Group items tagged

article by Natasha Singer on sharing economy and gig economy, reliance on technology such as Uber, Lyft, Sidecar for connecting strangers with drivers of their own cars, Task Rabbit for online chores. Check app. Accept. Job. Repeat.

Interesting blog post bu Elizabeth MacBride, April 5, 2013, on virtual partnerships, 5 secrets 1. must have the same agenda 2. you actually like the person 3. complementary skill sets or traits 4. open lines of communications 5. good legal underpinnings Excerpt "Our number-one rule - and the glue that holds our partnership together - is keeping the workload manageable. We don't take on too many clients, and we don't hold ourselves to unrealistic standards for production. "Our business is focused on helping people navigate a big, ongoing trend-the shift from traditional jobs to an economy built around freelance, contract and temporary work. Pulling all-nighters at the business and cutting ourselves off from the rest of the world, as we might at a venture-capital backed startup, doesn't seem like the right way for us," Pofeldt says. "Why not enjoy one of the best parts of freelancing: the freedom to have an active life outside of work without apologizing for it?" Barry "CB" Martin and Larry Gaian are food writers and marketers-for-hire who met via their common networks. "This year I started several new ventures," Martin wrote via email. "I asked him to be a sounding board. On one of the ideas, he was thinking along the same lines so we decided to combine forces." They're working together under the moniker Guys In Aprons, asking food companies to hire them to write recipe posts and interview expert chefs."

Fascinating article on Baylor research on how internal social networking sites supported and managed within the workplace helps newcomers (younger people usually) to connect and learn from each other, interact directly with more senior people, and inadvertently cause problems for middle managers who did not want to mentor new hires and who did not necessarily have the social/technology proficiencies to participate in the SNS, Science Daily, 1/29/2013. Their conclusions showed that a "company can improve morale and reduce turnover." Researchers are Hope Koch, Baylor, Dorothy Leidner, Ph.D., Ferguson Professor of Information Systems at Baylor; and Ester Gonzalez from Washington State University. Excerpt: he study centered on a financial institution's efforts to reduce IT employee turnover by starting a social and work-related online networking site. Under the supervision of executives, the IT new hires developed and managed the site's content. Since most new hires had moved hundreds of miles to start their new jobs with the institution, they initially used the social pages as an introduction to the community. After a year or so with the organization, the more senior new hires began using the system to acclimate and mentor incoming new hires. All study respondents worked in the institution's IT department and included new hires, middle managers and executives. With less than three years of experience, most new hires and interns were men between 21 and 27 years old. The middle managers and executives were baby boomers or members of generation X. The internal social networking site helped the new hires build social capital in several ways, according to Koch. "It gave them access to people who could provide useful information and new perspectives and allowed them to meet more senior new hires and executives. These relationships set the new hires at ease during work meetings, helped them understand where to go for help and increased their commitment to the financial

Patricia Hatley assesses how digital speed and communications affect leadership style and workers' expectations, January 11, 2016.

Written by Yuhyun Park , the chair of infollutionZero Foundation. Great graphic of the digital literacies children must learn as "they spend, on average, 7 hours a day in front of screens from television and computers to mobile phones and various digital devices." He defines these skills as Digital Intelligence, or DQ: Digital Safety (behavior risks, content risks, contact risks), Digital Security (password protection, internet security, mobile security), Digital Emotional Intelligence (empathy, emotional awareness/regulation, social and emotional awareness), Digital Communication (online collaboration, online communication, digital footprint), digital literacy (computational thinking, content curation, critical thinking), digital rights (privacy, intellectual property rights, freedom of speech), digital identity (digital citizen, digital co-creator, digital entrepreneur), and Digital Use (screen time, digital health, community participation).

Blog by Adam Dachis on Lifehacker on living with technology, 8.31.10. Outlines the problem and provides answers. We're surrounded by gadgets that demand our attention, constantly fragmenting our ability to properly focus on the task at hand. Living with technology doesn't mean we have to live with an addiction, however. Here's how to beat tech burnout. Back when we were tethered to desktop computers, this wasn't such a problem. First of all, technology had yet to proliferate in society at the enormous level it has nowadays, but more importantly we didn't have little computers (read: smartphones) that we could stick in our pockets. Previously we might check out email at a few convenient intervals during the day. Now these tiny little multitaskers are requesting our attention wherever we go. We have many more opportunities to interact with information and so we run into two more dilemmas: filtering an information overload and using our technology appropriately. The Solutions So what do we do about it? Overcoming a tech addiction and avoiding burnout requires work. There aren't any magic tricks that'll pave the road to freedom, but here are some ideas to get you started. Out of Sight, Out of Mind Stop Multitasking Never Apologize Get Organized

video (17 minutes) of Gary Jones, co-author of "My iPad for Seniors" to use the tablet to "travel the world, cook an awesome meal, listen to your favorite music, read a bestseller, or have a face-to-face conversation with your grandchild. Values the freedom that comes with it--cites learning how to ride a bike, obtaining a driver's license with getting an iPad.

book by Robert Gellman and Pam Dixon on privacy issues. When data are used to construct "behaviorally based advertising," does that not violate our ability to participate online w/o interference and with freedom of movement?

Organizational Membership benefits from joining the American Library Association. Organizational Membership Benefits ALA encourages organizational members to investigate and engage with the resources and initiatives available to libraries of all types. Working to keep libraries strong. ALA works on behalf of all libraries in the areas of library funding, intellectual freedom, professional standards, and 21st-century literacy, helping create a future in which communities look to libraries and to librarians as vital, trusted resources. This includes making libraries eligible for funding to provide high-speed, affordable broadband service, and eligibility for other federal programs. Standing together in membership lets libraries, librarians, and other staff members access solutions and resources to address problems otherwise faced alone. Learn about all the ALA is doing to support libraries. Select a topic or just scroll down the page. Helping you serve your community Providing beneficial information & resources Offering Organizational Member Value Programs (MVP) NEW: ALA Web Badges to display on your website and use with your emails

blog post by Stephen Downes, April 12, 2010 on differences between collaboration and cooperation, group collaborates, network cooperates with much greater freedom for the individual

Great article by Adam Lent, Ashoka, on how social media networks unleash the power of people to act as meaningful change makers themselves. June 8, 2015 Suggests that company leaders need to provide the platform to "allow others to flourish and create. Cites Frederic Laloux's book on organizational theory.

Interesting article on the age divide between new guard (Stripe) and old guard companies (Cisco) and why that is so, Yiren Lu, March 12, 2014

A truly inspiring nonprofit organization in Africa, that has not only developed an open source software for mapping crowdsourced data as it comes in - real time data collection - but has developed an internet platform and start-up incentive program for Africa. Clay Shirky used them as an example of the Culture of Generosity in his TED talk and book, Cognitive Surplus.

I've already donated to them! Very inspiring org.

taking responsibility for your own learning