Saturday, February 7, 2009

Week 6, #15 Library 2.0

Browsed the OCLC article and became entranced with Michael Stephens. I linked from him to an article recommended on the Google Generation. The differences between the Google generation (Natives) and the rest of us trying to keep up (Immigrants) was outline as follows:
"NATIVES v IMMIGRANTS

Digital natives
Like receiving information quickly from multiple media sources.
Like parallel processing and multi-tasking.
Like processing pictures, sounds and video before text.
Like random access to hyperlinked multimedia information.
Like to network with others.
Like to learn “just in time”.

Digital immigrants
Like slow and controlled release of information from limited sources.
Like singular processing and single or limited tasking.
Like processing text before pictures, sounds and video.
Like to receive information linearly, logically and sequentially.
Like to work independently.
Like to learn “just in case”."

from O'Brien, Catherine. “How the Google generation thinks differently.” The Times 9 Jul 2008. http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article4295414.ece.

I know that my students can process through large amounts of information in a variety of formats. My concerns are if they can garner the indepth knowledge that linear learners like myself consider vital. Is it still? Michael Stephens scares me because he does seem to be so flighty. I view his blogs and see him all over the place and wonder how he can keep so many things straight and still intertwined. But maybe this is how the Google generation will creative and revitalize America.

Week 6, #14 Technorati

I am not certain this was of value to me except that I learned that Google was not very good at searching for blog entries. I suspect that will change. In our discussion while doing this as a group we decided it was good that blogs were handled separately and do not come up with other websites. I wonder if there will ever be a Google PowerSearch like we all hope for on Destiny? I don't really want my blog read by all but if I did I suspect the way would be to add Technorati tags. I am certain Joyce Valenza does.