I am new to blogging but I'm going to give it a try.
I thought the articles were interesting, but somewhat technical. The article by Clifford Lynch was ten years old, but still relevant. My information technology literacy was previously limited to a "set of largely route skills" and I have felt that I have fallen behind the computer learning curve as a result.
I could really relate to the article by Jason Vaughan about the Lied Library since I work in a large urban library. Finite budgets and infinite, competing information "containers" are problems at most libraries. My library now leases a majority of computer equipment on a three year basis in order to remain current. We also use computer sign-up software to monitor and assign computer time.
The OCLC article addressed trends in information systems but seemed to be focused on those who are already computer literate with access to the internet. In my urban library setting the focus is on providing for those without skills or access. This article made me think about the ever widening "digital divide."
Senior Computer Class 2011 Photo Album
14 years ago
3 comments:
Susanna,
I agree that the articles were a bit on the technical side, but hopefully that'll work out over time in this class.
Anyway, how relevant do you feel the Lynch article is in terms of progess among the generations? For example, do you find it to be a generational gap that is the problem - that high schools students are automatically ahead of the curve over, say, a baby boomer generation? Perhaps I glossed over the article too much, but I wasn't sure if the article was referring to, at the time, high school students, or an older population. I think that's important distinction for Lynch to make because it assumes that students or a certain population won't be able to catch up with technology unless it's in a very accessible environment.
I'm skeptical, myself, since I believe that operating computers might be second nature for people who were coming of age around the time this article was written.
Sorry, I'm wordy, but check my blog if I'm not being clear.
Susan, I feel like I am in the same boat with falling behind on the computer learning curve. While I know how to use many office products such as MS Word, Excel, Adobe Professional, and Illustrator. I don't know much beyond using the programs. The last time I made a website was in 1997, using a very limited HTML knowledge.
Hi Suzanna,
My education didn't include things like Blogging, but I did have a lot of fun with Web pages and JavaScript.
The discussion on containers makes one wonder about iPods and MP3's and the future of open-source applications. As a user, one would want as much free access to information, entertainment and instructional programs as possible, but as an author - where the profit come from?
Will there be a way to protect ones intellectual property while sharing the end result of creative work with the public?
Most things on the user side of a computer are all about learning the interface (how to start the program running, what the features do and when to use them).
I enjoyed my introductory class in Web programming mostly because we posted our pages to places like Geo-Cities.
You can go to http://www.geocities.com/nasutperaah/ to see my class project.
Then click View- then view source to see the code. You can forward me any questions you may have.
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