The importance of meaningful connections

This is interesting on several levels. This data could inspire creative work in many disciplines.

Fascinating conceptual work to explore the use of data to look/listen to something from different perspectives.

2nd tutorial in series - see links lower on page for other tutorials

"Big data, while a term that is in common use, is a bit of a misnomer: big data is not simply a matter of size. The notion of big data comprises volume, size, and velocity, and also poses the questions of how to move large data sets around and define a vision that makes sense of them.3"

Author states "this has been a long, rambling article....My basic thesis is that IoT technology can be a tool for behaviour change for social and environmental benefit, through involving people in making systems which address problems that are meaningful for them, and which improve understanding of the wider systems they're engaging with. "We're heading into a world of increasingly complex engineered systems in everyday life... "Yet there is a disconnect between the potential quality of life benefits for society, and people's understanding of these - often invisible - systems around us." Worth a read to inspire several thoughts and arguments.

Tagged for awareness of this product for possible classroom interaction

Good tutorial on getting started in Wikipedia

How news agencies embrace social media and leverage "eyes and ears on the ground" to find and verify information, to craft the narrative and share news. How might we use such tactics in education?

Interesting overview of the physics of a bicycle, discussion about history, research and conclusion that we really don't understand how a bicycle works.

Educause Review, Oct. 13,2014 - discussion of gaming in education. Controversy, benefits, real-world examples, imagining CONNECTIONS, etc.

USA Today, "The place where the video game was invented more than 50 years ago now wants to teach teachers, entrepreneurs and students how to design games for learning - and it is hoping that the end result will be a new kind of tech tool for the classroom." The VCU ALT Lab now has an area for the exploration of games as a means of learning. The MIT online courses might be a good springboard for conversation and experiments in the ALTLab.