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Flash mobs have been around since 2003, the full power of their reach has not really been felt until a mix of social media like Facebook and Twitter came into effect to help to coordinate events and spread the word. A mix of this and viral video tools like Youtube help to spread the story worldwide in a very short time frame. The organisation of early flash mob performances used to rely on text messages to spread the message. However, these days the internet and social media have made the coordination and the spreading of the message much quicker and it allows for many more networking opportunities. Costs of performances and production are kept to a minimum, with no need to buy air time. An interesting side-effect of viral videos these days is that the video will most often be displayed on television for free anyway, doing away with the need to pay for advertising air time, and has given rise to television programs dedicated to flash mob tv in places like Germany (Flashmob.tv, 2011). Flashmob.tv, (2011). The Show. Retrieved from http://www.flashmob.tv/en/the_show.php

This resource, found in the Char Valiant School Newspaper, discusses flash mobs. Flash mobs, a more recent occurrence, are a group of people who meet at a predetermined public location to do a spontaneous performance (often something of a theatrical nature like a song or dance), and then disperse into the crowd at the end. Flash mobs are usually instigated online, using various forms of online media to organise and coordinate the event. This can include mobile phones, email, and social networking sites. Although these "events started out as a way for these groups to mock the conformity of the general population", they have "instead become a symbol of spontaneity and fun around the world"(CharValiant, 2011). Flash Mobs have also become a form of advertising. T-Mobile has used this form of theatrics to their advantage, using them in several of their advertisements. Carolyn Thomas (2010) talks in her article about how T-Mobile is becoming synonymous with flash mobs, showing that the marketing campaign is working as people are instantly remembering the company name and linking it with the campaign. Australia is also getting on the flash mob advertising bandwagon, with the latest "Australian Cancer Council Biggest Morning Tea" launch at Brisbane's Queen Street Mall on the 18th April, 2011 (Cancerqld, 2011) and the viral Sydney Mardi Gras campaign filmed on Bondi Beach (RockYourBox, 2009). Although the link between public resource computing and flash mobs is tenuous at best, as another current form of online collaboration it is still well worth a mention. As public resource computing relies heavily on word-of-mouth advertising to increase its member numbers by using things like social-networking sites, so too does flash mob advertising rely on "going viral" through similar word-of-mouth usage.

Written by Caci Murphy, a Senior at Chartiers Valley High School(CharValiant, 2011), this resource is not necessarily as reliable a source as perhaps other more researched papers. Although well written, and factually accurate, a high school senior would be lacking both the technological knowledge and life experience to give an accurate view point to make this an authoritative resource. Cancerqld. (2011). Australia's Biggest Morning Tea Flash Mob. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w07Nq2h55Xo CharValiant. (2011). The CharValiant Staff. Retrieved from http://www.cvnewspaper.com/staff/ CharValiant. (2011). Flash Mobs: The Feel Good Phenomenon of the 21st Century. Retrieved from http://www.cvnewspaper.com/news/2011/03/14/flash-mobs-the-feel-good-phenomenon-of-the-21st-century/ RockYourBox. (2009). Say Cheese! Flash Mob On Bondi Beach [OFFICIAL]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao4DkbGbxl0 Thomas, C. (2010). T-Mobile and the flash mob marketing phenomenon. Retrieved from http://ethicalnag.org/2010/11/04/flash-mob/

Project: Carousel! » How to organise a successful student protest using online tools The author of this article is Pontus Westerberg is a member of the Project Carousel! Team, "a student-led online community working under the auspices of the Centre for Media and Film Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London". This brief article advises student protesters which online tools may be useful for organising protests and keeping protesters informed. The recommended tools include Twitter, blogs, video, plus online mapping tools. The article also recommends creating a central node, such as a website to tie all these disparate elements together, and as an example links to the UCL occupation page (http://www.ucloccupation.com/), which shows an example of this being done. Westerberg gives an overview on the use of Twitter hashtags to organise protest conversations, making them easier to keep track of, citing examples of these such as the #demo2010 that was used to organise conversations around the student protest that took place on the 24th October 2010. The 140 character limitation imposed by Twitter, also makes Blogs an attractive online tool for protest, offering a forum where ideas and issues can be disseminated and discussed in a lengthier format. Westerberg also provides examples showing the effectiveness of images and video in getting a message across, and indicates that there are benefits in utilising humour and encouraging user generated content. Overall the article provides basic information, but links to quite a few interesting examples of sites and tools that are being used by the student protest movement in the United Kingdom. References: Westerberg, P. (2010). How to organise a successful student protest using online tools. Retrieved from: http://www.projectcarousel.org/2010/11/how-to-organise-a-successful-s

This article from the Project Carousel website is a step by step guide describing how to organize "a successful protest using online tools" (Westerberg, P. 2010). It was created specifically for student activists however it would be adaptable to many forms of online collaboration since it shows efficient strategies for creating independent networks using free web services and social networking tools. This is similar to a guide describing how to create localized 'cell' based networks from 'Tools to help the Revolutions Part II - Online resistance cell organization', an article that I have posted to Diigo. Both of these guides explain practical methods for creating and working across decentralized networks, focusing on free online resources and web services. They also identify the primary need for a central point of contact (or node) which is connected to multiple communication and content sharing websites (as satellite services). These methods of collaboration describe "local cells that keep in touch through their decentralized networks" (anon, 2011), yet they are also effective ways to organize, manage and create widely accessible and secure channels for global communications. Both articles show techniques that allow a group to form strong and flexible networks with like minded people from across world. Refeences anon. (2011) 'Tools to help the Revolutions Part II - Online resistance cell organization'. Anonymous Hamburg. 23rd of February 2011. Available from: http://hamburger-anon.blogspot.com/2011/02/tools-to-help-revolutions-part-ii.html Westerberg, P. (2010). How to organise a successful student protest using online tools. Available from: http://www.projectcarousel.org/2010/11/how-to-organise-a-successful-student-protest-using-online-tools/

Project Carousel is a 'student-led online community based at the Centre for Media and Film Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London' (Project Carousel, n.d.). The article was written Pontus Westerberg in 2010, during the student protests regarding student fees. It was written as a how-to guide to help would-be protesters make the most of social media to add their voices to the campaign in an open, transparent way. Westerberg is less informational and more instructional in his advice to establish a profile using popular social media tools like Twitter, with hashtags, creating a blog and making videos, making a particular point to be humorous at the expense of authority. 'Do something funny', suggesting that positive attention may be garnered through fun and humour. Unlike the Anonymous movement, Project Carousel appears to endorse, if not outright encourage, transparent participation with user-generated content and boldly putting faces and names toward the campaign. The points made in the article may seem obvious, but new inductees to the social media mechanism, eager to participate, would find these easy-to-follow steps a clear guide to joining the protests and being heard. Though not a crowd-funding or crowd-sourcing tool, it does provide a useful guide to generating interest from 'the crowd', be it a personal project or a community-conscious endeavour.. Westerberg, P. (2010). How to organise a successful student protest using online tools. Project: Carousel!. Retrieved from http://www.projectcarousel.org/2010/11/how-to-organise-a-successful-student-protest-using-online-tools/.

This article presents tools and strategies for setting up collaborative networks in the form of localized resistance 'cells'. Anonymous use this system of local and semi-independent networks as storage points for resources and to maintain its global communications beyond larger web services. It is these "autonomously acting local cells" that allow Anonymous to keep "resources, videos, pictures, and most important (their) protest and resistance organization online"(anon, 2011). While these strategies have resulted from challenging oppressive political regimes and fighting to maintain freedom of information, the ideas can be adapted to working in more general and everyday online environments. Anonymous see small local groups acting as autonomous and self-reliant parts of a larger network, to make the entire structure stronger and more resilient as a whole. Their tactics have grown "organically in cyberspace rather than reflecting the cyber version of existing real world phenomena" (Keane, B, 2011) and show how local sub-groups can effectively create strong, flexible networks when collaborating on a global scale. Some of the major advantages of working in a localized cell are identified as being "Local organization only needs a local focus" (anon, 2011), hinting at the benefits of a simpler organizational structure; "You can continue the fight as a team even if cut of from all the other protesters/activists"(anon, 2011), which if adapted to collaboration in general suggests more resilient and efficient networks; and "you can gather resources there, videos pics, voice files, flyers and re-upload it from there if you lose resources to deletion or block"(anon, 2011), showing the benefits of decentralized networks as both data protection and archiving tools. References anon. (2011) 'Tools to help the Revolutions Part II - Online resistance cell organization'. Anonymous Hamburg. 23rd of February 2011. Available from: http://hamburger-anon.blog

Anonymous, being a decentralised network, relies upon the interest of tech savvy individuals to contribute to their campaigns. When challenged by legal representatives of the targets of their attacks, such as the 'Cult of Scientology' (Anonymous, 2011), their efforts to disseminate information through mainstream channels may be thwarted by take-down notices. In the case presented in this article hosted by Blogspot, they admit to having been frustrated by such interference with distributing videoes, pictures, and other resources online (Anonymous, 2011). The blog entry continues with offering alternatives and suggestions for anyone interested in contributing to Anonymous' on-going campaigns, providing advice and recommendations for useful tools and techniques. It outlines the advantages to contributing in the online movement, such as 'continue the fight as a team even if cut off from all the other protesters/activists' (Anonymous, 2011), suggesting a reward through participation, which is a prime motivator for other online crowd-sourcing initiatives (Belleflamme, Lambert, & Schwienbacher, 2011). The article proceeds to then explain how a user can participate by listing potential resources the assist without danger of being identified, and caught, suggesting such websites as wall.fm, noting that the service probably has a server farm that won't suffer in the event of a Distributed Denial of Service attack. It also explains how to create a social network, including links to free domain registration services, and free webhosting, to facilitate the potential new member of the Anonymous network into building an online resistance cell. Anonymous Hamburg. (2011). We do what we must, because we can. Retrieved from http://hamburger-anon.blogspot.com/2011/02/tools-to-help-revolutions-part-ii.html. Belleflamme, P., Lambert, T., & Schwienbacher, A. (2011). Tapping the Right Crowd. Retrieved from http://ssrn.com/abstract=157817.

(2001) This is a critical view about the internet and education. Peter Macinnis Speaks with Robyn Williams (ABC Science National Radio) about the evolution of Technology and how technology takes 20 plus years to become an accepted technology. Macinnis shows the analogy of the printing press, steam trains, telephone,radio and TV development and then compares the internet.  He claims you need to take the rear view mirror approach to see what the trends are.   One interesting point that Macinnis makes is that the examination process of education is still ran by the old school where the generation today have a whole new literacy in Internet communications. He also criticise how the Internet is organised and there is some work needed to add metadata to the already exciting data on the web.  I find this a good argument as search engines rank results based on several factors other than truth and reliability.     Williams, R. (Writer). (2001). The Internet and Education [Radio ], ABC Science. Australia: ABC Radio National.

REFERENCES ABS. (2007). 8146.0.55.001 - Patterns of Internet access in Australia, 2006, Australian Bureau of Statistics. First Issued November 29, 2007. Retrieved April 12, 2011 from: http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/8146.0.55.001Main+Features12006?OpenDocument Downes, S. (2007). The Future of Online Learning and Personal learning Environments. Retrieved April 12, 2011 from: http://www.slideshare.net/Downes/the-future-of-online-learning-and-personal-learning-environments NSWDET (2009). Social Learning 2.0 Concepts and Visuals. Uploaded by the NSW Department of Education and Training March 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2011 from Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/etalbert/sociallearning20-concepts-and-visuals-mar09# Williams, R., and Peter Macinnis (2001). The Internet and Education. Ockham's Razor, Radio National. Broadcast Sunday May 6, 2001. Retrieved April 12, 2011 from: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ockham/stories/s289416.htm

It is good to go back and examine Peter Macinnis's point of view. Reminds me of the exercise of examining Clifford Stoll's (1995) view on what the internet was to become, which of course was mostly wrong. Macinnis seemed to have predicted the unorganised nature of the information on the internet (ABC Radio, 2001) which to an extent does exist now. This is one reason I believe is important to address in terms of internet collaboration especially in education. Collaborating is about organising information into a presentation form for all students collaborating within a system. But that must be with a gatekeeper, namely the teacher or lecturer or tutor who can intervene when needed. Michael Green (ABC Radio, 1999) in an earlier view on that show quoted Fred Bennett who urged computers to teach students without an intermediary, namely a tutor or teacher. Whilst tertiary education is underpinned by self-reliance, I wonder if such views back then apply now. In collaboration, does the lecturer decide to be strictly a hands off non-interventionist given that their students are mature and can think for themselves? Or does the lecturer, given the high demands of departmental, research and publishing commitments, become part of the student group collaboration? In my resources, Google Docs seems to raise more issues about information use which suggest students place a high value on organised information which makes sense to them. I feel that Macinnis should revise today if inaccurate information is the real problem. We had virtual communities were information could be corrected, but with Web 2.0, Wikipedia being the most obvious example, we can correct what is wrong. I do agree with Tessa that social media overall seems to be quite behind in the way it is being diffused across educational sectors. Collaboration tools such as Facebook etc will be used by students anyway so it seems odd that the resistance still exists. This interview is a good resource to reflect on how f

"Avaaz is a global web movement to bring people-powered politics to decision-making everywhere" (Avaaz.org, 2011). Avaaz means voice, in "... several European, Middle Eastern and Asian languages" (Avaaz.org, 2011a). This is not a website where you need to prove your credentials or log in to be a member. However, it is one of the most powerful and influential organisations in the world. The Avaaz community "... empowers millions of people from all walks of life to take action on pressing global, regional and national issues, from corruption and poverty to conflict and climate change" (Avaaz.org, 2011a). Their online platform "... allows thousands of individual efforts, however small, to be rapidly combined into a powerful collective force" (Avaaz.org, 2011a). The Avaaz community supports campaigns in 14 languages, has a core team on 4 continents, includes thousands of volunteers. Overall, the community helps organise the signing of petitions, funding media campaigns and direct actions, contact through emailing, calling and lobbying governments, and organizing "offline" protests and events. They do this to "... ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform the decisions that affect us all" (Avaaz, 2011a). Two very good examples of the strength of the community include: * Stand With Anna Hazare (Avaaz.org, 2011b) shows of a petition where over 624,876 people have signed since the campaign launched on the 7th April, 2011. Before the goal of one million signatures was reached, a victory has been announced. * Blackout-proof the protests (Avaaz.org, 2011c) is a current petition to "...secure satellite modems and phones, tiny video cameras, and portable radio transmitters, plus expert support teams on the ground -- to enable

Avaaz addresses global issues to generate global interest in improved conditions - globally. The world in action (Avaaz.org). Available in fourteen different language, it encourages borderless interest in issues relevant locally and internationally, promoting campaigns to 'close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want' (About Avaaz, n.d.). Avaaz is to the world what GetUp! is doing for Australia, including its policy on transparency, evidenced in the availability of financial reports, member statistics, and its member-funded, crowd-sourced model. Rather than a distributed, region-dependent staff and budget, Avaaz has a 'single, global team with a mandate to work on any issue of public concern' (Avaaz.org, n.d.). It is Avaaz members who decide where to direct resources The website projects a sense of global community, as much in being available in so many languages as in movements presented on every page heralding from many different countries representing the plights of many and varied communities. Avaaz is a global example of social awareness instigating social movements, easily promoted through the connectivity of the internet and the tools for social networking, to create a better world. Websites and movements for campaigns such as Avaaz and GetUp! Australia are helping to raise awareness and reclaim power for the people. Avaaz.org.(2011). The World in Action. Retrieved from http://www.avaaz.org. GetUp. (n.d.) GetUp! Retrieved from http://www.getup.org.au.

As yet another online resource for the "lounge chair activist" Avaaz.org seems to cover it all. Whether you're interested in saving the whales, climate change, gay rights or donating to flood victims, there is a cause available for you. Avaaz, started in 2007 with the mission to "organise citizens of all nations to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want" (Avaaz.org, 2011). So far they seem to be achieving this goal. With over 8 million members worldwide, who have so far taken over 38 "actions" this is a website that seems to be doing what it's promised. To ensure that there is no underlying bias, no political voice hiding behind the curtains, Avaaz ensures there is "democratic accountability" by being 100% member-funded. It is mainly staffed by volunteers, who email actions to members in way that registers interest in the project and nothing more. These actions are also normally put forward by Avaaz members themselves, rather than outside parties. Avaaz, like BOINC, relies on word-of-mouth to spread the word. Also using social network sites to keep up the interest between members. Their hope is that once someone joins through a campaign for one specific issue, that they will then continue to support other actions. To prove their success, after "China's violent crackdown on the March '08' protests and riots in Tibet"(Avaaz, 2011) Avaaz was able to build the most successful global position to date. They were able to achieve 1.5 million signatures in just three weeks calling for dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama. Whether you just sign a petition or donate money, having so many available voices ensures that Avaaz will make it count. As stated by Zainab Bangura, the foreign minister of Sierra Leone "Avaaz is an ally, and a rallying place, for disadvantaged people everywhere to help create real change"(Avaaz, 2011). Avaaz.org. (2011). Avaaz.org: The World in Action. R

This academic paper explores anonymous' internal processes as they collaborated over the internet to co-ordinate both on and offline protests against the church of Scientology in February 2008. The authors analyze the "public, online sources used by members of Anonymous to plan, discuss, coordinate, and execute" their campaign; as well as data "drawn from a quantitative analysis of interactions amongst (the projects) participants at a wiki site"(Underwood, P., Welser, H. 2011). This innovative and skillful use of online networking and collaboration tools allowed Anonymous to successfully mobilize and co-ordinate group activity on a large scale. The work identifies Anonymous' structure as a decentralized network with little "evidence of official leadership positions or formal organizational structures" (Underwood, P., Welser, H. 2011) guiding the groups actions. These processes are seemingly organic to the internet and the study shows how working in this way significantly increased Anonymous' flexibility, as well as how this "collaborative structure allowed the group to work rapidly and democratically"(Underwood, P., Welser, H. 2011). Other advantages of the groups' use of decentralized network structures were found in the "development of highly dynamic and emergent strategies as many individuals with varying ideas and talents... work simultaneously on a project"; and the fact that "large volumes of participants can coordinate their actions even in the absence of an official bureaucratic leadership" (Underwood, P., Welser, H. 2011). references Underwood, P., Welser, H. (2011) 'The Internet is Here': Emergent Coordination and Innovation of Protest Forms in Digital Culture. Available from:http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~welser/Underwood.Welser.2011.pdf

This article specifically explores "Project Chanology", a project of the worldwide organisation known as Anonymous against the Church of Scientology. The authors point out "that social movements are a basic foundation of contemporary democratic societies" as well as "providing outlets for political positions to be voiced and grievances to be aired"(Underwood & Welser, 2011). Importantly, it is crucial that people participating can see value in the cause and in the form that action may take. This article attracted my attention due to its similarity and differences to flash mobs. Both organisations have no formal organisation structure yet they are able to mobilise large numbers of people by utilising Internet communications (Facebook, twitter, email and Internet Relay Chat (IRC)). Another similarity is that in both cases the public displays appear bizarre and absurd to outsiders. In the case of most flash mobs, the idea is to simply have fun (Taylor, 2003). For Anonymous it is to "present itself as a movement about making a difference through having fun " as well as setting itself apart from "typical street demonstrations"(Underwood & Welser, 2011). But there are also differences. Each flash mob is distinctly separate operation whereas Anonymous has a group identity. Underwood and Welser do point out that members of the group do balk at the notion of being seen as a traditional group (2011).

Participants in Anonymous activities are also required to learn more about the group and its actions. This requirement seems to be a way of strengthening bonds and a cultural knowledge. There is no such requirement to participate in a flash mob only the desire to have fun. What these movements show is that if the cause (whether it be fun or a political point) is right then it is possible to bring together large numbers of people through the use of new media. REFERENCES: Taylor, E. (2003). Dadaist lunacy or the future of protest? : An introduction to the world of flash-mobbing. Social Issues Research Centre. Retrieved from http://www.sirc.org/articles/flash_mob.shtml Underwood, P., & Welser, H. T. (2011). 'The Internet is Here": Emergent Coordination and Innovation of Protest Forms in Digital Culture. Paper presented at the iConference 2011, Seattle. Retrieved from http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~welser/Underwood.Welser.2011.pdf

This article is presented on famousboggers.com a blogging site dedicated to academics publishing writing on current events. In this article Mohamed Osam (network and computer engineer) talks about the technological factors leading up to the revolution in Egypt. The "eRevolution" was sparked by a group of young activists on Facebook, they were pushing for reform on freedom and social injustice (Osam, 2011). These Facebook groups attracted more than 85,000 protestors via group posts, and comments, while communicating heavily on twitter and sometimes cell phone SMS services (Osam, 2011). Other Facebook groups were initiated before and during the protests to support the logistics and the massive demonstrations that erupted all over Egypt. The "Rasd News Network (R.N.N)" Facebook group was one of the main contributors to the revolution, sending protest updates, news updates and politician and media reaction (Osam, 2011). With such a public outcry the Egyptian government shut down all Internet communication in Egypt, but by this time things had already escalated beyond the governments repair (Franco, 2011). After a few more days of the increasing number of protestors, high national and international pressures, and a total of 18 days of protesting, Omar Suleiman (the recently appointed Egyptian vice president) resigned his position (Franco, 2011). This article brings up interesting points around the effects of online collaboration and communication. What is the future for these types of online political movements? The factor that seems to be most interesting is the fact that there was social action and results gained by taking the fight online just as offline. The power of online collaboration has obviously proven its point with these recent events in Egypt, so where too next? Could this type of political movement be a stepping-stone for further political activism or just like many other tools be used for both positive and negative behavior? Some see this as

References: Avaaz.org. (2011). Stand With The People Of Egypt. Avaaz - The World in Action. Retrieved from https://secure.avaaz.org/en/democracy_for_egypt/?fpla Avaaz.org. (2011). Freeze Mubarak's stolen fortune. Avaaz - The World in Action. Retrieved from http://www.avaaz.org/en/mubaraks_fortune/ Findlay, T. (2011). eRevolution on Diigo - oua_net308_2011 group. Retrieved from http://groups.diigo.com/group/oua_net308_2011 Osam, M. (n.d.). Articles by Mohamed Osam. The eRevolution. Retrieved from http://www.famousbloggers.net/author/mohamedosam Osam, M. (2011). The eRevolution. Retrieved from http://www.famousbloggers.net/the-erevolution.html

This is a great article that describes the technological and social influences that allowed millions of people to network and collaborate online during the protests in Egypt earlier this year. It shows how many citizens of Egypt successfully used various online services and tools in maintaining communications and mobilizing massive group actions throughout this time. The author explains how this was "the first revolution sparked, managed and orchestrated by social networking, by Facebook, twitter, blogs and YouTube"(Osam, M. 2011); and questions any potential harm that may arise from such seemingly powerful tools of social and political change. This supports the article 'Anonymous Uses Collaborative Document Sharing Tool for Social Survival' that I have posted to Diigo. These works investigate the widespread use of both public and anonymous web services in the coordination of information, communications and group movements during social and political protests in the Middle East. They show how these platforms were used as flexible networking and collaborating tools which effectively reached large numbers of people. While the Anonymous article focuses on the creation and distribution of their 'Revolution Survival Guide' for Tunisians - using tools that allowed "simple, free, and publicly "anonymous" way(s) to share and collaborate on information" (Clay, K. 2011); the Egyptian protests were initially "sparked by a group of young activists on Facebook"(Osam, M. 2011). These different networking and collaboration platforms were successfully used as social and political tools against oppressive regimes. References Clay, K. (2011). Anonymous Uses Collaborative Document Sharing Tool for Social Survival. Social Media and Technology. 25th of February 2011. Available from: http://www.lockergnome.com/social/2011/02/25/anonymous-uses-collaborative-document-sharing-tool-for-social-survival Osam, M. (2011). The eRevolution. Retreived, April 13, 2011. From

Kumar's work has a reasonable amount to offer in terms of a resource; his research gives more clues to the perceived effectiveness of Google Docs users have towards it as a collaborative tool. He has chosen to use the effective research method focus groups with semi-structured questions. Perhaps the useful part of investigating Google Docs as a collaborative tool is how he selected students at the university site who were in many disciplines. Thus he was able to elicit some good insights into why Google Docs is so praised as a collaborative educational tool. One finding was that students preferred Google Docs as a time saving tool where no formal meetings took place. Although the students were on campus, it was surprising that they felt they would rather use Google Docs then all meet to work on a project. The other finding was that the acceptance of this Web 2.0 collaborative technology was greater amongst students that had previous experience with Google Docs or other similar software. Another major advantage found by Kumar (2009) was that overall using such collaborative tools increased interest in the subject matter of their particular discipline. The concept that new technologies add value to existing practice was also interesting. Although Kumar was not clear on this concept, what students indicated this was the case, such a statement suggests that using Google Docs is linked to increased interest in a subject and in turn a desire to succeed. The weakness of this resource is Kumar is not clear of this link; however, as an article to show that Google Docs is of value equating collaboration tools with increased productivity shows how potentially valuable using them can be.

References Kumar, S. (2009). Undergraduate perceptions of the usefulness of Web 2.0 in higher education: Survey development. In D. Remenyi (Ed.) Proceedings of 8th European Conference on E-learning, Italy, 308-314. Retrieved April 13, 2011, from http://web2integration.pbworks.com/f/Undergraduate+Perceptions+of+the+Usefulness+of+Web+2.0+in+Higher+Education.pdf

Computer-mediated Communication in Education: A review of recent research. This research paper available online addresses the recent research into Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) in education (Keller, 2007). The author looks at each research methods and compares it to a counter research method like Quantitative verses Qualitative and Empirical verses Non-empirical research. This gives you a clear picture in many areas that are lacking in research and would help anyone who is looking to further research this area. It is important to note at this study of articles during the period 2000 to 2004 indicates some recent changes of interest but also shows interests that have remained steady in the research community(Keller, 2007). Also, it should be remembered that these results are based on 117 selected articles in Computers & Education, Educational Media International, Journal of Educational Computing Research and Journal of Educational Media between 2000 and 2004 out of many journals on educational technology. The article concludes a number of outcomes. That more work is needed that builds theories concluding that the research field has relied heavily on empirical studies (Keller, 2007). More research is needed in new and emerging communication media stating that current research is very much focused on text-based communication, not using graphics, audio and video(Keller, 2007). Research is needed on synchronous media because that most of the research has been on asynchronous studies. And finally Keller concludes that research is needed on the combination of different media in blended education. Keller, S. H. C. (2007). Computer-mediated Communication in Education: A review of recent research - Educational Media International. Educational Media International, 44(1), 61-77.

[Please note: This comment is in two parts due to Diigo restrictions on length] Topic of Study: Flash Mobs Eric Kluitenberg is a researcher studying the significance of new technologies. In this article, he "draws attention to a number of activist strategies to encourage public and private action in a hybrid space." Flash mobs are "semi-spontaneous public gatherings of groups of people...[not usually] known to one another, nondescript, with no determining characteristics [who] briefly perform some collective synchronous action, and then dissolve...back into 'the general public'..." who are alerted to "Directions and information about...[gatherings via]...text messages, or e-mails...with the aim of starting a chain reaction resulting in...an unpredictably large mob at a predetermined time and place" (Kluitenberg, 2006). Kluitenberg (2006, p. 8) believes that Flash Mobs and other earlier examples of mass public gatherings, street parties, and demonstrations, all highlight the fact that "we are living in a space in which the public is reconfigured by a multitude of media and communication networks interwoven into the social and political functions of space to form a 'hybrid space.' [Continued in the comment below]

[Continued from previous comment above] This unique explanation of why and how Flash Mobs and other spontaneous public gatherings occur is based on the fact that the 'traditional' space found in cities has now been "overlaid by electronic networks...creating a highly unstable system, uneven and constantly changing" (Kluitenberg, 2006, p. 8). Although I feel that Kluitenberg's rationale may be too removed from what is actually occurring in relation to Flash Mobs, I believe he is correct in stating that the increasing use of mobile communication technologies has assisted the rise of "new social morphologies...[such as]...the flash mob" (Kluitenberg, 2006, p. 8) and that this type of phenomenon is perhaps indicative of the transience of modern life and the way community spaces are employed in modern times. The populace is increasingly pressed for time and usually always on the move, so the phenomenon of flash mobs, in one sense, is a unique response to the temporality of modern suburban and city life. REFERENCES Kluitenberg, E. (2006). The Network of Waves: Living and Acting in a Hybrid Space. Retrieved April 5, 2010 from: http://www.socialbits.org/papers

This article describes various scenarios showing individuals and groups using technology to engage with traditional public spaces in socially and politically influential ways. As the author of this work explains, "traditional space is being overlaid by electronic networks such as those for mobile telephones and other wireless media"; and the resulting environments "...can not be properly understood without a very precise analysis of the structure of that space"(Kluitenberg, 2006. p8). By looking at the social and technological factors that allow these events to take place, we can understand how networks and collaboration projects are carried out in these 'hybrid spaces'. This way of analyzing a group's or individual's uses of technology in public spaces supports research from an article that I have posted to Diigo - 'The Internet is Here': Emergent Coordination and Innovation of Protest Forms in Digital Culture'. The author of this work states that 'as modes of social interaction... become increasingly rich it becomes easier for online culture to bleed into what William Gibson dubbed the "meatspace", and for events from the "meatspace" to reverberate back into the computer mediated world' (Underwood, P., Welser, H. 2011). While Underwood's paper investigates Anonymous' internal workings and uses of technology as they battled with the Church of Scientology in 2008, it also shows that Anonymous exists in what Kluitenberg's acknowledges as 'Space Flows', surviving on the "intangible flows of information, communication, services and capital"(Kluitenberg, 2006. p9). This is a benefit of Anonymous' decentralized networks and both articles reflect the fact that "the more decisions that are made at the 'nodes' ...instead of at the 'hubs' ..., the more chance there is of a space in which the sovereign subject is able to shape his or her own autonomy."(Kluitenberg, 2006. p14) Referneces Kluitenberg, E. (2006). The Network of Waves: Livi

Savage, N. (2011). Twitter as Medium and Message. Communication of the ACM, 54(3), 18-20. Researchers say the Twitter data may help answer sociological questions that are otherwise difficult to approach. Their research documents the Twitter in means of social media that gives people opportunities for tracking what people are saying about everything. The Twitter opens access to tweets with range of incredible number of topics and subjects that people tweet about. For example a scientist at the Louisiana University used the Twitter for a simple search using a few influenza related keywords. This simple search enabled him to predict future influenza outbreaks. The Twitter's data assisted in another professional field called Air Twitter project at the Washington University in St Louis. The Twitter was engaged for additional provision of information or tweets about events like dust storms, fires, air quality and similar. A similar approach was explored by US Geological Survey (USGS). The Twitter was used for messages in means of a supplement to USGS network of seismographic monitors that alert the federal agencies about occurring earthquakes. Another good example is from psychology field where the Twitter was used for the sentiment analysis of tweets. Researchers used 'Affective Norms for English' tool used in psychology that rates the emotional value of words. The analysed tweets revealed data about particular group happiness levels. The real examples above reveal how data from the Twitter can assist in gaining valuable information either for the medicine, natural disasters or just about happiness levels. The Twitter has been recognised as extremely useful tool for gathering data that would be otherwise difficult to search. Twitter's fast and cost free access to information is very useful for the sociological purpose. Of course, there is always potential for spread of unfiltered information that can invite a possibility of abuse, incorrectness and other negati

Paula, an excellent and timely article which shows how Twitter has become a collaborative tool for research and data collection purposes. A leading researcher in this area is academic Dr Steve Wheeler at the University of Plymouth in the UK. He quotes a teacher on Steve's blog who states that he uses Twitter 'is because his community - those he wishes to connect with - are best contacted using it' (Wheeler, 2011a). Indeed Steve argues that connections of both research information and data can be found simply by following academics in your field on Twitter. Although such communications can often be one-way but as your article states, the potential for both medium and message, i.e. this can be interpreted as data and research, as leads to what you want can be invaluable if protocols are followed (Wheeler, 2011b; Savage, 2011). For example, people do collaborate simple nights out with friends on Twitter, so therefore why is collaborating on a large project by using contacts on a professional an ideal? Sometimes it depends on Twitter's image as a social media nattering device (Wheeler, 2011b). I agree that Twitter has had an image problem to overcome. But your article does prove it is being used for research advancement. The dust storm data for example shows what is possible to collect and how getting data transcends time and physical borders. However, it is vital that etiquette be followed, perhaps even making Twitter networks private, and the information is check for credibility. These are the challenges Twitter users face; yet to have this collaboration tool is vital for broadening access to research data and findings. References Savage, N. Twitter as Medium and Message. Communication of the ACM, 54(3), 18-20. Wheeler, S. (2011a). Twitter: It's still about the connections. Learning with 'e's, Retrieved April 14, 2011, from http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com/2011/04/twitter-its-still-about-connections.html Wheeler, S. (2011b). Twitter: Le triple

As BOINC is being used to further research projects through public-resource computing, so too is Twitter, another form of online collaboration, now being used for research. "Researchers are finding they can measure public sentiment, follow political activity, even spot earthquakes and flu outbreaks, just by running the chatter through algorithms that search for particular words and pinpoint message origins" (Savage, 2011). Due to the real time nature of "tweets", researchers can get early warning signs of events like earthquakes by searching twitter for key words like "OMG earthquake" and other related words. Programs can also be written to exclude unrelated words, for instance when looking for flu outbreaks, comments like "Beiber Fever" can be instantly excluded. Although at this stage this form of research can not be 100% accurate it can give a picture of what is happening. Twitter can also give researchers a more subjective point of view. It can look at how the people are affected by an earthquake, instead of just giving statistics on building damage and repair costs. As with anything there can be some problems related to using twitter this way. The first is "sample bias". Information gained in this way relies on the users having a computer, internet access and a twitter account. Although in the western world percentages of this would be high, in poorer nations this usage would drop significantly. However this problem can be addressed. Researchers wanting "to glean insights from tweets can apply corrections to the sample, just as traditional pollsters do" (Savage, 2011). The other problem is that of spam, or users hoping to improve the chance of their tweet gaining high rating by re-tweeting on the same topic. For example in an American election a conservative group sent out "929 tweets in just over two hours" (Savage, 2011) with a link that attacked a representative. This can then affect the data bias. There are so ma

This article talks about SETI @home's "design and implementation and discuss[es] its relevance to future distributed systems" (Anderson, Cobb, Korpela, Lebofsky, & Werthimer, 2002). The authors of this article are all staff of the University of California, Berkeley, in the space sciences laboratory. The University of California, Berkeley is the home of the SETI @home program. This resource gives a more in depth understanding of how the SETI @home program, in particular how public-resource computing works to aid in the processing of the data. All members of the SETI @home program are initially required to download the client program. This program collects a work unit from the main server, computes a result, returns this result to the main server, then gets another work unit. This article also shows the mathematics behind how this system gives so much computing power, but basically the more client programs computing the work units, the faster the data is processed. The stringent safety precautions are why this system is assured as so safe from malicious attacks from hackers and viruses. There is no communication at all between the various client machines, with each computer talking directly to the main server. As discussed within, for this to work public-resource computing projects need to attract users to their program, and keep them interested in remaining members. SETI @home uses word-of-mouth from its members, referral programs and mass-media news coverage to attract members. The client program can run as either a "GUI application or a screensaver", and runs during what is normally computer idling time which means that the impact on the user is minimal.

According to their 2002 poll the SETI @home user base is heavily dominated by males (93% of all users (Anderson et al., 2002)). This information can help them target market to their users. Some of the user benefits include the use of an online community where members can exchange ideas, and a competitive team/individual scoring system. Research is continuing into how to make this, and other forms, of public-resource computing more reliable and efficient in scientific calculations and discovery. Anderson, D., Cobb, J., Korpela, E., Lebofsky, M., & Werthimer, D. (2002). SETI@home: An Experiment in Public-Resource Computing. Communications of the ACM. 45(11), 56-61. doi: 10.1145/581571.581573

This article highlights the potential that blogs have in allowing student nurses to collaborate and enhance their studies. The article describes how healthcare professionals can use online collaboration to "communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision" (Maag, 2005). The author believes that strong written skills are essential in nursing to "disseminate information on evidence-based practice and ultimately provide safer client care" (Maag, 2005). These skills can be enhanced by the online collaboration found with blogs as they provide "an opportunity for the nursing student to converse and state opinions about their knowledge acquisition" (Maag, 2005). Further to this, online collaboration in the form of blogs can provide the setting for "public debate regarding simulations and scenarios that might occur in the clinical setting" (Maag, 2005). This article is a valuable and highly credible resource. The author, Margaret Maag EdD, RN is a Doctor of Education as well as a Registered Nurse. Also the article was accepted by and published by an Industry Journal, Medscape. Although this article may be too detailed at times and provides a lot information on the types and working of blogs, this is probably due to the article's age (published in 2005) when background information was probably required on blogs. The main value of this article is it ability show how blogs, even back in 2005, were "providing the means to make a collaborative effort in enhancing knowledge acquisition". This would not only benefit nursing education but also the healthcare industry at large. References: Maag, M. (2005). The Potential Use of Blogs in Nursing Education. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/498947

The internet and the online collaboration that it facilitates is quickly becoming an important clinical tool for doctors. This case study focuses on how doctors use Google to diagnose difficult cases. It was chosen as a resource because it provides another example of how online collaboration is benefiting the medical industry. While there is anecdotal evidence that patients use Google for self diagnosis, I was surprised to find that doctors are using Google as well. In this article, Tang & Ng (2006) examine "How good is Google in helping doctors to reach the correct diagnosis?" . This study shows that the "efficiency of the search and the usefulness of the retrieved information also depends on the searchers' knowledge base" (Tang, 2006). For instance, a doctor would know the correct medical terminology for a patient's symptoms and also have an understanding the medical terms that are returned by Google. For this reason "Google searches by a "human expert" (a doctor) have a better yield" while "patients doing a Google search may find the search less efficient and be less likely to reach the correct diagnosis." This study is a valuable resource because its results are statistically based and follow a well-defined method. This study clearly states the results that 15 out of 26 cases were correctly diagnosed using Google. The real importance of this case study is to demonstrate how online collaboration has allowed useful information on even the rarest medical syndromes to be found and digested within a matter of minutes (Tang & Ng, 2006) and that "web based search engines such as Google are becoming the latest tools in clinical medicine" (Tang & Ng, 2006). References: Tang, H., & Ng, J. (2006). Googling for a diagnosis-use of Google as a diagnostic aid: internet based study. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from http://www.bmj.com/content/333/7579/1143.full

[Part 1] This article brings together a number of links to UK student protest sites. Reading this and related articles it becomes clear that the students protesting about the UK government's fee cut policy are willing to use any tools at their disposal. Their primary aim has been to collaborate with, and inform supporters of offline physical protests; predominantly marches and occupations. The article itself is posted on the movements.org website, a non profit organisation whose stated mission is to identify, connect and support grassroots digital activists from around the world. The support offered by movement.org goes beyond the mere publication of articles and offers advice to individuals and groups on how to choose and best use digital tools. It is interesting to see the number of freely available digital tools that student protesters have used to disseminate information: Facebook, Twitter, websites, blogs, Google maps, YoutTube, open calendars and Flickr are all part of the student protesters' arsenal. Fast adoption of new technologies seems to be one of the strengths of the UK students' movement. Recently, for instance, student protesters in London used the new "Sukey" application, a conglomeration of tools like google maps, twitter and SMS, to avoid clashes with police (Kingley 2011). Google Maps too have been a useful tool and have been utilised to show the locations of upcoming protests, the map posted at http://www.feesprotest.com/ gives a good indication of the nationwide spread of student dissatisfaction, while at the same time hyperlinking to fairly detailed information for each locality and directing viewers to facebook protest pages for up to date information and interaction.

[Part 2] References: 30th November Here We Come. (2010). Retrieved from: http://www.feesprotest.com/ Cullum, B. (2010). NETWORKED PROTESTS IN THE UK: hOW OLD AND NEW TACTICS ARE BEING USED TO FIGHT RISING TUITION FEES. Retrieved from: http://www.movements.org/blog/entry/networked-protests-in-the-uk-how-old-and-new-tactics-are-being-used-to/ Kingsley, P. (2011). Inside the anti-kettling HQ. Retrieved from:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/02/inside-anti-kettling-hq?INTCMP=SRCH

This article takes a case study approach using qualitative and quantitative survey questions to measure the difference between pre and post uses of Google Docs. The research problem was based on the observation that Web 2.0 collaborative technologies were initially causing hesitation. However, upon consistent use in the context of an online course, students changed their minds about the usefulness of Google Docs. Both researchers intended to measure undergraduate levels of self-efficacy and undergraduates perceptions of using these collaborative technologies. The study had 18 respondents to the survey. Although the researchers acknowledged Google Docs limitations in the robustness of the software, they argued that this would make no difference to the perceptions of the undergraduates using it. The results of the study are somewhat unremarkable and predicable, yet support the idea that Google Docs is very useful for collaborative student work. There were major differences pre and post use of Google Docs that were significant. A majority of students felt their level of self-efficacy, that is confidence to use the software, was much higher after undertaking the course. The second hypothesis also showed the majority had positive perceptions of using Google Docs both in the course but significantly in future studies and workplaces. Although the researchers reported mostly positive results about the use of Google Docs, one issue clouded the results. Not being able to access the documents when offline is perceived as a major impediment in the collaborative process. Overall this study may seem somewhat bland and predictable; however, it supports much positive and negative criticism of Google Docs in the ability to foster and impede the learning of the students using it.

I have used Google Docs on many occasions for education purpose both as a teacher and a student. As a teacher I had found that Google Docs provided a tool that created group work with ease. Student where able to contribute to ideas and develop learning outcome far more than the unit outline proved for. The article here proves that through the efforts of many working on the same document improves as more contribute ideas and ads greater value to the document. Your comment about the uselessness of Google without online access does provide problems when it comes to the digital divide. We in the western world still have areas that suffer from digital divisions as well as those in less fortunate countries. However tools like Google docs can contribute to the cost of entry to CMC as there are no licensing fees required and programs such as the one laptop per child that aids in the narrowing of the digital divide(OLPC, n.d). As a student I have done one project with Google docs and currently using Google docs in another project. The reason for the choice to use Google Docs was mainly the reason cited in this article. Although the article was limited in what Google docs can actually do and takes on the assumption that we know what it can do. It is more about how it can be used in education. I recently used Google docs to collaborate with my family in arranging my mother's funeral. The outcome was very smooth as each member collaborated amicably on the document that may have been a family feud if handled face to face. References OLPC. (n.d). OLPC's mission is to empower the world's poorest children through education. Retrieved 15th April 2011, from http://one.laptop.org/about/mission Edwards, J.T., & Baker, C. (2010). A case study: Google collaboration applications as online course teaching tools. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 6(4), Retrieved April 3, 2011, from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol6no4/edwards_1210.htm

Your comment about the uselessness of Google without online access does provide problems when it comes to the digital divide. We in the western world still have areas that suffer from digital divisions as well as those in less fortunate countries. However tools like Google docs can contribute to the cost of entry to CMC as there are no licensing fees required and programs such as the one laptop per child that aids in the narrowing of the digital divide(OLPC, n.d). - that is 100 % right and that causes some disadvantages yet being free if connectivity can be gotten in any form then it has the potential to educate in any society that has networking. More work needs to be done to get to those areas, but I also argue that income might also be a factor and age. Nevertheless, GD if networking is there can provide the benefits of sharing and working on projects, it is just a case of making sure those that need it can get access to it in some form.

This study by Blau and Caspi is valuable for seeing how using Google Docs in a sharing and collaborating environment has on perceived student learning. The credibility of this study is enhanced by a wide survey of 118 students at an Open University in Israel. Ownership meant the degree to which the student using Google Docs felt responsible to work on and update project documents. This quantitative study also sought to measure the perceived learning and quality of project outcomes students felt were a result of using Google Docs. The implications from the study suggested the importance of owning the document, but also to make sure others knew of changes to the document. A document creator felt they lost ownership of the document when editing was done on it. They became the reader of the document. Such a change in hierarchy shows the importance of communicating changes done on Google Docs to every team member. A second implication was that the value of the document seemed to increase when more revisions was done. This suggested that more work on the document resulted in a more credible and trustworthy document as the project document was improved towards its final presentation. In fact most survey respondents seemed to not think the document got worse as more things were added to it. Overall, there was a correlation between document quality and revision, with Google Docs being perceived as quite effective in producing trustworthy documents which add to the learning process. The researchers' main advice from the study is that revising documents and suggesting improvements is far more effective than editing another's documents. Whilst this is not always possible it does suggest the importance of communication in the collaboration process. Google Docs is not a passive collaboration media; therefore, care in making sure all team members communicate changes is vital to a much better collaboration process.

References Blau, I., & Caspi, A. (2009). What type of collaboration helps? Psychological ownership, perceived learning and outcome quality of collaboration using Google Docs. Proceedings of the Chais conference on instructional technologies research 2009: Learning in the technological era. Y. Eshet-Alkalai, A. Caspi, S. Eden, N. Geri, Y. Yair (Eds.), Raanana: The Open University of Israel. Retrieved April 2, 2011, from http://74.125.155.132/scholar?q=cache:bBVQbNfm4-MJ:scholar.google.com/+google+docs&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

This article presented on msnbc.com highlights the importance that social network platforms provide as an effective collaboration/organisational tool. With the recent events in Egypt and Libya that have been labelled the "Twitter Revolution" this article highlights the fact that these social networking sites are now being recognised and praised by influential figures such as UN ambassador Rice Townhall. Townhall states "Governments are increasingly cognizant of their power," (Townhall, 2011) and praises Twitter and their employees with knowing that their platform is having such an influential effect throughout the world, "The power of this technology, the power of social networking to channel and champion public sentiment, has been more evident in the past few weeks than ever before" (Townhall, 2011) "I hope you have the satisfaction of knowing that it's having real time real impact in parts of the world as far flung as Zimbabwe, where I just learned you have 66,000 users, to of course the Middle East and so many other parts of the world." (Townhall, 2011). Critics of social networks use for activism see these types of protests as inevitable and have been occurring long before the use of the Internet as a form of communication (Popkin, 2011). While protests continued well after the Internet was shut off in Egypt the impact and power of social media can no longer be dismissed, especially when it is acknowledged by the UN (Popkin, 2011). What is interesting about this article is the video that is attached, a questions and answer conference that is being hosted by Twitter to a live audience. Live questions are being posted to the Twitter site from all over the world addressed to Rice. She proceeds to answer these questions sharing information and addressing peoples concerns from all over the globe. This in itself shows the power of such social networking sites, this platform allows peoples opinions to be express and acknowledged for such influential figures to take

take notice of. Popkin, H. (2011). Power of Twitter, Facebook in Egypt crucial, says U.N. rep. Retrieved April 12, 2011 from http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/11/6033340-power-of-twitter-facebook-in-egypt-crucial-says-un-rep. Townhall, R. (2011). UN Ambassador, Rice Townhall. Live in San Francisco. Retrieved April 12, 2011 from http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/11/6033340-power-of-twitter-facebook-in-egypt-crucial-says-un-rep.

The origin of flash mobs is credited to Bill Wasik who emailed friends in June 2003 to gather in the home furnishing department of Macy's in Manhattan. More than a 100 people began discussing whether to purchase a 'love rug' for their fictitious commune and then dispersed as quickly as it had formed (Hewitt, 2003). Flash mobs are defined in the Oxford dictionary as "a public gathering of complete strangers, organized via the Internet or mobile phone, who perform a pointless act and then disperse again" (Oxford University Press, 2011). Advertising agencies now utilise flash mobs to promote commercial products. This article discusses the Saatchi and Saatchi award winning T-Mobile advertisement "Life is for sharing" (posted to Youtube by jonjonbaker, 2009). Rather than focusing on how mobile phones and social media are used to organise a flash mob, the discussion here is about how this same media is used to create "viral traction - the ability to be widely forwarded to millions of viewers almost instantly" (Thomas, 2010). The advertisement itself shows bystanders utilising their mobile devices to share photos with their friends as well as ringing them to talk about the experience. As the title of the advertisement says "life is for sharing". Nick Burcher wrote in his blog Personal thoughts on the evolution of media and advertising that "advertisers are creating events to push user generated content coverage, a physical community made virtual. The event drives the Conversation, rather than the other way round as Wasik intended" (Burcher, 2009). Flash mobbing has become more than Wasik first imagined. On this case it has been utilised to raise brand awareness, but the same techniques can also be used to promote political opinions.

Hans this is a very interesting article and ties in with the article I found by McGreer (2010) who discussed the business response to FlashMobs. Whilst two different approaches were used the one constant was the use of professional film crew to use the footage for uploading. The question McGreer raises is when it no longer has the artistic element, which Wasnik defines an event as a FlashMob, are commercial applications really FlashPerformances? McGreer, B. (2010). Give Them something to talk about. US Banker. Retrieved from ProQuest Database.

Hans this is a very interesting article and ties in with the article I found by McGreer (2010) who discussed the business response to FlashMobs. Whilst two different approaches were used the one constant was the use of professional film crew to use the footage for uploading. The question McGreer raises is when it no longer has the artistic element, which Wasnik defines an event as a FlashMob, are commercial applications really FlashPerformances? McGreer, B. (2010). Give Them something to talk about. US Banker. Retrieved from ProQuest Database.

[Please note: This comment is in two parts due to Diigo restrictions on length] The global climate is experiencing both a "power transition," and a "power diffusion." This TED Talk is useful to studies of flash mobs because it shows that individuals and organizations no longer need vast amounts of money to network and collaborate globally with others. Additionally, Nye highlights the fact that traditional patterns of leadership will not work effectively today and that in order for an organization to progress and be proactive, a mix of traditional strength and power infused with "soft power" is required. The rise of the Internet and mobile computer-generated communication has assisted the average person to gain the same potential power that was once the exclusive domain of large corporations and wealthy individuals. "Computing and communication costs have fallen a thousandfold between 1970 and the beginning of this century." This power diffusion is within reach for all of us but people are still not thinking of these tools in very innovative ways. People are still focusing on the rise and fall of great powers, which really only tell us about psychology and not reality. Traditional projections such as the Goldman-Sachs index are linear and one-dimensional. However the progress of the world has never been linear, and has always been comprised of many diverse facets or factors. So these simplified projections are not telling the truth about the way the economy is progressing. The area of narrative is what needs to be adjusted, using what Nye calls "soft power" or the ability to organize networks and elicit co-operation, which are important factors when organizing the delivery of Flash Mobs. [Please navigate to the comment uploaded on April 11, 2011]

The Impact of TED on Collaboration and Innovation. http://www.ted.com/talks/chris_anderson_how_web_video_powers_global_innovation.html A great source of serious and diverse material on a wide range of topics is the website TED - Ideas worth Spreading. The first step in collaboration is to create a wide ranging appreciation of the subject matter. Before people can commit to task they need to have an information source that establishes the underlying ideas. In this talk TED's Chris Anderson says the rise of web video is driving a worldwide phenomenon he calls Crowd Accelerated Innovation -- a self-fueling cycle of learning that could be as significant as the invention of print. One of the points that reverberate with most people is Chris' statement that: "Face-to-face communication has been fine-tuned by millions of years of evolution. That's what's made it into this mysterious, powerful thing it is. Someone speaks, there's resonance in all these receiving brains, the whole group acts together." Chris concludes that thousands of people are figuring out new ways to collaborate with increasing knowledge and he describes what the next stage of TED's evolution has to be. He says that TED Talks can't be a one-way process, one-to-many. The future is many-to-many. They are looking at ways to make it easier for the global TED community, to respond to speakers, to contribute ideas, and maybe even their own TED Talks. It is this spreading of Ideas that underlay the age of Internet collaboration. This is the source of power diffusion that Nye talks about. "I'm an idealist. I really think people can change the world" Ted Curator Chris Anderson http://www.ted.com/speakers/chris_anderson_ted.html Works Cited Anderson, C. (2010, Septemebr). How web video powers global innovation. Retrieved April 7, 2011, from TED: http://www.ted.com/talks/chris_anderson_how_web_video_powers_global_innovation.html

[Part 2 of comment from April 6, 2011] Topic of Study: Flash Mobs. As we prepare for the future, the ability to co-operate, collaborate, and organize networks is going to be of prime importance. This does not mean that "hard power" or military strength and keeping a balance is not important, but that the concept of power needs to be incorporated with new and innovative ways of power diffusion. Therefore the ability to use all available tools and coordinate input from globally networked areas will be vital for businesses and organizations to keep abreast of trends and capture market attention. For example, spontaneous acts of people-powered crowd activity such as those of Flash Mobs (that rely on social media use and Internet enabled technology) if used for advertising purposes, will enable subtle and more overt messages to be broadcast in unusual ways and possibly capturing more market attention for the product or service than more traditional methods. REFERENCES Nye, J. (2010). Global Power Shifts. TED Talks. Filmed July 2010. Posted October 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2011 from: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/joseph_nye_on_global_power_shifts.html