technology

Blogs, Podcasting, Wikis, and other things Web 2.0

John Updike's Disks

This Chronicle article examines the challenges faced in all of our human archives - what to do with all of the digital records of our existence. We're struggling with this on the ACERA committee on the federal record level but it impacts us down to teach individual. I kept a journal that was actually too detailed through my late teenage years but the record of my life for more than the last decade are the emails I've sent to my friend I met via H-Net online that have been authored in more than one email program. I've purposely stayed away from Outlook and Outlook Express because of the viruses. But I'm not sure anyone will ever be able to open my Pegasus Mail (if there is any one out there that would ever want to, that is . . . ) The article explores the work taking place at the University of Maryland's Institute for Technology in the Humanities. Furthermore, the author asserts how important for us to know how a particular individual did their writing since it's often no longer comparing and contrasting the rough drafts. With modern writers, how many ideas are on their first generation Blackberry we would already have trouble accessing? We keep records in so many different places, how will we reconcile and understand these multiple inputs? On another front, I'm enjoying a crisp spring day before it rains on the Easter Bunny.

April 11, 2009 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Simpler technology: photography and the presidency

The New York Times has a retrospective of the outgoing presidential administration that worth's a look.

January 28, 2009 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)

Wikipedia and Obama

Northwest Larry has an excellent post about the "activities" surrounding the Obama wikipedia entry on inauguration day. The history of the history is continuing to take place faster and faster . . .

January 26, 2009 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Revolution, Facebook Style

The New York Times Magazine has an article exploring a political use of Facebook in the Middle East.

January 25, 2009 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

"see the website, buy the book"

The New York Times had an article about the role that companion websites play in promoting books.

January 24, 2009 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (2)

Design Matters

Dan Cohen takes an insightful look at the issue of the importance of design to effective communication.

November 24, 2008 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (1)

2008 election results and maps and technology

Interesting use of technology and, as the author points out, it's important to note that it's not a causal effect but, instead, correlational.

November 18, 2008 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technology and Travel

The AHA blog pointed to this NYT article since our annual meeting is there in three short months! Should be interesting to explore. I especially like it when locals, in contrast to travel writers, share their secrets. This is when you find the really good stuff.

This site is also an excellent example of crowdsourcing.

October 02, 2008 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

What's Next for Education and Technology?

The September 17, 2008 issue of Education Week contains two articles that caught my attention. I'm increasingly interested in education policy, especially as I begin to better understand how policy becomes practice. As a historian, even though I am not formally trained in the history of education, it is intriguing to discover how recommendations get translated into real world practice. For example, I've been on the front lines of experiencing how NCLB put necessary pressure on schools of education to ramp up their teacher training programs. The formal education establishment passed along the pressure to other constituency groups, which is a normal human thing to do. But, ultimately, we still are not weeding out the bad teachers and, in my particular situation, our hands are often tied by the fear of lawsuits if we tell potential teacher candidates (our undergraduates) that they just might not be suited for a career in front of the classroom. Liking a subject area like history is simply not enough and neither is liking kids. Even if you possess both of these stated traits, good teachers are still born and not made. I see too many students choose teaching as the 'easy route' and am continually thankful when I have students who truly see teaching as a calling. I know they will succeed in the long-term. James Paul Gee, now of Arizona State and formerly of U of Wisconsin-Madison, co-authored the Commentary article, "Let's Get Over the Slump", on the back page of this EdWeek issue. he and his co-author, Michael H. Levine of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center in New York, make the following recommendations:

1. Establish a "Digital Teacher Corps".

2. Design and test alternative assessments and new standards.

3. Create "a place in every community".

4. Establish digital-partnership schools.

5. Modernize public broadcasting.

These are laudable goals but I actually see them as attainable. Let me explain why point-by-point.

1. Teachers do need this type of assistance. They are so overwhelmed with meeting the standards that they just simply don't have time to self-acquire new skills - especially those beyond their comfort zone such as technology. In Kansas, our standards are quite prescriptive and while they give a clear path for teachers to follow, there is little opportunity to take the meandering journeys just beyond the strict fences setting the boundaries of the standards path. There is so much breadth and depth in our state's standards that teachers are constantly forced into a state of panic about whether or not they can cover it all. Providing mentoring assistance in technology would certainly be helpful if we really want teachers to acquire an incorporate enhanced technology skills not only into their teaching but into student learning.

2. We keep talking about this but it won't change as long as state tests are paper and pencil and test companies continue to rake in the dough.

3. Students need a place to feel comfortable in order to learn. That doesn't mean we get rid of the competition to earn an good grade but, instead, provide a strong foundation to do so. Children and young adults have already created a safe space surrounding their cell phone and we should build on that existing experience to support enhanced learning opportunities. Students have to feel like they own their learning in order for it to happen.

4. Yes, we certainly need models with real teachers not just those who rise to the top on their own - that example isn't replicable in the real world in any circumstance. And models that are accessible to urban, suburban, and rural schools.

5. I actually think private sector sponsorships are the answer here - especially if we want to connect with what business and industry says that they need from their community schools at all levels.


Note: this is part of a larger post at my personal blog.

September 21, 2008 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Brain technology

Just read an article that came up on my Google home page about the advances being made in neuroscience. Quite amazing - especially considering what might be possible in just ten or twenty years when I might actually start acknowledging that I'm growing old.

One day, a machine will outsmart its maker


IN ONE of William Gibson’s early mind-bending stories, the protagonist suddenly needs to fly a jump jet. In the cockpit, he finds his employer has thoughtfully stashed a biochip containing all the necessary piloting skills for him to plug into his own nervous system. While your correspondent applauded the idea at the time, he nevertheless dismissed it as pure science-fiction. Today, he’s not so sure.


September 07, 2008 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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  • John Updike's Disks
  • Simpler technology: photography and the presidency
  • Wikipedia and Obama
  • Revolution, Facebook Style
  • "see the website, buy the book"
  • Inaugural Word Clouds
  • Design Matters
  • Digital Humanities Conferences in June 2009
  • 2008 election results and maps and technology
  • Google and out-of-print books
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