Defrag Lorain Class Videos

Here is the first of posted video sessions from the Defrag Lorain conference posted by Mike Gesing's company, NEOhio.org

We'll have more posted soon. Enjoy!

Case: 0033 Nintendo Wii Bowling Introduction & Overview of the Video game Industry

MacArthur Foundation Invests $50 million in Digital Media, Learning & Education

Grantmaking in education seeks primarily to gain a better understanding of how digital technologies are changing how young people learn, play, socialize, exercise judgment, and engage in civic life. Grantmaking is also exploring how learning environments – peers, family and social institutions (such as schools) – may be changing as well.

In 2006, the MacArthur Foundation launched its five-year $50 million dollar initiative in Digital Media and Learning. Answers are critical to developing educational and other social institutions that can meet the needs of this and future generations. The initiative is both marshaling what is already known about the field and seeding innovation for continued growth.

To read more about this innovative initiative, go here.

On Saturday, April 14, Defrag Ohio Lorain is offering a session "Connecting Families, Kids and Students through Digital Media," from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Ted Jordan, Funutation Tech Camps, Steve Simmons, EDR Media and Jason van Gumster, Hand Turkey Studios will lead the session. Participants will learn how to build a video game with sound and will learn about 3D modeling. Defrag Ohio Lorain partners encourage you to bring your kids to participate in this workshop. Not only will they learn new information, they will also have fun and an opportunity to connect with others who have similar interests.

In a Networked World It's All About What You Can't See and Don't Know

The Portage-Geauga County Juvenile Detention Center will be participating in Defrag. What's the connection?

On-line skills training, workforce development in disciplines such as digital media and arts-in-education, for one.

In an opt-in world, how people see themselves connected can be completely unforeseen by other people in the network.

The value in a networked world is to learn how we are all connected. It is in these new, unforeseen intersections that the innovation opportunities are great.

This is another example of how command and control does not work in the civic space.

Open Source Meets Open Source Economic Development: How Cool is That?!

Once again, the power of networks.

We haven't even had the chance to meet face-2-face yet, but Athena Diamantis, Director of Sales for SourceLabs (Just celebrating SWiK's First Birthday! Over 1 Million unique visitors served, and 10,000 wiki pages created), connects to Bruce Perens, a founding father of Open Source. Read more here.

Bruce may be coming from Berkely to Defrag in April. Bruce Perens is a wealth of knowledge and insight about working in Open Spaces. (What can digital media entrepreneurs learn?)

Northeast Ohio has a lot to learn about these new (really, not new) ways of working to catalyze unprecendented exponential growth.

Sounds scary, doesn't it? And, out of control?

Maybe, but consider what we have now: a no growth (No Growth.) region and the polar caps are melting. Not good indicators.

Open Source Economic Development tools and practices provides a way for us to get there from here by building the transformative initiatives we need to make the Big Shifts toward change.

Open Source meets Open Source Economic Development. Thanks Ahthena! We look forward to meeting you F2F at Defrag!

Jason van Gumster/Hand Turkey Studios

Jason van Gumster from Hand Turkey Studios, connects to Ted Jordan and is excited about coming from Richmond, Virginia for the Defrag conference.

Jason will present information about his work in digital media, a research paper and a presentation on Red Hat High prepared for the Educators Program at this year's SIGGRAPH conference...he adds, "I'll be able to show and tell even more cool stuff. :)"

Jason's work is connected to student-created animations and audio.

Take a peek: here.

Session Summary:
Red Hat High: Using Open Source Software in a Technology Camp
In the summer of 2006, 52 rising 8th and 9th-grade students attended a week-long residential technology camp at North Carolina State University. Named for the program's initiator, Red Hat High's mission was to expose students to technology and software that they otherwise might not be aware of. Using open source software, students were introduced to audio creation, video creation, 3D modeling & animation, and web design.

Jason's Info:
Jason van Gumster is a co-founder and 'Production Monkey' of the Richmond, Virginia-based animation, illustration, and print design company, Hand Turkey Studios. He participated in the 2006 Red Hat High program as an instructor for the 3D Modeling & Animation track using the open source 3D suite, Blender, and is on the advisory board for the 2007 camp. He works professionally as an animator and print designer for his company and serves as an instructor for Blender workshops and training DVDs.

An avid advocate of open source software, Jason uses open source tools for the majority of his creative work and is active in the Free Software community, particularly the Blender community. He has given demonstrations at Linux Users Group meetings and SIGGRAPH conferences, and he currently serves as the Gallery Maintainer for Blender.org and writer for the primary Blender news portal, Blender Nation.

Born in 1978, Jason holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering and a B.F.A in Kinetic Imaging from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Be a Defrag Sponsor!

If you are a company looking for quality, high volume, fast contacts consider becoming a Defrag Ohio Sponsor: Sponsor Document Defrag.

Defrag conferences build first generation contacts with really smart, really creative people, doing really cool stuff.

And here is the kicker: Defrag conferences are quarterly, raising the bar on exposure from your point of entry all the way forward through the year.

Are you looking for brand new points of market to access and all in one place? Defrag is a different model turbo charging leads across a VERY diverse and really cool network.

Fill out and return the Sponsor Form with your check and get in early on a steam train ride barreling through Ohio!

Liberating the Soul of Your Business

Meet Tony Felice of Cronosys LLC.

Tony will be building his connections to Defrag Ohio in April.

Cronosys specializes in the design, development and implementation of business solutions based on cutting-edge Open Source Internet technologies.

Shift Happens & Why Open Innovation is Where It's At

Take a View.

Education: Steel to Scholars at Defrag Lorain

Tom Humphries and Reid Dulberger, Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, were our hosts yesterday in Youngstown.

The Regional Chamber has developed the successful "Steel to Scholars" educational program with the keen insight of strong private business leadership to aid and assist educators and students in reaching educational metrics.

Tom and Reid will teach us about this successful model and lend us their insights into private business leadership.

Steel to Scholars is a replicable model ready to be spun out across the state of Ohio.

What is the digital media opportunity here?

What can we learn from their pragmatic and practical points of view about building projects and new businesses?

How can Steel to Scholars metrics be applied to quality attainable metrics and deliverables in for game developers?

Better yet, What can we learn to strengthen private business leadership in Cleveland?

Defrag Ohio Youngstown

Today we spoke about Defrag with the Warren Youngstown Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Youngstown State University Business School leadership, YSU's Center for Urban and Regional Studies and the Youngstown Business Incubator to talk about Y'Town's opportunity to participate as a leader in the Defrag Ohio network in education, private business leadership, building quality, connected places, designing entrepreneurship curriculum for the 21st Century and the digital media industry.

Defrag's approach to building open networks of collaboration, of identifying and connecting Y'Town resources in digital media made sense to these practically minded leaders who talked about the Y'Town assets ready to be connected and lit up!

After our meeting, we visited the Youngstown Incubator. Jim Cossler, Chief Evangelist, spent time talking with us about the past, the present and the future of innovation and entrepreneurship at the Incubator and where Y'Town fits in the scheme of things between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. This successful incubator model relies on open communications between companies, simple rules of behavior, including "no poaching", shared and free services, and awesome coaching. Great free or cheap space. Great access. Good food across the street. Good parking. What more could any entrepreneur want? (Could that REALLY exist in Cleveland?...)

The result: innovation, learning and the acceleration of activity. Simple results, but really hard to get.

What is great about Y'Town is everything is within walking distance. A perfect place for building, connecting and innovating. We had a great day. Thank you Youngstown!

If you have had trouble registering for Defrag....

Don't worry.

People are emailing in that the Internet Explorer works just fine. There is a bug if you try to register with Firefox.

Recommendation: try later tomorrow to re-register at http://www.lorainccc.edu/defrag

I am sure they will have it fixed in the AM.

Digital City Network

Here is an article sent by Janko at Shout Youngstown (E: shoutyoungstown@gmail.com)with the question: What is the Defrag opportunity to connect to this larger network of digital cities?

Toronto Mayor David Miller signed an agreement with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom today that links Toronto with other international cities and regions in a global Digital City Network, which supports the commercialization of innovative digital media technologies and advancements. Cities that have signed on to the Network that San Francisco is spearheading include: Paris, France; Prague, Czech Republic; Dublin, Ireland; Guadalajara, Mexico; Skopje, Macedonia and Singapore.

"Businesses in Toronto's ICT sector constantly develop and use new technology to increase the city's international profile and presence in the global economy," said Mayor David Miller. "Developing partnerships with our international counterparts through initiatives, such as the Digital City Network are a positive step towards increasing global connectivity and collaboration."

"We're delighted to be working with Toronto on this initiative," said Mayor Gavin Newsom. "Both of our cities have strong ICT-based industries and creative enterprises. This agreement lays the foundation for the commercialization of new, innovative technology that will enable closer ties between our two cities and other regions around the world."

The signing was facilitated through video conference held at Autodesk in Toronto and at San Francisco State University (SFSU) and can be viewed at http://events.telemerge.ca/cityoftoronto/022107/index.php

The event was supported by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and by the Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco and Telemerge Canada.

The initiative is lead by Joaquin Alvarado, Director of the Institute of Next Generation Internet at SFSU. "The Digital City Network involves cities and regions that we believe are forward-looking," said Alvarado. "Toronto was chosen to be part of the Network because of its New Media and IT industry. We were looking to partner with cities and regions that we believe are creative and technological hubs. Toronto was a perfect choice to join the Network. "

Alvarado was introduced to City Council in March 2006. At that time, he invited Toronto to be part of the Digital City Network and was encouraged to move forward to strengthen the ties between the two cities. The signing of the Digital City Network Agreement formalizes this relationship.

The nine objectives outlined in the Digital City Network Agreement are to:

- broker international relationships between educational, business, and
community-based digital media organizations
- create new business to business ventures between jurisdictions
- support the growth and innovation of existing digital media
businesses
- develop new cutting-edge digital media companies in each location
- encourage private and public investment in advanced digital
technologies and linkages between jurisdictions
- expand workforce development and education opportunities in digital
media
- provide technical support for digital media incubators and business
accelerators
- develop strategies to respond to the rapid changes in new media
technologies
- inform shareholders about emerging digital media issues, innovations
and best practices.

Toronto ICT firms have already designed and implemented some of the
world's most advanced broadband networks and technologies for business,
research and educational applications.

Projects the Digital City Network may work on include:

- promoting cultural exchanges through specific digital media projects
- identifying and supporting the development of business to business
relationships, co-productions, joint ventures and investment
opportunities
- conducting joint research and development projects
- defining Next Generation Internet in terms of networking standards
and protocols
- creating cost-effective opportunities for existing companies and to
experiment, develop and prototype products using next generation
internet technology.

For more information about the City of Toronto's ICT cluster, visit
here.

Ohio Counseling Organizations: Connecting Young Defragr's

On Saturday, April 14, at the Defrag conference Ted Jordan and Steve Simmons will led a young game developers session from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at the Defrag conference.

In researching cool people and activities on in Lorain, Susan and I have spent time meeting many people on the Lorain County Community College campus. Catherine Worden is Project Director of Vision 2015, an initiative to create a new vision for the community’s college of the future.

Wise Catherine (she guided over 100 forums out in the community as the Listening and Learning part of the project in 2005!) advised us to connect with the school counselor network to identify young digital natives who might be interested in participating in Defrag.

We are learning there are several state wide organizations in Ohio devoted to counseling in education. By building the connectivity to existing networks, Defrag can begin to identify and connect young digital natives and accelerate learning between digital natives and the rest of us, digital immigrants. You can read Marc Prensky's article , here.

The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) in Education

The Ohio Arts Council is a longstanding national leader in arts-in-education.

The OAC sees opportunities to connect to Defrag in three areas: the Office of Arts Learning, Communications and in IT.

Check out their Handbook For A Successful Residency: For Schools, Community Organizations And Artists that offers guidance to artists and schools by teaching, organizing and leveraging metrics for arts in schools residency work.

Defrag Ohio Mashup: Strategic Doing in Web 2.0

Join us at Defrag Ohio Lorain if you are interested to explore best practices and new ways of thinking about social software technologies.

Matthew Bernius from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) has offered to share his research on how do we create value on line, video and audio mashups, and citizen journalism conveys culture.

How can we connect Matthew up with our citizen journalism community? Can we leverage this opportunity to affect research and have research inform us?

Matthew will be at Defrag Friday and Saturday. If you are interested in participating in a round table "mashup" (new convening format??) let us know (email info@i-open.org) and register here.

RIT does an awesome job of identifying and investing in cutting edge research. Just check out the subject list of the Labs and Centers page here.

See you soon! Bring a friend, get connected and learn at Defrag Ohio Lorain.

Grow Wisconsin Creatively and The New North

Here are a couple of websites about Wisconsin. Here is how the State of Wisconsin is meeting the challenges ahead and understanding the importance of the creative industries in economic development.

Wisconsin, to meet the challenges facing the state is moving forward with a public and private action agenda that uses the arts, culture, creativity and innovation -- the "creative economy" -- as essential tools for the state’s economic, educational and civic success. Grow Wisconsin Creatively will stimulate economic and community development, foster entrepreneurship, create jobs, enhance Wisconsin’s educational system, and sustain community livability and engagement.

For Wisconson to realize its full potential, addressing the state's participating in the Creative Economy will help them to achieve and sustain the following goals:

• Stable public and private investment in economic development and community revitalization by using the state’s diverse creative resources
• Assistance by the public and private sector in the creation and retention of high-paying jobs based in the creative economy
• Support of a consistently high-quality educational system using creativity in the acquisition of local and global knowledge and understanding, and prepares students for the 21st century workforce.
• Development of vital communities throughout the state that attract creative workers and organizations.

Another model in Wisconsin is NewNorth. What is New North?
The New North is the 18 county region in Northeast Wisconsin. The New North brand unites the region both internally and externally, signifying the collective economic power behind our 18 counties. The counties include Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Waupaca, Brown, Shawano, Oconto, Marinette, Door, Kewaunee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Florence, Menominee and Waushara.

Key Initiatives of the New North:

• Attracting, developing and retaining talent
• Focusing on targeted growth opportunities
• Supporting an entrepreneurial and small business climate
• Encouraging educational attainment
• Encouraing and embracing diverse talents
• Promoting the regional brand

For more information on Growing Wisconsin Creatively, go here.

KnowledgeWorks Foundation & The Institute for the Future "Map of Future Forces Affecting Education"

Map of Future Forces Affecting Education was developed in partnership with KnowledgeWorks Foundation and the Institute for the Future.

The map was created by aggregating the opions of relevant experts who create intensive case studies based on field research. The map is a forecast - a credible, internally consistent view of how future forces will affect the components of public education.

Barbara Diamond is Vice President, Education Strategy at KnowledgeWorks Foundation. "As a lawyer," Diamond says, "I work for education because it is like working for justice. "Education is the key to a just society," she says. "Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to become an educated person who both contributes and benefits economically, socially, culturally, and in countless other ways to the whole. It just is not right to bypass some individuals, to waste their talents, and consign them to poverty, by failing to ensure that they receive an excellent, inspiring education." To read more go here

KnowledgeWorks' David Moore will be a presenter at the Defrag Ohio Lorain Conference. The conference dates are Aprril 12, 13 and 14, 2007.