sbryan3712(555 - days ago)Page: Changes for next year
I think that our final projects were interesting and fun to get into, however I would argue we were spread way too thin. There are so many problems in the world today, and trying to discuss a few here and there doesn't really get too much below the surface and into the heart of the problems. I would suggest the class chooses one or two issues, like just HIV/AIDS, energy, or poverty etc. and focus just on those couple of topics. I think this would spur a more meaningful and deeper discussion during class, and during final presentations, less time would need to be spent on background information and more on analysis and solutions.
I would also agree with having more diverse readings - the books sometimes got a little repetitive and took up a lot of reading time that could be devoted to more case studies or other articles. One thing that might be interesting is to include things going on in the news that relate to whatever topic your discussing. I was definitely behind on the current events on some of the issues we talked about, and having an article to read a week would be an enjoyable and light, yet informative source for information.
abairos(565 - days ago)Page: Wrapping it up
I think that sounds like a good idea and a good way to preserve what we have done as a model for future classes.
abard(573 - days ago)Page: Week 11
Hi All,
Can you please read these articles for class on Tuesday:
http://www.kof.ethz.ch/publications/science/pdf/wp_146.pdf - please focus on the intro, previous literature and conclusion sections and skim over part III
http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/4151710.pdf
http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/books_ladd-educationreform
http://www.jstor.org/sici?sici=0161-956X(198922)66:4<72:IUEIT1>2.0.CO;2-2
http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/pdfs/teach.pdf - please read the Executive Summary and Chapters VI VII and VIII (the last three chapters including the conclusion)
Let us know if you have any questions.
Thanks!
cprens4(573 - days ago)Page: Topic - Energy and climate solutions (part 2)
Here's the link to the video about the Masdar Initiative:
http://www.masdaruae.com/text/v-files.aspx
cprens4(573 - days ago)Page: Topic - Energy and climate solutions (part 2)
Link to Casey's presentation about Energy in the US:
http://show.zoho.com/public/cprens4/US Energy Transition
cmackugl(577 - days ago)Page: Week 10
heres the link to my presentation just in case...
http://show.zoho.com/public/cmackugl/China and Sustainable Development and Retrofitting
emilypeterson(577 - days ago)Page: Week 10
The May/June issue for Mother Jones is a special feature on the future of energy. A few pertinent articles:
McKibben's "The Greenback Effect": http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2008/05/the-greenback-effect.html
The 7 Myths of Energy Independence: http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2008/05/the-seven-myths-of-energy-independence.html
The Nuclear Option: http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2008/05/the-nuclear-option.html
abairos(585 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
I think everyone touched on some important areas of improvement for the remaining groups. Kudos to the first group, though, as I thought they did a great job with their presentations. I would agree with the general consensus of trying to use the assigned readings more effectively to tie into the classroom discussion. Cameron mentioned a good point that perhaps simplicity is the way to go. Looking back on presentations earlier in the semester, I found the guys from Step It Up to be more effective than the powerpoint format of Woolcock. Now I understand there is some information that must be explained (where a powerpoint would be useful), but in order to make some progress in our projects, we should dedicate a significant amount of time to brainstorming. The ideas we threw back and forth with the Step It Up guys seemed to be an effective way to stimulate ideas and possible steps towards a solution.
I think both presentations have been awesome and extremely informative. Good work! and good luck to the other groups!
emilypeterson(586 - days ago)Page: Topic - Solutions in the developing world (part 2)
check out the Goldman Environmental Awards, delivered last night in San Francisco to 6 top global activists (one for each continent, sadly Antarctica doesn't count). The award carries a hearty check for $150,000 to support the entrepreneurs' work...if you'll remember from Bornstein's book, Richard Goldman was a key financial supporter of the ASHOKA fellowship in its founding. http://www.grist.org/feature/2008/04/13/goldman/?source=weekly
sbryan3712(586 - days ago)Page: Topic - Solutions in the developing world (part 1)
A short blurb entitled "Brazil opens condom factory to help preserve the Amazon rain forest" They opened a factory to produce condoms from the rainforest - providing jobs and 100 million condoms to be distributed for and anti-Aids program:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/08/america/LA-GEN-Brazil-Condom-Factory.php
cmackugl(588 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
They all shared their created knowledge well, there was a lot of background information that was incorporated into the power points which might not have been necessary.
The most interesting thing I found in their presentations is the problem between native culture and foreign intervention. Nick made a great point that Americans would vehemently ignore any foreign nation who was trying to change us, so why would Africa be any different? This led to the problem of pace and scale, do we continue to administer the ARV's which will eventually run out, or do we take the hit for one generation and reallocate the ARV funds to education and prevention?
The next group can take more from the 1st groups second day, the division into the smaller groups definitely sparked a lot of good conversation and (at least it seemed) that the groups were able to think up some ideas that the presenters hadn't thought of before. Thinking back on the different presentations that we have had in class to date, I think that the later groups should try to copy the classroom dynamic and presentation style of Will and the Step it up guys more so than Woolcock. good stuf.
shanespinell(589 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
The presentations by group 1 on Tuesday and Thursday were very informative and well put together. They did a great job of spearheading this process.
I learned most about ideas that work, have worked, and ones that have failed. They all provide a great basis for the need of these programs and why it is imperative that steps be taken to spark change. On the surface, solutions seem to be ‘easily’ obtained though thought, but as we chatted in groups together we all could see the problems that quickly surface.
For the groups coming in the following weeks, I would suggest that we follow a similar set up to what group 1 did, with a few changes. On Tuesday, the leading group members should have make their presentations on their topics, but limit them to 10-15 minutes per person. This should be followed by immediate small group (3-5 people) discussion. This way, the ideas, problems and potential solutions are fresh in all of our heads. For the second class, a quick summation by the leaders should be discussed followed by some more quick leadership by them on their topic. This would progress into small group talks and finish up with a closing synopsis on the topic and progress that has been made. I think with an approach similar to this, participation will be provided by all and it will be a beneficial experience for not only the leading group and their projects, but the rest of us in the class.
sbryan3712(589 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
All four did a good job explaining the background of their projects and the areas they were focusing on. The PowerPoints kept things on track, and let us sit back and focus on what each presenter was trying to get across. I learned a lot of information the first day, but didn't feel as if we had adequate time on Thursday to discuss the topics. Splitting up the class is beneficial because it increases your changes of getting to throw your own ideas out - maybe splitting the class into even smaller groups would be better.
One thing I really liked about my groups' discussion on Thursday was that Lizzie asked us our opinion on an organization she seemed to want to create/explore for her project. I think discussing the specifics of her project gave her the most constructive feedback, and allowed us to really see what type of approach she was looking into. I think discussing our potential solutions with the class, instead of just presenting the issue should be a focus for future groups.
Overall, they did an excellent job at finding how their projects overlapped and asking questions that pertain to all four of the issues.
emilypeterson(590 - days ago)Page: Topic - Solutions in the developing world (part 1)
Can Cell Phones Help End Global Poverty? http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/magazine/13anthropology-t.html?pagewanted=4&_r=1&hp
New York Times, April 11, 2008
margmd(590 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
• How effectively did they share the knowledge that they have created?
• What did you learn the most from their presentation?
• How might the next group further improve on their presentation?
I think that the good did a good job of sharing their knowledge with the rest of the class, the powerpoints were well thought out and the delivery of the information was great. I would say that it was somewhat difficult to retain all of the information because it was one presentation after another. I think that if there was time for questions/discussion in between each presentation the material would have been absorbed a bit more.
The thing that stuck with me from the presentation was the importance of developing strong connections between all parties involved and open lines of communication. We saw examples of the importance of strong networks in all of the case studies – micro finance, AIDS treatment, and indigenous land rights.
The next group could further improve on their presentation by allowing more time for discussion about the content of the reading and the content of the presentation.
abard(591 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
I believe that this group’s presentation was extremely informative and also engaging. Even though there may not have been a tremendous amount of discussion surrounding the issues, I do believe that the topics and “problems” were presented in a way that made me want to hear more. I felt like the speakers were very involved and passionate about there topics and I think that made the presentations very informative if not entertaining as well.
Each speaker was very composed and very prepared with the research that they presented. I think that their power points highlighted the most important topics and that it was easy to take things away from their power points in addition to taking things away from what they added through their actual “speeches”.
I felt that the Elahi reading was very helpful because it provided a great deal of information about microfinance as well as a case study in a very succinct and comprehensive way. Even though it was short, I learned a lot from that reading and really began to actually understand the idea of microfinance and lending for the first time.
In the future it may be helpful to have a bit more discussion about the topics because I felt that there was a lot I wanted to hash out but we did not really have time to talk about things as thoroughly as I would have liked.
Overall, great job and good luck with your projects.
emily(591 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
This is a tricky assignment. If we're expecting our classmates to be in a position to formulate thoughtful, well-informed responses to questions that the presenters pose, then obviously the students who are responsible for presenting must lay a strong framework of providing adequate background on their project topics. As one of the presenters for this first round, I felt a tension between wanting to convey in appropriate depth the complexities of ARV distribution while also hoping to elicit feedback from the class.
One suggestion is to devote Thursday entirely to a class-oriented exercise and to cut out the formal group presentation piece. That was the original intention for my group, but as you could see, we ran short on time during Tuesday's class. The upswing to this is that from here on out, most of the individual projects will have stronger connections and aren't quite as disparate as ours were. This means that ya'll can combine your presentations of Tuesday more fluidly, if for example, you're all researching clean energy solutions or education.
Ditto on the previous comments about incorporating the readings. Perhaps in the future, it'd be best to pick readings that are more provocative for discussion, that even take a divisive stance, as opposed to the more traditional readings that only cover the barebones of our project. As a final suggestion, it'd be fun to do a simulation of splitting up the class, for example, between officials at the World Bank, representatives of a NGO, and local community members who are facing whichever problem that the presenters are covering that day. How do the different forces interact (or not), and what are the challenges/self-interests that each host?
nbhave(591 - days ago)Page: Topic - Solutions in the developing world (part 1)
Ok the link to my presentation should be working now. You can find more information at microfinancegateway.com
nbhave(591 - days ago)Page: Topic - Solutions in the developing world (part 1)
are you sure the link doesn't work? It just worked for me.
cprens4(591 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
The group presentations today were definitely good and definitely, as nick mentioned, vanilla. Today's presentation did a great job of tying different projects together, yet one thing we NEED to avoid is trying to formulate a single theory or recommendation for different projects. As Nickil rightly pointed out, even microfinance needs to have a different theory depending on whether it is designed for urban or rural.
I think the first day presentations were quite valuable however, in that they gave the class a more in depth look at each of our topics. I think it is important for class dynamics to fully understand what each of us are trying to tackle.
nbhave(591 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
As a member of this week's group, I do feel pretty content with the presentation portion, but I do have to admit that I've been a part of more fruitful discussions. Obviously we assigned readings that were pertinent to the discussion, but I would suggest assigning a worksheet where the class would have written answers to spur discussion. On this worksheet one could ask follow up questions to the general themes. For example:
1. Question
a. Which reading pertains to this issue the best?
b. What are your personal visceral reactions to this issue?
c. Are there and specific passages which speak to the question?
Having a written worksheet would really be a vehicle just to record our own thoughts so that we remember to evoke them in discussion. As Nick suggested, I think we can come up with some new interesting formats as well.
nickdickerson(591 - days ago)Page: Evaluate presentations
I think the group today did a fine job in sharing their projects with us, managing to tie in a bunch of different ideas under a single theme.
Their presentation showed us, just like what we've seen in class, is that there are a lot of tensions in these issues we face, cultural vs. technical, short term vs. long term, needs of the local vs. needs of the broader community.
In terms of further improvement, maybe the next group can take their presentations in a direction that we have not seen in class yet. We've done the presentations, we've done the sharing in circles, we've done the offering of ideas...can we move beyond that? I think the upcoming groups should find ways to take their issue in a completely different direction. What that direction is right now, I'm not sure. Perhaps it could involve a way that forces the class to incorporate the readings into a discussion. I think that if we're really trying to push the boundaries of this class in terms of learning and such, we need to devise a different way to do this, as we are still following the guidelines of traditional learning.
sbryan3712(591 - days ago)Page: Topic - Solutions in the developing world (part 1)
Here's and article I found worthwhile to read while pondering question #2 on microfinance
“Assessing the community economic impact of microfinance institutions” by Gary Woller and Robert Parsons http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3906/is_200208/ai_n9112576
cprens4(591 - days ago)Page: Topic - Solutions in the developing world (part 1)
An interesting article discussed in our group about the negative impacts of NGOs on indigenous land tenure.
http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/161/
cprens4(591 - days ago)Page: Topic - Solutions in the developing world (part 1)
http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/161/
jisham(592 - days ago)Page: Really cool ideas!
Here's another link: from today's NYT - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/technology/techspecial/09town.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
abairos(593 - days ago)Page: 350 and green electricity
I think trying to promote local decentralized energy is a good place to start. Not only does this this give elected officials a smaller scope to deal with, but decentralized energy is a more efficient way to provide energy (as opposed to centralized energy that is shipped from location x to location z). However, such technology can be expensive, still giving elected officials an incentive to wait until other countries make the switch first. How will the developing nations access such technology? Will it fall on the shoulders of developed nations to help developing nations make the transition to decentralized energy?
margmd(594 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
can i have wed. at 10?
cedwardsmidd(595 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
Wednesday at 10- cassidy
jisham(596 - days ago)Page: Week 8 - April 8 and 10
Check this out, from today's NYT: Problems for Microfinancing in Mexico - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/business/worldbusiness/05micro.html?em&ex=1207540800&en=253b1304b9bc5c3f&ei=5087
equinn(597 - days ago)Page: Week 8 - April 8 and 10
Hey guys,
There's actually another reading that I'd like you to read as well. It is going up on eRes later today, but maybe you could just skim "The Politics of Development in Indigenous Panama" and get a little more into the eRes reading from a book by Robyn Eversole and others called "Indigenous Peoples and Poverty: an International Perspective."
Thanks. Have a great weekend.
jisham(597 - days ago)Page: Week 8 - April 8 and 10
Excellent. Thanks you all, for getting us rolling!
jisham(598 - days ago)Page: Social entrepreneurship
The information about AMerica Forward is really interesting: check this out - http://americaforward.org/userfiles/America Forward briefing book_2007.pdf
jisham(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
Shane, can you do Monday at 3:30? JTI
equinn(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
Can I take 11 on Wednesday? thanks- Lizzie
shanespinell(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
Monday at 2pm - Shane
shanespinell(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
Monday at 3pm - Shane
sbryan3712(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
I'll take friday at 3:00 - Sarah
cedwardsmidd(598 - days ago)Page: Really cool ideas!
link to case study in India (scaling up)http://www.esmap.org/filez/activity/31200714526_SAIndiaImprovedStoves.pdf
Philip(598 - days ago)Page: How do we scale up
Additions to above:
Urban / rural void
With larger power source and user-shed (service area), greater need for reliability
Text messages: how much power used, when generator will be on
Accountability, billing tied to cell phones
Matt: democratic, trust relationship between provider and consumer
Efficiency
Cameron: “scale up by starting at the bottom”
abairos(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
Monday @ 3:00, please.
emily(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
2:00 on Monday, please
cmackugl(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
I'll take 10:30 on weds
Philip(598 - days ago)Page: How do we scale up
Response by Cameron, Maggie, Matt, & Philip
=Scaling up=
- Scale (obviously) varies by area, by region, by country; tie suitability to local conditions, including population density and demand for energy
- Change happens gradually, intentionally, and with local input
=Specific Topics=
- Land degradation: basic principles and best practices: limit deforestation, prevent government subsides for over-use,
- Urbanization: ensure wise use (efficiency)
Question: Effect of hydrogen on water scarcity
abard(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
Could I have 2:30 on Monday? -Allison
tkenny(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
Wednesday at 3:00
cprens4(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
I'll take the 4:00 on Monday
Philip(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
Philip: 2:30 on Wednesday, please
nickdickerson(598 - days ago)Page: Meetings with Isham
I'll take 330 on Friday
jisham(598 - days ago)Page: How do we scale up
There's an other huge aspect of accountability, of course, that relates to scaling up: the accountability of government officials who, under the right circumstances, can facilitate and help to replicate the work of social entrepreneurs. Take what is documented in Power to the People: the descriptions of corruption in India, in terms of energy provision, and compare that to Fabio Rosa's experiences in Brazil. Albert Hirschman has a phrase that captures what is required: 'voice and exit.' More on that to come ..
emily(602 - days ago)Page: How do we scale up
If we discuss strategies of scaling up, I think the most critical component is that the initiative must be framed as a MODEL with the potential for straight forward replication in other locales. Of course we have discussed the idea of metis a million times over and the need to create locally and culturally-suitable projects. But overall, if an entrepreneur is hoping to take a project "to the next level," there's a critical need to have enough flexibility in the project plans such that the ideas can easily be transferred to other communities with relative ease. It's the difference, for example, between designing a water pump intended to bring clean water to a community of 500 people versus providing access to clean water on a country-wide basis. Another important facet to consider in the question of scalability is that of ACCOUNTABILITY and ASSESSMENT. The project must have closely defined, measurable targets that allow the entrepreneur to evaluate the program's success across disparate communities and countries. For example, Kiva.org has created a country-specific poverty score card that each borrower completes before and after the loan period. This enables Kiva to determine the extent to which the loan has impacted the borrower's level of poverty. In India, a question on the score card might ask: "Do you own a pressure cooker: Yes/No?" In South Africa, one question might be: "Is your roof of your house corrugated tin: Yes/No?"
emily(602 - days ago)Page: Social entrepreneurship
Check out STUDENTS OF THE WORLD: www.studentsoftheworld.org
About the group: "Students of the World (SOW), an organization conceived by college students and led by students, is dedicated to raising public awareness of and activism on social issues affecting international communities. The SOW mission is executed through teams of college students who spend four weeks immersed in, learning from and documenting developmental issues surrounding a localized international community. The crux of the mission is achieved in the students' return and subsequent documentary work production and advocacy in their own university communities. Through documentary film production, photography and art exhibitions, policy studies, and newspaper and magazine articles, Students of the World works to inspire Americans toward global understanding and activism. With chapters at Brown University, Columbia University, Duke University, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and University of Texas at Austin, SOW has become a national movement. Participating in Students of the World is not cultural tourism; it is a commitment to learning about specific international issues and conditions and producing documents and exhibitions that will directly educate American people and communities on those international issues and conditions."
Seems like Midd should join! They will consider expanding chapters to other college campuses after this summer. if any juniors or sophomores are interested, I'm sure ACE and Study Abroad folks would be keen to join the conversation. Who knows, maybe the possible 350.org student internships could partner up with this group?
cmackugl(614 - days ago)Page: Free rice
I found this site while abroad in Scotland, whenever it rained (not a rare occurrence) I would be on this site. So addicting.
As comedian Mitch Hedburg said:
"Rice is good when you are hungry, and want two thousand of something"
shanespinell(615 - days ago)Page: Assignments for Week 6
Check out these two links:
http://www.grist.org/news/2008/03/14/Blair/?source=daily
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/weather/03/16/un.climate.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Interesting stuff...
sbryan3712(617 - days ago)Page: Major themes
A suggestion for anyone interested in the energy crisis - the movie "A Crude Awakening" is a good documentary that discusses peak oil. The bottom line they stress is that that we've used up half of the world supply of oil in a little less than 200 years, which is quite scary when you think that in another 200 (5/6 generations from now) there won't be any oil left to use.
sbryan3712(617 - days ago)Page: Education
I'm just started to read this book "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World". I haven't gotten far, but it's about John Wooden, Microsoft's Director of Business Development for the Greater China Region who left his job to start up a program called Room to Read. He's traveled all over the world starting libraries to help education children. Here's the link to the book if you guys are at all interested. I'm excited to see how his experience has worked out!
http://www.leavingmicrosoftbook.com/author.html
emily(618 - days ago)Page: Major themes
Hi Crew,
I know we toss around a lot of articles for each other to read and that we all have tight schedules, but take a moment to read a few quick excerpts from an essay in Orion magazine.
Global Warming is Colorblind: Can We Say So Much for Environmentalism?
by Jennifer Oladipo
http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/462/
"The terms environmentalist and minority conjure two distinct images in most people’s minds—a false dichotomy that seriously threatens any chance of pulling the planet out of its current ecological tailspin. Some people think this country is on the precipice of a societal shift that will make environmental stewardship an integral part of our collective moral code. But that is not going to happen as long as we as a nation continue to think and act as if 'green' automatically means 'white.'"
"Minorities make up one-third of the population, and we are growing as an economic and financial force as our numbers increase. We are a key to maintaining the energy that environmentalism has gained as a result of intense mainstream attention. That momentum will peter out without more people to act on the present sense of urgency."
a question pertinent to our class: How do we reach unrepresented constituencies (...particularly when you have no access to the web)???
nbhave(619 - days ago)Page: Major themes
CARBON KING
Economist Strikes Gold
In Climate-Change Fight
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120535230851631199.html
This does not fit in directly with what we are reading, but this is a very interesting article depicting the role of new market exchanges in the implementation of climate change policy. Read it for yourselves, but it details an economist who has made a fortune in 3 short years by establishing an exchange for European companies to trade Carbon permits. Hedge funds, speculators, everyone is getting in on this, but I can't help but wonder if this is a good thing. Is this Cap and Trade system an efficient market if major purchases signal corporate strategy? And would a tax system be less vulnerable to the mistakes made by European governments by allotting too many permits to reduce emissions. It's strange to think one day soon we'll be investing in a ton of carbon as a commodity just like oranges and oil.
emily(626 - days ago)Page: 350 phrase - what should it be
hi will, phil, and jeremy,
many thanks for taking time out of your schedules to visit our class. the fervor and quiet humility with which you're pursuing this cause is phenomenal. particularly in the context of this course--where we're trying to not only analyze the root causes of environmental degradation and poverty, but equally important, to explore practical solutions--it's thrilling to see your success as grassroots organizers (...and to imagine the global breadth of your campaign as you embark on this next mission).
unfortunately i have no revelations for a possible 350 slogan, but i agree with casey in that it needs to be a bit punchier than the one proposed above. especially coming off the high energy of step it up, people will probably be expecting something with a little more spunk. it'd be beneficial to think of a line that carries a greater sense of urgency; for example, the 1sky pitch--"one climate. one future. one chance."--carries a more pressing tone by ending with "one chance." it's an all or nothing deal, we've gotta get this right.
i do have one idea for the campaign, and perhaps you've already pitched it yourselves, but i'll throw it on the table. as a central feature on your website, can you show a map of the world and then have interactive features where visitors can click on a country or a city to see how specific communities are tackling climate change? one facet might be more informative--a country profile, for example, with specific descriptions about how "x" country is threatened by global warming. then, using the little "global messengers" you're enlisting for this effort, individuals can post videos and text in an open source manner that outlines specific actions either local governments or social groups are taking to mitigate the impacts of climate change. so if a visitor to your website clicks on japan, the map can zoom in (google earth style), and then there will be a listing with specific statistics about the potential effects of global warming on japan (rising seas, etc.). then the visitor will be directed to on-the-ground stories and reports about locals' first-hand observations of signs of climate change and their response to it. so a middkid studying abroad in tokyo might go to the local seafood market and talk to fishermen to see if they are noticing diminishing productivity/a loss of biological diversity in their fisheries. then the middkid posts the video online and now visitors to your site will be able to form a mental global mosaic about immediate impacts of global warming and communities' response to it.
make sense?
abairos(628 - days ago)Page: Group A
Hey group A, I tried to save the powerpoint from the share folder onto my computer but it says it has been moved. Is there a way to get the powerpoint into my notebook? thanks guys!
abard(629 - days ago)Page: Assignments for Week 4
I am having a bit of trouble shaping my topic because I feel that it is hard to maintain a global approach when paring down the topic to a manageable scope. Are any of you having issues with identifying a global topic and keeping to a larger scope. I am also hoping that we can more clearly define an end result for this paper because it is hard for me to approach something without having something solidified to work toward. Any suggestions?
abairos(629 - days ago)Page: Assignments for Week 4
oops, here is the link.. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/opinion/03mon1.html?_r=2&th&emc=th&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
abairos(629 - days ago)Page: Assignments for Week 4
Here is a link to an interesting op-ed piece in today's NY Times. It focuses on the tradeoffs between food supply and using crops for biofuel. This may be an interesting thing to read for those focusing on world hunger, food supply, etc for their project.
Philip(629 - days ago)Page: Assignments for Week 4
While we did discuss this in Thursday's class, this assignment seems like a larger task to expect from us with 36 hours notice. While I realize this week will be busy (as always), perhaps we should spend some time outlining work over the next few weeks, and construct a rubric (perhaps building off the tangible principles expressed in the 'discussion on discussions').
On another note, I skipped my usual Thursday colloquium lunch to hear President Liebowitz explain/advocate/sell the integration of the Monterey Institute into this liberal arts college called Middlebury. President Liebowitz based his argument on the questionable future of traditional undergraduate-only liberal arts colleges, citing an Inside Higher Ed article from earlier in February. Creating an educational institution with a global focus appears to be the president's mission.
I see two relevant ideas for our class: (1) the way we Americans (and Canadians) approach international education and a "globalized" curriculum, and (2), the value of broad, liberal arts-style higher education in the developing world.
mnakitar(630 - days ago)Page: Link to our notebooks
Hi Everyone,
I finally figured out how to successfully use my notebook.
I've just posted a new link to it but I'm not sure how to hyperlink like everyone else has.
Does anyone have any tips on how to do so?
- Mat
abairos(630 - days ago)Page: Link to our notebooks
Yes I did delete my entire notebook, and its not fun to replace. Be careful of the tabs you click on, some do not give you a second chance to accept/decline.
sbryan3712(633 - days ago)Page: Link to our notebooks
Be careful guys. I just accidentally deleted my entire notebook, and lost almost everything....I think this happened to Ashley too, so watch out!
nickdickerson(634 - days ago)Page: Group A
ooops yeah, I fixed the video link to youtube now. accidently pasted the wrong link originally
emilypeterson(634 - days ago)Page: Assignments for week 3
Thanks for the update, Lizzie. The news about the Plan B Noah's Seed Ark is ALMOST as promising as Nader's announcement that he's in the race for the White House.
equinn(635 - days ago)Page: Assignments for week 3
We now have a Plan B to our Plan B: a seed vault in Norway. I'm not that reassured.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL26435450
shanespinell(635 - days ago)Page: Group A
direct link to the video on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPBZCHkxi0c
nickdickerson(635 - days ago)Page: Group A
Everything should be up in the links there.
cedwardsmidd(635 - days ago)Page: Group B
Above are the notes and outline for our presentation.
abairos(635 - days ago)Page: Group A
can we collaborate on this book so we can all access and add to it?
abairos(635 - days ago)Page: Assignments for week 3
Here's an interesting article from the New York Times this week. The first biodiesel flight was tested by Virgin Airlines. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/business/25virgin.html
sbryan3712(637 - days ago)Page: Group A
i just put it in the share folder.
shanespinell(637 - days ago)Page: Group A
Can you put the powerpoint in the share folder as well? I am working on uploading the video now...should be up soon.
sbryan3712(638 - days ago)Page: Group A
http://notebook.zoho.com/nb/public/sbryan3712/book/83395000000002053
Here's the link to our powerpoint in my notebook (hopefully it will work for everyone). Do we want to also want to maybe create a universal location for all of us to post our presentations? Maybe create a "Scott" notebook that eveyone has access to?
abairos(640 - days ago)Page: Link to our notebooks
Here is another link to my notebook, this book has notes and random info...the other is strictly assignments
http://notebook.zoho.com/nb/public/abairos/book/82406000000004073
abairos(640 - days ago)Page: Elements of a good class discussion
I thought we did a really good job today without a professor in class. I was impressed with the direction of conversation and the questions that were asked of each group during presentations. It was fun to see the direction of discussion in the absence of any particular instruction.
jisham(640 - days ago)Page: Group D
Cool! I can't wait to see the results. JTI
sbryan3712(641 - days ago)Page: Group A
Did you guys get a chance to meet up this afternoon, and how did it go? Sorry I couldn't come...would one of you want to meet again tonight? I'm free after 8.
sbryan3712(641 - days ago)Page: Elements of a good class discussion
I like the idea of not having someone lead discussing, letting it develop and unfold on its own. You can then really focus and reflect on eachother's arguments and comments instead of trying to figure out the answer to next set of questions asked by the leader.
To make a suggestions...I think we (at least I know I should) should work on asking each other to elaborate more on each other's comments. Jon, you do a good job of this, just by asking someone to talk a little more about their statement can lead to a more thought provoking discussion.
jisham(641 - days ago)Page: Elements of a good class discussion
Agreed Cassidy, that was really interesting and challenging - for me too, to keep my mouth shut! It's vitally important, for a good discussion, that people don't spend too much time summarizing the material in an unfocused manner. A good conversation must be focussed on how the material helps us to analyze critical questions that we care about (e.g., how can we reduce the incidence of poverty?)
abard(641 - days ago)Page: Assignment 2
Hi-
I just wanted to follow up about my statement about Obama. I have included the article in my notebook. But, it was Obama and Exelon Corp. Sorry about the mix up.
abard(642 - days ago)Page: Week 2 - February 19 and 21
Hi-
I just wanted to follow up about my statement about Obama. I have included the article in my notebook. But, it was Obama and Exelon Corp. Sorry for the mix up.
cedwardsmidd(642 - days ago)Page: Elements of a good class discussion
Having the professor leave the room added a challenge to our discussion. We had to challenge eachother and synthesize one anothers arguments instead of leaving it up to the professor. Great element for discussion.
shanespinell(642 - days ago)Page: Elements of a good class discussion
- Challenge peoples thoughts and comments and ask them clarify if need be.
- It is great to get total participation from all viewpoints so everyone can form an accurate opinion or thoughts on the matter
- Original thought is important and the critical thinking and analysis of other people’s comments spurs on more thought provoking questions and ideas for the group to attack.
emily(643 - days ago)Page: Elements of a good class discussion
Some ideas for the discussion about discussions:
-Don't be afraid of silence. After 7 seconds of putting out a question and fielding no response (a professor's nightmare), someone is likely to jump in and put an idea on the table.
-It makes for a convivial class atmosphere when we can address each other by first name as we build off each person's comments.
-Before jumping off on a new topic, check in with the class and give a head's up that you want to shift the direction of the conversation.
-Add variety. Do a writing exercise, read a blog posting, break into small groups, watch a YouTube video, etc. before throwing out a list of flat questions to start the class.
-Listen to others, state your opinion in response, use vivid examples to support your point, and invite others to pitch in their with their perspectives.
tkenny(644 - days ago)Page: What are the objectives of this course
As a senior taking this class my objectives are very different than they would have been any other semester at Middlebury. The numerous classes that I have taken have shown me many of the problems and issues my generation will face. I am not scared to admit that I took this class looking for a magic bullet; something to mend the environmental, social and structural problems in the world around us. I was looking for an answer or approach that would show me how to miraculously fix all of these problems. In my last semester at Middlebury, I wanted to find something I could grasp and take with me out into the “real world” to allow me to change it.
I realize this is extremely lofty of me and there is not one approach that will miraculously cure all the world sick, put clean water and food on their tables, educate everyone, mend the blaring inequalities that persist or the persistent exhaustive deterioration of the environment. Therefore, what I hope to learn from this class is based on how policies are form to address these issues. How do we get the grassroots organizations to be heard and be recognized by those in power? As well as examine how to make decision making amore collective process where everyone is involved. I am interested in how consensus can be reached among the communities, in collaboration with the knowledge of people that have similar past experiences and those with an expertise in the area. Overall, I am interested in how one ensures the voices of the local communities are heard and are involved in establishing a sound, sustainable as well as flexible solution that can work as a model for further decision-making processes.
jisham(647 - days ago)Page: Assignment 1
Emily, on what we don't know now. After being in 13 countries, how little she knows. "Until you go talk to someone who doesn't have clean water to drink, you really can't understand the nuances. Thus, a tricky balance ... if head of the UN, how can you make it our to tiny African villages?"
cmackugl(647 - days ago)Page: Link to our notebooks
http://notebook.zoho.com/nb/public/cmackugl/book/86060000000002051
jisham(647 - days ago)Page: Assignment 1
Here are some of the points that I have pulled from your portfolios, with some comments and questions
Sarah wrote: First of all, I think most of the issues Middlebury students would have recognized and focused on would not be global issues but more domestic ones because globalization did not really exist in anywhere near the magnitude we experience it today.
Question: What do we mean by globalization? How could we test this hypothesis, that there was 'less' globalization in 1907 than there is now?
margmd(648 - days ago)Page: What are the objectives of this course
My objectives for the course are similar to others in the class. I believe that in order to understand how to create a mass movement there are several things that we must know before getting started. I think one of the goals in the class should be to determine how social norms, values and cultures are developed. Also we should seek to gain information about how information is passed throughout societies. Once we gain a better understanding of how social circles work we can begin to develop methods that will seek to help our societies solve global problems.
Margaret MacDonald(648 - days ago)Page: Link to our notebooks
http://notebook.zoho.com/nb/public/margmd/book/80430000000003019
abard(648 - days ago)Page: What are the objectives of this course
I think that the main objective of this course should/could be to educate students about current global issues in a way that motivates each of us to be passionate about the topics throughout the semester and possibly into the future as well. Another goal of the course should be to form links between the issues at hand and to see if any solutions to the underlying factors can be approached and potentially improved with one universal method.
The course should provide information about policy approaches that are currently in operation to attempt to alleviate these challenges and how the global community is reacting to the hardship of others.
jisham(649 - days ago)Page: Assignment 1
What will you all come up with? I can't wait to see ...
Philip Picotte(649 - days ago)Page: What are the objectives of this course
I welcome and agree with Lizzie’s objectives: the who (and why) of policies and politics, and lessons from development initiatives around the world (the how).
The course's fundamental question lingers in my mind; what are and what will be the global challenges of the 21st century? Tangible resources like oil and especially water, the principles of freedom and democracy so frequently oversimplified in soundbytes, or broader standard similar to the UN Millennium Development Goals? Perhaps I’m simply dancing around the idea of course objectives, since the course description outlines poverty and environmental degradation. Still, I’d like to start simple (even if on my own) before delving into specifics.
Lizzie Quinn(650 - days ago)Page: What are the objectives of this course
I really like the point about learning who forms policy. I think that's a great objective because we can figure out who is moving policies today; who are the faces behind the machines? What's motivating those people to do the things they do, the way they do them? And also important, but probably a huge task, is to understand the context in which policy decisions are made-- what is the cultural climate like? Do religion, a very active civic society, a colonized history, a troubled political past come into play? Moreover, how do we access those policy makers (or become them) now or in the near future? Also, to what extent do we need them?
When we examine how development initiaties haven't worked, we should also find examples of ones that have, and again, figure out what has helped them work. We can find success stories on both the macro and micro scale. We can apply an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses to solutions of their own. I'd like to examine the scale of prospective solutions- is it government bodies acting, or small NGOs?
I also want to understand the relationships between particular problems. Do they interact in ways that we can use to figure out more efficient solutions?
cedwardsmidd(650 - days ago)Page: What are the objectives of this course
The first objective of this course is to understand why development initiatives in developing countries have not had the progress or success the Western world had hoped. This will help us to better understand future solutions. What are the variables that evoke the response we have gotten?
This brings me to my second objective which is to learn who forms policy today and how it is done. Are they the right people with ethical ideals or are they biased? Most effective? How can we change current policy making?
jisham(654 - days ago)Page: Material to analyze
We should think about material from Paul Collier's new book: The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It http://www.amazon.com/Bottom-Billion-Poorest-Countries-Failing/dp/0195311450