The future of creativity software

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Steve Rumsby's entry about note-taking tools that can supplement and extend blogs, along with the ensuing discussion, has made me realise just how close we are to seeing the emergence of software that supports creativity in a way that will revolutionise how we work. I think there are three key aspects to this that are being actualised in separate systems, but which at some point soon will converge.

1. Sophisticated systems for organising ideas and notes into a variety of useful rhizomatic structures. Microsoft OneNote provides a platform for recording large numbers of connected-up notes. Concept and mind mapping tools offer new ways of forming links. And the 'write follow-up' functionality in Warwick Blogs offers limited concept mapping that I hope to see become more sophisticated;
2. The software is becoming increasingly outward-resource focussed. Sampling and commenting on external resources is essential. OneNote allows the user to take screen-clippings and include them in their notes. Warwick Blogs has reviews, 'blog-this' trackbacks etc.
3. We are finding ways to extend the 'track-back- principle to other resources, and possibly all resources. For example, some of our new learning objects can be recorded in the users blog, giving the individual a record of what they have done. But we would also like there to be a link from the learning object to view all of the available blog recordings of it in the system. Students could then compare results. Maybe they could even see a graph of all results. This principle could easily be extended so that it is possible to see all of the blog entries about a web page, or even about a paragraph in a page. You could see all of the responses to something in one place. So a lecturer could ask all of their students to blog a critical response to a text or even an image. Essentially this is a way of achieving shared-notetaking. Track-back is powerful, and their are many ways in which it could be used.

Taken together, these three developments will see a new way for individuals to develop their own creativity in their own controlled space (one of the core principles of higher education). But at the same time it will be externally focussed and connected up with other learners and researchers.

Robert O'Toole : 17 Oct 2004 10:00 |  Tags: E-Learning Warwick University |  Comments (0) |  Report a problem