective discussion, and much much more.

Learning Networks Discussion Question

Snyder and Wenger describe a variety of Learning Networks (they also call them "communities of practice"), and the Nature Conservancy provides a history of their attempts to cultivate these voluntary associations across a variety of conservation domains, as well as an account of what features are required to succeed. As our two readings describe them, learning networks can help achieve some vital societal objectives, such as economic development, industrial innovation, civic health, and biodiversity protection. Yet the idea of learning networks, or "communities of practice", can be applied to a broad array of voluntary associations, whether intentionally organized or spontaneous. For instance, a study group, or a listserv, could be considered one. Look over the definition that Snyder and Wenger provide, and describe a community of practice that you have been involved in at some time during your life (I assure you, if you think flexibly enough, you'll be able to think of an instance). Be sure to note its "domain", "community", and "practice", and describe how your involvement in this learning network provided you with the ability to do something you wouldn't have been able to do on your own.

October Special Events

(REVISED October 8th)

Class,

I would like you to attend part or all of a campus special event this October, and provide a reflection on your experience.

The four events are:

1. Choices and Challenges: Political Participation in the Internet Age: October 30

2. Virginia Power Shift 2008: October 10-12

3. Sustainability Week: October 20-25

4. Robert Bullard on Environmental Justice in New Orleans: October 17

The minimum required attendance will be one featured event, which generally runs about 1.5 hours (although you are welcome and encouraged to attend more).

Afterwards, please prepare a blog post, minimum 600 words (approx two pages), that provides:

A. A full account of what event you attended.
B. Your topical impressions of the event, answering questions such as; i) What did you learn and why is this learning important, ii) Did you feel motivated to act, and if so how?
C. Your procedural impressions of the event, answering questions such as, i) Was it organized effectively, and how might it have been improved, ii) What role did the leaders and organize play in the event and what difference did they make?

Please submit your impressions on your blogsite, categorizing it under "Events". Also, you are required to provide a comment post on someone elses impression of their site visit.

Blog posts must be posted within four days of the event, and comments within six days.