My 2 ideas
for Cleveland 2.0..
I’m planning on attending today’s charette even though I’m about the furthest thing from a “technologist”. I do believe though that anyway we can improve our community is worth a look. I’m likely to be well over my head today (as my Second Life alter ego Ubiquitous Congrejo was last seen standing at the welcome center trying to change his clothes… God I hope I’m not standing there naked right now!), so please take the following two ideas as the thoughts of someone who’s not really sure what to expect.
OK, here are the two ideas I’m bringing -
1. Technology introduction and acclimatization for the unconnected
I really like the concept of the first two ideas listed in the original post. I’m all for more community input with our representative democracy, but the one thing I think that’s lacking is an introductive method for the target constituency to get involved. The plan in item two is to offer PDC devices, but how do you expect these folks to use them?
The under $40K constituency is one that is often unfamiliar and uncomfortable with new technologies. A very human element (call them the Cleveland 2.0 Ambassadors for lack of a better term) needs to be created that will assist this unconnected group in learning how to participate.
2. Intergenerational Playgrounds for Families
The technologies associated with web 2.0 (and Second Life) allow for people to interact unconstrained in digitally physical ways. Why not provide opportunities where grandparents can interact with their grandchildren in a way that they are both on equal footing. To take this a step further, why not use the tenth idea of an oral history project listed in the original post to provide a record (and an avatar) of grandma and grandpa when they were more lucid for their future generational descendants to interact with?
