Tomorrow’s Professor Blog

I've been a fan of the Tomorrow's Professor listserv since I found it last fall. Now I am going to be an even bigger fan because they are now a blog. Check out Tomorrow's Professor Blog and add the site to your feedreader.

Posted by prolurkr at 06:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

CFP - Autobiography PAMLA

CFP: Autobiography (03/15/06; PAMLA, 11/10/06-11/11/06)
Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association Conference (PAMLA)
November 10-11, 2006
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA
Submission Deadline: March 15, 2006

**Panel Topic: Autobiography**
Paper proposals are requested for a standing panel of the PAMLA conference. The panel is open to any topic related to lifewriting. Please e-mail a 500-word proposal and a 50-word abstract (in the body of the message body or as an attachment) to anita.duneer@uconn.edu . Please include your name, institutional affiliation, and preferred contact information with your proposal.

Conference website with details and membership information: www.pamla.org

Posted by prolurkr at 04:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

CFP - Centre for Social Theory and Design Conference

Centre for Social Theory and Design Conference

Walter Benjamin and the Architecture of Modernity

August 17-19 2006

Call for Papers

Walter Benjamin's work remains central to discussions of modernity within the Humanities, Visual Arts, Design and Architecture. This conference will bring together scholars working on all aspects of Benjamin's work as well as those who deploy the insights of that work in developing projects of their own.

Abstracts, which will be subject to a refereeing process, should be sent to walterbenjamin@uts.edu.au by April 30 2006.

Confirmed Key Note Speakers:
Carol Jacobs (Yale University)
Gyorgy Markus (University of Sydney)
Winfried Menninghaus (Freie University)
Henry Sussman (Yale University)

Organizing Committee: Professor Andrew Benjamin, Dr Tara Forrest, Dr Charles Rice (Centre for Social Theory and Design. University of Technology Sydney.)

Posted by prolurkr at 04:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Nanny McPhee

Yesterday I took my youngest niece, she's 10, to see Nanny McPhee. Yes I know it probably wasn't the best thing to do when you have a cold but I have been assured that I am very likely no longer contagious, just deeply annoying with the noises and such. And besides with all the other stuff going on, including being ill, her 2005 Day Out With Aunt Lois has stretched too far into 2006.

Well just to let you know, this is a wonderful film. She enjoyed it, I enjoyed it...what a find. If you want a good fairytale I strongly recommend you see this film, you don't need kids to enjoy it. All that is required is a good seat and some popcorn.

Posted by prolurkr at 12:48 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

I’m officially over it

Hubby and I, like so many others, have been fighting the germ war this winter. We have had one varient or another of the classic flu/cold set in play since Thanksgiving. So as I'm sitting here trying to concentrate and get some little dab of work done today between blowing my rudolph-hued nose and sneezing my head off. I just have to say publicaly...I'm officially over it. If I never sneeze again as long as I live it will be to soon.

I really really really need to buy stock in Kleenex.

Posted by prolurkr at 11:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A Learner’s Space...into the semiosphere

I'm so pleased, my friend and colleague at A Learner's Space...into the semiosphere (aka itbubble) has worked out the RSS feed thing. SO now I can read her blog on Bloglines as soon as it is available. I have to admit my reading has been kinda spotty without RSS. This is just so cool. Check out her blog she talks about the most interesting things.

Now if we can just get her to set the feed for the entire post. LOL I know I'm demanding.

Posted by prolurkr at 07:21 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

CFP - HICSS Eighth Annual Minitrack on Persistent Conversation

Eighth Annual Minitrack on Persistent Conversation
Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science (HICSS 40)
Hilton Waikola Village Resort , Big Island, Hawaii
January 3-6, 2007

The Persistent Conversation minitrack and workshop is a yearly
gathering of those who design and study systems that support
computer-mediated communication. [online: http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC.html ]

== AT A GLANCE ===

= Summary of Topic =

Persistent conversations occur via instant messaging, text and voice chat, email, blogs, wikis, web boards, MOOs, graphical VR environments, document annotation systems, text messaging on mobile phones, etc. Such forms of conversation play a crucial role in domains such as online communities, the sharing and management of knowledge, and the support of e-commerce, e-learning and other network mediated interactions. The persistence of digitally mediated conversation affords new uses (e.g., searching, replaying, restructuring) and raises new problems. This multi-disciplinary minitrack seeks contributions from researchers and designers that improve our ability to understand, analyze, and/or design persistent
conversation systems.

= Who =

Researchers and designers from fields such as anthropology, computer-mediated communication, HCI, interaction design, linguistics, management, psychology, rhetoric, sociology, and
so forth. We also welcome submissions from graduate students.

= Chairs =

Thomas Erickson, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center (snowfall@acm.org )
Susan Herring, School of Library and Information Science,
Indiana University (herring@indiana.edu)

= Important Dates* =

Fri, Mar 31, 2006: Abstract submission
Fri, Apr 14, 2006: Feedback on abstracts
Th, June 1, 2006: Paper submission - [Instructions will be on the HICSS site]
Tu, Aug 15, 2006: Accept/Conditional Accept/Reject notice
To be determined: Resubmission of Conditional Accept papers -
Fri Sep 15, 2006: Final publication-ready papers due -
Fri Sep 15, 2006: One author must register for HICSS -
----------
* For other dates, such as end of early registration and hotel
deadlines, see the official HICSS conference site

=== DETAILS ===

= About the Minitrack =

This interdisciplinary minitrack and workshop brings designers and researchers together to explore persistent conversation, the transposition of ordinarily ephemeral conversation into the potentially persistent digital medium. The phenomena of interest include human-to-human interactions carried out using chat, instant messaging, text messaging, email, blogs, wikis, mailing lists, newsgroups, bulletin board systems, multi-authored Web documents, structured conversation systems, textual and graphical virtual worlds, etc. Computer-mediated conversations blend characteristics of oral conversation with those of written text: they may be synchronous or asynchronous; their audience may be small or vast; they may be highly structured or almost amorphous; etc. The persistence of such conversations gives them the potential to be searched, browsed, replayed, annotated, visualized, restructured, and recontextualized, thus opening the door to a variety of new uses and practices.

The particular aim of the minitrack and workshop is to bring together researchers who analyze existing computer-mediated conversational practices and sites, with designers who propose, implement, or deploy new types of conversational systems. By bringing together participants from such diverse areas as anthropology, computer-mediated communication, HCI, interaction design, linguistics, management, psychology, rhetoric, sociology, and the like, we hope that the work of each may inform the others, suggesting new questions, methods, perspectives, and design approaches.

= About Paper Topics =

We are seeking papers that address one or both of the following two general areas:

• Understanding Practice. The burgeoning popularity of the internet (and intranets) provides an opportunity to study and characterize new forms of conversational practice. Questions of interest range from how various features of conversations (e.g., turn-taking, topic organization, expression of paralinguistic information) have adapted in response to the digital medium, to new roles played by persistent conversation in domains such as education, business, and entertainment.
• Design. Digital systems do not currently support conversation well: It is difficult to converse with grace, clarity, depth and coherence over networks. But this need not remain the case. Toward this end, we welcome analyses of existing systems as well as designs for new systems which better support conversation. Also of interest are inquiries into how participants design their own conversations within the digital medium -- that is, how they make use of system features to create, structure, and regulate their discourse. Examples of appropriate topics include, but are not limited to:
  • Turn-taking, threading, and other structural features of CMC
  • The dynamics of large scale conversation systems (e.g., USENET)
  • Methods for summarizing or visualizing conversation archives
  • Sudies of virtual communities or other sites of digital conversation
  • The roles of mediated conversation in knowledge management
  • Studies of the use of instant messaging in large organizations
  • Novel designs for computer-mediated conversation systems
  • Analyses of or designs for distance learning systems

For other examples see the list of previous years' papers:
http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC_History.html

= The Workshop =

The minitrack is normally preceded by a half-day workshop open to all minitrack authors, as well as those who will form the core audience for the minitrack. We will know whether the workshop has been accepted for HICSS 2007 in early April. Watch the online version of this call for more details: http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC.html

Instructions for Abstract Submission =

Submit a 250 word abstract of your proposed paper via email to the chairs: Tom Erickson <snowfall@acm.org>, Susan Herring <herring@indiana.edu> by the deadline noted above.

= Instructions for Paper Submission =

* HICSS papers must contain original material not previously published, or currently submitted elsewhere. All papers will be submitted in double column publication format and limited to 10 pages including diagrams and references. Papers undergo a double-blind review.
* Do not submit the manuscript to more than one Minitrack. If unsure which Minitrack is appropriate, submit the abstract to the Track Chair for guidance.
* Submit your full paper according to the instructions that will appear on the HICSS web site: http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/

= For More Information =

* This call for participation, etc.:
http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC.html

* History (papers and participants in previous minitracks):
http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC_History.html

* About the minitrack, contact: snowfall@acm.org , herring@indiana.edu

* About the HICSS conference, see: http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/

Posted by prolurkr at 02:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Spring Break in New Orleans

From My So Called (ABD) Life, looks like it might be a good venue for some serious service learning. I have not veted this personally so consider the following a flyer rather than an endorsement. Addition: As though the CFP's I post are personally veted and endorsed. *sigh* I think it's the student thing and having watched part of the interviews about Natalee Holloway's disappearance the other night. Sorry no comparison I know...beyond the student thing.

Spring Break in New Orleans

Why spend spring break in the typical destinations of the Caribbean, Virginia Beach, or Mexico when you can experience firsthand the rebirth of one of the world's most exciting cities -- New Orleans?! In the spirit of the 1960's Freedom Rides, we are calling on students, especially African American students, to descend on New Orleans for any amount of time during the period of March 10-24, 2006. During their stay, students will experience a mecca of African-American music, culture, and history, while also participating in the historic task of rebuilding the city's communities. Voices of Katrina and the Common Ground Collective are inviting students to come to New Orleans to partcipate in a service-learning trip during their spring breaks. Common Ground Collective will provide basic but secure housing and three family-style meals per day. In return, students will assist in the rebuilding of the area's most devastated communities. Specifically, volunteers will be gutting, cleaning, and repairing houses, as well as distributing food, water and clothing to residents. Students will be able to apply studies in law, medicine, and other specialized courses of study towards the rebuilding needs of the community through work with Common Ground's legal team, medical clinic, and construction crews. Students of any and all backgrounds and skill levels will find opportunities to contribute towards the rebuilding effort and will have a spring break that is incredibly rewarding as well as enjoyable.
Workshops on social justice issues will be offered as well as tours of cultural and historical sites. All you have to do is provide your own transportation to New Orleans, and Common Ground Collective and Voices of Katrina will take care of the rest.

Common Ground Collective was formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, to provide immediate aid and long-term solidarity along the Gulf Coast. We are a local, non-profit community-run organization offering mutual aid and support to the New Orleans communities that have been historically neglected and underserved. Common Ground's teams of volunteers include: medical and health providers, aid workers, community organizers, legal representatives, radio/print media, and people from all over with broad skills from all walks of life.

For more information and for pictures of our work, visit the Common Ground website at: http://www.commongroundrelief.org

Voices of Katrina is a newly formed group of African American scholars and community organizers who are lending support to the people of New Orleans.

Contact: holder@rowan.edu
Or Call: 504.368.6897, 609.617.9815, 917.440.9679

K. Kim Holder, Ed.D.
Voices of Katrina
Spring Break in New Orleans
Sakura Kone'
Common Ground
331 Atlantic Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70114
PH: 917.440.9679
MS: 415.310.9783
FX: 504.361.9659
sakkone@gmail.com

Posted by prolurkr at 12:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Grades and student evaluations

Profgrrrrl! has a post Good grades = Good evals? that comments on the Chronicle article Professor Goodgrade. Check out both. I'm keeping my take on it all offline but would be happy to talk about it one-on-one.

Posted by prolurkr at 11:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

UK readers, enter to win a Honda Civic Hybrid

For our UK readers, from Groovy Green:

Your chance to win a Honda Civic Hybrid and drive a greener car! The Honda Civic Hybrid is both petrol and electric-driven and one could be yours.Enter our amazing competition by texting ITV News with the answer to this question:

Which of the following is a renewable source of energy?

a) coal

b) petrol

c) wind

If you think the answer's A, then text CLIMATE A to 86188

If you think the answer's B, then text CLIMATE B to 86188

If you think the answer's C, then text CLIMATE C to 86188

Texts cost £1.00 plus standard network rates. We will notify the winner at the end of the expedition in May.

Competitions only open to residents of the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

Link: ITN

Posted by prolurkr at 10:51 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

The popularity of names through recent US history

When I was a kid I felt like most of the Lois' I knew were my parents age. Well according to NameVoyager there was a reason in that the height of popularity of the name was about 1930's.

Check out your name on the site...or names you find interesting. It's really quite fun to see how the distribution works.

Posted by prolurkr at 03:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

PubSub vs. Bloglines

Is PubSub not pushing or is Bloglines not pulling? Either way my PubSub searches are not routinely available in Bloglines. This is annoying, and something I never realize is happening until I haven't see any feed for a few days. Whatever the problem, fix it guys...I use both services because they are supposed to be compatible...so get compatible. Thank you.....

Posted by prolurkr at 08:34 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Two IT Public Policy Postdocs - University of Michigan

The Science, Technology, and Public Policy (STPP) Program in the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan seeks to fill up to two postdoctoral fellow positions (each for two years in residence.) Fellows will be expected to perform research in some aspect of science and technology policy, teach two courses per year in science and technology policy, help to organize a conference and seminar series, and work with faculty to develop the STPP program. In addition to working with colleagues in STPP and the Ford School, fellows will find a wide range of programs at University of Michigan that provide opportunities for enrichment and collaboration, including leading programs in law, business, public health, medicine, engineering, the sciences, and science & technology studies.

Applicants should be recent recipients of the doctoral degree, with demonstrated interest in science and technology policy. Areas of specialization and disciplinary approaches are open. These fellowships are made possible through a generous gift from The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation. Salary is competitive and includes benefits. Modest funds will also be provided for moving, conferences, and research. The start date for this position is August 2006, although this date is flexible. Awardees will be expected to be in residence in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the time of their award and be an active colleague within UM.

Applications received by April 1, 2006, will be given first consideration, although we will continue to accept applications after that date. Please send application materials, including a CV, letter describing research and teaching interests, a statement outlining the proposed research project, and three letters of reference to:

STPP Fellow Search
Attn: Sharon Disney
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
440 Lorch Hall, 611 Tappan Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1220 USA

Posted by prolurkr at 07:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Teaching is the germiest profession

The Clorox Company has a news release entitled, Is Your Job Making You Sick? Study highlights follow:

For the testing, samples were collected in fall 2005 from private offices and cubicles in office buildings located in Tucson, AZ and Washington DC. A total of 616 surfaces were tested and analyzed at the University of Arizona laboratories.

* Germiest Jobs - ranked from most germy to least germy

1. Teacher
2. Accountant
3. Banker
4. Radio DJ
5. Doctor
6. Television Producer
7. Consultant
8. Publicist
9. Lawyer

Job description: surface stats

Telephone

• Most germy: Teachers
• Least germy: Publicists

Desks

• Most germy: Accountants
• Least germy: Lawyers

Computer keyboard

• Most germy: Teachers
• Least germy: Bankers

Computer mouse

• Most germy: Teachers
• Least germy: TV producers

Pens

• Most germy: Accountants
• Least germy: Lawyers

Pardon me while I go wash my entire computer and phone. Know anywhere I can find a good deal on scrub masks?

Posted by prolurkr at 08:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Confessions of a software junkie

Steve Richards - Adventures in home working pointed me to what looks like a great deal on a potentially useful project software program with web integration. Check out his post with hacks below, Are you a GTD convert, looking for a great tool? Oh and the program is $5.00 right now. I'm gonna play with this one for a bit. Per the Axosoft site, this social marketing experiment ends Friday February 24, 2006. Requires access to a Microsoft SQL server database.

I recently came across a quite amazing offer from AxoSoft, that allowed me to get a 5 user version of their project management software OnTime for just $5 rather than $495, even better the $5 was donated to the Red Cross! I have been struggling to find a project/task management solution thats flexible enough for my needs so I thought I would give it a try.

You can get access to the offer from here, there is no link on the web site, so the only way is through the blogsphere. At the time of posting they had taken 645 orders and raised $3225 for the Red Cross.

5 minutes later my activation key arrived and I was up and running. You need to install MSDE, but once thats done you have a 5 user system that is really powerful. Here are a few of the highlights:

* It's designed to support defect, feature and task tracking/management, but its very easy to re-configure it. In my case I changed Defects to Activities, changed a few field names and removed a few others and I now have a project management and task management solution, instead of a bug tracker!

* It's client server, it has a great web client that connects to an SQL server or MSDE database

* They say that MSDE can easily support 50+ users

* It has a web client as well that's broadly equivalent in functionality

* It allows you to build a hierarchy of projects, and browse your tasks at any level in the hierarchy

* It allows you to sort, group, filter and search items

* It allows you to store a description, notes, attachments (linked or embedded), work logs, emails and more against every item

* It's wildly configurable, the descriptions of pretty much every field and view can be changed to suit your needs and pick lists like status, priority etc can be customised

* It allows you to create emails, from items

* It allows you to automatically monitor any number of pop email accounts, and auto-process the emails that arrive in them. In my case I created a number of email accounts and associated them with the activity and task lists. Found that I could then automatically create an archive of emails associated with each task, just by forwarding or cc-ing the email accounts I created and placing the task number in the subject field, (for example adding [#44] anywhere in the subject would attach that email to activity 44.

* You can create custom fields, add them to forms and and then group by them, which is great for GTD users, although you already have severity, status, priority fields as standard, but you can add fields for different places and different categories.

This is a truly amazing tool for the small project team, but really excellent for a single user as well. Unfortunately the 5 user for $5 trial may soon be over, but don't despair because the 1 user version - which is functionally the same - is FREE of charge. Here is a sample screen shot:

<Click here to access a screen shot of OnTime2006>

Mainwindow

A few other notes:

* You will want to backup your database, to do that I created an ODBC connection (in control panel) to my database and then added the following command to the batch file that does my regular nightly backup. (onetime is the name of the ODBC connection)

OSQL -E -n -D onetime -Q "BACKUP DATABASE onetime TO DISK = 'D:\Steve\SQL server\master.bak' WITH INIT"

* There are some really great screen cams that show you how to use it, start with the overview to get an idea of the power

* I found a bug in the pop email account monitoring service, it doesn't seem to download attachments, which is a real shame. They are working on a fix.

* This is not a great solution if you need to keep your tasks in sync with your laptop, desktop, PDA etc. However you can use the automatic email processing to allow you to create tasks by sending the appropriate account an email, which is pretty easy. In fact as many of my tasks are initiated by email in the first place it's often pretty natural to do it that way. There is a feature request in to create Outlook sync.

* Check out the support forums for more bugs and issues

Posted by prolurkr at 06:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Buffy’s Gentleman have a new website

One of my undergrad classmates is a successful award winning actor he specializes in roles that use extensive costume and makeup to create the characters...i.e. Sci-Fi. My undergrad is in theatre so that may contextualize it a bit.

Now I find that Doug Jones has a new website as well, though it's not totally ready for prime time. Check out Buffy's Gentlemen.com in the next little while.

Related posts:

Theatre Reunion, of sorts

Posted by prolurkr at 09:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Abandoned Places

Splatt's Blog has a link to a very cool site Abandoned Places.com. I've always been fascinated by abandoned places, the house on a hill with no window panes, the old barn by itself in a field, and of course the ghost town. If you find these places interesting too check out the site...there are photos from all over the world.

Posted by prolurkr at 09:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

IU Webmail Migration

This morning I have been thinking unkind words about the universities webmail system. Ok, I know IU people are laughing now wondering when anyone has ever thought good words about it since the change to webmail. In truth webmail isn't all that bad...the interface is much better than PINE's and you have access from anywhere which is a real plus for us off-campus folks and when we travel. But lately I have to exit and reenter the page at least two times to read my morning email, and today I've restarted it close to 10 times without gaining full access.

So I got interested in what was going on and started at the UITS page Notices & Alerts box, it says everything is fine but then it always says everything is fine. I found out last semester that the box only acknowledges complete outages so it's not really very useful. I kept digging and found this jem IU Webmail Migration:

Beginning Monday, February 6, IU Webmail users will be migrated to an upgraded environment. This migration will take place each day from 8:00am to 5:00pm over the following 3 weeks. No interruption of service is anticipated.

No doubt in my mind that this is the problem...because in my experience when UITS says "no interruption of service is anticipated" expect massive interruptions. Nothing ever runs that smoothly for anyone, not just UITS, especially over an almost month long transition.

Posted by prolurkr at 09:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Some thoughts on fear of the other and isolationism

Reading articles in today's Inside Higher Ed has me thinking about a of nexus of though and discussion I experienced this month. First, the release of the book by he-who-will-not-be-named-because-he-deserves-no-more-free-publicity-from-me has many in academia talking and laughing. While I see the humor of the whole things, the idea that a peace scholar is on anyone's "most dangerous" list should both amaze and frighten liberals and conservatives, there are deeper ideas present in the acceptance of his ideas by his fellow citizens.

Second, while attending Cyberworld unlimited? Digital Inequality and New Spaces of Informal Education for Young People I asked a question following an esteemed British colleague's discussion of digital culture and school policy. My question was in reference to the use of new communication mediums within schools and the construction of policies to support or outlaw such uses, such as MySpace being banned in some American schools. The response I got was totally appropriate, my colleague had no idea what I was talking about. You see it's just not an issue in the United Kingdom or in Europe like it is here. Why would you ban a technology you can use for learning?

Third, would be my previous post this morning from Confessions of a Community College Dean and his discussion of the fear of uncertainty as it relates to university assignments.

Underlying all of these issues, on one level or another, are several basic ideas. One, people - especially young people - are not rational actors with freewill, rather they are blank slates to be written upon by anyone with whom they come into contact, permanently transfigured in fact. Second, bad overwrites good every time regardless of previous experiences with good - good can't hold a candle to bad. Third, bad is anything unusual, disagreeable, or outside my experience set or belief system.

While in Bielefeld I was party to several fascinating conversations that revolved around the uniquely American fear of the other and the unknown. Now I am not saying that we have a lock on these ideas, rather that our society has institutionalized the concepts to a far greater extent than most other western countries. I have my conjectures on why this is true, having read nothing academic on the subject I have only my own thoughts to play with. Whatever the reasons the American cultural landscape is framed by isolationism - internationally, intranationally, city-to-city, and person-to-person. Rugged individualism undergirds the idea so that we have the undieing belief that we have the right to do most anything we want as long as no one else calls us on it, and, of course, no one has the right to make us do anything we don't want to do. Oh and one of the things we don't want to do is look at something from the others perspective, if they were right thinking they would understand that we are right and get with the program.

It's always been interesting to me that after George W. Bush's original election to the presidency, I commented to several people about my concern that our new president had not held a passport prior to his election. Amazingly none of the people, admittedly these were not folks who travel extensively themselves, got what I was saying. While I have no doubt that Bush had set foot in Mexico and maybe Canada, both are countries US citizens could travel without a passport prior to 9/11 and it's aftermath, I found it odd that a wealthy person had never decided to holiday in London or Paris or Italy at least. Why had the idea never come to him or never been acted up? I'm no mind reader but looking at his speeches since taking office I have to harken back to my underlying issues, why bother with the unknown when the known is good pretty darn good. Besides if they had anything better to offer we would have imported it by now.

I have to admit that as I grow older I become more disturbed by the isolationism I see in my culture. We may rule the world, not that I even totally buy that concept, but that is largely because we have had such a strong economy. Nothing lasts forever and what will happen to my culture when the torch passes to someone else? The Chinese, making gross generalizations, do not see the world as American, also a gross generalization, do...and there are many more of them than there are Americans. Though I have rays of light that give me hope, in the kids I see online. So many of them are meeting others and finding out that inside we are all pretty much the same, while learning that someone else can hold ideas and beliefs that they don't subscribe to and that both parties can still be friends. I have a lot of hope when I look at the internet generation, if they bring a percentage of what they are learning to the table I think it will be a better world overall.

Posted by prolurkr at 10:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Students who want to opt out of assignments for various reasons and beliefs may be in your future

Confessions of a Community College Dean has an excellent post on the issue of "opting out" of assigned work in classes. Now this is not an issue I have faced personally but I can see it coming for many of us. I strongly suggest you give his post a read. I captured the heart of it below. The issue of changing minds is one that resonates with me personally. I have seen more than a few people I know opt for home schooling to protect their kids from experiencing an "other" as though exposure to difference means instantaneous cooption. The same has been done in my extended family when making college selection decisions, don't want to let the kids get to far away where they might be influenced by things we don't know about or do or approve of.

Of course, for the devil's advocate to be effective, he has to be persuasive, and that carries the risk of changing minds. At base, I really think much of the sudden eagerness to second-guess curricular choices comes from an unwillingness to accept uncertainty, to accept the possibility that you might change your mind. It takes a certain courage to venture into uncharted territory, especially in emotionally-charged areas. But that's part of maturity. It's part of real adulthood.

Anybody who has ever weathered a bad breakup knows the fear of uncertainty. Hell, asking my then-girlfriend to become The Wife took a gigantic leap of faith. Deciding to have kids took even bigger leaps. If you never grapple with uncertainty, you never really learn to make leaps in its face. (Or, worse, you make the leaps too quickly, with no reflection on their cost.) I'm brave enough to read people I disagree with, and to admit when I'm not sure. Too many people confuse intensity of conviction with truth. I prefer to think that truth is what's left standing after the dust settles.

Moving too quickly from "this makes me uncomfortable" to "therefore, I shouldn't be exposed to it" is dangerous. As a college, we've made the choice to bar underage students from certain classes, rather than water down the content, and I'm proud of that choice. As the political winds shift, I hope we stay true to our mission. If that means offending a few true believers, so be it. There are worse offenses than offending.

Posted by prolurkr at 09:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Go edit a wiki!

Ok this will make any librarian, or the people who love them, laugh. http://www.laughinglibrarian.com/bd_blogga.htm Note...several of the blogs and bloggers mentioned appear on prolurker, some even by their own wishes. LOL

Posted by prolurkr at 11:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Web 2.0

Yesterday I had a fun conversation about Web 2.0 and the imaginary dividing line that sets off this somewhat random set of features from Web 1.0 or Web 1.9 whichever came before. So when I found the following on Blogography I had to laugh. Dave may be less then politically correct but I do think he has nailed the essense of it. LOL

Any time I see the words "Web 2.0" in an email, I delete the stupid shit immediately. Do not pass spam filter. Do not collect conference fees. If ever there was a marketing hype term that was as useless as a bow on a turd, this is it. The web is evolving, and always has been. Assigning "Web 2.0" to some arbitrary technology so you can sucker people into thinking that Javascript and DOM is something new is just stupid. Are you the same moron who was declaring Flash as "Web 2.0" five years ago? Yeah, that's what I thought. Anybody pushing "Web 2.0" is trying to sell you something.

Posted by prolurkr at 11:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack