Despite natural inclination of humanity to follow the same path when guided by a leader, Davidson argues that allowing large groups of people to tackle problems independently, a collection of individual solutions will come through, many of which could not be foreseen. Her example is the ‘iPod experiment’ held at Duke where students had to produce a valid reason for the technology to be used in their class so they could have access to a free iPod. Those students helped create a new media, the podcast, where lectures can be shared online. This lead to the development of iTunes U. She is saying that the individual efforts of the students are what lead to the shift in technology and education. However, where is the individuality in the group collaboration. The individual efforts of the developers in Manchester lead to the famous modern city, with shopping districts and housing areas. Just because the efforts seem isolated do not mean that the product is as well. The combined ideas and efforts of the students is where the crowdsourcing model shines.

Despite natural inclination of humanity to follow the same path when guided by a leader, Davidson argues that allowing large groups of people to tackle problems independently, a collection of individual solutions will come through, many of which could not be foreseen. Her example is the ‘iPod experiment’ held at Duke, where students had to produce a valid reason for the technology to be used in their class so they could have access to a free iPod. Those students helped create a new media, the podcast, where lectures can be shared online. She is saying that the individual efforts of the students are what lead to the shift in technology and education. However, there is the collectiveness in the group collaboration, “the iPod could be used for collective learning,” (Davidson 52). The individual learning process was not the focus of the experiment for her. Even Davidson wanted to see how technology effected the collective system of college students. She knew that like the individual efforts of the developers in Manchester lead to the famous modern city, with shopping districts and housing areas. Just because the efforts seem isolated do not mean that the product is as well. The combined ideas and efforts of the students is where the crowdsourcing model shines. It is one thing for individuals to come up with ideas; it is another for the group as a whole to accept and use them. If a students had not continued to use the ideas presented on how to use the iPod, then the experiment was a failure. Yet Davidson insisted that experiment succeeded, so that means ideas were accepted into the main thinking of the group.

Max said that I needed to have a quote and relate my idea back to the thesis better. So I refocused the paragraph. I found a quote which enforced the belief I could not express earlier without evidence. Davidson does believe that the individuality of her students is what defines the crowdsourcing, but even she must admit that this experiment is more about than the individual ideas. It is one thing for individuals to come up with ideas; it is another for the group as a whole to accept and use them. I do want to expand more on the idea, and incorporate some more ideas from Johnson, but it will take more than one paragraph to express them all through this line of thinking. This paragraph relates back to my thesis by explaining how Davidson’s argument can benefit my own. My revision reinforces that goal better.