Group items tagged

daviding says: I was sitting in a demonstration of IBM Rhapsody, where the simulation called out to some algorithms coded in Maxima.

OStatic: What products are your closest competitors? Viktor Toth: Maxima is in the same league as Mathematica or Maple. Perhaps a little less polished but in some ways, more powerful (I think for instance that the tensor algebra packages in Maxima can do things that cannot be done, at least not trivially, in other computer algebra systems.) Of course, it's also a LOT cheaper!

Inspired by complexity theory and open source thinking, the Constellation Model provides a framework to help organizations collaborate. The organizing model emphasizes the role of small, self-selecting action teams that operate interdependently, supported by a Stewardship Group. Leadership rotates fluidly among partners, where each partner has the freedom to lead a constellation that matches its profile and skills. The result is a shift from strained partnerships to open and effective collaborations. This organizing model is a true social innovation. Initially created and refined with the Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment, the Constellation Model has been replicated and adapted to support the work of a dozen groups. Join Tonya Surman, creator of the model, as she explains how the model works and takes on your collaboration challenge! This is an ideal workshop for groups that are exploring what kind of a collaboration might work for their project or for learners exploring new models of organizing. Suggested readings: http://www.lcsi.smu.edu.sg/downloads/MarkSurmanFinalAug-2.pdf http://www.osbr.ca/ojs/index.php/osbr/article/view/698/666

daviding says: I received a Facebook invitation for this upcoming talk by Tonya Surman, director of the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto. There's links to the same article (in two forms) at the bottom of the page. The foundations cite Ralph Stacey via Brenda Zimmerman. There's a video profile of Tonya Surman from TV Ontario at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfA8-vOZV9s .

daviding says: The argumentation schema is a template addition to the Compendium software, which is now open source. At the bottom of the web page is pointers to books and other software tools.

Argumentation Schemes are "patterns" for constructing and analysing arguments, and as these get familiar, you'll start hearing and reading differently as you listen to a debate on the radio, watch a documentary, or engage with a learning resource. A mental palette of argument schemes will help you spot when someone is making a certain kind of 'move' in a debate: you're better equipped to critique it. It'll also help when you have to put together your own case. Argument mapping tools can help analyse and construct arguments by rendering these moves as a visual palette of schemes.