| CouchSurfers | 333,377 |
| Successful Surf or Host Experiences | 244,662 |
| Friendships Created | 294,511 |
| Positive Experiences | 435,250 |
| Countries Represented | 223 |
| Cities Represented | 32,021 |
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
CouchSurfing is a worldwide network for making connections between travelers and the local communities they visit.
| CouchSurfers | 333,377 |
| Successful Surf or Host Experiences | 244,662 |
| Friendships Created | 294,511 |
| Positive Experiences | 435,250 |
| Countries Represented | 223 |
| Cities Represented | 32,021 |
The two of you walk around the neighborhood and meet some of his friends at a lively cafe for dinner. You stay up late sharing stories and getting to know each other. Martin recommends some interesting places you might like to explore around the city. When he returns from work the next evening, he takes you to his favorite pub and you tell him about your adventures. The two of you laugh and connect; you make new friends at the pub, and you're grinning the whole walk home along the canals.
As an example of a good surfer, you do as much as you can to give back to your hosts. This includes doing simple things like, for example, washing the dishes, making dinner or helping out in some way. Maybe you have a special skill you're willing to share?
In each location you've met some great people and gotten to experience being a part of the culture through your connection with your host. You go places you would have never read about in a guidebook, meet interesting locals, and spend time bonding with your host. You're actually experiencing those "deep and meaningful connections" you've read about on the site, and you're making friends for life.
http://www.couchsurfing.com/
AAR's Continued
Identify Current Social Issues
This section was a bit overlooked in the process, I did research about mental health, about school shootings, and why they happen. I nor anyone else in class brought in subject titles of topics we were interested in.
Develop Critical Thinking
I think the critical thinking was there, and the process was shown a bit in the powerpoint, but it should have been more thoroughly documented by blogging. I failed to read enough articles that oppose my point of view.
Brainstorming Methodology Training
Although it was not blogged, we each had in our notes, many ideas to address the problem. We referenced this in our powerpoint as well.
Design Research
oops
This section was a bit overlooked in the process, I did research about mental health, about school shootings, and why they happen. I nor anyone else in class brought in subject titles of topics we were interested in.
Develop Critical Thinking
I think the critical thinking was there, and the process was shown a bit in the powerpoint, but it should have been more thoroughly documented by blogging. I failed to read enough articles that oppose my point of view.
Brainstorming Methodology Training
Although it was not blogged, we each had in our notes, many ideas to address the problem. We referenced this in our powerpoint as well.
Design Research
oops
Monday, October 8, 2007
Design Project Ideas
Title of Project:
(or) Interactive Community
Problems:
Lack of communication with those around you.
Non friendly atmosphere
Creates loneliness, lack of information, depression, substance abuse, and many other social problems
Because of:
Exclusion created by technology: computers, video games, i-pods, schoolwork, not joining extracurricular activities, cell phones
social norm stigma
NY Syndrome: cities- people walk by you and never talk to you. People everywhere but nobody talks….is this for protection??
Small Town Feeling- (
Want to create:
Information sharing
In touch with others
Social atmosphere available for out of college living
Opportunities for fun, social events for all ages
Less school shooting occurrences
Sense of community
Solutions:
Online? Like facebook? Myspace? Local networking blogs?
Music
Social events
Church events
Clubs: special interests
Job networking
New mothers group- my mother and her life saving playgroup
Obstacles:
Funding?
Participation?
How will it be different than myspace or facebook?
Opposing viewpoint:
People are not friendly in certain situations for a reason
People are not friendly all the time for protection
There is nothing wrong with being alone
More commutation will make it easier for sexual predators
Research/ new ideas
Blessed Unrest
New format? Should I do jewelry??
Love Curriers – getpink.blogspot.com
Places like starbucks- good feeling, place to nurture communication
Couch surfing
Product Ideas:
Something mass produced?
Symbol of communication? Symbol of community?
Ancient symbol?
Jewelry, silver wire designs,
Using a sign for communication, going back to our roots as human beings.
www.aboriginalartpaintings.com/symbols.html
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.aboriginalartpaintings.com/images/symbol_community.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.aboriginalartpaintings.com/symbols.html&h=194&w=164&sz=9&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=G2pAg4ySFLLAyM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsymbol%2Bcommunity%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN
Talking Stick Idea:
A piece of jewelry to be passed around
While they have the piece, they go to social events they havn’t had the courage to go to, or talk to a friend they havn’t made time for, or started a polite conversation with a stranger, ect. They write about it on the blog/ website I make.
Graphic Design Idea:
A symbol or a graphic design that advertises my blog/ website, put on mass produced items, to reach more people. Ex. Soap, shirts, bags, jewelry. Fun T shirts.
Public Instillation Idea:
New Format idea, creating a sculpture or object that represents my idea, with the blog address on it.
Social Design
Design: the shaping of products and services
Social Design: the creation of social reality, or the design of the social world.
Is a design process, improving human well being and livelihood.
Victor Papanek- designers have a responsibility because of their ability to affect the world at large with their unique skills, and through good design. Designing for people’s needs rather than wants. Including designing for the
Sources: Wikipedia
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
AAR's I'm a Pirate
Identify Current Social Issues
Develop Critical Thinking
Brainstorm/ Methodology Training
Design/ Research
Prototyping/ Interactive Prototyping
I wish I would have been more a part of the design on the t shirts. I'm usually away on the weekends, and the rest of the team wanted to work on them then. I have never done screenprinting, and Whitney said she had a kit somewhere, so I was expecting to learn how. i think the deadline just caught up with us. I think the iron ons was a good alternative time wise. i really like that we didn't go buy t-shirts, and i love thrift shopping! It reminds me of the Swap O Ramma Ramma. i would have liked to have come up with a catchy phrase that we could put in a
Project Management
As a group, i think we all had a sense of project management. We all new what we needed to get done, and by when, and in between deadlines, but we didn't write that down, or blog it. I personally need to do a better job of getting to the library so I can have more time to blog. i can't wait until my computer is fixed!
Presentation
I wish we had some in action thrift store shopping pictures, in class pictures, movie clips, etc to put into the presentation. I love movie clips! I think most digital cameras have that ability, i would love to see this in others future projects and my own. I know Anne and Whitney took photos and movies, but i think they just didn't get them to me on time to fit into the presentation. I tried to have plenty of images in my power point, I wanted it to be interesting. I think without pictures, power points can be boring.
Part 2
Teaching the first four weeks of a course like this just overwhelms me. I think you have done a fabulous job of getting us all inspired. i love that we watch clips of things as a class and I love our brainstorming sessions, we get so much done and everyone has really great ideas. I'm having a hard time trying to think of what could be improved class structure wise. I love how the projects are open ended. i think if we had to choose from a list it wouldn't be as productive. I think its good that you want us to research about social issues that we generally wouldn't want to learn about, but I just don't like political stuff!
Develop Critical Thinking
Brainstorm/ Methodology Training
Design/ Research
Prototyping/ Interactive Prototyping
I wish I would have been more a part of the design on the t shirts. I'm usually away on the weekends, and the rest of the team wanted to work on them then. I have never done screenprinting, and Whitney said she had a kit somewhere, so I was expecting to learn how. i think the deadline just caught up with us. I think the iron ons was a good alternative time wise. i really like that we didn't go buy t-shirts, and i love thrift shopping! It reminds me of the Swap O Ramma Ramma. i would have liked to have come up with a catchy phrase that we could put in a
Project Management
As a group, i think we all had a sense of project management. We all new what we needed to get done, and by when, and in between deadlines, but we didn't write that down, or blog it. I personally need to do a better job of getting to the library so I can have more time to blog. i can't wait until my computer is fixed!
Presentation
I wish we had some in action thrift store shopping pictures, in class pictures, movie clips, etc to put into the presentation. I love movie clips! I think most digital cameras have that ability, i would love to see this in others future projects and my own. I know Anne and Whitney took photos and movies, but i think they just didn't get them to me on time to fit into the presentation. I tried to have plenty of images in my power point, I wanted it to be interesting. I think without pictures, power points can be boring.
Part 2
Teaching the first four weeks of a course like this just overwhelms me. I think you have done a fabulous job of getting us all inspired. i love that we watch clips of things as a class and I love our brainstorming sessions, we get so much done and everyone has really great ideas. I'm having a hard time trying to think of what could be improved class structure wise. I love how the projects are open ended. i think if we had to choose from a list it wouldn't be as productive. I think its good that you want us to research about social issues that we generally wouldn't want to learn about, but I just don't like political stuff!
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