You do realize that just because I didn’t post all summer long, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t stored a bunch of things I’ve been meaning to share. In no particular order, here is a list of stories that I found interesting, and would like to pass along:
BOOKS: I didn’t get to read many books this summer, but I did take note of some interesting publications.
- The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr. I did start reading this book, but I haven’t quite finished and perhaps that’s evidence in favor of the author’s argument. Carr shares some fascinating personal anecdotes about how his own thinking has been altered by the electronic media world, as well as some incredible research that documents the physical differences in brains trained to surf rather than read printed text.
- Higher Education?: How Colleges Are Wasting Our Money and Failing Our Kids—and What We Can Do About It by Hacker and Dreifus. I haven’t gotten my hands on this relatively new book yet, but the title is both a mouthful, and worth thinking about, especially in these strained economic times.
- Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers. Another book I haven’t read yet, but feel comfortable recommending because it’s written by a YA favorite. Mr. Myers has proven himself a worthy author in his previous titles like Scorpions, Hoops, Monster and the Vietnam War novel, Fallen Angels.
GULF OIL SPILL: Is it over? Did you see the live video feed that showed the oil pouring into the water? Where did all that oil go? How about these stories indicating we may have been saved by freaky oil eating microbes.
- Newly discovered microbe is eating the Gulf oil spill AP report filed August 24, 2010
- Report suggests microbes have gobbled up Gulf spill by Margaret Munro in Montreal Gazette
IS COLLEGE WORTH IT?: The Higher Education book got me thinking, are other people also talking about the high cost of college tuition.
- Is College Worth It? 2 Professors Say No by Brian O’Connell on MainStreet.com
- Learning by Degrees by Rebecca Mead in the New Yorker
- In a recession, is college worth it? Fear of debt changes plans by Sandra Block in USA Today
TEACHERS, STUDENTS & THE INTERNET: In case you didn’t know, it’s not a good idea to put everything you’re thinking online. Freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from scrutiny or consequences.
- Teacher Resigns over Facebook Posting by Sydney Lupkin in Boston.com
- Facebook and teachers: Still a potentially dangerous combination for your career by Maureen Downey in the Atlantic Journal Constitution
- Facebook could cost you your job by Melissa Stewart
- Beloit College’s Mindset List: A list of the ever changing reality of the incoming freshmen classes’ world … archived and updated annually since 1998.
BONUS VIDEO:
- Meet Milo, the Virtual Boy via TED Talks: Cool and a little creepy. The quest to close the gap between the real and the virtual takes another baby step forward, with Milo, a virtual boy whose “mind” is constructed by interactions with the user.
Hope you find something interesting and thank you for stopping by.
Copyright © henry toromoreno, 2010. All rights reserved.
