Too Much Information

Have you ever searched the Internet for something and Google gives you links to websites that have absolutely nothing to do with what you typed in the search bar? I know I have and it can be very frustrating. The website http://www.rkrk.net.au/index.php/Regional_Knowledge_Resource_Kit_(RKRK) has a cartoon that describes this frustrating feeling, and the confusion, that comes from such information overload.

In the cartoon, it shows a man standing in the center surrounded by numerous books, web pages, and CDs. The placement of the objects around the man gives the viewer the feeling that the man is trapped by all the information and can’t get away from it.  The man also seems to be looking around aimlessly at all the information and is completely confused as to which source he should use. This helps to identify with the viewer because most people can understand the feelings of the man in the picture. Every time I search for something online, I feel like I have to sort through way too much useless information to get to what I’m looking for. All of the extra information can be confusing to any viewer including myself. The color scheme used by the artist also reflects this idea of confusion. The use of numerous different colors for each of the sources shown causes the background of the picture to almost seem like a blur, which is a parallel saying that too much information can be a blur to viewers. The artist did an amazing job of conveying his message that people have become confused by information overload. 

An Early Start

I was reading an article earlier this week posted the Virtual Chase website website that was discussing information quality and how it is important for readers to be able to discern between correct and faulty information. The article gives helpful "tips" to the reader about how to know if the information is reliable or not.
As I was reading the article and going over the "tips," I began to see how the author was connecting to the reader. All of the ideas presented were directed towards a student-based audience and were there to help teach students about the necessity and how to find reliable sources. I feel this is necessary for all students to learn. While education continues to become more based around technology and the use of technology, students need to be taught how to correctly use this technology. Like I said in my previous post, almost all research for projects is now done online through search engines. By teaching students how to effectively navigate these websites and teaching them what to look for in a source, like the article does, it will make the student more comfortable with using the technology and all around better students. These skills can be taught at a young age and will follow the students during their academic careers.

Information Overload in the Digital World

Well everyone this is my first blog post ever so we shall see how this goes. As I was reading through the Berkman Center For Internet and Society website, the last topic of interest caught my eye, Information overload, Information Quality & Learning. I found this interesting because while growing up in a digital age it is very apparent how much easier it is to obtain all types of information now as apposed to 10 years ago. I have also noticed changes in the way learning takes place and that education now heavily relies on technology.

When I was growing up in Elementary school, everything was learned through books. If I needed to get information for a class project, I asked my mom to drive to the library so we could pick out a book for that specific topic to use. Depending on the topic of interest, you might only find 1 or 2 books that would give the necessary information needed. Now a person can get on the Internet and with just a few clicks of the mouse be exposed to more information on one topic than they could read in a year. Information overload and technological learning are parts of everyday life that require students now to learn tons of information at faster rates than ever before. This is a tough task and asks much more of current students. I feel like it can be beneficial to students because it teaches them how to pick out useful information and to ignore the extra, unnecessary stuff. These skills should be taught to students at a young age so they can use them throughout the years and will contain to aid them when they enter the workforce.