http://www.inc.com/austin-allison/what-it-takes-to-stand-out-in-a-crowded-market.html?cid=sf01001
This is a very interesting post about being human and valuing quality over quantity. It isn’t written in educational contexts but it seems entirely relevant.
I often think those whom often theorise and seek to ensure others know their correctness are out of sync with the actual user base. Most of the time “they” are the subject of someone else’s interest and viewpoint.
Many users are not having anything like an exciting or satisfying time. They don’t have time to debate the semantics and details of this or that new technology. They don’t have the opportunity needed to get sufficient training or experience hours up before being parachuted into the techno theatre.
There are also many for whom (as this article describes) simply copying an existing idea which plenty of people have either done or knew about in a different guise or time. For example: audio and video has been used for decades to foreshadow lectures and classes. Today it takes on new cultural meaning though new representations. In popular culture. That’s an organisational memory problem.
Quality is something to strive for and quantity is only one possible measurement. Knowing 20 theorists names, 100 apps or the name of every ferry on Sydney harbour doesn’t change a thing in the minds of others. I have always avoided it. I read Game of Thrones … Before I saw it.
Being human centred means recognising that “people” (the procedural rhetorics objects) are not as advanced as the enthusiasts rhetoric can over estimate. This resolves itself as under estimating the day to day needs. Sure, shooting for more is valid, but shooting at ghosts is pointless.
More importantly, much of the social-edtech rhetoric is wrapped around corporate and individual ambition, not reality of the human experience. The more human, personal and honest the relationship, the more likely success will be. Slow down. Be okay with hearing — were not there yet.
For every person excited and adovating technology there are ten more that are utterly fatigued by it. To get anywhere takes a lot more time than is often desired. Humans work with other humans. There is no elite technology class saving the world but it is interested in quantity (big data) — how many courses; how much data; how many apps; best blogger; biggest influencer etc.
Humans who value quality and the inherent kindness and patience of colleagues will try new things. They won’t if people simply copycat ideas or flood them with more fatiguing demands and media panic.
Happy International Happiness Day.
Playable 
“Sure, shooting for more is valid, but shooting at ghosts is pointless.”
Great post, and I agree. Can I still know some theorist’s names though, because I’m finding this helps with organisational memory. Happy happy 🙂
Sure, I think trigger-knowledge is great, but using it to keep score is tiresome.