Is the Internet making us dumber?

Or should that be dumberer? Sorry Couldn't help myself. Not funny, I know.

In previous teaching sessions I may have mentioned a book that has had quite a big impact on my thinking and learning in recent years. It's called The Shallows by an author called Nicholas Carr and looks at how Internet use can change our brain physiology.

It was in my mind again today because of a news story I'd seen on how kids prefer to read from screens than via paper resources. The methodology could charitably be described as shaky, but I thought I'd share it, if for no other reason than to give you the opportunity to look at its flaws. The BBC reported the study like this.


I also wanted to guide you towards the video I've posted here though. It's Nicholas Carr talking about the issues in his book, such as how the Internet fractures our attention, how Google ranks its results but also how it can improve hand/eye coordination.

I'm always keen to talk with students concerning the arguments surrounding attention, access and how you can make researching online less problematic, so contact me if you want to discuss any of these issues.

Why I am a massive hypocrite, by Alan Wheeler

Firstly, Alan's bit
One of the bits of my job that gives me the most satisfaction is when enthusiastic but technophobic first years leave three years later as confident, research-savvy and informed third years. If I play a small part in that transformation then I'm happy. You can't be any good at research now without at least some idea of how to use IT. Luckily for me I finished my undergraduate degree in '98, just on the cusp of when the Web became indispensable. Otherwise I would have really struggled.

Me, Eve and Alex at university

You might misconstrue this as false modesty so I've asked two friends from university to tell you in their own words exactly how bad I was at this stuff. Neither of them can frankly believe that what I do now is help other people with this stuff...


Eve's bit
What are are my memories of Alan, during the time I spent with him studying at university?
Alan was a bit 'rubbish' with technology. I'm not sure he ever successfully turned on a PC in all the time I was at uni with him. Yes, he may have sat down and tried to use one which was already booted up and ready to go. But if I'm honest, that's when the fun really started.
He had to ask how to open a document, create a new one or save one. 
I once received an email from Alan...once...and granted it began 'To Alex..." but you get the gist.
Everyone struggles from something at uni...even Alan! 

Alex's bit
You may have heard the term 'early adopter'? When we were at uni, Alan was whatever the opposite of an early adopter is. He wasn't a luddite , he wasn't resistant to change at all, it was more that when it came to IT he just let it flow round him, sweeping others along, while he stayed where he was. I know when it came to his final dissertation he managed to convince some very generous soul to type everything for him. 

I think by this point though, he had maybe seen that his days as an IT refusenik were numbered. While it lasted though, it was a sight to behold. I don't think think anyone who ever saw it will ever forget the vision of Alan lying on the floor of his room, pages of handwritten work strewn around him, literally "cutting and pasting" work.

Alan's bit again
So there you are. 
I was spectacularly rubbish at all the computery stuff and now on a good day I'm passable. 
And that's simply my message today. 
Don't give up, because the frustration is worth it in the end.

The DSM debate continues

On Friday I was listening to Radio 5 live in the morning and happened upon an interesting show concerning the diagnoses of mental disorders. The 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5) has thrown into sharp relief the problematic nature of diagnosing mental illness.

The show featured psychologists, patients and psychiatrists and centred on the power relationship between the 'diagnoser' and the 'diagnosee'. It also talked about how it is for social workers to walk the line between protecting the public and protecting the individual who may have a serious diagnosis.

Whilst the show does feature other items besides mental health and diagnosis, I really do think it's worth a listen.

It'll be available until May 23rd and the show is here.

New report from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) has just published its annual report. This specialist police unit monitors how well civil court orders work in preventing sex offenders from re-offending after being released from prison. The report states in no uncertain terms that the current measures fail to protect children, and suggests a simplification of what is currently on offer would help prevent further abuses.

To view how the BBC are currently reporting the issue then go here or to view the full-text CEOP report click here.

If you need help with referencing this kind of report (especially if you think it would be appropriate for a late insertion into your dissertation!) then email me as soon as possible.

Save the Children report on mothers and childbirth

Hopefully there'll be plenty of media attention given to a new report that's been published today. It's on the relative safety of childbirth across the world and provides a league table of countries, looking at survival rates for newborns.

The report's called Surviving the First Day and provides excellent statistics on midwifery provision and a whole host of related issues. If you're a CAS student this would make a terrific resource to examine, plus the attached reference section includes an extensive list of reports and statistics any student could use for researching childbirth as a worldwide issue.

The full report is available here.

Pornography and society debate at the Royal Institution

A few weeks back I heard Germaine Greer mention an event she was due to speak at. It was a debate on the positive and negative effects of pornography in society, and it has just been made available online. The whole thing is hosted by Intelligence², who have been hosting these debating evenings for a while now.

Some of you may have studied on the unit The Social Body which touches on some of these issues.

This particular debate is 'lively' and inevitably features language which is both graphic and confrontational. It also made me laugh on a number of occasions, so there is light and shade in there. My advice would be if you're likely to be offended by the content, then don't watch it.

One more thing - the debate doesn't feature any pornographic images so I think you'd be fine to watch this anywhere providing you're using headphones.

The Intelligence² website with the current debate and a nice archive of older debates (there's a good one on the current relevancy of Marxism in relation to austerity measures) is available here.

As always, if you'd like advice on how to reference anything you find on YouTube then just ask.