Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Chapter 5 - The Prosumers

Hack This Product Please!

This chapter discusses the new age of prosumers, where customers actively participate in the creation and modification of products they consume -- and where “creation” is preferred over the consumption. The chapter begins by relating a discussion between Stanford Professor Lawrence Lessig and Philip Linden, founder of the massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), or virtual world, known as Second Life -- which just happens to be where the “meeting is taking place.” Second Life is created almost exclusively by the consumers, making them also the producers, hence the term ‘prosumers’.

The authors urge companies to follow the Linden Labs model in “building a 'product' that invites and enables customers to collaborate and add value on a massive scale” (127) such as the Lego Mindstorms (http://mindstorms.legos.com). . . “Companies that learn how to tap the insights of lead users can gain a competitive advantage (128).”

It was interesting to read the authors’ predictions about the evolution of the iPod -- especially since it has somewhat now reached the predicted ‘improved’ state, now performing the functions that hackers first dreamed up, with their “podzilla” operating system -- essentially turning the iPod into a mini-computer. And, anyone can now use the Apple Developer Kit to write their own applications. This has generated a ton of revenue for both Apple and the software authors.

WE ARE THE MEDIA:
There was considerable conversation about mashing and remixing of copyrighted music and the legal battles for Digital Rights Management. I found this interesting as well, in light of the recent DRM-free music now available from Apple (http://www.apple.com/itunes/whatsnew/).

It's important to note that the launch of the Creative Commons in 2002 (by Larry Lessig) has provided great resources for education -- as well as the availability of http://ccmixter.org/ for mixing content.

I was surprised that YouTube was not mentioned in greater depth, especially since participatory music is so prevalent in YouTube. I think the authors "missed the mark" on this one.

As a follow up to this chapter, I would encourage everyone to view Larry Lessig's TED Talk, "How Creativity is Being Strangled by the Law" -- (From TED: "Larry Lessig, the Net’s most celebrated lawyer, cites John Philip Sousa, celestial copyrights and the "ASCAP cartel" in his argument for reviving our creative culture.")

What other ideas do you have about "prosumers" in education?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey Rat Packers,

As I was reading about Prosumers in the business world, I couldn't help to think of how or if I use my student's input in the educational world. I think it's great that SHS puts so much value in the senior exit surveys. I know from speaking to administrators that there have been several programs initiated based on the results of those surveys.

How about in my class?

Here are some ways I can foresee turning my students into prosumers

1. create an online exit survey for my class, in the same model that SHS uses

2. Have them create test questions during the unit based on their HW. I could use a compilation of those questions for my test.

I wonder if there is online program that does that?

Also, Charlene, I completely agree with your YouTube observation. I kept waiting for the author to reference that as well.

Also, Charlene, I checked out the "We think" video..."The web is a mass of conversations"....a very interesting way to look at the net! I also enjoyed the comparison between the 20th and 21st century, with the 21st century being the "masses" doing the innovation. The masses are our students!