Greetings, NAAEE folks!

I would like to invite all of you to join me in a discussion group around some recent books about technology, nature, and the human experience. I thought I would set up the group so that you can choose to join for one book, then skip the next if you want -- no long-term obligation here. We would allow a few weeks for readers to make their way through the particular title, then start a discussion thread about the book here. Alternatively, if there is enough interest, we could try out a synchronous book discussion, using a platform like Skype or perhaps via conference call. Knowing how busy we all are, though, I was thinking the asynchronous format of a discussion thread would be a good place to begin.

For the first title, I would like to propose "Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked" by Adam Alter, published in March of this year. I haven't read it yet myself, but according to reviews, it is an engaging yet fairly scholarly look at how apps and technological devices are designed to get users addicted to them. I would particularly invite those of you in software development and other digital technology fields to consider joining us -- I am hoping to see an arrange of perspectives on the place of technology in our lives, and particularly in relationship to environmental education. Should getting into nature also mean unplugging from technology? Or can technology foster a deeper connection with the natural world? Can access to the Worldwide Web promote a sense of place, or only of placelessness?

If you are interested in joining our discussion group, please respond to this post and then track down a copy of the book (for those wanting to read it on a screen, it is available for Kindle, too). I would like to propose that we would begin our discussion of the book in one month, on Tuesday, June 20th.