Government Broadband Investment Supports Rural Innovation

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has a new report about the potential for broadband networks to support innovation across the global economy. The report focuses on four areas of potential economic benefit from expanded broadband: electricity, health, transportation, and education. The opportunities for rural areas like South Dakota are particularly relevant, especially as SDN Communications gets one of the first stimulus grants aimed at expanding rural broadband.

Market Imperfection

The full report offers some passages that South Dakota policymakers may find instructive in building the case for government action to expand broadband access:

Just as electricity allowed businesses to re-arrange their productive segments within a factory, broadband networks allow businesses to rearrange production globally to take advantage of production efficiencies in different geographic locations. For example, high-speed data lines allow companies to place internal divisions in different geographic locations which are best suited to their factor needs. For example, corporations with large data storage requirements now can build data centres close to inexpensive renewable energy sources in remote areas to take advantage of the renewable energy resources. These remote data centres are then networked to other parts of the company via fibre-optic lines allowing for data to be retrieved from low cost processing areas and delivered anywhere in the world. The effects can be local as well in cases in cases such as teleworking where employees can work from home or local telecommuting centres and still access company resources [James Enck and Taylor Reynolds, "Network Developments in Support of Innovation and User Needs," Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development: Document DSTI/ICCP/CISP(2009)2/FINAL, p.10].

Broadband offers numerous potential benefits to rural America; the problem is that the benefits are spread out socially don’t translate directly into economic returns for the agency that installs the broadband infrastructure:

Currently, broadband networks are still built based on the potential private returns to telecommunication operators but the social impacts of broadband connectivity could be potentially much larger than the private returns the operator is able to internalise. This leads to situations where the total benefits of installing a new network outweigh its costs but the network is not built because the operators could not recoup their initial investment. Economists consider this a form of market imperfection that can lead to non-optimal provisioning of services (OECD, 2009b)(Farrell and Klempere, 2006). [p. 13]

Electricity

In electrical production, broadband is key to supporting the smart grid, which could reduce electrical consumption and costs. But the smart grid will rely on lots of data from lots of points: distributed energy generation sites, including home wind turbines and solar panels pumping excess electricity for sale elsewhere in the grid; smart appliances seeking real-time data on spot rates to avoid high peak-energy costs; plug-in hybrid vehicles seeking optimum charge times and opportunities to sell unused power. All that data will require more bandwidth. The more extensive and robust the broadband network, the more customers the utilities will be able to serve and the “smarter” the smart grid will be [pp. 16-20].

Health Care

In health care, broadband offers the chance for hospitals and other providers to develop innovations like remote consultations with patients at home and with specialists at other facilities. Many of those innovations will depend on the two-way “symmetric” connectivity that broadband can provide:

Since health interactions require communication in both directions it is important for the connections to accommodate high-bandwidth symmetric connectivity. High-definition video over broadband promises to improve the interaction between patients and remote doctors but the systems require more upload bandwidth than current DSL and cable broadband networks are generally able to provide. It is generally believed that health applications will require symmetric bandwidth (Tan, 2005). One of the key challenges facing e-health providers is that the remote centres which will be uploading many of the large files to specialists in larger cities are precisely the institutions which need the fastest upload bandwidth but in reality, often have the slowest available connections [p. 25].

Transportation

In transportation, broadband promises support for intelligent traffic management, an issue that is less relevant to the uncongested roads of rural South Dakota. However, the availability of broadband in rural areas is still important for applications like accident avoidance and shipment tracking. The OECD also includes telework in this section, noting that increased broadband access creates more opportunities to work at home instead of commuting to work every day [pp.29-30]. The more bandwidth rural residents have available, the more jobs they can do from their homes, and conceivably the less demand there will be on our transportation infrastructure.

Education

The theme of interaction comes up again in the OECD’s discussion of broadband and education. The report notes that “Lower speed Internet connections are likely sufficient for many types of online learning” [p. 35] that rely mostly on students accessing and downloading resources. But fully “Web 2.0″ education has students interacting with teachers and with each other by audio and video, sharing documents and online whiteboard notes and diagrams, and in general producing as much data as they consume. Really engaging students in active learning requires a broadband connection over which students can give as much as they get.

Cost Savings

The OECD report gets particularly interesting when it rolls out the calculations for just how big cost savings would have to be to justify building a nationwide network of fiber-optic broadband cable to every home. The report breaks the numbers down by different estimates of per-household cost and take-up rate. Under the scenarios studied, a nationwide broadband installation would require 0.5% to 1.5% savings across the economy to justify the investment [p. 42]. In the U.S., we could get savings of that magnitude by reducing costs in the electricity, health, transportation, and energy sectors by between 0.41% and 1.04% [pp. 46, 50].

So put your innovative heads together: if you had broadband available everywhere, could you come up with enough ideas and applications to shave 1% off the cost of doing business in four key sectors of the economy? If so, you’ve built an economic case for running fiber to every house in the country.

 

Twitter Wall Makes Speech Nightmare

danah boyd (she digs the lowercase) tells a harrowing tale of technology wrecking communication. Speaking at Web 2.0 Expo last week, boyd was already facing some circumstances that had her off her speaking game. She was debuting a new presentation, significantly different from her usual “stump speech.” She was uncomfortable with her script for more reason than newness: for some reason, the organizers told her she couldn’t use her laptop during the speech. She feels more comfortable with a computer available during her speeches, but for Web 2.0 Expo, she had to revert to a paper script. When she took the stage, she found the lights were so bright she couldn’t see most of the audience members.

And then, launching her speech into that faceless glare, this happened:

Well, I started out rough, but I was also totally off-kilter. And then, within the first two minutes, I started hearing rumblings. And then laughter. The sounds were completely irrelevant to what I was saying and I was devastated. I immediately knew that I had lost the audience. Rather than getting into flow and becoming an entertainer, I retreated into myself. I basically decided to read the entire speech instead of deliver it. I counted for the time when I could get off stage. I was reading aloud while thinking all sorts of terrible thoughts about myself and my failures. I wasn’t even interested in my talk. All I wanted was to get it over with. I didn’t know what was going on but I kept hearing sounds that made it very clear that something was happening behind me that was the focus of everyone’s attention. The more people rumbled, the worse my headspace got and the worse my talk became. I fed on the response I got from the audience in the worst possible way. Rather than the audience pushing me to become a better speaker, it was pushing me to get worse. I hated the audience. I hated myself. I hated the situation. I wanted off. And so I talked through my talk, finishing greater than 2 minutes ahead of schedule because all I wanted was to be finished. And then I felt guilty so I made shit up for a whole minute and left the stage with 1 minute to spare [danah boyd, "spectacle at Web2.0 Expo... from my perspective," apophenia, 2009.11.24].

What had happened? The conference organizers were posting Twitter feeds on a big screen behind her, as they did for every speaker. boyd had learned about this technological addition shortly before the speech, but she hadn’t been able to monitor the feed during her speech. She had no computer on the podium. She couldn’t spend more than half of her speech turning away from the audience to read the big screen behind her.

During her first couple nervous minutes on stage, the Twitter stream displayed some complaints that she was going too fast. The criticism, fueled by her disconnection from it, reinforced itself and devolved into harsher insults, sexual comments, and swearing. Responding to the ugly turn, the conference organizers shut off the stream midway through the speech, but that only drew more hostility from the crowd. Restoring the stream placated no one. As boyd says, technology wrecked communication: “The Twitter stream had become the center of attention, not the speaker.”

boyd has spoken positively about using Twitter and other online tools as a “backchannel” through which to connect with other audience members and seek additional information during presentations. In this case, though, boyd responds (rightfully) sharply and personally to backchannel chatter that became an uncivil frontchannel. The Internet is great for making more voices heard; it should not become a tool for the mob to insult and silence others.

boyd’s live public Twitter bludgeoning shows what happens when speaker and audience lose their sense of connection with each other. boyd couldn’t connect with her audience the way she usually does. Her script and the lights prevented her from focusing on the full humanity of her audience. The audience, in turn, commited an even greater violation of the speaker’s humanity, stealing the stage from her, objectifying her, heckling at a level of magnitude unmatched by any single, fleeting insult shouted from the back of the hall.

Twitter asks us “what’s happening?” Maybe we don’t really need to know. Or maybe we just need to agree that sometimes “what’s happening” is that a fellow human being is stepping out on a stage, hoping to share some knowledge and spark some thought and conversation, and that our role is to close our computers and listen.

 

Advent Conspiracy: Join Now!

I can vaguely justify this post as demonstrating a really good visual presentation. Note how text-focused it is… but note also the outstanding background music, prividing powerful pathos behind the words.

And when you’re done with your academic analysis, drop your shopping, stay home Friday, and do some good! Join the Advent Conspiracy!

 

Steve Jobs Introduces Mac: Classic Visual Aids

Let’s jump in the wayback machine and take a look at Steve Jobs, master salesman, first teasing a fall 1983 audience with the first showing of the now famous “1984″ Mac ad, then bringing a January 1984 audience to its feet with the unveiling of the Macintosh.

Now sure, he doesn’t have to work very hard to make the sale. His audiences are both favorable Apple crowds. They want to cheer. They already see Jobs as a hero. Of course, living up to such high expectations can be a challenge in itself.

But we see here two examples of stunning visuals that resonated worldwide. The “1984″ ad appeared once on television — once – and has been talked about ever since. Notice that the ad doesn’t really have a lick of logos; it’s all pathos. It uses the word computer once. It doesn’t mention IBM. It doesn’t need to. Jobs sets up the industry history and the challenge before his company; he then fires a visual ICBM into the cultural metaphorosphere to declare his intent to fight and win.

The Mac unveiling is a very different kind of visual aid speech. Jobs does much less talking in this clip than I expect you to do in class for your visual aid speech. However, in his context, his stepping aside to let the product speak for itself is brilliant salesmanship. He doesn’t have to use his words to persuade the audience; he just sets his machine center stage and turns it on, a move that by itself takes guts (just ask Bill Gates).

The Mac demo looks laughably cheesy just 25 years later; you probably get better graphics on your cell phone. But recall: the only font most people had ever seen on a computer was something like Terminal. The only voice most people had heard from a computer was the WOPR in Wargames and HAL in 2001 (and they both wanted to kill people). In 1984, the Macintosh was amazing.

Odds are you won’t come up with a visual aid for your Speech 101 performance that will bring 3000 people to their feet and change personal computing forever (but don’t let me stop you from trying!). But when you’re preparing your speeches, when you’re getting ready to persuade an audience, think like Steve Jobs. Look for a visual that will grab your listeners’ attention, make them say, “Wow!” and fix you and your message in their minds for a very long time.

 

Web 2.0 to Replace Political Parties?

E-Gov Bulletin from the UK suggests that social networks could sweep away political parties. Dr. Ian Kearns, former Head of the e-Government Programme at the Institute for Public Policy Research, tells the House of Commons’ Parliamentary IT Committee that Web 2.0 is giving people the tools to recognize and use their power to organize and campaign.

Dr. Kearns is speaking in the British parliamentary context where third parties have a reasonable shot at making a difference. I’m not sure social networks would have as easy of a time upending one of our two dominant parties. However, his point that parties can (and must!) take advantage of the technology is proven by the Howard Dean and Barack Obama presidential campaigns. The Internet and social apps (plus a good spreadsheet) put as much organizing power in the hands of two local advocates in a back office as could have been mustered by a national campaign office a couple decades ago.

While the technology is powerful, Dr. Kearns emphasizes that the big shift is in how we use the technology, how we expect to be involved in the information process. Yes, it’s the consumer-producer-conducer paradigm shift! Politicans need to get out of “broadcast” mode and recognize that politics is much more a two-way, participatory endeavor. The new politics is all about openness and engagement. If you’re running for office, you can’t just put up a website; you have to invite your voters in to build that website—to build its content—for you.

 

How to Develop Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Michael Callaway at Mesa Community College offers this really good summary of Aristotle’s three elements of persuasion: ethos, pathos, and logos. As a composition teacher, he focuses on the ways you can use language (as opposed to your physical appearance, facial expressions, etc.) to develop these three elements. Good advice for writers and speakers!

Remember: understanding ethos, pathos, and logos isn’t just about helping you be more persuasive. If you can identify how other speakers use Aristotle’s tools, you can recognize when others’ efforts to persuade you are based more on emotion and character and less on logic and evidence.

Ethos, pathos, and logos are all tools. Conscientious speakers (that means you!!!) use those tools skillfully and honestly to craft strong, responsible arguments. Less scrupulous speakers can abuse these tools for selfish and immoral ends. Hitler was a master of ethos, pathos, and logos. Corporations build ethos by engaging in expensive public relations campaigns, while their corporate charters still demand that they act strictly in the interest of increasing their investors’ stock dividends. Crafty spin doctors can misuse statistics in a multitude of ways.

Think of good persuasion like good driving: You’re a good driver. You will always follow the rules. But because not everyone is a responsible driver, you have to make yourself an even better driver: drive defensively, watch out for crazy drivers, and respond quickly and confidently to keep someone else from pulling you into an accident.

Persuade defensively. Use ethos, pathos, and logos responsibly. Watch out for crazy persuaders. And when someone misuses ethos, pathos, and logos, don’t let them drag you—or your polis—into a wreck.

 

More Interview Tips… in Video!

Vault.com covers some interview basics. Suits for all, focus on the job, and turn off your phone! No phone call is more important than getting the job.

Nervous? Try these three tips from Brian Krueger: prepare, practice…

…contract your abdominal muscles? Hmmm… I’m all for supporting your voice with the diaphragm, but exert those tummy muscles too much, and you might squeeze out something besides nervousness!

Nerves and adrenaline will make you fast and jumpy. This British Monster.com video urges you to practice your control:

1. Control the voice: be slow, steady and clear.
2. Control your eyes: make solid, patient eye contact.
3. Control your hands: use them, but deliberately.

You never know what an employer will ask… or do you? Some favorites almost always come up… so be ready for them!

And don’t forget to prep your own questions about the company. These job seekers offer some good examples of stock questions they take to job fairs… good material for interviews as well!

 

Polish Your Webcam: Interviewing by Skype

Some employers will use a combination of phone interviews and in-person interviews — maybe phone for the first round, then in-person for the best handful from that round. With webcams and other videoconferencing gear increasingly accessible, some employers are enhancing the remote interview by adding video to audio. Time offers this video on how to interview on Skype. See also the accompanying article.

The up side: no more worries about sweaty palms and B.O.!

The downside: you need to clean up the apartment.

So what do you think: would you rather interview in person or online?

 

Job Interview — Expectations!

Here’s what you can expct for your Mock Job Interview assignment coming up this month!

• identify a job you could realistically apply for
• pick a time outside of class time for interview
• CAH will interview each student for 20 minutes
• CAH will grade you on the content and delivery of your responses, eye contact, the confidence of your handshake, and your professional appearance
• Arriving late is a surefire way not to get hired. Be punctual!

Interview will include…

• 5-10 set questions (known ahead of time)
• 3-5 “surprise” questions requiring impromptu response
• 2 questions by student for CAH about the job

Dress Expectations

• Ladies: Suits or skirts acceptable
• Gents: necktie and tucked-in shirt required
• NO: jeans, athletic shoes, white socks, bare toes, cleavage, midriff

Job Interview Questions (I will ask you 5-10 questions from this list):

1. Why would you be good at this job?
2. Why do you want to work here?
3. What courses did you learn the most from at university?
4. What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness?
5. Tell us about a problem you have solved.
6. What are your goals for the next year? five years?
7. What personal characteristics are necessary for success?
8. What qualities do you like to see in coworkers?
9. What qualities do you like to see in a supervisor?
10. Give an example of how you have worked as a part of a team.
11. How do you deal with stress?
12. What is the most important thing you have learned about yourself in your educational career (college or HS)?

Job Hunt Resources:

• Technology Data Resources — Executive Search Consultants
  

  “Job market statistics from recruiters reveal that the average person will go through 12 to 17 job interviews for each job offer. Candidates with strong job interview skills go through 1 to 3 job interviews for each offer. The person that gets the offer is the person who interviews the best.”

• Jennifer S. Murray, “The Zen of Law Librarian Interviews: How to Interview for a Job and How to Interview the Job,” Law Library Journal, 2004, vol. 96, #2, pp. 295-316.
• Jim Hicks (founder, president, Ansley Consulting Group), “Tips for Job Seekers,” September 2003.
• Job-Employment-Guide.com — career planning, resume writing, cover letters, job interviews, etc.
• Joe Turner, “The 10 Biggest Job Interview Killers,” Yahoo HotJobs, 2007.

 

National Science Foundation Uses Zotero Bibliography Manager

Dakota State University makes the bibliographic management program EndNote available to students through the Mundt Library (I know I downloaded a copy from the Mundt website… but I can’t remember where!). Our tuition or student fees or tax dollars are paying for it, so I guess it can’t hurt to use it.

But you and our university can find a cheaper and better alternative for managing your research sources and notes in Zotero, an open-source bibliography manager that a fellow student introduced me to last spring. I dig it… and so does the National Science Foundation. NSF has been using Zotero in-house for a while, and they’re sufficiently satisfied that they’ve hired the Zotero.org team to build a customized version for them.

So consider: if the software is good enough for the people you’re begging for grants, might it be good enough for you?