Watching this 8 minute video, it struck me what Michael Wesch said at the end - 9 wise words that his wife communicated to him:
"Love your students and they will love you back."
February 27, 2009
Mr. Michael Wesch: U.S. Professor of the year
February 25, 2009
How the money of US Americans is being invested
On recovery.org, I saw the graphics below about how the money of US Americans is being invested. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act targets investments towards key areas that will save or create good jobs immediately, while also laying the groundwork for long-term economic growth.
Notice that tax relief includes $15 Billion for Infrastructure and Science, $61 Billion for Protecting the Vulnerable, $25 Billion for Education and Training and $22 Billion for Energy. In other words, total funds are $126 Billion for Infrastructure and Science, $142 Billion for Protecting the Vulnerable, $78 Billion for Education and Training, and $65 Billion for Energy.
February 24, 2009
Mr. Bill George, Harvard Business School, on 21st Century Leadership
At the end of this 1½ minute video, Mr. Bill George proposes a definition of 21st century leadership in the following four words:
1. Align.
2. Empower.
3. Serve.
4. Collaborate.
February 21, 2009
Internet for the other 3 billion people in the world
In this recent posting, I referred to statistics showing that relatively few people in, for example, Africa, have access to the Internet. Reading this Global Strategy Institute posting, I learned that an incredible 3 billion people around the world, i.e. a little less than half of the world’s population, are without Internet.
The company O3b intends to change that. O3b, short for the “other 3 billion” - the number of people without access to the internet, plans to launch its own satellites into space that will provide low cost broadband access to people in the developing world. Reading the Global Strategy Institute posting, I also noticed that O3b has already met some success - despite the fact that its satellites won’t launch into orbit until 2010. It has signed major contracts with internet service providers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa and Guyana, South America and is hoping to make major inroads into island nations in the Pacific and the Caribbean that would enjoy higher bandwidths due to their remote locations.
Have a look at this 1½ minute CNN video to find out more:
February 20, 2009
5 minute video about the networked student
The way education is done is changing – not least due to more and better Web 2.0 tools. Have a look this 5 minute video to learn more about how people increasingly learn. I came across the interesting video through this blog posting.
February 18, 2009
Strong growth in Internet users in the Middle East and Africa
At internetworldstats.com, you can learn about Internet Usage Statistics across the world. Studying the statistics, I noticed, for example, these 2 things:
A: Strong growth in Internet users in the Middle East and in Africa
The Middle East and Africa are the 2 regions in the world with the highest growth in Internet users. Between 2000 and 2008, the number of Internet users grew by 1,296% in the Middle East and by 1,100% in Africa. Having a look at the statistics for Africa, I noticed that the Seychelles is the place in Africa with the highest percentage of Internet users. 4 out of the every 10 people at the Seychelles, which is a nation of 116 islands in the Indian Ocean east of mainland Africa, use the Internet. Compared to the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, the difference is huge. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, just 0.3% of the population use the Internet.
B: North America has the highest percentage of Internet users in the world
North America is the place in the world with the highest percentage of Internet users. 73.1% of the population use the Internet.
February 17, 2009
Clean energy project in Southern Germany
In this ABB press release of February 16, 2009, I read about an interesting project that is currently under development in the Karlsruhe-Stuttgart region of southern Germany. The objective of the pilot project is to create an optimized and sustainable power network that reduces CO2 emissions to as close to zero as possible. The solution will integrate clean energy generated by, for example, solar panels, wind turbines, and fuel cells.
What I, in particular, like about this solution, is that the individual consumer, i.e. people like you and me, will be able to monitor their energy consumption and CO2 footprint, respond to price signals and adapt consumption according to price and availability, as well as sell surplus power from their own generators to the grid when price conditions are most favorable.
The pilot project will incorporate about 1,000 households, industrial consumers, generating units and energy storage units, each equipped with a smart meter.
To which degree are similar actions being taken where you live?
February 16, 2009
Copenhagen Business School’s ideas of education
Reading about Copenhagen Business School’s ideas of learning and teaching, I found out that the learning strategy of Copenhagen Business School aims to develop a culture in which experimental learning methods and debates about learning methods are promoted. Copenhagen Business School wants to be a learning university. For example, I found these 3 inputs valuable:
# 1
Studies are designed in a way that they enable students to assume responsibility for their own learning.
# 2
Students are assured considerable freedom of choice regarding electives, programmes, choice of syllabus, exams and ways of learning.
# 3
Students are secured great flexibility with regards to where, how, when, and the pace at which they learn.
February 11, 2009
50 ways to foster a sustainable culture of innovation
Via InnovationTools, I came across this posting featuring 50 valuable ways to foster a sustainable culture of innovation. I picked out five that I found really interesting:
# 10
Ensure a high level of personal freedom and trust. Provide more time for people to pursue new ideas and innovations.
# 11
Encourage everyone to communicate. Provide user-friendly systems to make this happen.
# 15
Notice innovation efforts. Nurture them wherever they crop up. Reward them.
# 38
Invite outside partners early on when exploring new opportunities. Find ways for your company to partner with others and actively share ideas, technologies, and other capabilities.
# 50
Drive authority downwards. Make decisions quickly at the lowest level possible.
I thought about the following question:
Reflecting upon my last posting about Web 2.0, I’d like to ask you to which degree everyone working for the company/organization/school, you also work for, is using various Web 2.0 tools to communicate ideas that can help the company/organization/school develop further?
February 10, 2009
Investments in Web 2.0 to grow strongly
Via this presentation by Matthias Rohs and this posting, I learned that Web 2.0 investments will grow considerably in the coming years. I also learned that, in Forrester’s view, the key hallmark of Web 2.0 is efficiency for end users.
To what degree are the companies/organizations/schools, you work for/with, using Web 2.0?
February 08, 2009
Dancing around the world
Reading this Global Strategy Institute posting, I came across this 3½ minute video of a man named Matt dancing in several places around the world. The video has, at this point, been viewed more than 12 million times on YouTube. The video has been rated more than 65,000 times and has an average rating of five stars out of five.
Which place do you find the most fascinating? And why?
February 07, 2009
A talk by Mr. Bill Gates
In this very interesting 20 minute talk by Mr. Bill Gates, I learned, for example, these 3 things:
# 1: The number of children who die before the age of five has been reduced considerably over the past years. But still today, several million children die each year before the age of 5.
# 2: More money is put into baldness drugs than is put into malaria.
# 3: Education is the most important thing to get right for a country to have as strong a future as it should have.
February 06, 2009
How large should the difference between the highest and the lowest salary in a company be?
On a recent poll here on the blog, I asked this question:
How large should the difference between the highest and the lowest salary in a company be?
A: Less than factor 1:50
B: More than factor 1:50
Of the 11 people who participated in the poll, 10 people chose answer A: Less than factor 1:50.
What do you think?
February 05, 2009
12 inputs to help education participants think and act more innovatively
During a 3 x 12 minute interactive discussion session this week at eduhub days 2009 in Baden, Switzerland, I asked the people, who joined in at the session, this question: "How Do We Help Education Participants Think and Act More Innovatively?" I got many very interesting inputs from the experts. Here are 12 of them:
# 1: Let education participations work on individual assignments.
# 2: Encourage education participants to work on real life problems.
# 3: Reduce the number of education participants at seminars / lectures.
# 4: Reduce workload for education participants.
# 5: Encourage education participants to work in beautiful places.
# 6: Ask exam questions that encourage education participants to think creatively.
# 7: Let education participants prepare exams themselves.
# 8: Reduce the number of exams.
# 9: Use mindmaps.
# 10: Reward teaching better than researching.
# 11: Strengthen knowledge sharing among teachers.
# 12: Replace the word “teacher” with words such as mentor, guide, coach, facilitator, resource person, knowledge worker.
What other points would you add to help education participants think and act more innovatively?
February 04, 2009
Where humanity is winning and losing
It is worth having a look at this executive summary of the 2008 State of the Future report. Among other interesting information in the report, I noticed that about 1.4 billion people (21% of the world) are connected to the Internet, with 37.6% of them in Asia, 27.1% in Europe, and 17.5% in North America. The Internet and mobile phones are merging, increasing access to the world’s knowledge. There are 3.3 billion mobile phones active around the world as of 2008.
Besides the number of internet users, humanity is winning in the following areas:
- Life expectancy.
- Infant mortality.
- Literacy.
- GDP per capita.
- Conflict.
On the other hand, humanity is losing in these areas:
- CO2 emissions.
- Terrorism.
- Corruption.
- Global warming.
- Voting population.
- Unemployment.
February 03, 2009
Working with local people
In this report - prepared by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group - focusing on business strategies to enhance food value chains and empower the poor, I read the following on page 26:
"In Brazil, Nestlé engages rural women to operate as distributors. They travel door-to-door demonstrating product benefits and selling directly to consumers. By creating incentives for local retail entrepreneurs rather than hiring salaried employees or franchise holders, the company reduces its need to monitor individual sales performance."
"Organized retail is one of the fastest growing sectors in developing countries. For example, in Thailand, the US$ 56 billion retail market has grown annually by 12% since 2002. While they are sometimes seen as a threat, large-scale retailers can also provide commercial opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs. Instead of thriving to replace micro-retailers, some of these large players are partnering with them to extend their own footprint."
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