Category: ETL401

Information Society

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Harquail, S. (2014). ? Information [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/55648226@N03/14456349242/
I found the concept of information society to be much more accessible than some initial reading about the definition for “information”. After reading Webster’s five ways of defining information, I can see that the term refers to the way in which we develop, use and manipulate information and importantly, the values and lived experiences people bring to information and their understanding of it (2014). I think developments, or determinism, in the information society are driven by certain groups and the needs of those groups, whether with an economic, social or political agenda.

It’s important to understand the broader information landscape, as changes occur at a rapid rate. These changes take the form of developments in information, technology, and the users. Floridi (2007) describes the information landscape as an infosphere. The ease and increased access to information (frictionless infosphere) means people will have no right to ignore information, they will share a vast common knowledge which will develop over time, and experience an increase in accountability (Floridi, 2007). It is important to understand that this changing landscape will affect all aspects of our lives in a similar way that the industrial revolution affected the lives of those living during the 18th century. All aspects of information in our lives will change including the devices that deliver the information to us. This reontologisation means that as we come to live in an infosphere our lives will become increasingly synchronised, delocalised and correlated (Floridi, 2007). Ultimately, we will live in a space and time that we can no longer log out of. Floridi (2007) goes on to explain that older generations will be the last to remember the world when it could be both offline and online. This means, as TLs, our students and future learning spaces will become increasingly connected. We are already experiencing an environment where we log-on but no off. Our students, and at times ourselves, are connected informational organisms (inforgs), as they spend “more time connected than sleeping” (Floridi, 2007, p.63).

The implications of this mean that, as a TL, I will need to be flexible and up-to-date with the modes and devices which deliver information. With the developing infosphere, modes of communication, the amount of information available, and modes of interaction are simultaneously going through a phase of reengineering. My responsibility as an information specialist is to work with these changes to better support my students and staff in their acquisition of information and transference of knowledge. On a final, and specific note, I can already see that in relation to the cultural definition of the information society there will be a need to upskill our students in digital reading and meaning making; particularly, with the changes in delivery of NAPLAN.

References

Floridi, L. (2007). A Look into the Future Impact of ICT on Our Lives. Information Society, 23(1), 59-64. doi:10.1080/01972240601059094

Webster, F. (2014). Theories of the Information Society. Florence: Taylor and Francis. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/lib/csuau/detail.action?docID=1656811

 

[Forum Reflection: Module 2.2]

Reflection: Availability and Access

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Udithawix. (2015). Scrolling down [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/126915310@N08/16981803257/
The ramifications of having ready access to information at all times can be both positive and negative. One positive effect is it allows the user to access information at their leisure, so is more flexible than before. According to the ABS, 86% of households have access to the internet at home, which is up 3% from 2012-13 (2016). Additionally, findings concluded “most households who accessed the internet did so through a desktop or laptop computer (94%), followed by households who accessed via mobile or smart phones (86%) and households who accessed via tablets (62%)” (ABS, 2016). Therefore, the ease in which we access information has rapidly increased with developing technology. This also demonstrates a third benefit from ready access to information, which is the wide variety of viewpoints and modes of communication that are available. This can assist in creating more rounded conclusions when conducting research and/or broaden the user’s perceptions of a topic.

On the other hand, having ready access to information 24/7 can have detrimental effects. It becomes difficult to “switch off” and disconnect from the world of technology and communication. Therefore, it can negatively affect the user’s work-life balance, which in my case includes study-work-life balance. Just as I have been writing this reflection I have received nine emails (a combination of personal and work-related), one university announcement (no emails as of yet, which is unusual), and a number of alerts or notifications. Compared to other days of the week, this is relatively quiet. This may be due to Monday being my day off work, so my colleagues and Head of Department are very conscious not to have any work-related communication with me on these days unless absolutely necessary. Another negative affect can be the difficulty in navigating through so much information to find the most relevant source. It can also be difficult and time consuming to assess the credibility, accuracy and reliability of a source.

These all have ramifications for me and my capacity to study this subject. Some aspects of being part of a connected world will assist me in my studies, while other aspects can affect my productivity and the effectiveness in which I complete the course. I will need to use discernment when accessing online resources and I will need to set clear guidelines and goals when completing my study, so as not to get caught down the rabbit hole which is 24/7 access to information.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016). Household use of information technology, Australia: 2014-15 (cat. No. 8146.0). Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/8146.0

Reflection: Digital Information

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Osccarr. (2011). Bonito iceberg al fondo [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/66598477@N07/6065295630/
Deep Web: The Deep Web lies between the Surface Web (Google and other public search engines and domains) and the Dark Web (which is a small portion of the Deep Web and is the scarier, more sinister side where sites such as Silk Road live). According to BrightPlanet “the Surface Web is anything that a search engine can find while the Deep Web is anything that a search engine can’t find” (2014, para. 6). This includes government databases, libraries, and intranets. These are sites that a user must have a log-in or account for or paid subscription to access.

A great video that explains the deep and dark webs:

LEMMiNO (Creator). (2016, July 2). The dark side of the web [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUP0tx7Ib2w

Internet2: Internet2 is a research collective based in the United States, which works to solve the problems of technology and the internet in the current realm and develop the technologies and internet of the future. It is a consortium of research and education organisations which develops major innovations in the digital world. It is a collection of high performance networks that allow interaction which is not possible on the internet (The Regents of the University of Michigan, 2016).

 

References

BrightPlanet. (2014). Clearing up confusion: Deep web vs. dark web. Retrieved from https://brightplanet.com/2014/03/clearing-confusion-deep-web-vs-dark-web/

The Regents of the University of Michigan. (2016). Internet2. Retrieved from http://its.umich.edu/enterprise/wifi-networks/researchers/internet2

Reflection: Artificial Intelligence

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I think the phrase “the tool is directing the user” means that new developments in technology have created easier navigation for the user. AI predicts how people might want or need to use technology in the digital environment; thus, completing some of the task or thinking for the user. This may range from simple tools such as spell check to more complex tools such as a search engine. Microsoft has recently released two major updates for Office, which incorporate the use of AI. This includes a huge improvement to the way in which the spell check works by including suggestions to reduce wordiness and correct word choice errors and the ability to cite with more ease, as the program predicts the most appropriate citation for certain references (Lopez, 2016). These tools direct the path the user takes rather than the user directing the path. A look at Google’s Inside Search interactive story gives an overview of how the search engine works and how algorithms have enhanced the results people receive when searching. This may enhance results but it hasn’t necessarily enhanced people’s skills of searching. Is AI doing the hard thinking for us?

Google have recently introduced another AI element to their search tool. According to Wired senior staff writer, Cade Metz, this new approach is called deep learning and it is revolutionising the way in which people interact with technology (2016). Many forms of technology, programs and/or software were once reserved for those in positions of authority or the very tech savvy. Nowadays these technologies are more user-friendly than ever. Google has developed this new way of enhancing their search results by building neural nets, which is more sophisticated than the algorithms built by their human employees. With this embedded AI in search engines, the user loses some control over the path they take and their results but according to Metz “Google believes, the benefits outweigh that sacrifice” (2016).

Click to view the Interactive: How Google Search Works

Google’s self-learning AI is the next level of this technology. Deep Mind has developed AI technology for general use in a range of contexts.

ColdFusion TV (Creator). ColdFusion (Poster). (2016, May 1). Google’s deep mind explained! – Self learning A.I [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnUYcTuZJpM

 

References

Lopez, N. (2016). Microsoft is using AI to give Office spell-check on steroids and much more. Retrieved from https://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2016/07/26/microsoft-using-ai-give-office-spell-check-steroids-much/#.tnw_6tIHxXab

Metz, C. (2016). AI is transforming Google Search: The rest of the web is next. Wired. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2016/02/ai-is-changing-the-technology-behind-google-searches/

Reflection: Information Theory

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What is information?

I have not ever considered this question to be so complex. To me, information had always been messages, facts, data, words, symbols and insight needed to develop understanding about a particular thing or to inform and make a decision or draw a conclusion. I generally see this definition as still relevant but I can also see there are other aspects to information that can add to my understanding of this term. Case examines Bateson’s definition of information and concludes that “information is whatever appears significant to a human being” (2006, p.40). So, information exists or has the potential to exist in everything but, crucially, someone must be engage with it for it to be information. It is not information until someone engages with it. Case’s example, “if a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to see it, then it conveys no information”, is an effective way of describing information as a broader concept rather than a stagnant definition. As it is so broad, it is difficult to pinpoint one true definition. I agree that information as a concept is a more suitable explanation, as information is different for a variety of professions and people. Much like language and the meaning of messages, I agree with Cornelius in that information is also a social construct, which adds to a person’s understanding and interpretation of a situation or their world (2004). The values and lived experiences that people bring to interpret information and develop understanding effect the existence and meaning of information.

I can clearly see how Buckland’s three categories of information, information-as-process, information-as-knowledge and information-as-thing, relate to the role of a TL and how a TL can use and address these senses of information (Case, 2006, p.44). I think information in these forms exists within school libraries. I feel that students often take in information passively (so, is it information in this instance? Maybe just to teacher or instructor who sees the purpose). As TLs, we need to use strategies to develop the skills of our students and other staff members, to actively engage with information in a critical and useful way.

References

Case, D. O. (2006). Looking for Information: A Survey of Research on Information Seeking, Needs, and Behavior. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/lib/csuau/detail.action?docID=283968

Cornelius, I. (2004). Information and its philosophy. Library Trends, 52(3), 377-386.

We’re living in an information world

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After reading through the first section of Module 2, it is apparent that the varied definitions of information can lead to confusion about what it actually means. It’s difficult to pinpoint something that isn’t tangible and something that evolves and spreads. Information, to me, in its most important form, is when it transfers into knowledge. It is this process of transition, where information becomes most useful. This process of change is understanding. I think the core role of the TL is to develop understanding; to develop the skills to do something with the information. Information literacy forms a major component of a TL’s duties. This focus, of developing understanding and the skills to be able to understand, is a very exciting prospect for me as an incoming TL.

A major issue with the information world, at present, is the oversaturation of information. The digital world has provided an avenue for information to spread wide and fast. The issue arises when the information is shrouded with bias. For many, their main form of news and current affairs is their Facebook News Feed. But, the spread of information through digital means isn’t all bad. I think it has done a good job to expose people to a wider range of perspectives but we need to have the skills to discern between opinion and fact and to be able to make our own judgements and draw credible conclusions. The motivation for the spread of information has also changed over time. It has gone from the spread of ideas and enlightenment to the spread of commerce and it has become a money-making endeavour. Our job as TLs is to upskill staff and students in the areas of discernment, in order to sift through the information and select with care and consideration. Ultimately, it is vital to bring a critical eye to the world of information.

References

Davenport, T. H., & Prusak, L. (2000). Working knowledge: how organizations manage what they know. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Seminal work.

 

[Forum Reflection: Module 2.1]