The Internet & our Brain - Monday Musing

Something to think about on a Monday morning - Is Google (and FaceBook, Twitter and all the rest) making us stupid? Is the Internet changing our brains? How many of us can remember information any more? Or is it just that there is SO much information available that we cannot process it as we used to? 

And, are we all becoming trapped in a filter bubble of our own making? Some experts have been warning about this for at  least the last 10 years or so, and with all the talk about Fake News, it does seem more topical than ever. 

Maybe the real question is - does it really matter? This is the reality that our students live in so can we change it? Do we need to? 

When you have some spare time, maybe check out the websites below and see what you think. 

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/aug/15/internet-brain-neuroscience-debate

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/problem-social-media-reinforcement-bubbles-what-you-can-do-about-ncna1063896\

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ofWFx525s   TED Talk on Filter Bubbles  - Eli Pariser

Welcome to 2020

Well, here we go - the start of 2020 and a whole new year of opportunities for books, and reading.  How awesome is that?  In truth, it's a whole new decade!!

I thought I would start this post off with a quick reminder of some of the services we offer and maybe you could let your students know as well - or better yet, introduce them to this blog so they can find out for themselves.  Maybe you could get them to write a Twitter book review on a book they have enjoyed, or write a report about their class activities .... after all the written word ROCKS, however it is used..

Yes - we do loan books out. We LOVE to loan books out. Loaning books out is our whole rationale. (And not just books, either) Of course, we do want them to come home at some point and can get a little upset if they don't.

• Looking for a particular book? Come and talk to us. We can organise an Inter-library-Loan or help you find where to purchase it.  
• Resources: Books, Magazines, iPad sets, Digital Cameras, Video Recorders, Computer Mice sets, Boxes of Headphones, Data Projectors, Teacher Reference, Web Cams........
• IWB area, and a bank of computers and laptops that are available to be booked for classes. The laptop trolley in B3/B4 is only to be used in the Library area, however.
• Help with research, proofreading of assignments, suggestions for books to read - we are your people.
• Library Skills Activities/Boolean searching
• A place to display your amazing class work.
• Collation of websites for subjects/classes
• Anything else?  If there is something that you think we can help with, just come and have a chat.  We have learned to be fairly good at pulling rabbits out of hats and we also like a challenge, most times anyway.  There are some days .....

Students have a 3 week borrowing period while staff have a month. For most of the resources, we can adjust the loaning period for whatever is needed - at least till the end of term. However, this doesn't include the AV materials - that is a 1 week loan period only. Depending on what it is - Headphones, laptops, etc. are all due back at the end of the lesson. Students can borrow 2 items at a time and staff are pretty unlimited in borrowing.

One of my goals for this year is to attempt to make the library more relevant to the needs of the school. Hard call really, when I'm going up against the ingrained idea that Google can give you EVERYTHING!!  But I'm going to give it a shot anyway!  
So, now... some homework for you all.  Could you email or comment and give me some ideas on what you see as the purpose of the school library and my role in it?  I'd love to be able to make this a one-stop shop type of deal for everyone.

Below are a few quotes that I think sum up, to some degree anyway, my philosophy about libraries.  Enjoy!

"Google can bring you back 100,000 answers - a librarian can bring you back the RIGHT answer".   (Neil Gaiman)

"Libraries are full of ideas - which are perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of weapons".   (from the 'Throne of Glass')

and being a fan of Albert Einstein, how could I pass up this one?

"The only thing you absolutely HAVE to know, is the location of the Library"
(Albert Einstein)

Wishing you all a fantastic school year with lots of READING involved.  Now carry on being awesome.

Few thoughts on the 'Age of Information'

So ...  my offering for today.  Some things to mull over and discuss ....

Check out the YouTube link below on 'What the Internet is doing to our Brains'.  Take a quick look - it's a total of 4 minutes.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKaWJ72x1rI

And for those interested - it could be worth reading the book 'Filter Bubble' by Eli Pariser.  This term was coined by the author and refers to what happens when a website algorithm selectively guesses what information a user would like to see based on previous searches.  The theory is that users get less exposure to conflicting viewpoints and then can become isolated intellectually within their own little 'informational bubble'.  I have previously mentioned this title:
http://barklycollegelibraries.blogspot.com.au/2015/

The 'personalisation tools' that Google and other information sources use increase  the chance that people are more likely to continue to be offered information that often helps to reinforce their world views.   This then goes some way towards negating other points of view - and can therefore have an impact by limiting empathy and understanding of other peoples thoughts and feelings.

Maybe take a few minutes to watch the TED talk by the author:
https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles

I'm not advocating barring Google, YouTube and so on - I doubt that I would survive in this job today without them!  There is often a perception (Filter Bubble again) that Libraries and the Internet are in some sort of competition as sources of information but in fact, truth is - we need each other in today's Age of Information and serving clients needs! 

Have an awesome day folks!

MindShift Weblinks - Teens and Technology

Below are a few weblinks taken from a blog site called MindShift, which deals with teaching and technology.  These were ones that caught my interest so I decided to share them with you.  I think that they are worth a read.

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/03/23/six-powerful-motivations-driving-social-learning-by-teens/

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/02/08/how-has-google-affected-the-way-students-learn/

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/03/06/turned-off-how-teens-respond-to-a-no-tech-challenge/

Have a great weekend.

Google like a Genius

I am always amazed and fascinated by how students can sit in front of a computer to research information for their assignments, spend a whole lesson there and find absolutely nothing that they can use.  

Every so often I get a few who complain that "there's nothing there, Miss, I can't do this" and then look totally stunned when I find what they need in a few minutes ... and it isn't because I'm older and smarter than they are!  

I just know a few more tricks to use on Google to make it do what I want. (They do say that old age and cunning will always beat youth and skill)

So I have included a few links below with hints and tips for conning Google into providing what you need, when you need it.  While I am fairly sure that most of you already know these hints, it may be helpful to pass it onto your students ... after all, one less reason for not being able to complete something.  

http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/the-35-best-google-search-tips-and-tricks/

http://epictutorials.com/top-10-google-search-tips/

http://visual.ly/10-tips-search-pro-using-google

And of course, there is always the tried and true Boolean searching method.  I have talked about that in a previous post, but it is always a good start.  

Mindshift Weblinks

Below are a few articles gleaned from the MindShift web site - which is all about teaching ideas, strategies, technology and so on.  It covers a huge range of ideas - and even though it is American, there may still be food for thought in some of the articles.  Please see the link to the main website below if you would like to browse the ideas and the site is also part of my  blog list on the main page of our blog itself.

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/

The links below are one that caught my attention enough to share with you - most of them are things that have cropped up in discussions in various places recently - especially the ones about Google, internet searching and taking notes - and how our brain appears to work with these tasks.  

Personally, I still write notes out longhand - mainly because I find that I tend to remember more.  And I find it harder to memorise things anywhere near as well as I used to - and I don't believe it is because I am getting old.  I think it is because our brain is no longer being hard wired to perform that task - Google and technology do that for us.  

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/02/08/how-has-google-affected-the-way-students-learn/

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/08/18/taking-notes-is-the-pen-still-mightier-than-the-keyboard/

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/04/03/internet-searches-may-make-you-think-youre-smarter-than-you-are/

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/07/01/what-sports-teaches-kids-about-bigger-roles-in-life/

Enjoy your weekend - and be sure to include lots of reading.  Most research indicates that it relaxes your mind and lowers blood pressure.  Include a good cup of coffee in that prescription as well, and lots of time away from devices.