Design Thinking

Part 1: From Farmville to the Classroom: Social Gaming and Millennial Engagement

Part 2: Pedagogy and Amusement: Incorporating Varieties of Fun in Game Development and Knowledge Design

Part 3: From Console to Classroom, Interfaces Cohesive & Compelling: Features of Blockbuster Games

Part 4: Listening Stations for Catching Unfettered Conversations, or, Why Eavesdropping is Troubleshooting

Part 5: Microinteractions on the Spectrum of Social Engagement, or, Why Lurking Matters

Part 6: Behavioral Targeting: Engagement and Interaction by Design

About This Series

Inspired by Bruce Mau’s massive change initiative as documented in Warren Berger’s work on transformative design in Glimmer, this blog series is an exercise in what designer and author John Thackara calls smart recombinations: connecting the dots between concepts that at first seem unrelated—a remix of ideas from far-flung locations.

This kind of instructional design thinking is about developing creative solutions across disciplinary boundaries. By radically decontextualizing and synthesizing insights from varied cultural perspectives, the goal is to arrive at innovative insights about knowledge media design and delivery targeted to millennials.

Through smart recombinations of ideas belonging to educational theorists, technoteachers, game designers, market researchers, advertising and PR specialists—this blog series will highlight ways to increase engagement, improve the experience of learning, and optimize retention and outcomes among the digital native demographic.

Upcoming Presentations

Connecting with Candidates Online: Social Recruiting Strategies for Human Resources. Queen's School of Business, Executive Development Centre. November 30, Kingston ON.

Social Media for Non-Profits. This event is hosted by the Kingston United Way and will take place on January 26th, 2012.

HR 2.0 Embracing Social Media and Mobile Technology in the Workplace, Human Resources Professionals Association, Halton Chapter. Oakville. April 10th, 2012 - 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Social Media and Digital Marketing Hungry! Part of the Corporate State Canada Women's CEO and Senior Management Summit, May 1st, 2012 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver.

Looking Ahead: The Impact of Social Media on Higher Ed.
Keynote presentation at the Manitoba Association for Distributed Learning and Training Conference, Friday, May 4, 2012.

Latest Podcasts

This episode considers the trend of juggling screens. From HDTV to handheld video, and now tablets adding to the mobile media ecosystem, multiscreen viewership is the new norm.
6 minutes

This episode considers trends in digital giving and online charity, mobile fund-raising, cause marketing and social media for social good. Which modes of digital giving resonate most strongly with Gen Y, and why? Is there any difference between cause marketing and direct donations in terms of the “feel good” factor?
7 minutes

Who owns status updates and photos posted to Facebook or SMS sent via Google Voice? This episode considers the links between data portability, privacy, and personal impression management online.
5 minutes

This episode considers the trend wherein brands become publishers, creating and distributing owned digital creative content online. Guess which brands are early adopters of this trend? Luxury automakers and fashion designers are first out of the gate when it comes to smartphone apps and tablet magazines.
5 minutes

New Courses for 2012

FILM436 eBranding. Course topics include: Impression Management, Employer Branding, PR & Integrated Communications, Celebrity eBranding, Creative Industries Online, Social Media for Social Good, and Socializing News Brands. Course starts in January 2012, 11 weeks, 4th year standing in Film & Media required. 20 seats.

FILM240 Media & Popular Culture. Course topics include: Advertising, PR, Magazines, Books, Movies, Music, TV, Gaming, Journalism, Digital Culture. Starts in September 2012, 11 weeks, no pre-reqs. 400 eSeats + 700 traditional seats.

FILM260 Digital Media. Course topics include: Mobilities, Virality, eReputation Management, eLiteracies, Digital Activism. Online course starts in May 2012, 6 weeks, no pre-reqs. 300 eSeats.

FILM110 Q4 Media and Culture. Course topics include: Advertising, Television, Digital Media, Social Friendship, News Online, Magazines, Gaming. Course section starts in February 2012, 6 weeks. 425 seats.

Returning in 2013:

FILM302: Fairy Tale Film. Course topics include: Folklore/Fantasy/Fairy Tale films, Adaptation, Monstrocity, Disney-fication, Special FX, Animation, Moral Panic, Cautionary Tales, Grotesqueries. Course begins in January 2013, 11 weeks. 35 seats.