I got up early this morning to do a couple of last minute things before heading over to the airport. Looking for something to play in the background, I pulled up David Weinberger’s keynote at the SETT conference last month in Glasgow. I hadn’t seen or heard it yet.
SETT Conference Site: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/sett/
His address was pretty much the same ideas that he shared at NECC a couple of years ago, but about 2/3 into the presentation he pulled up Wikipedia. Again nothing new. He flashed through a number of the warnings that appear on many Wikipedia articles: the neutrality of this article is disputed, factual accuracy is disputed, this article contradicts another article, etc.
Then Weinberger asked…
Why is it that you will never ever see these warnings in authoritative sources. You will never see it in Britannica. You will never see it in the New York Times. And you have to wonder why. Is it because they’re never wrong? No!
He described the New York times reporting prior the the U.S. invasion of Iraq, that they were reporting information that was wrong — without warning.
Weinberger then asks,
Why can’t they acknowledge their weaknesses…the only and reluctant answer I can come to is that they are more interested in protecting their own authority than helping us to the truth.
I sat back in my chair, thunder-struck, “Wow!”
There has been a lot of discussion in the edu–blogosphere lately about the future of textbooks, and I agree with Terry Freedman and Mark Montgomery, that authority is critical. But in a complex time of rapid change, the responsibility of authority shifts and spreads throughout the information chain. It happens at the top, and it happens at the bottom. It is why it is so critical to think about literacy in new ways, that part of being a reader is being willing, able, and encouraged to ask questions about the answers that you find.
technorati tags:warlick, conferences, literacy, actem06, mained06
Blogged with Flock
Hi David, this was a good presentation that I was lucky enough to see live. I thought the comparisons between Wikipedia and the New York times were excellent. We are actually going to highlight some of Weinberger’s discussion to our teachers within our internal ICT training programme after the October holidays.
David,
Thanks for repeating these points. The next time somebody tells me that wikipedia is not authoritative I’m going to repeat these points for them. Socrates is thought to have said he was so smart because he knew what he didn’t know. Maybe Wikipedia is the same way. When will the mainstream media wise up?
Andrew Pass
http://www.Pass-Ed.com/blogger.html
This is important discussion about the real nature of Authority, and Academia is uncomfortably listening. My question is very practical. How do we ease eight year olds into understanding that no single source is truly “authoritative”? The question of authority should certainly come into the educational process, but at what point are children ready to handle it? Note that I say children, not youth.
I have always been an advocate of modeling a healthy dose of skepticism, and it was well-received when I taught gifted elementary children (once they figured out what that I was not telling them to ignore their parents or principal). But I can honestly say that their age-group peers were not ready for it.
So where or when do we say to children, “consider the idea that no single source is THE source” ? Do we ever say that attiribution is one way of determining authority? If not, how do we help YOUNG students begin to develop the literacy they need to survive as critical consumers of information? What are the baby steps to lead a concrete thinker into an age-appropriate, “starter” literacy?
Heh. It was all about library science =)
[URL=http://www.misr0e.info/online-dating-tip] online dating tip [/URL] online dating tip [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/mastercard] mastercard [/URL] mastercard [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/baglioni] baglioni [/URL] baglioni [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/mans] mans [/URL] mans [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/words] words [/URL] words [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/passaggio] passaggio [/URL] passaggio [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/again] again [/URL] again [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/pediatrics] pediatrics [/URL] pediatrics [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/apache] apache [/URL] apache [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/privato] privato [/URL] privato [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/arch] arch [/URL] arch [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/crescita] crescita [/URL] crescita [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/fault] fault [/URL] fault [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/drag] drag [/URL] drag [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/comunista] comunista [/URL] comunista [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/shock] shock [/URL] shock [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/automobile] automobile [/URL] automobile [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/recuperare] recuperare [/URL] recuperare [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/circle] circle [/URL] circle [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/terni] terni [/URL] terni [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/trials] trials [/URL] trials [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/tubo] tubo [/URL] tubo [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/coefficiente] coefficiente [/URL] coefficiente [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/pancia] pancia [/URL] pancia [URL=http://www.misr0e.info/french] french [/URL] french
[URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/properties] properties [/URL] properties [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/abiti-da-sposa] abiti da sposa [/URL] abiti da sposa [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/easy-jet] easy jet [/URL] easy jet [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/napoli] napoli [/URL] napoli [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/musica-romantica] musica romantica [/URL] musica romantica [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/cosi] cosi [/URL] cosi [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/alessia-marcuzzi] alessia marcuzzi [/URL] alessia marcuzzi [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/taxi] taxi [/URL] taxi [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/ferrovie-dello-stato] ferrovie dello stato [/URL] ferrovie dello stato [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/libero] libero [/URL] libero [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/calendario] calendario [/URL] calendario [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/acqua-gio] acqua gio [/URL] acqua gio [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/scuola] scuola [/URL] scuola [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/manga] manga [/URL] manga [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/italia] italia [/URL] italia [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/parigi] parigi [/URL] parigi [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/hilary-duff] hilary duff [/URL] hilary duff [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/materna] materna [/URL] materna [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/vacanza] vacanza [/URL] vacanza [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/classica] classica [/URL] classica [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/donne] donne [/URL] donne [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/prego] prego [/URL] prego [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/torino] torino [/URL] torino [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/eyes] eyes [/URL] eyes [URL=http://www.wallpapvkers.info/wound] wound [/URL] wound
[URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/trieste] trieste [/URL] trieste [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/children] children [/URL] children [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/symbian] symbian [/URL] symbian [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/grammatica] grammatica [/URL] grammatica [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/1992] 1992 [/URL] 1992 [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/podere] podere [/URL] podere [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/grimaldi] grimaldi [/URL] grimaldi [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/avere] avere [/URL] avere [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/lettere] lettere [/URL] lettere [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/jessica] jessica [/URL] jessica [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/fiera] fiera [/URL] fiera [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/word] word [/URL] word [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/amministratore] amministratore [/URL] amministratore [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/patrizia] patrizia [/URL] patrizia [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/note] note [/URL] note [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/pictures] pictures [/URL] pictures [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/azzurro] azzurro [/URL] azzurro [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/traffico] traffico [/URL] traffico [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/images] images [/URL] images [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/skin] skin [/URL] skin [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/ferri] ferri [/URL] ferri [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/mediaset] mediaset [/URL] mediaset [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/converter] converter [/URL] converter [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/tecniche] tecniche [/URL] tecniche [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/unita] unita [/URL] unita [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/memory] memory [/URL] memory [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/leggi] leggi [/URL] leggi [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/sweet] sweet [/URL] sweet [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/login] login [/URL] login [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/inizio] inizio [/URL] inizio [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/totale] totale [/URL] totale [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/educazione] educazione [/URL] educazione [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/bagni] bagni [/URL] bagni [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/microsoft] microsoft [/URL] microsoft [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/campeggio] campeggio [/URL] campeggio [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/string] string [/URL] string [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/scarica] scarica [/URL] scarica [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/manager] manager [/URL] manager [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/musicale] musicale [/URL] musicale [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/nino] nino [/URL] nino [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/conto] conto [/URL] conto [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/nuovi] nuovi [/URL] nuovi [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/esami] esami [/URL] esami [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/motor] motor [/URL] motor [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/crociera] crociera [/URL] crociera [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/apprendimento] apprendimento [/URL] apprendimento [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/naturale] naturale [/URL] naturale [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/navi] navi [/URL] navi [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/credits] credits [/URL] credits [URL=http://www.hpraga23.org/adobe] adobe [/URL] adobe
[URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/psoriasi] psoriasi [/URL] psoriasi [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/sweet] sweet [/URL] sweet [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/accordi] accordi [/URL] accordi [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/droga] droga [/URL] droga [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/luisa] luisa [/URL] luisa [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/domini] domini [/URL] domini [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/cesare] cesare [/URL] cesare [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/modificare] modificare [/URL] modificare [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/utente] utente [/URL] utente [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/squadra] squadra [/URL] squadra [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/pensieri] pensieri [/URL] pensieri [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/rosse] rosse [/URL] rosse [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/giorni] giorni [/URL] giorni [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/indirizzi] indirizzi [/URL] indirizzi [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/pack] pack [/URL] pack [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/speed] speed [/URL] speed [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/panasonic] panasonic [/URL] panasonic [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/schema] schema [/URL] schema [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/video-porno] video porno [/URL] video porno [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/tunisia] tunisia [/URL] tunisia [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/tits] tits [/URL] tits [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/gear] gear [/URL] gear [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/telefonini] telefonini [/URL] telefonini [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/contratto] contratto [/URL] contratto [URL=http://www.mavallo40.info/inglese] inglese [/URL] inglese