whatis:

Bitculture is the web portfolio of Dave H. Crusoe. This web presence reflects a small collection of my work and... well, I've tried to keep it short and simple. My latest resume can be found here in pdf format.

writing & thinking:

So: it's a big world with many social challenges, and part of the solution to some of our shared challenges is education. Accessible, equitable, awesome, powerful education -- education that takes into account its cultural existance and application to inspire positive development. I've done a bit of graduate work in the area:

During my stint as a Technology, Innovation and Education student (Ed.M, 2005) at HGSE , most of my writing (and thinking) focused on understanding the intersections of culture, education and technology. Some of my work included:

• An essay exploring semiotics (in the Geertz sense) and the meaning of learning objects within a muti-user virutal environment (MUVE).
• An examination of possible gender variations in the pattern of students' use of the River City MUVE analyzed through log data captured for all user events within the system.
• An essay exploring education and the potential gender effects of interface-based educational material [pdf] that's been cited elsewhere.
  
• The report of a six-month ethnographic study of "ToE", an online gaming clan: [pdf]
• A qualitative study of Battlefield 1942 gamers that explores player perceptions of learning through entertainment gaming: [pdf]
• A"total conversion mod" of Neverwinter Nights designed to teach high school students critial inquiry through considering events of the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. Downloaded upon request - it's kinda big to host, and contains some copyrighted content.

In 2006, I returned to HGSE to study cognitive science through "Mind, Brain and Education", a wonderful program. Among other topics, I studied, and attempted to synthesize, the psychological and neurological theories related to the development of creativity.

development:

Currently co-founder and co-director of The Public Learning Media Laboratory, a 501(c)3 located in Cambridge, MA. The Public Learning Media Laboratory is solely devoted to developing free, or low-cost (highly accessible), cognitive supports for learners of all ages, with a goal of making the educational process more efficient. Projects include Boolify (boolean search interface), Glean, a science and social data mapping project, and many others.

As of 2009, other projects, including The Nautilix Challenge (marine engineering, education, and challenging ocean exploration) are pending funding, and I've been unable to find the time to adequately support older work, including The Internet Radio Project (maybe you'd like to direct its future?).

puddle jumping:

Other free time: married to the wonderful Laila Flores, my dear co-story-teller; curious photographer, caver and highly motivated speleo-naturalist (former member of the UT Grotto, now in the Boston Grotto), rarely-stung beekeeper, national-public-radio-devout, puddle jumper extraordinare (except that it's fun to land in the puddle), and still-discordant banjo player (enough so that I'm not allowed to play after 9pm). Always-enthusiasmish liver of life.