Tag: curation

Bursting the Bubble

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When taking research literacy lessons, I have the students conduct a basic Google search using their inquiry question. Then, in a new tab, they use only the key words and watch what happens to the number of results. Next, they use a range of Boolean operators with their key words. We compare and discuss the change in the number of results (usually significantly less) and the power of effective search skills. I always point out that despite everyone in the room using the exact same words and operators, we get a different number of results. We speak about Google’s algorithms, it’s filtering of their results, and the power of going beyond page 1. This has always been a valuable discussion point, as some believe the filter bubble can dramatically increase confirmation bias. In a climate of divisive viewpoints, this is important to note. Not only in the personal and social world but also the world of academia. Students must have the opportunity to challenge their thinking to develop deeper understandings and develop their capacity for critical thinking.

In his 2011 TED Talk, Pariser highlighted the need for algorithms to be transparent and customisable to enhance companies’ ethics and “civic responsibility” in terms of how people connect and with what they are exposed to (TED2011, 2011). It seems Google responded. When recently searching in Google, I wanted to see if I could turn off certain algorithms or data collection – could I go back to square one to have a truly pure and uncorrupted search experience. It turns out, in 2018, Google released Your Data in Search which makes deleting your search history and controlling the ads you see much easier. You can also turn off Google’s personalisation. While some studies suggest Google’s attempt at reducing the filter bubble (searching in private mode and when signed out) does not greatly affect the disparity between users’ search results, it is perhaps a step in the right direction. It is worthwhile noting that Google disputes the claim that personalisation greatly effects search results.

The jury may still be out as key players are unsurprisingly at odds, however I have seen the difference in results first hand when working with classes of students. In the realm of their academic research, it may not be as big of an issue as say perpetuating political beliefs or other ideologies, however these algorithms are deciding what it deems most useful or important for these students. This can limit students’ search rather than assist, and popularised click bait can hinder their academic as well as social searching. An alternative search engine, which does not track or store your personal information, is DuckDuckGo. A search engine many librarians and educators have been promoting for some time. The next time I take a research literacy lesson, I will put it to the test and see how it stacks up against Google.

Business Models should DuckDuckGo does not use tracked advertising or affiliated marketing.
DuckDuckGos Business Model.
Cuofano, G. (n.d.). DuckDuckGos Business Model [Image]. Retrieved from https://fourweekmba.com/duckduckgo-business-model/
In terms of curation, Valenza (2012) suggests we be mindful of the filter bubble when evaluating the curations of others. Are viewpoints missing? Whose perspective is the curation from? On the other hand, effective human curation can alleviate the filter bubble. Human curators, particularly those participating in collective curation, have the ability to provide multiple perspectives within a curation. This gives users a more comprehensive pool of sources to select from and can expose users to a breadth of viewpoints. Even Apple is using human curation to counter the limitations of algorithmic curation. Apple intends to present a curation of quality-controlled news by leveraging the collective skills and expertise of a curation team. This is also a powerful exercise for students. Collective curating of resources for their research tasks can reduce work load, provide multiple and alternate perspectives and encourage collaborative processes and communication. Shirky (O’Reilly, 2008) highlights an instance in 2008 whereby a Toronto college student created a Facebook study group to mimic an IRL study group. In this group, membership was open and vast. He was quickly charged with cheating by Ryerson College. I personally don’t believe the creation of this group to be in violation of academic integrity. Even though students may be collaboratively curating (something I think should be encouraged), they, themselves as individuals, must still be discerning in their selection of sources and evidence, and must still demonstrate their ability to evaluate, analyse and sythensise. Collective curation provides opportunities for students to debate, widen the available perspectives, and support one another in their academic endeavours.

So, the next topic to explore is appropriate collective curation tools that support students inside and outside the school environment.

 

Reference 

TED2011. (2011, March). Eli Pariser: Beware online “filter bubbles” [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles?language=en#t-476026

O’Reilly. (2008, September 19). Web 2.0 Expo NY: Clay Shirky (shirky.com) It’s Not Information Overload. It’s Filter Failure [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LabqeJEOQyI

 

[Reflection: Module 2.5]

Social curation tools

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Curation has long been a part of the role of a Teacher Librarian; however, new platforms and resources have emerged in response to the proliferation of digital resources. Excitedly, Teacher Librarians can take advantage of digital tools to promote and publicise the work of the library and curate resources for the purposes of pleasure and learning. These curation tools can be text-based, visual, or hybrid, which combine the use of text and visual media (Robertson, 2012). Social curation allows participants to collaborate and share digital content based around different themes (Rouse, 2012); however, concerns may arise relating to privacy and copyright. Educase mentions that many curation tools have limited privacy controls, which may be an issue if the curation tool was linked to the school’s Library Management System or if students require access (2012). Since this was published, many sites now offer enhance privacy settings whereby the curated resources can be shared via invite only, as is the case with Pinterest. Despite this advance with Pinterest privacy controls, the accessibility is still an issue, as individuals must be invited to the board and both parties must follow each other on Pinterest. Furthermore, breaches of copyright are more likely to occur when using social curation tools, as the original owner of the content is often not acknowledged due to the click-and-share mentality of these sites (Educase, 2012).

Curation tools:

Diigo: a text-based curation bookmarking tool whereby users collect, annotate and archive webpages. The collections can be kept private, shared with a group or shared publicly.

Thinglink: a visual curation tool whereby users annotate an image or video and embed curated content. Users may only set their Thinglink as public or unlisted.

Pinterest: a visual curation tool whereby users can create and share topic-based collections.

Scoop.it: a hybrid curation tool whereby users can curate articles, documents, pictures, videos or social media streams under a topic. It is free for personal use. Users may publish to one of Scoop.it’s partners; including, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, WordPress, Mail Chimp, or the topic can be private.

Flipboard: a hybrid tool that curates popular articles about a theme or topic as an online magazine. Users may only set their magazine as public or private.

LibGuides: a content management system that can be used to curate a range of sources including; books, documents, images, videos and webpages. Assignment Help Pages may be curated to present a collection of resources to students in relation to their assessment tasks.

Other curations tool, which may be useful for school libraries include Flickr and Instagram. Flickr is a useful tool in curating visual images and is used well by National Library of Australia to present primary sources from Australia’s history. Instagram is also used by National Library of Australia to present aspects of their collection. Instagram may also be a useful creation tool for libraries to promote their services.

  • Diigo Text Curation Tool Reference: Harrison, N. (2018). My library [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.diigo.com/user/noniharrison

 

 

Review of Curation Channel

ThingLink: Iowa Children’s Choice Award

 

Curation Tool
Criteria Review
Tags Tags are not clearly marked for the public to see.
Ability to post to multiple channels ThingLink can be shared through an embed code or link or can be directly shared through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, Tumblr, Tackk, Email or Edmodo.
Adequate space to provide comments, evaluations or reviews No space for user interaction.
Ease of dealing with images Very easy to upload images, as it is a visual curation tool.
Ability to label with license information References can be easily added to the description of image and each annotation. Issues surrounding “cloning” other users’ ThinkLinks without the original author’s information included. Does not include the ability to search for Creative Commons material on the site.
Available as an app for curation on the go on a mobile device App available for Apple and Android for free.
Compatibility with devices and browsers used by students and staff Compatible with all browsers and devices.
Visual appeal Annotations provide interaction and are signified by a neat dot, which keeps the overall image tidy. The visual appeal is high, as the ThingLink is essentially a full image or video.
Content
Topic Relevant to library promotion and book promotion.
Readability Due to large quantity of books review, the text description beneath each is small and difficult to read.
Design Inviting and appealing. Use of images to draw readers in.
Interactivity Annotations provide embedded videos, reviews or trailers for each book. Easy to access.
Ability to repost Can be easily reposted using the options inbuilt in ThingLink.

 

References:

Educause. (2012). 7 things you should know about social content curation. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/~/media/files/library/2012/10/eli7089-pdf.pdf

Kral, M. (2017). Iowa children’s choice award 2017-2018. Retrieved from https://www.thinglink.com/scene/930881240087658499

Robertson, N. D. (2012). Content curation and the school librarian. Knowledge Quest, 41(2), E1-5. Retrieved from

Rouse, M. (2012). Social curation. Retrieved from http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/social-curation

 

[Reflection: Module 2.3]