Organizing Dialogue, Experience and Knowledge for Complex Problem-Solving

Latest: Deaf Tweet-to-Teach Emergency Responders

by • November 3rd, 2011

The #demx research project of the November 9, 2011 national test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) uses Twitter to investigate whether emergency warnings reach the Deaf community in a timely and understandable manner.

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Latest: Tornadoes and the Deaf Community in Western Massachusetts

by • October 13th, 2011

<center>One in Five (20%) Received Warning through their Town's Special Registry</center>

This survey generated some interesting data which might be useful in generating hypotheses for future testing and eventually guiding design for better warning systems, improved emergency preparation, and the smooth integration of emergency response service delivery to people with so-called “functional needs” or otherwise requiring “additional assistance” – particularly the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing.

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Latest: Coming Out Easy

by • October 11th, 2011

We were talking about gender, and the difference in friendship rules for boys and girls. One of the girls asked if anyone else had the experience of their parents allowing their sons to invite female friends home with no questions asked, but if she wanted to have a male friend visit she’d be asked if […]

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Latest: Rudolph Steiner on Loyalty

by • September 3rd, 2011

"Reassurances" by Roger Broer, Lakota (on display at Denver Int'l Airport)

“Gain for yourself a new, strong-willed attitude towards loyalty;
what people ordinarily call loyalty evaporates so quickly.
Make this your loyalty:
You will experience in another person moments,
rapidly passing away,
in which he [ or she ] will appear to you filled,
aglow with the ageless image of his [ her ] spirit.
Then, to be sure, there can […]

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Latest: Developing Leaders: Dynamics and Dilemmas

by • August 6th, 2011

Springfield youth were asked to come up with ONE WORD to describe everyone in their randomly assigned group.

A Taste of College:
Youth Leadership Development Retreat
Amherst MA
Whenever I work in teams, I always mention the significance of following. It is rare, however, to be able to carry that conversation forward. I hope this time is different. Following is something all good leaders do: they understand when to follow someone else’s idea […]

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Latest: Dental Update (life lessons, part two)

by • July 6th, 2011

Carefully cultivating the working culture of the office promotes not only high morale among employees, but extends its reach into the community at large. Through rituals of review, investigation, teasing, and expressions of curiosity and concern the combined efforts of dentist, hygienists, receptionist, x-ray tech and administrators changed me. The changes are significant at two levels: in terms of behavior and attitude.

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Latest: Why Millennials Need DayGlow

by • May 19th, 2011

Facebook commentary after viewing the video

In “DayGlow Makes Us Normal,” students blend a sharp knowledge of context with an unapologetic stance in support of ‘the blue pill’ – meaning an uncritical embrace of technology, particularly in terms of how it can be used to serve the needs of the self. These young people show us that they are doing their best to deal with everything; however surviving means sometimes choosing not to know in order to have the ‘escape’ that recharges them to be able to carry on….The other video is less ambiguous, showing more of the Red Pill approach through some critical juxtapositions that seem to ask “Do We Have to Be This Way?”

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Latest: Suicide and Response

by • April 10th, 2011

The stereotype scenario became more complicated when we asked how these students at Renaissance High School think they are viewed by others. It depends upon where those other high school students are located. There’s one view from outside of Springfield that lumps all Springfield High Schools together: “ghetto thugs, everyone wearing do-rags, swearing, using guns, smoking dope and selling drugs – both at the same time.” This list was generated with the dull verbal tone of routine and placed in context: “This is what is shown in the media.”

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Latest: Boop! (So you wanna be a nerd…)

by • April 2nd, 2011

dates4dialoguing

The challenge of education today is only partly with the content. There is a lot more information to sort through in today’s time than for previous generations. In the academic discipline of “Communication,” the effects of constant exposure to media are explored in relation to the development of an individual’s consciousness, showing links between psychological awareness and societal customs.

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Latest: What’s your name got to do with it?

by • March 24th, 2011

The diversity of names in this small group led us to ethnic and racial differences. The facilitators were curious how much these differences lead to cliques in school. For these young people, hanging out with people of similar appearance is something that happened up until about 9th grade, and they think most of that was because of location. Who they went to school with before was who they hung out with, at least until they got to know each other.

It is a deeper question to wonder if the clustering of certain groups in particular areas is simply coincidence. Where did you go to elementary school? What section? Which house? Were you in 16 Acres? There was a hint of class difference….

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