I'm in Minnesota today at a workshop on digital storytelling pulled together by Nora Paul of the University of Minnesota's New Media Institute. It's a bit of old home week for me -- we're meeting at the Star Tribune. Participants include Ken Riddick, Will Tacy, Jamie Hutt and Matt Thompson, all currently at startribune.com, as well as longtime site designer Jamie Hutt, former editors Rusty Coats and myself, and various current and former competitors.
There's been a lot of talk about engagement, passive vs. interactive interfaces, social vs. personal experiences, pydias vs. ludis. (The last comes from Matt and I have no idea how to spell it, and Google ain't helping.) It's been energizing to spend some time with smart people talking about journalism and storytelling.
Tonight I'll fly to Dulles for an API seminar, where I'm leading a session tomorrow on internet strategy for community newspapers.
Comments
That's 'paideia' and 'ludus'
Check it out. Ever since I read that blog post, I've been a little bit entranced with the concepts, and with the questions it raised for me. The term "paideia" or "paidia" goes back to Aristotle's days (more), and relates to the root of "encyclopedia." (And consequently, appropriately, Wikipedia.)
You'll run across "ludus" and its descendants a bit more frequently in English -- ludology, ludicrous, delusions. Interestingly, in Latin, where "ludus" came from, it meant not only "game," but also, "school."
It was great chilling with you for two days, Steve. Hope to see more of you.
Aha
I didn't recognize paideia but it's coming back to me now. Mortimer Adler, educational methodology.