Blog Archives
Badge: Connection Revolution
For a hundred years, the world has been consumed with mass — manufacturing, advertising and education. We’re at the beginning of a new revolution – the connection revolution. Your chance to change the world has never been greater. Let’s look at the mass and how it is moving to connection . . . and how you can become connected.
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Steps
1. Take a listen.
upmarket.squidoo.com/2012/02/08/we-are-all-weird
This interview with Seth Godin on his book, We Are All Weird, will start you thinking about the Connection Revolution. This interview is about 25 minutes. If you are interested, check out his book as well.
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Looking back — mass manufacturing
2. No choice.
How often have you purchased stuff because “it’s the next thing”? Have you gone Christmas shopping to find that one gift your child (grandchild) had to have? This is big business at its worst – creating an artificial demand to drive purchasing.
3. Full choice.
Do a search online for things you are interested in. Find small businesses that provide what the large ones cannot. These are “niche” businesses. While many “mass” businesses are struggling, these small businesses are thriving. Did you find any niches that were underrepresented? Can you picture yourself starting a niche business?
4. The music industry.
The music industry was controlled by corporations and middlemen with the actual artist not maintaining copyright to his / her music and usually making very little money. Compare it with music today. Many musicians can record their music themselves, eliminating the cost of the “mass” and doing what they truly want. Today’s musicians connect with people interested in their music and have to sell a lot less. Find a musician online that has a small following that you might purchase music from.
5. The publishing industry — newspapers.
Why purchase a newspaper when you can have the news sent to you? You can also decide what news interests you so you’re not overwhelmed with news. The decline in newspapers started before the Internet. How do you get your news? How much do you get from newspapers versus television versus the Web?
6. The publishing industry — books.
Amazon’s Kindle and other ebook readers are fueling the move from expensive print books to lower cost (and more easily stored) eBooks. Check out the Domino Project for a new take on publishing.
If you’re a writer, you can self-publish with sites like LuLu and Smashwords. With everyone able to self-publish, the quality of books will go down as the quantity goes up. Check out a few self-publishing sites and see if this is something you might be interested in doing.
7. SOPA.
SOPA is just one piece of legislation that big business is sponsoring to keep control, to keep the world the way it was, to keep “mass”. Explore other ways the government and big business are trying to maintain control of our lives.
8. Etsy.
www.etsy.com
Etsy is a marketplace for handmade, unique items. In the mass marketplace, it couldn’t exist. Today, anyone can start their own business. Look through some of the businesses on Etsy see if any of these fit your own interests.
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Looking back — mass advertising
9. Television advertising.
Television advertising is the voice of mass manufacturing – artificially planting the “must haves” of our lives. How have commercials changed? Sites like Hulu offer free viewing of shows, but commercials are now there as well. The difference is Hulu asks you if the advertisement is pertinent to you. Compare today’s commercials with those of ten, twenty or thirty years ago.
10. Social media.
Social media is all about spreading ideas. From Facebook to Pinterest, we can all connect with friends and spread our likes and dislikes. Even if we do not support a business with purchases, we can share information about it. Look back over your communications online. How many times have you looked at a small business on the word of your online friends?
11. Facebook.
www.facebook.com
Is Facebook the look of the future? Instead of targeting millions of households because you can afford to spend millions of dollars, Facebook allows advertisers to target those individuals interested in the items they are offering by using your likes, profile, etc. For a week, watch the advertising that comes up when you log into Facebook. How many of these ads interest you?
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Looking back – mass education
12. People as a cog in the machine.
Our current educational system is all about each person learning the same thing so each of us can be part of the machine of mass production. Look at the educational requirements for your state. Think about the classes each student must take to get a high school diploma. How many of these will really help them in the future? What classes would be a better fit for our kids?
13. No child left behind.
This legislation has managed to put a stranglehold on our educational system. The number of charter schools is growing to help the individual over the mass. Read about this legislation and the growing number of alternative educational choices for our youth.
14. Youth groups.
Scouting, sports groups and other non-educational groups are picking up the slack of our failing educational system. Each supports its own niche while some try to cover a variety of skills that our youth will need in the future. Look at one or more youth groups and see what it / they have to offer.
15. College degree.
The cost of a college degree often is more than the cost of a new car . . . sometimes more than a house. This puts a strain on the new graduate who needs a job to pay off the loans or his / her parents who postpone retirement due to the cost. A college degree means you can sit in a class and take a test, but how much translates to the real world? Look at your own life and explore what you learned and how much was a waste of your resources vs. how much you actually took into the real world.
16. Today’s changes.
Universities and colleges are looking for a new ways to provide education and experience. Unlike mass manufacturing and advertising, the educational system is working to move into the connection revolution. Programs like MIT’s Open Course Ware allow you to get education for free. Mozilla’s P2PU (peer-to-peer university) allows people to educate each other. Review the offerings from one of these or the other numerous free courses available online to see what you can find that interests you.
NOTE: One item higher education is looking at is earning badges that highlight skills learned instead of a certificate. Read about “badges for skills” to find out about one possible change to our educational system.
17. Educating our youth.
We need to work to educate our children on the new world . . . the connected world. To help share this idea, we need to understand the connection revolution. We need to give them a view of the world as it is now. As this revolution continues, the world will change and we do not know what the “next big thing” will be. Perhaps it is you or your kids who start the next big change.
18. Connection is key.
The only way to teach connection is to be connected. Look at one of the social media sites you belong to. Learn more about it. Follow what others are doing. Join the conversation.
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Sites to Explore
upmarket.squidoo.com/2012/02/08/we-are-all-weird
musiciansexchangeonline.com
www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-music-services-search-engines-discover-music-musicians-bands
thefutureofpublishing.com/industries/the-future-of-newspapers
www.thedominoproject.com
www.lulu.com
www.smashwords.com
www.etsy.com
www.bestoldcommercials.com
www.classictvads.com/classicindex.shtml
www.facebook.com
www.pinterest.com
www.edweek.org/topics/nochildleftbehind/index.html
ocw.mit.edu/index.htm
p2pu.org/en
wiki.mozilla.org/Badges
www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/business/digital-badges-may-highlight-job-seekers-skills.html
trendwatching.com/trends/massmingling
www.dachisgroup.com/2011/11/the-connected-customer
www.cluetrain.com/#manifesto
Badge: DNR – Project Learning Tree
Project Learning Tree is an environmental education program for kids from preschool through grade 12. It is from the American Forest Foundation.
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Steps
1. Project Learning Tree (PLT).
Project Learning Tree is designed to get kids outside. The purpose is to teach kids HOW to think about the environment. Explore the Web site to learn more.
2. GreenWorks!
GreenWorks! provides the framework for service learning in cooperation with businesses, non-profits, etc. Review the guidelines and brainstorm ways you can incorporate PLT activities / service into your current programming.
3. GreenSchools!
GreenSchools! encourages positive environmental action of schools and communities. Review this program and decide if you want to reduce your school’s ecological footprint. These activities can be incorporated into normal school days. How much can you do to help the environment?
4. Try an activity.
Free activities are available online. Try one or more to see how the program works. Is this something you can use with your youth troop / group?
5. Take a PLT workshop.
Search for your state coordinator and / or events to find out when workshops are being offered. Sign up and take one.
6. Earth and Sky radio show.
www2.plt.org/flash/PLT_EarthSky_2009.html
Earth and Sky is a daily radio show that highlights a range of environmental topics. Go to the Earth and Sky Web site and look through some of their offerings. Do a tutorial if you are interested in this resource.
7. Focus on forests.
Exploring Environmental Issues: Focus on Forests module is now available. Learn about forestry. Explore the links and resources to find activities you can use with your youth.
8. Look through the curriculum.
Review the curriculum to find other items not specifically called out in the steps of this badge program. Are there more areas you’re interested in learning about? If so, find out more.
9. Additional resources of PLT activities.
Under “Curriculum”, explore the additional activity resources for both PreK-8 and Secondary.
10. Incorporating PLT with Girl Scouts.
PLT has activities that work with all levels of Girl Scouts. Look through their provided lists to see what activities you can incorporate into your Girl Scout activities.
11. Incorporating PLT with Boy Scouts.
Look through activities to find out how to incorporate PLT activities with Boy Scout activities.
12. Create an activity box.
Create an activity box based on the program/youth you work with to introduce adults to Project Learning Tree. Include instructions on how the activity works and where adults can get their own materials if they are interested in learning more.
13. Environmental education.
connect.plt.org/app/render/go.aspx?xsl=tp_community.xslt
PLT provides even more educational support. Check out their site where they encourage others to share their PLT materials.
14. Become a trainer or coordinator.
Find out what you need to do to become a trainer / coordinator for Project Learning Tree.
15. Explore ways to share PLT.
Find ways to share Project Learning Tree with others beyond Step 14.
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Sites to Explore
All links are provided within the steps above.
Badge: Explore Hobbies (revised)
Hobbies can take you away from your normal life. Reducing stress is just one of the many benefits. You can also add to your education in a fun, exciting way! Explore what’s out there and find something you enjoy.
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Steps
1. Look at hobbies — include arts, crafts and sports.
A starting list is on the last page of this badge program. Choose one you’d like to try from the list or discover your own from your individual interests. Find something *you* like . . . or maybe more than one if you’re more ambitious.
2. Traditional research for your chosen hobby.
Go to the library and check out a book or two. Start in the kids’ section as the material presented here is easier to grasp when you’re starting fresh.
3. Online research for your chosen hobby.
Go to your favorite search engine and do a search for your hobby. You can also check out the following types of sites:
- Teacher lesson plans
- Kid / parent activity sites
- Homeschooling sites
- Vendor / supplier sites
4. Take a class in the hobby you’ve chosen.
Check out local hobby and craft stores, interest groups or even online classes. Perhaps your local YMCA or park system has enrichment programs for adults. Take a class. This will give you some basic information, a teacher to ask questions of and a group of like-minded individuals to play with, if you choose.
5. Practice your new hobby alone or with a group.
The nature of your chosen hobby may lead you to do it alone or in a group. Some will allow you do both. Do not discount online groups as well as those that meet locally. Some may cost money such as a scrapbooking consultant who will teach you scrapbooking at no cost, but you have to pay for the representative’s products to participate.
6. Share your new hobby with family and friends.
Show what you have learned and be able to answer the following questions.
- Why did you choose it?
- Would you do it again?
- What did you like / didn’t like about it?
- How can you share your experiences?
7. Share your new hobby with other enthusiasts and find out more information.
Share your new hobby with other enthusiasts and find out even more information.
- Web (Yahoo! Groups, blogs, etc.)
- Local individuals
- Formal or informal groups
- Vendors / suppliers
8. Teach others what you’ve learned.
Turn your hobby into a training session for other adults, teach it to kids or even family members who show an interest.
9. Start or help with a club for your hobby.
Sharing your hobby not only expands your knowledge, you also can have fun with others sharing similar interests. Find a local or online club or group that also does your chosen hobby. Join and participate in the club. If you cannot find a club, start your own!
10. From hobby to career.
Some people enjoy their hobby so much they make it a successful career. Writing about your hobby, providing supplies / resources or even teaching can provide either supplemental or full income. Explore the possibilities of how you can make money from your hobby.
11. Create a hobby.
Perhaps you find you like more than one hobby. You can create a new one from combining things you already like to do. Wind surfing is a great example of taking two different sports and combining them in a new way.
You can also create one from scratch if there is no hobby covering what you like. You may be amazed when others start asking you to do your hobby.
12. Write up a badge program for your hobby.
Another way to share your hobby is to create a badge program for the AEP. After creating your own steps, ask another enthusiast look at it to see if it is complete. Make adjustments as needed and submit it to AEP.
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Sites to Explore
www.notsoboringlife.com
www.findmeahobby.com
www.discoverahobby.com
www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Hobby
www.buzzle.com/articles/list-types-of-hobbies
lifestyle.iloveindia.com/magazine/hobby-ideas-7.html
www.ehow.com/hobbies
www.hobbies-and-pastimes.com
hobbies.suite101.com/article.cfm/finding_hobbies_for_your_kids
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Hobby Possibilities List
This list can be found on the PDF badge program.
Badge: AEP Innovator (revised)
An Adult Enrichment Project (AEP) innovator either creates or substantially contributes to a badge program. Badges for this program are created by placing the word “Innovator” over the design of the badge the recipient worked on.
The steps for this badge can also be used to review badges to make sure they fit into the AEP and are comparable to other badge programs available.
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Steps
1. Become an innovator.
Do you have a subject you excel at or are passionate about? Brainstorm your own list of badge programs that you think you could create. On a separate list, brainstorm badges you’d like to earn, but you need to research to create them. From your lists, pick out one. Work through the steps below to create your badge program.
2. Narrow your topic.
Just like a good term paper or speech, if your topic is too broad your exposure won’t be enough to learn anything. Focus your topic. Ask yourself if the members earning your badge will go away with something they can use. Would a more concentrated program on one area work better?
For example, paper crafting is a huge industry. While you could do an “Explore Paper Crafts” to get an overview of the industry and to try a few small projects, doing a program on “Scrapbooking” would give someone interested in just that one topic a lot more information.
3. Why.
Why would a member choose to earn your badge? Write out your answer. This will become the introduction to your badge.
4. Time to complete the levels.
Are there enough steps and activities to give the member 40+ hours of fun in your topic? Remember, our levels are:
- Discover (3-10 hours)
- Explore (11-25 hours)
- Connect (26-40 hours)
- Complete (40+ hours)
If your topic is too narrow, can you add a step that is related to your topic to help broaden understanding of it?
5. Discover.
Does your badge program have steps to discover a new field of interest? What can you discover?
- Yourself
- Others
- The world
- STEM
- New skills
- Fun
6. Explore.
Through the steps of your badge program, how will the members explore?
- Physically
- Emotionally
- Intellectually
- Socially
- Individually
- As a group
7. Connect.
After discovering a new topic, or perhaps only a part of your topic, the member needs to continue to engage with it. They will explore the topic in greater detail. As they connect, it needs to become part of them. They may choose to connect by:
- Sharing with others
- Teaching to others
- Enjoying it themselves to a greater depth
- Using it as a jumping block to learn something else
8. Categories.
We have eighteen categories. Often, you’ll find your badge program may fit into more than one category. Choose the category that you feel most reflects your program. Review the list and determine where it will go.
- Careers / Business
- Communication
- Crafts
- Education
- Games / Sports
- General
- Groups
- Hobbies / Recreation
- Holiday
- Home / Skills
- Outdoors
- Performing Arts
- Personal / Health
- Recipes / Nutrition
- Service
- STEM
- Web
- World
9. Test your badge program.
Do you have a friend who is willing to try new things? Perhaps you work with a youth organization, senior citizens group or even homeschoolers. Ask others to either try it or, at the least, review it.
Expect critical feedback. If someone cares enough to ask questions or make comments, they are helping you improve your badge program. Keep note of what your reviewers say and determine if their comments pertain to your badge program and if you can adjust it to make it better. Also, make sure you say “thank you”, even if the feedback isn’t helpful.
10. Proofread.
If you aren’t a great proofreader, ask someone else to do it. Any questions you might have should follow the “Chicago Manual of Style” or an equivalent resource.
11. Provide steps.
Completed, tested and proofread steps should be released to the group for their comments. When agreement is made that the program looks complete, the administrator will place the files on the blog as well as create a printable PDF for distribution.
12. Artwork.
If you want to create your own badges, you can create your own artwork. Request templates to work with or provide artwork to be incorporated into the badges, graphics and certificates. As soon as the badge program is released to the members, you will receive the “Innovator” version of the badge.
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Innovating through Adjustments
13. Adjusting other badges.
Innovator badges can also be earned by making significant adjustments to a badge. Usually, the badge will be out for a while and other members will post adjustments, additional steps, etc. that they feel would improve the badge. The innovator would take the original badge and all the comments. The innovator may make one of the following decisions:
- Adjustments fall within steps and need incorporated
- Adjustments require steps to be added
- Adjustments require that the badge has become too broad to be effective
14. Creating badge programs from adjustments.
If the adjustments require creation of new program(s), determine if a general one should remain or if there is enough information to create multiple specific badges. You can ask members who contributed if you are unsure for their opinions.
15. Review steps for creation.
Review the new badge program(s) against this list to ensure that it meets the standards for other badge programs. Then, do steps 9-11. You can do step 12 if you choose to or leave it to the group to use the existing design and adjust it for the new programs.
NOTE: Making minor adjustments for typographical or grammatical errors does not constitute innovation.
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Sites to Explore
larajla.com/adult-enrichment-project
groups.yahoo.com/group/adult_enrichment_project
www.squidoo.com/adult-enrichment-project
www.scribd.com/collections/2582310/AEP-Badge-Programs
www.flickr.com/photos/28598163@N04/sets
www.facebook.com/pages/Adult-Enrichment-Project/118595491548017
Badge: My Education and Experience (revised)
As you move through life, you are always learning. By documenting your education and experience, you can use this information to show that you are willing to improve yourself. You accept change. You embrace the opportunity to learn and grow. When continuing your education, this documentation can help eliminate taking similar classes and provides a basis for further study.
Applying the documentation to work and service environments allows others to evaluate your efforts, which in turn leads to further development and the benefits from doing so.
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Steps
Documentation
1. Thinking about your education and experience.
Before starting documentation, start listing things you’ve already done. It may be difficult at first, but as you start looking through your formal education, continuing education, craft classes, work-related seminars and workshops, you will be amazed at what you have accomplished.
It may be easier to review by organization or chronologically — depending on how you think.
2. No one way to track — physical proof.
For physical proof, there is no one way to track what you have done. At every step, “proof” will help you remember what you did, when you did it and, hopefully, some of the specifics. The following items can be collected for proof or to help you jog your memory in the future.
- Certificate of completion
- Letter of completion or appreciation
- Receipt
- Notes from class
- Handouts
- Photos
- Other proof of participation
3. Another way to track — digital proof.
For digital proof, here’s a few ways you can keep track of your education.
- PDFs / JPGs of any of the items in Step 2
- PDF of any or all of the course materials
- Copies of videos / YouTube
- Copies of podcasts / lectures
4. Keeping a list.
Keeping a list in a document, database or spreadsheet will help you quickly find the education, experience, service or skills you have acquired. In this list, some of the items you may want to track include:
- Class / workshop / skill title
- Date(s) you participated
- Length of time you participated
- Where taken (online URL if no physical location)
- Description
5. Journaling.
Journaling is an excellent way to track your experience. It can provide what you did as well as the circumstances in your life when you did it. This provides more of a reason why you chose to take the classes, workshops or training that you did. Even highlighting only one activity for a class can be enough to trigger the memory.
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Various avenues of education and experience
6. Professional.
Professional experience, education and organizations may be specifically work-related or may be something you are interested in adding to your life. Professional proof can be used to show skills you have, be added to your resume, as documentation on file for your current job to support a promotion or to show your willingness to learn and expand your abilities. To your list, add any training you’ve taken, organizations you’ve joined, etc.
7. Volunteer.
Did you know your volunteering experience can be put on a resume? Many people volunteer to use their skills for a non-profit, gaining experience that they can use to get a job. Your proof can be used as back-up documentation for your organization, for your resume and toward your current job, showing your willingness to learn and, sometimes, to move beyond your comfort zone. To your list, add any required training, experience running events, instructing others, leading, etc.
8. Recreational.
Have a hobby or craft you’re very interested in? Any extra classes you’ve taken or techniques you’ve learned can be added to your list. Also add organizations you’ve chosen to join. You can take enrichment classes from craft stores online or locally. The classes you’ve taken may have been free or paid, it doesn’t matter.
9. Online education.
The world of education is in massive upheaval. Many universities offer lectures from classes for free — MIT, Duke and Stanford are just a few. Add in podcasts from numerous schools and organizations as well. Ed2Go offers classes for under $100 for 2.4 continuing education credits . . . for everything from software to business to improving your life . . . currently over 300 classes. Any that you have taken can be added to your list.
10. Highlighting skills.
If you can’t list specific classes, volunteer roles and recreational activities directly into your list, try highlighting skills you learned while doing these activities. Instead of broadly stating you ran a scout troop for three years, highlight your organizational skills. If you worked sending information to the newspaper, highlight your communication skills. It’s not so much how you learned it, but the skills you gained that you can utilize in other areas of your life.
11. Honors and scholarships.
Any time you have shown personal or professional achievement, you may receive an offer to join an organization, your name may appear in the newspaper, etc. Have you placed your name in the Who’s Who directory? Did you make honor roll in school? What other honors have you received?
12. Organizations and clubs.
Not only can you include the organizations and clubs you have been in, any leadership roles you assumed while you were part can be included. Also, if you were part of special committees or any additional skills you used or cultivated while a member can be included in your list.
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Uses for your education and experience list
13. Resume.
Whether you’re looking for a job or a volunteer position, the information you’ve collected can be used on your resume. Make sure you tailor your resume for the position you are trying to get. If you’re looking for management, leave out craft classes. If you want to be an event coordinator, leave in the experience from the scout troop you ran for three years. Find out how to incorporate your activities into your resume.
14. Work and volunteerism.
If your business supports volunteerism or rewards those who work to improve their performance outside of the job, providing proof of classes, experiences or organizational involvement may help you get your raise or promotion. What other reasons might a business want to know about your self-improvement?
15. Volunteering.
When you’re taking required training for a volunteer organization, do they keep accurate records? Do they provide detailed job descriptions? If your organization awards supplemental learning, your list can be turned in for this purpose. Look into your volunteer organization. What do they offer their volunteers beyond the opportunity to help their organization?
16. Adult enrichment project.
You can use the list to help you earn badges which, in turn, provides more proof of your activities. The adult enrichment project not only provides graphics for creating your own badges, it also provides certificates and web buttons. Make sure you add the work you put into the badges to your list.
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Supplement
SUPP_VolunteerSkills.pdf
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Sites to Explore
www.essortment.com/career/buildingresume_slhh.htm
www.energizeinc.com/art/resumes.html
www.ehow.com/how_2129499_list-volunteer-experience-resume.html
www.suite101.com/content/using-nonprofit-volunteer-experience-in-job-hunt-a140138
merrillassociates.com/topic/2001/03/creating-resume-showcase-volunteer-and-service-experience
www.faqs.org/docs/consumer/resumes.html
www.ed2go.com
www.openculture.com/2006/10/university_podc.html
freevideolectures.com
forum-network.org
www.usnews.com/education/features/carry-your-skills-with-you-for-career-success
www.youreducationguides.com/online/online-education-journal
charityguide.org/volunteer/motivation/resume.htm
Links for AEP
Looking for more on the Adult Enrichment Project?
When you click on Adult Enrichment Project, you’ll now get “Links” showing other places you can find badge programs, supplement files, newsletters and more.
