What was particularly inspirational was a video of high school students playing this game, and then actively desiring to figure out how the system worked. This shows that, contrary to popular wisdom, students do want to learn, but that education needs to be placed in a relevant context to encourage their curiosity. Simple Things Hold Complex Ideas Ahh, the name tag, that staple of conferences and trade shows everywhere. A seemingly simple object, it actually plays an integral role in a rather complex social function. Before actually talking to a person, people will pointedly scan tags to pinpoint desirable conversation partners.
Ribbons dangling from the tag are emblems of importance, like stripes on a soldier's uniform.
The plastic holder serves double duty as a business card pouch. By adding some rudimentary technology to these tags, researchers at the Media Lab have created ThinkingTags , which extend the capabilities into some potentially exciting new realms. Then, when you approached someone, your name tags would light up showing how many questions you answered in common. The point is not that this is the focus of the event, but that, like clothes, grooming, etc., it provides further context for your personality. I find two exciting ideas here.