Custom research paper: Critical Thinking

1.) Go to YouTube and search for “Comcast Technician” and watch the resulting, top-rated post (over 1.4 million views) that is referenced in this chapter. How is this like “trying to take pee out of a swimming pool”?
The video called “A Comcast Technician Sleeping on my Couch” shows the technician fallen asleep when holding line on Comcast, and includes many complaints about the quality of service. To a certain extent, this picture reminds the saying “trying to take pee out of a swimming pool” Originally, this saying referred to trying to take something off the Internet; however, this idea may be applied to all large and poorly organized structures, e.g. Comcast – trying to get quality service from this company is like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool, according to the opinions of millions of users who watched this video.
2.) Describe the three forces driving the Groundswell. Can you think of any other similar “groundswells” in the history of society, where these same three factors converged? Explain. custom research paper
According to Li and Bernoff (2008), the groundswell appears as the result of collision of three forces: technology, economics and people. As a result, a new environment has been created and is rapidly developing. In my opinion, there are also examples of previous groundswells in the history, the most vivid being industrial revolution in the 18th-19th centuries. At that time principal technological changes took place; these changes were greatly shaped by the economical needs, and were maintained by people as the main driving force. As a result, current achievements of progress and lifestyle have appeared, and the pace of living was intensified. Thus, direct analogies with the Groundswell can be seen even before the current information revolution.
3.) If you wrote a science fiction novel called “Groundswell” who would play the role of James Kidder and who would represent the Neoterics?
If I wrote a novel, James Kidder would be depicted as middle-aged scientist with great interest to society and to principles of life, with unsuccessful attempts of pursuing a career, and the Neoterics would resemble the Liliputians. In case it would be a movie scenario, the role of James Kidder could be suggested to Tobey Maquire, and the Neoterics would most probably be cartoon and 3d-modelled creatures.
4.) How can you envision using the Groundswell to your advantage as a teacher?
On one hand, using the Groundswell for the needs of any strongly structured system is not likely since the essence of Groundswell implies the absence of control. At the same time, if the approach to teaching can be changed from traditional to more flexible and student-centered, Groundswell effect may be used for project-based tasks and research tasks – so that learners could work in a team and collaborate; it can be used for discussion topics and for timely help for the students having difficulties. Also, this effect may be used for igniting interest to certain topics or reshaping the program so that it could better suit the needs of certain group or even generation.

References
Christensen, C. & Horn, M. & Johnson, C. (2008). Disrupting class: How disruptive innovation will change the way the world learns. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Li, C. & Bernoff, J. (2008). Groundswell: Winning in a world transformed by social technologies. Boston: Harvard.
A Comcast Technician Sleeping on my Couch. (2006, June 20). [Video File].



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