Comments on: Google and memorization http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/ Made to Stick Blog by Dan and Chip Heath Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:22:57 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Erin http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/comment-page-1/#comment-13938 Erin Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:51:59 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/#comment-13938 My apologies, I believe I used some characters that confused the system. As I was saying, I am a public librarian and I often use Google. However, I'm concerned that the normal methods of research are perishing. Often, our younger patrons don't know what a database is, and insist that their teacher said "I can't use the Internet." Librarians also struggle to find a "sticky" way of labeling the databases on their website - "database" is a foreign word, "magazines" is too narrow, and "research" is intimidating. What magical word will raise our statistics? I fear also that kids today may not know the pleasure of pawing through old, smelly journals. My apologies, I believe I used some characters that confused the system. As I was saying, I am a public librarian and I often use Google. However, I’m concerned that the normal methods of research are perishing. Often, our younger patrons don’t know what a database is, and insist that their teacher said “I can’t use the Internet.” Librarians also struggle to find a “sticky” way of labeling the databases on their website – “database” is a foreign word, “magazines” is too narrow, and “research” is intimidating. What magical word will raise our statistics?

I fear also that kids today may not know the pleasure of pawing through old, smelly journals.

]]> By: Erin http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/comment-page-1/#comment-13935 Erin Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:36:09 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/#comment-13935 I am a public librarian, and I do I am a public librarian, and I do

]]> By: John Hunter http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/comment-page-1/#comment-13738 John Hunter Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:43:08 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/#comment-13738 I find myself outsourcing my memory to my blog too. I find myself thinking in response to questions, I posted 3 blog posts that would relate to that in the last year, and 2 that relate to this... Trying to recall the details though is harder, I just want to pepper my conversation with hyperlinks to see blog post x,y and z for the details... I find myself outsourcing my memory to my blog too. I find myself thinking in response to questions, I posted 3 blog posts that would relate to that in the last year, and 2 that relate to this… Trying to recall the details though is harder, I just want to pepper my conversation with hyperlinks to see blog post x,y and z for the details…

]]> By: Frank Vandenburg http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/comment-page-1/#comment-13713 Frank Vandenburg Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:48:13 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/#comment-13713 My background is similar to Chris Brogan's and until yesterday my comments would have been as well. I'm not living in the US, but I have a large number of friends who do and one shared with me last night that some individuals she was training were incredulous that Russian troops were on US soil after they saw headlines about Russian troops in Georgia. I agree 100% that greater emphasis must be placed on self-reliance and the ability to discover information for one's self using tools and strategies such as search. But the effectiveness of search is limited by one's ability to input related keywords and ideas. Returning to your example, knowledge of the Confederacy's strategy isn't possible to understand without some previously acquired knowledge (read: information in memory) about the Confederacy, the conflict in question and where and when the conflict took place (general time periods if not specific dates). I agree that rote memorization is no longer the best way to help individual acquire knowledge, but trading "factors" and "concepts" for concrete information is a dead-end as well. Neuroscience demonstrates that concrete facts provide anchors for concepts and factors to be hung on. I can navigate my country quite well because I have a list of regions and capitals in my head that enable me to have a general idea of which way I'm supposed to travel to a new location-in case the directions I get from Google Maps are unclear (as they are on occasion). How would you answer your concluding question if I reworded it slightly? "Would anyone think these trainees less smart if they thought Russians had invaded the US because they didn't have the "factoid" in memory that there is more than one place called "Georgia" in the world?" My friend answered it by giving them a couple of factoids to memorize so their intelligence wouldn't be judged based on a lack of information. Search skills and core information together provide the best hope for producing curious, reflective, self-sufficient persons. My background is similar to Chris Brogan’s and until yesterday my comments would have been as well. I’m not living in the US, but I have a large number of friends who do and one shared with me last night that some individuals she was training were incredulous that Russian troops were on US soil after they saw headlines about Russian troops in Georgia.

I agree 100% that greater emphasis must be placed on self-reliance and the ability to discover information for one’s self using tools and strategies such as search. But the effectiveness of search is limited by one’s ability to input related keywords and ideas.

Returning to your example, knowledge of the Confederacy’s strategy isn’t possible to understand without some previously acquired knowledge (read: information in memory) about the Confederacy, the conflict in question and where and when the conflict took place (general time periods if not specific dates).

I agree that rote memorization is no longer the best way to help individual acquire knowledge, but trading “factors” and “concepts” for concrete information is a dead-end as well.

Neuroscience demonstrates that concrete facts provide anchors for concepts and factors to be hung on. I can navigate my country quite well because I have a list of regions and capitals in my head that enable me to have a general idea of which way I’m supposed to travel to a new location-in case the directions I get from Google Maps are unclear (as they are on occasion).

How would you answer your concluding question if I reworded it slightly?

“Would anyone think these trainees less smart if they thought Russians had invaded the US because they didn’t have the “factoid” in memory that there is more than one place called “Georgia” in the world?”

My friend answered it by giving them a couple of factoids to memorize so their intelligence wouldn’t be judged based on a lack of information.

Search skills and core information together provide the best hope for producing curious, reflective, self-sufficient persons.

]]> By: Chris Brogan... http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/comment-page-1/#comment-13682 Chris Brogan... Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:30:33 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/14/google-and-memorization/#comment-13682 Long time reader, first time commenter. We've even spoken on the phone once before. What drew me out of the woodwork? Search as a school skill. (This comment is US-centric in nature, but I know this is a worldwide consideration). I'm 38. I grew up as a digital native when it wasn't really fashionable. But that gave me an edge on other folks because I knew where to find certain resources. I've continued that trend as an adult. My daughter is 6. She knows how to find PBSKids, NickJr, and all her sites, plus she knows how to use the search bar in YouTube to find what she wants (with supervision). I believe there are courses required for education that didn't exist when I was in school. * Search * Media literacy * Basic HTML ( links, emphasis, etc) * Critical Thinking * Media creation Without these, kids coming up will be at a serious disadvantage to other children from countries who are taking this much more seriously. Look at the XO from Nicolas Negroponte. It ships with a browser. Think the Web is superfluous to what children need to learn? MIT doesn't think so. OLPC doesn't think so. I think you've got a nail-on-the-head post here. Thanks for your thoughtfulness. Long time reader, first time commenter. We’ve even spoken on the phone once before. What drew me out of the woodwork? Search as a school skill. (This comment is US-centric in nature, but I know this is a worldwide consideration).

I’m 38. I grew up as a digital native when it wasn’t really fashionable. But that gave me an edge on other folks because I knew where to find certain resources. I’ve continued that trend as an adult.

My daughter is 6. She knows how to find PBSKids, NickJr, and all her sites, plus she knows how to use the search bar in YouTube to find what she wants (with supervision).

I believe there are courses required for education that didn’t exist when I was in school.

* Search
* Media literacy
* Basic HTML ( links, emphasis, etc)
* Critical Thinking
* Media creation

Without these, kids coming up will be at a serious disadvantage to other children from countries who are taking this much more seriously.

Look at the XO from Nicolas Negroponte. It ships with a browser. Think the Web is superfluous to what children need to learn? MIT doesn’t think so. OLPC doesn’t think so.

I think you’ve got a nail-on-the-head post here. Thanks for your thoughtfulness.

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