IEOR 190G is the first class I've taken that uses social media to a large extent. I agree with Professor Lavian that online discussions open up whole new dimensions of learning that didn't exist before. Ordinarily, assignments are a one-on-one relationship with the instructor; your essay is read and graded by the instructor and given back to you. However, with a social media environment, feedback is democratized and peer-reviewed.
The most interesting aspect of this democratized education is that peers can reflect not only on each other's work, but also on the comments. More often than not, I ended up responding to comments of videos rather than the videos themselves. This kind of feedback is a great way for students to support each other and foster community learning. Further, publishing posts online made the assignments mean more because they would be seen by other students.
Especially in the beginning of the semester, I had trouble finding interesting material and writing blogs. My writing was often shorter than others' because I never had the experience of sharing my thoughts on social media. Sometimes, I refrained from writing all of my opinions because I didn't feel comfortable opening myself up to community review. However, as I posted more blogs and got used to the class format, I started to enjoy learning through social media.
I wouldn't recommend changing anything in the future. Although many students have trouble with blogging and vlogging, they're both skills that are very helpful in the professional world. When I look at company websites, especially for startups, I see lots of branding through blogging. As for vlogging, I think it's good practice for interviews; if I can't articulate my thoughts in front of a computer screen, how would I speak in professional settings?
On the whole, I felt like IEOR 190G was taught in an innovative and adaptable way. I appreciated Professor Lavian's willingness to improve upon the assignments and take student feedback into account. Social media education is something unique to our generation, and I see lots of potential for that to become the norm in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHxWhsmWpG8
Friday, May 2, 2014
What I got out of this class...
I first became interested in intellectual property during a study abroad last summer. I went to Estonia with 30 Berkeley students for a startup bootcamp, where companies were formed in just 3 weeks. During the program, one of my favorite lectures was on IP. A partner from a prestigious IP law firm spoke about the practical value of IP and methods to secure, protect, assert, and monetize various types of IP. As a young entrepreneur, I was intrigued, and that's why I signed up for IEOR 190G.
I liked that this class focused on real-life concepts of IP rather than theory. Usually, my friends are surprised to hear that I enjoy a class on IP because they immediately think of tedious case-studies and rote memorization. On the contrary, IEOR 190G approaches this fascinating field through the perspective of technology entrepreneurship, which makes the material relevant for undergraduates like myself.
The most valuable experience I've had in class was learning the basics of filing and appealing patents. To hear about Professor Lavian's experiences dealing with examiners and his advice on writing patents was awesome. After taking this class, I know how crucial it is to find a good lawyer and pay more for better service. The story about the graduate student who thought of Google's search engine before Google made me realize how IP can make or break someone's return on innovation.
On a "softer" side, I appreciated learning about the ethics behind IP. Sometimes, patents are abused to hurt the very ideals that they should uphold. While patents should encourage innovation and reward fair compensation, trolls use them as ammunition. This problem, while largely unknown outside of the technology industry, has a huge effect on society that I was able to realize in IEOR 190G. On a positive note, it was inspiring to see companies like SynPat turning the table against trolls by "reverse-cheating" the system to protect fair players.
In the near future, I intend to launch a social venture through a technology startup. As a prospective entrepreneur, I'm fortunate to have taken IEOR 190G. Now that I know the average costs of litigation, filing process, patent trolls, and more, I feel prepared to handle IP in an informed and confident way. What I learned this semester will definitely come in handy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTdWLFag6tM
I liked that this class focused on real-life concepts of IP rather than theory. Usually, my friends are surprised to hear that I enjoy a class on IP because they immediately think of tedious case-studies and rote memorization. On the contrary, IEOR 190G approaches this fascinating field through the perspective of technology entrepreneurship, which makes the material relevant for undergraduates like myself.
The most valuable experience I've had in class was learning the basics of filing and appealing patents. To hear about Professor Lavian's experiences dealing with examiners and his advice on writing patents was awesome. After taking this class, I know how crucial it is to find a good lawyer and pay more for better service. The story about the graduate student who thought of Google's search engine before Google made me realize how IP can make or break someone's return on innovation.
On a "softer" side, I appreciated learning about the ethics behind IP. Sometimes, patents are abused to hurt the very ideals that they should uphold. While patents should encourage innovation and reward fair compensation, trolls use them as ammunition. This problem, while largely unknown outside of the technology industry, has a huge effect on society that I was able to realize in IEOR 190G. On a positive note, it was inspiring to see companies like SynPat turning the table against trolls by "reverse-cheating" the system to protect fair players.
In the near future, I intend to launch a social venture through a technology startup. As a prospective entrepreneur, I'm fortunate to have taken IEOR 190G. Now that I know the average costs of litigation, filing process, patent trolls, and more, I feel prepared to handle IP in an informed and confident way. What I learned this semester will definitely come in handy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTdWLFag6tM
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