Comments on: Rundown 9/22 http://www.hereandnow.org/2009/09/rundown-922/ National and international news analysis, film, theater, music and more, from WBUR and PRI Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:57:06 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Richard Pender http://www.hereandnow.org/2009/09/rundown-922/comment-page-1/#comment-3276 Richard Pender Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:42:36 +0000 http://www.hereandnow.org/?p=3512#comment-3276 I could not believe my ears when the mayor of Trion Ga seemed more concerned with the loss of the new carpet in city hall than the loss of life after the terrible flooding on Monday. He never responded to the death of the young boy even though Robin brought it up three times. I could not believe my ears when the mayor of Trion Ga seemed more concerned with the loss of the new carpet in city hall than the loss of life after the terrible flooding on Monday. He never responded to the death of the young boy even though Robin brought it up three times.

]]> By: Marina Kelly http://www.hereandnow.org/2009/09/rundown-922/comment-page-1/#comment-3275 Marina Kelly Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:33:09 +0000 http://www.hereandnow.org/?p=3512#comment-3275 I just heard the first part of the interview with the Headmaster of Cushing Academy and the campus that is now virtual. I really can't help but be horrified at the prospect of a school without the paper volume. As a professional librarian I spent all my time working with databases and have training that enables me to understand how resources are organized to provide the best resources. Why is something like Wikipedia allowed for school papers, when I can remember the Encyclopedia Britannica was not...our children today are not taught how to dig for information, a skill developed from books as opposed to what is provided online. I've used the internet as a tool for 18 years, but I would never rely upon it as a primary source of information. The advent of blogs, self-serving web sites, social networking areas, all of these have no checks and or balances. Children believe that because it is on the web it has to be true. They certainly can't notes within an electronic copy that's available for all time. I can't help but think that all the "sharing" features that come with electronic books don't really make them better students if they really can't comprehend what it is they are looking at. Another fear is that this will increase the divide between the haves and have nots...You can't utilize the e-books if you don't have the readers. Public schools already rely upon public libraries, how will they keep up with the demand and be the equalizer. I spend all my day on the PC for work, the last thing I want to do is spend my evening "reading". I find the Headmaster's logic flawed in so many ways, having to hire more "librarians" to create this virtual world and a new half million dollar space. Honestly, if I were a parent with a child in that school, I'd take my child out immediately. I'd like to see him take a Kindle to the beach and see if it gives the same warm feeling when it doesn't work because: the seaguls got it and dumped it in the water or sand got into it and burned it out. At least a book will dry or can be wiped off... I just heard the first part of the interview with the Headmaster of Cushing Academy and the campus that is now virtual. I really can’t help but be horrified at the prospect of a school without the paper volume. As a professional librarian I spent all my time working with databases and have training that enables me to understand how resources are organized to provide the best resources. Why is something like Wikipedia allowed for school papers, when I can remember the Encyclopedia Britannica was not…our children today are not taught how to dig for information, a skill developed from books as opposed to what is provided online. I’ve used the internet as a tool for 18 years, but I would never rely upon it as a primary source of information. The advent of blogs, self-serving web sites, social networking areas, all of these have no checks and or balances. Children believe that because it is on the web it has to be true. They certainly can’t notes within an electronic copy that’s available for all time.

I can’t help but think that all the “sharing” features that come with electronic books don’t really make them better students if they really can’t comprehend what it is they are looking at.

Another fear is that this will increase the divide between the haves and have nots…You can’t utilize the e-books if you don’t have the readers. Public schools already rely upon public libraries, how will they keep up with the demand and be the equalizer.

I spend all my day on the PC for work, the last thing I want to do is spend my evening “reading”. I find the Headmaster’s logic flawed in so many ways, having to hire more “librarians” to create this virtual world and a new half million dollar space. Honestly, if I were a parent with a child in that school, I’d take my child out immediately. I’d like to see him take a Kindle to the beach and see if it gives the same warm feeling when it doesn’t work because: the seaguls got it and dumped it in the water or sand got into it and burned it out. At least a book will dry or can be wiped off…

]]> By: Scott Dougherty http://www.hereandnow.org/2009/09/rundown-922/comment-page-1/#comment-3274 Scott Dougherty Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:32:21 +0000 http://www.hereandnow.org/?p=3512#comment-3274 Thank you for that remarkable interview with Dr. James Tracy. I enjoyed his take on the 15th century technology tthat is the book and our love of it. His appreciation of the youner generation developing a new aesthetic while appreciating the old was so well and dispassionaltely articulated that I must admit, his vision has won me over. It really is about the function more than the form. It is about the child reading Chaucer more than the mode in which he reads him. This transition is not unlike the transition from scrolls to books. Greatly appreciated his vision, personal story and of course Robin's exemplary interviewing! Thanks, Scott Thank you for that remarkable interview with Dr. James Tracy. I enjoyed his take on the 15th century technology tthat is the book and our love of it. His appreciation of the youner generation developing a new aesthetic while appreciating the old was so well and dispassionaltely articulated that I must admit, his vision has won me over. It really is about the function more than the form. It is about the child reading Chaucer more than the mode in which he reads him. This transition is not unlike the transition from scrolls to books. Greatly appreciated his vision, personal story and of course Robin’s exemplary interviewing!
Thanks,
Scott

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