SXSW 2014: Day 1
We’re here at SXSW Interactive with a recap of Day 1 (find more info here). Friday’s weather in Austin was pleasant with semi-sunny skies, but we’re expecting rain on and off throughout Saturday. While there are plenty of attendees, the crowd size seems comparable to last year, with noticeable surges when trying to enter clubs, lunch spots, or smaller festival sessions—though it’s not as packed as in 2013.
Thursday focused on state education and the role of technology as a transformational agent. The highlight of the day was a session led by John Hagel from the Center for the Edge. His research on workplace efficiency revealed that companies are in a “war for talent,” striving to acquire the best individuals to stay competitive. However, he pointed out a “paradox of talent,” where companies often fail to develop the talent they acquire. Hagel emphasized that while executives discuss acquiring and retaining talent, they rarely focus on its development. He advocated for applying design thinking principles to workplace environments to foster employee connections and accelerate innovation.
Later, we attended an insightful session on MOOCs (massive open online courses) led by Dave Hinger and Jeff Meadows from the University of Lethbridge in Canada. They addressed key challenges facing MOOCs and potential solutions, encouraging audience participation. The attendees, primarily from higher education, shared a variety of opinions, leading to some consensus on the following points:
- MOOCs suffer from low completion rates.
- Effective assessment of MOOC students is challenging.
- Many MOOCs lack engagement and have low production quality.
- MOOCs are not financially sustainable for institutions.
Some audience members highlighted Georgia Tech’s MOOC-based degree in Computer Science for only $6000, which they found disruptive to the traditional university model.
Day 1 concluded with relaxation in the PayPal lounge, featuring ample charging outlets and free swag. Today, we plan to check out the Oreo Cookies 3D printer, where you can print and eat your own Oreo cookie!