"Learning how to organize and identify quality information on the web is the first stepping stone in separating the sheep from the Shepard. Sheep are slaves to their "Filter bubbles"(Google it) only absorbing information tailored for them by an algorithm designed with the main goal of classifying them and selling them items tailored to their online activities. A Shepard realize how the Web is organized and have the skill to burst that bubble and find the non biased truths that are hidden like jewels in the the earth. They poses the skill needed to sift through the soil and find the diamonds of quality and accurate information on the web and hold it up so that they may share their glow with the world." - Hassan J Kariem
I feel as though I am an effective searcher. The information rich word that we live in has provided me with an abundance of outlets to find data on any subject that I please. Its as simple as pulling my smart phone out of my pocket an going to google. The danger in the simplicity and ease of this action (googleing) is that we become so reliant on search results that we sometimes forget to challenge what we see and do a background search on the source we are receiving the information from. As an educator i myself in the past have been as guilty as a student of being so reliant on what the filter bubble provides for me. I feel as though the most effective way to burst this bubble is a combination of paying attention your search results and going past that first page of search results, using web curation tools, and identifying quality resources that have to do with the subject that you are searching.
I like your philosophical response to the filter bubble. I think most people tend to be sheep because it is easier to just blend in and do what others do.
ReplyDeleteI would prefer to be the shepherd on most accounts, although laziness gets the best of me at times. I think being a shepherd is a good position for a Media Specialist or Instructional Technology position, because these people would help others to burst parts of their normal "bubble."
I agree that a way to pop the filter bubble is to pay attention to search results and find other sources, but the problem is that most people don't even know about the filter bubble. First we must make sure that students and co-workers are aware of the filter bubble. I must admit that I didn't realize how much my searches were customized to me until I watched the TED Talk. Now that I am aware, it will change how I search for information.
ReplyDeleteI to am guilty of not challenging what I find on Google. I have also found it difficult when watching my students research something and they immediately give up when they can't find what they are looking for. I have an assignment in my class where they have to find certain articles, headlines, stories etc…that reflect the supply and demand shifters (consumer taste, costs of production, etc…) They will only search the shifting determinant rather than think outside the box and search for some resource used for producing or some advertisement that would enhance the preference of a product…I guess it is very easy to get wrapped up in what actually shows up in your search engine at any given time.
ReplyDeleteAs a business teacher, I notice that the one thing that students always fail to do is "fact check" their information. I think that sometimes we all just get a little too consumed with having our information right this moment instead of taking that extra few minutes to check the validity of our information.
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