Eurozine - The society of the query and the Googlization of our lives - Geert Lovink A tribute to Joseph Weizenbaum

Eurozine - The society of the query and the Googlization of our lives - Geert Lovink A tribute to Joseph Weizenbaum:

"'There is only one way to turn signals into information, through interpretation', wrote the computer critic Joseph Weizenbaum. As Google's hegemony over online content increases, argues Geert Lovink, we should stop searching and start questioning."

Literary Review - Brenda Maddox on Oscar's Books by Thomas Wright

Literary Review - Brenda Maddox on Oscar's Books by Thomas Wright

I thought that this was a very interesting article about the value of personal libraries in determining the context of a person's life. The article focuses on Wilde, but by looking at the books he owned. Probably something I should share with the insider, but I hate posting to that thing. If any of you find this interesting, certainly do send it to the entire iSchool community.

Official Google Blog: Our Googley advice to students: Major in learning

Official Google Blog: Our Googley advice to students: Major in learning

One of my major goals for any class I teach is to awaken an interest in the subject. I want my students to be excited by the ideas they encounter, have a place (in or out of class) to discuss those ideas, and feel comfortable having opinions about the readings, the projects, the outcomes of any course. This goal is, I think, illustrated by this googleblog post, where they say that they essentially are looking for engaged, ambitious students, who have ideas that they are not afraid to express, and the initiative to carry out on those ideas.

Happy reading!

Skills, Role & Career Structure of Data Scientists & Curators: Assessment of Current Practice & Future Needs : JISC

Skills, Role & Career Structure of Data Scientists & Curators: Assessment of Current Practice & Future Needs : JISC

The main aim of this project was to examine and make recommendations on the role and career development of data scientists and the associated supply of specialist data curation skills to the research community.

The nomenclature that currently prevails is inexact and can lead to misunderstanding about the different data-related roles that exist. This report attempts to reconcile in section 3.1 the definitions offered by authoritative organisations and the practical experience of people working in the field. We distinguish four roles: data creator, data scientist, data manager and data librarian. We define them in brief as follows:

• Data Creator Researchers with domain expertise who produce data. These people may have a high level of expertise in handling, manipulating and using data
• Data Scientist People who work where the research is carried out – or, in the case of data centre personnel, in close collaboration with the creators of the data – and may be involved in creative enquiry and analysis, enabling others to work with digital data, and developments in data base technology
• Data Manager Computer scientists, information technologists or information scientists and who take responsibility for computing facilities, storage, continuing access and preservation of data
• Data Librarian People originating from the library community, trained and specialising in the curation, preservation and archiving of data

In practice, there is not yet an exact use of such terms in the data community, and the demarcation between roles may be blurred. It will take time for a clear terminology to become general currency. (PDF is at bottom of page, but you can also click HERE to access)

*I read this report over the weekend, and I thought it was a very interesting read! Well worth your time if you are interested in the future of the field, particularly as that future plays upon your job prospects.

Hello Advisees!

I am creating this blog in the hopes that it will allow me to communicate effectively with my advisees.

I will use the following labels to help people find relevant information here:

* students: stuff related to teaching or advising
* meta: stuff related to this blog itself (i.e. housekeeping, etc.)

I will qualify each labels like so: students.advising is the label for entries about advising (easy, no?). Likewise students.inf384c is the label for material related to my inf 384c class. Things labeled plain-old students are of general interest to my students or advisees.