Monthly Archives: September 2012

can vampires exist in research?

It is not a secret that vampires attract my attention. There is something about these folkloric beings that have called me since I was in junior high. If I recall properly, only Ninjas have been in my interest radar much longer than vampires.  Yes, I admit, I am/was not into princesses much.

Vampires, across the literature and different believes, have an interesting connection with darkness and light, with a deep desire of life and their relationship with dead, and they show a special strength and vulnerability. Vampires are mysteriously captivating beings we have created, and maybe they are a reflection of us 😉 I have enough material to talk about vampires for a long time. Actually, I could write a little storybook about the topic. In any case, as time pass by I can sense how my personal attraction to vampires evolves.  One gets older.

Suddenly after talking with several freshmen students from our IMPIT program, as part of my actual job, I start to wonder: can vampires exist in research? I think, yes they can and they are of different types.

Why do I state that vampires can exist? Well, let’s be honest, new energy, ideas and dreams can be considered as part of the vital fluid that allows us to keep on moving.

It is clear, at least to me, that in order to have our knowledge system functioning, we need the wisdom of more experienced members of our group, as well as the energy of the young ones.  It is just fascinating how all these works!!!

I am genuinely trying to help the new students. They have been giving me their fresh energy without they attempting to do it. It just happens. Simultaneously, they take my energy.  At moments I see myself reflected through them, it is like a mirror. I can see I was passing EXACTLY through the same process some years back, or to be more precise SEVERAL years’ back.

Now, I am aware that the exchange of energy has to be done carefully. At the moment I am exhausted of the first round. Being exposed to life and energy,  demands that the receiver also offers life and energy.  The ratio is different, though!.  New learning process I am experiencing, undoubtably, and everything is switching.  Interesting times come ahead!

creation of new energy

creation of new energy

Image source in here

playing with kinect

Week 38, 2012
Joensuu, Finland

Sorry I have been so silent in the last weeks. There are good reasons for it. For example: I went to a wedding from a dear friend of mine in Nice, then I recorded a lecture in WWEDU that is in Wels, Austria (I think I post something about it); then visited Gøvik University College in Norway; participated at the CIMUSET; and believe it or not my family and very special people were here, surrounding me for my doctoral defence.  Honestly, I had been learning A LOT in the last weeks and enjoying even more! =)  So, in brief I have to write much to catch up.

However, the aim of this post is to share a game, which I honestly want to try: Kinected Stories: The Interactive Storybook Series.

One thing I am very curious about in this game is the experience of using my imagination when I read a book and link it to the imagination of the creators of the game. When, we read a book, as we know, we use our imagination a lot, e.g., creating voices, describing characters, that this imaginative effort help us to immerse in the story. For one reason, it is known that first read the book and later watch the movie. At least in most of the cases, this is the flow to follow.

So, the video advice to play first and later read the book does not convince me 100% yet.  Nevertheless, I should understand it is a promotional video 😉

In any case, for sure I want to try the game!!!!! =) and when time comes, meet the developers too 😉

Getting vision for the future: One day, I think I will expand this playing curiosities even more….. getting ready for it!