To Blog, or Not to Blog
Kevin Finneran. Issues in Science and Technology. Washington: Winter 2006.Vol.22, Iss. 2; pg. 23, 2 pgs
Abstract: Finneran takes a look at how influential blogs are. He contends that blogs are lively and influential -- and particularly attractive to generation 1.0.
Editorial: Information Technology Dissonance
John Webb. Information Technology and Libraries. Chicago: Dec 2005.Vol.24, Iss. 4; pg. 156, 1 pgs
Abstract: Despite the proliferation and popularity of blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, and slugs, in the author's working life he still receives most of his outside information from such old-fashioned sources as electronic lists, journal and newspaper articles, Web sites, and by talking to colleagues, vendors, and "experts" face-to-face, by phone, or through e-mail. The author loves being editor because he gets to read the submissions before anyone else, except authors. The growing richness of information sources may be a cacophony, but that simply means that staying informed in the field allows every one of them to choose the sources that work best for them.
Relevance in the eye of the search software
Péter Jacsó. Online Information Review. Bradford: 2005. Vol. 29, Iss. 6; p. 676 (7 pages)
Abstract: The purpose of this article is to look into relevance ranking and its importance in trying to bring some order to the deluge of results in response to a query. A large-scale analysis of detailed Web logs of various search engines was performed. Sample tests were made on five to eight versions of MEDLINE, ERIC, and PsycINFO on hosts which have comparable versions of the databases and offer relevance ranking. It was found that, for fairness, it must be ensured that the implementations are identical, they have the same retrospective coverage, the same MEDLINE/PubMed subsets, and (quasi) identical update.
News Blogs in Distance Education Programs
Julie M Reinhart, Adrian L Whicker, Tricia Juettemeyer. Distance Learning. Greenwich: 2005. Vol. 2, Iss. 5; p. 23 (6 pages)
Abstract: Reinhart et al discuss the implementation of a news blog that was created to improve informal communication between students in a professional graduate program at a midsized Southeastern university. Recommendations for implementing a news blog are provided.
CONVERSATIONS IN THE BLOGOSPHERE; Weblogs in Inclusive Pedagogy of Peace and War
Oravac, Jo Ann. Transformations. Wayne: Fall 2004. Vol. XV, Iss. 2; p. 79
Abstract: Since the late 1990s, various weblog genres have emerged from an assortment of efforts. The proliferation of weblogs is best described as grassroots, with its creative variations stemming from the trials and errors of bloggers rather than the research-and-development efforts of computer technology firms. The genre attracted widespread interest when weblogs that mourned the September 11, 2001 tragedies quickly emerged, a phenomenon well noted in many traditional print magazines and television broadcasts ([Bausch], Haughey, and Hourihan 36; [Trippi] 18). The "warblogs" label sprang forth during the past several years with its precise origins in question. The term "peaceblog" is often used to refer to sites with anti-war and conflict resolution leanings, but many of these sites are also known as "warblogs." Some commentators have linked the early use of the term "warblog" with pro-war discourse, but note that the terminology has shifted somewhat:
Citizens often investigate and interpret peace and war issues through day-to-day examination of broadcast and online media, although the materials they obtain can be heavily biased and inaccurate (Chomsky). Individuals also glean facts and insights -- as well as rumors and gossip -- from "word of mouth," exchanging short messages with neighbors and friends. Weblogs furnish "human portals" to many of these information resources, helping to avert information overload while conveying personal reflections. Critical distance is of great value in countering wartime disinformation as well as in evaluating a variety of news and analytical sources. Former war reporter Chris Hedges writes that an aggressive wartime "sickness" can easily become internalized as one is pulled into wartime passions. Wartime pressures often serve to reduce complex issues into fairly simple dichotomies: one side is considered full of heroes and the other of villains. The weblog genre allows for the expression of critical judgment by individuals; its chronological format preserves a sense of the ongoing development in circumstances at large as well as in the thinking of the blogger. Blogs can keep alive more amorphous issues such as nuclear perils, which can seem remote as immediate concerns about terrorism and "hot" wars consume the attention of the public. The weblog "Blog Left" often tackles these issues, bringing in contributions from readers:
Weblogs do more than critique information resources, however. They place peace and war in a personalized perspective by encouraging individuals to follow specific details of the lives of others who are exploring these issues and trying to make sense of events. They provide a highly intimate and almost "transparent" view of how individuals are reacting daily to circumstances, presenting exemplars of bravery and adaptability as well as intellectual analysis. Such individual empowerment and "inner dialogue" can be major aspects of nonviolent resistance (Martin &Varney 213). Direct articulation of opinions on war and peace is dangerous in many societies; even western nations that proclaim freedom of expression as a value still repress speech that is not considered sufficiently "patriotic." Even though technology has afforded modern ways of interacting, deep fears about surveillance and repression are surfacing as wartime pressures continue. For example, the blogging community was taken aback when an Iraqi blogger was arrested (Glaser 1) and a French blogger was nearly arrested for criticizing public officials.
Introduction: Teaching Peace
Ellis, Jacqueline, Giunta, Edvige. Transformations. Wayne: Fall 2004. Vol. XV, Iss. 2; p. 11
Abstract: All the essays included here articulate an awareness that the classroom is a critical space for learning and teaching peace. This is evident in Chalmer Thompson's essay on integrating race theory into the graduate training of mental health workers. Through classroom exercises and roleplays, Thompson seeks to diminish overt and covert conflicts between clients and therapists that are themselves indicative of interpersonal and institutional racial divisions in the United States. Outside of traditional academic spaces, Duda Penteado examines alternative contexts for teaching peace through creative self-expression. A Jersey City artist whose work "Beauty for Ashes" is reproduced here, Penteado intertwines his art with his teaching and community activism. Jo Ann Oravec further extends textual boundaries by analyzing weblogs or "blogs" as virtual tools for teaching peace. Our "Essays" section ends with "The Pledge of Allegiance," a poem by high school student Maeve D'Arcy. Remaking the patriotic language that is ritualistically reinforced in US public education, D'Arcy outlines a space where students and teachers can strive for peace. Finally, the three reviews by Keri Manning, Jeri Pollock, and Michelle Stewart provide a wealth of resources -- from books to videos and DVDs to websites -- on subjects of great relevance to teaching peace: media literacy, ecopedagogy, and the US-Vietnam War.
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