~~~Jazz All Day~~~

Found on CMLsi:The Inconvenient Truth

Why do folks fight over Wikipedia so much? Just like so many other things, its not as bad or as good as the experts or masses make it out to be. Its just another resource, and if anyone is using any source as the end-all and be-all of information, they need to seriously consider 1) cultivating a little more patience and 2) un-learning at the hands of skilled mentors. Of course, requiring substantial research skills be taught from the elementary school level on up would help a lot for the latter.

The Washington Post recently posted an article by Monica Hesse titled "Truth: Can You Handle It? Better Yet: Do You Know It When You See It?" A couple ideas she talks about are the two aforementioned items above, but that's only part of it. Like so many articles I read today, the online discussion/comments are more interesting and more vital to the various citizens around the globe than the published piece itself. If we look back on pre-web times, public discourse based on newspaper articles was taking place face-to-face at the dinner tables, barbershops, and churches instead of in the digital realm, so is it just a case of the mode changing more than the message? Is more in-depth investigative journalism always better than creating a fact-based conversation starter? Is Beck_Childs on the right track with these points in the comment section?:

1) Kids aren't taught critical thinking, and they're generally dumb as a result. This is a broad problem, not one specific to the Internet.

2) When the paper books you keep referring to are replaced with electronic versions, as they will be, the "problem" you posit will go away.

3) What's even lower on the brain-food scale than wikipedia and blogs? The lazy, self-serving anecdotes you use in this piece. Perhaps you should tell us how many books you researched and how much time and money was spent to do your little paid-for homework assignment here?.....

Check out the article and the other comments and spout your "information" about any and all these topics, please.

Again, thanks Chuck for the heads up.

Sustainability

Back in 2003 I came across and read an article entitled, “The Sustainability Challenge: Taking Edtech to the Next Level” which was published by the Benton Foundation and the Education Development Center’s Center for Children and Technology. It is a 43 paged document that covers stats on the percentages of schools connected to the Internet, and the importance of public libraries in aiding the connection for those youth without computers in the home. While looking for something else in my desktop files, I came across it again and in light of Helene’s post about sustainability, I thought it was a good time to review this document and see how far (or not) we have come and what, if any, implication there still are for libraries.

I also checked the link to the Center for Children and Technology and not only found it viable, but found it chocked full of interesting tidbits for working with youth. Here is a link to their “Digital Literacy: Skills for the 21st Century”. Read the blurb and then use the Create A Story tab to do just that. It give insight into the types of skills being taught or needed and may be something that we can use for afterschool/SRC periods of boredom.

I will be posting more on this subject (sustainability) so consider this a thick thread.

Geek.com Newsletter: Pick O' The Letter

Dell to continue Windows XP sales post June 30 - When will Microsoft learn that eye candy at a premium price does not an operating system make?

RIAA “making available” piracy argument rejected in the courts - When will the record industry learn that continually ripping folks off (see above topic) or accusing them of stealing doesn't win customers to their side?

There’s gold in them there chips! - Significant recycling goin' on!

Military receives first flexible OLEDs with green and infrared - Specially-designed to bring out the inner-Predator.

Verbatim drops tiny 500GB HDD - Pocket-full of data.

Build your own multitouch surface controller - Watch the video! It's ill!

Via Geek.com

Found On CMLsi:Stop You're Killing Me

For those folks who don't read CMLsi, Stop You're Killing Me is a site made especially for mystery lovers. Yes, it is a coincidence that the one person at the branch who will utilize this the most says this phrase often. The site features read-alikes, award winners, and diversity and historical indexes. This won't replace Novelist, but it is a little easier to remember.

Thanks Chuck