News
For Avoidance of Doubt, We’ll Miss You, Pete!
After almost two decades of working with the Interactivity Foundation (IF), our good friend and colleague Pete Shively is moving on to emeritus status and to new adventures in his life. True to his name, Pete has been a sturdy rock of support for many of IF’s...
Just Imagine…a Failure to Recognize Valor
Private Burton Holmes was a Black U.S. soldier fighting in France during World War I. He and his fellow soldiers were confronted by a surprise attack from the Germans. Burton’s gun malfunctioned and he was badly wounded, He returned to the command post, but he...
Embracing Contradictions
Developing a Paradox Mindset Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that helps participants develop a “paradox mindset” by engaging with, rather than avoiding, the contradictions inherent in many problems, situations, and...
Promoting Curiosity
Curiosity Prompts and Questions Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that helps participants develop the mental skill of curiosity and turn it into a regular practice by using curiosity prompts. These prompts can be used...
Just Imagine…Emerging Inequities
South Africa has a history of unreliable electrical power. The national power provider has been accused of mismanagement of government funding for upgrades to the nation’s electric grid. As a result, communities across South Africa have begun to apply for waivers...
Practicing Generosity of Interpretation
Cultivating patience, empathy, and understanding Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that helps participants practice patience and generosity during a challenging discussion. Participants develop principles that can help...
Just Imagine…Enabling Everyone to Be a Star
Steven Chen was born in Taiwan in 1978 and immigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1985. He studied Computer Science at the University of Illinois. He worked for PayPal after graduation, where he met Jawed Karim and Chad Hurley. Jawed Karim was born in 1979 in...
Just Imagine…The Refugee Father of Video Games
Ralph Baer was born in 1922 to a Jewish family in Germany. In 1938, he and his family immigrated to American to escape the growing persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. In the U.S., Ralph was largely self-taught because he went to work in a factory to help support...
Awareness of Context, Bias, & Assumptions
Exploring preconceived notions Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that encourages participants to reflect on their own and others’ biases and assumptions in a nonjudgmental way. It uses a visual and tactile method to...
Just Imagine…A New Style of Journalism
József Pulitzer was born to a Jewish family in Hungary in 1847. When his father died, the family business went bankrupt. József tried to join various armies in Europe to support himself. He was rejected by Austria, France, and Britain. In Germany, he was recruited...