Ecology of the Computer Laboratory

Global communication, international workflow, and connected learning are converging to realign power, wealth, and work. As Friedman (2006) explained, many forces are coming together to cause a flattening or leveling effect of the world's workforce. This has allowed many skilled workers from emerging nations to enter the workplace and compete for jobs that were traditionally held by only a few wealthy industrial nations. Although the playing field is being leveled for some occupations, Florida (2005) convincingly argues that the international economic landscape is becoming spiky with innovations being concentrated in a few urban centers. These urban centers provide the new creative class with ecosystems that enable their prosperity. Innovations are improved and brought to market more quickly in settings where talented people collocate (Florida 2005). It is vital that graduates enter the workforce prepared to orchestrate globally distributed work using computer-based communication systems and know how to engage creatively in collocated activities. Despite these demands on our graduates, many university computer laboratories are sociofugal environments (environments that discourage social interaction), fostering the individual consumption of information versus collaboration. This paper examines the college computer lab as an ecological system that may impede transference of critical 21st century sociocutural norms and workplace skills.