“If an idea does not sound absurd, then there’s no hope for it.”—Albert Einstein
I recently came across these words from Albert Einstein in the context of an interview on the topic “Does Science Fiction Predict… Read More »
Author Archives: Jeff Prudhomme
We Are the Books our Students Read Most Closely
How might educators teach students to engage as active participants and facilitators in student-centered discussions? How might contemporary higher education classrooms become places for the discovery and social construction of alternative ways of thinking and acting in regard to complex… Read More »
Creating New Lenses, Asking Different Questions
In 2004 the inventor Saul Griffith, then young grad student at MIT, won the prestigious Lemelson-MIT prize, based in part on his invention of desktop device to manufacture inexpensive eyeglass lenses on demand. Griffith was motivated by a concern for… Read More »
Posted in Perspectives Tagged contrasting possibilities, developing questions, discussion process Leave a comment
Share:
In Praise of Partisanship? Exploring Divergences
Praising partisanship might seem like a strange thing to do—at least for a non-partisan organization like the Interactivity Foundation. In the discussions we facilitate, whether in our “Discussion Projects” or our ensuing “Public Discussions,” we don’t seek to stoke the… Read More »
Posted in Perspectives Tagged contrasting possibilities, democracy, discussion process, partisanship, Project Discussions Leave a comment
Share:
The Long Arc of Conversation
In our lives most of us have had the pleasure of relationships that seem to involve a long and constantly growing conversation. Maybe it’s with a good friend. Maybe it’s with a family member or a mentor. It’s not that… Read More »
The Long Arc of Conversation
In our lives most of us have had the pleasure of relationships that seem to involve a long and constantly growing conversation. Maybe it’s with a good friend. Maybe it’s with a family member or a mentor. It’s not that… Read More »
Communication, Discussion, or Facilitation Skills in Your Courses?
For those of you teaching an IF sponsored course this spring, your fourth blog post should tell us about some of the facilitation, discussion, or communication skills that you’ve focused on with your students. You might find it helpful to… Read More »
Where Will a Project Go? A Novel Approach to Following the Questions
If you’re thinking about taking part in one of our Sanctuary Discussion Projects, you might wonder about the directions the discussions might take. You might wonder whether the discussion Facilitator, or the Interactivity Foundation, has in mind some particular direction… Read More »
Posted in Perspectives Tagged creativity, developing questions, discussion process, Project Discussions 1 Comment
Share:
What Roles Do “Specialists” Play in IF Project Discussions?
Discussion Projects are one of our core activities in the Interactivity Foundation. In these projects we use two parallel discussion groups or panels. These panels run independently of each other for most of the project. One panel is made up… Read More »
The White Stripes, Obstacles, Tensions, and Creativity
Near the end of the rock documentary The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights, the White Stripe’s frontman, Jack White, talks about the importance of obstacles and tensions for his creative process (Read More »
Share: