Pages

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Experiments in Language and Texture

Online Schooling Grows, Setting Off a Debate


Online Schooling Grows, Setting Off a Debate

I think this is interesting because it's what I'm doing as an FastTrack MLIS grad student at UPitt. Rocking the online for assignments, classes, discussions etc has proven to require a definitive switch in perspective as a learner. I was fairly confident going into this that it wouldn't make that much of a difference not having classmates around me. That has proven to be the part that I miss the most; not just knowing what's due tomorrow without ever reading the syllabus but rather the verbal dicussion sparked by the moment of teaching/connections from previous class that day or week. I think that's one of the drop backs that this article doesn't necessarily touch on. It's excellent that students can learn Cantonese on a sheep farm in the far flung American prairie but how is their ability to interact with other people? The concept of school teaches far more than simply the three R's; I believe it teaches community at best and cliques at worst.
This is not to say I think public schools are the summation of education in this country; not a chance. What I am attempting to point out is that there is a redefining of the definition of community that is currently happening with such things as social networking, wikis, blogs and other "community-based" networks interacting through the Internet.
While these things are termed communities they aren't communities any more than my office becomes a classroom when I log into my class. Community cannot simply be based on information; a community is based on knowledge and knowledge is gained through encountering, conflicting,discussing and interacting . This article posits an interesting question which I think we should be concerned about, which is, is the purpose of education to teach facts or to generate knowledge through community?



Powered by ScribeFire.

New Literary Program to Make Its Home Online

Monday, January 28, 2008

mewithoutYou benefit concert


mewithoutYou

February, 8 2008 at Bender Cancer Benefit @ Circle of Hope
1125 South Broad St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147
Cost : $15

A Cancer Benefit For Paul Bender with special guests papertrigger. All proceeds go to help the Bender family offset the mounting bills. There will be a raffle as well with many great prizes.

the lower left hand corner of the poster provides contact info. I realize that the image doesn't expand all the way on blogger so click here for their myspace profile to get additional info. The poster is sweet.

Freed From the Page, but a Book Nonetheless

Welling Up

Welling Up











A film score and an orchestral work by Jonny Greenwood, of Radiohead.



Powered by ScribeFire.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

The Story of ‘Night’

Los Angeles Times Editor Forced Out


Los Angeles Times Editor Forced Out

I think the most interesting part of this article is the focus on the decline of the LA Times circulation specifically. It also proves that unfortunate point that modern newspapers have little to do with what is truly newsworthy and are simply bloated advertising circulars. I.e. the last sentence in the article "Newspapers...which have been hit hard by the sharp downturn in real estate and, in turn, real estate advertising."(emphasis mine) Hence why I read the NY Times online. Easily ignorable advertising, a quickly browsable format, ability to blog about timely and interesting articles and it all comes in a RSS feed.



Powered by ScribeFire.

Thumbs Race as Japan’s Best Sellers Go Cellular

Friday, January 11, 2008

Twilight of the Books

Twilight of the Books

I have some commentary on this article but I will have to save it until after work.