InfoTeacher

The cell phone. It’s now a source of information.  Sure, I could buy an iphone or a Blackberry, but I’m a guy on a budget.  So, I’m talking about the simple cell phone (with unlimited texting — I found that to be indispensable with two teenage daughters, one away at school. We text more than we talk).

Well, text for information. Two sites (that I know of)

1. Text Cha-Cha (spell it, 242-242). Text your question and get an answer. It’s free.
2. Google (of Course!! – spell this one, too 466-453). Send your question and get an answer; also free.

I tried to ask both for the definition of pusillanimous (but I spelled it wrong). I texted “define pussilamous.” From Cha-Cha I got two responses. First, they told me it’s not in dictionary. I tried a different (still wrong) spelling and got the answer, still not in the dictionary, but it seems to mean . . .” followed by a somewhat accurate, but clearly kind of made up definition. 

From Google (sendng the exact same mis-spelling), I got a corrected spelling, “did you mean pussillanimous?” followed by a dictionary definition. Then Google followed with a second text (limited characters allowed in phone texting, you know). The second texttold me the definition came from wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn.

I find Google especially to be pretty handy. The “human” response of Cha-Cha might also be handy at times. I’m told you can ask current scores of games, what’s on TV, etc. (limited only by your imagination; trying to ask for a definition was just a way to try it out). Although I don’t know how I would cite that definition, I don’t see using this in a paper so much as just needing on the spot information. I can use this for a lot more than asking for definitions. 

 I added both Cha-Cha and Google to my phone’s address book.  Isn’t the age of instant information exciting? I have my computer with me a lot (though I don’t have mobile broadband), but I have my phone almost all the time.

Kathryn Greenhill from librariansmatter.com – a librarian from Australia posts this on Slide Share.  Really having trouble with the embed, so here is the link.  (I’m not that happy with WordPress’ format – chose it and Edublogs so my district wouldn’t block it; gotta say – Blogger is MUCH easier!!)

In my district, even those of us who TALK quite a bit about these technologies are not DOING them enough. Quite a few more as asking “why bother?” – this show says a lot about why we should bother, though it only touches the broad range of what’s new – no details. In the end, a push to at least try one. (I especially like slide 137 — “No offense, future man, but is everyone in your time retarded?”). Very creative, broad encompassing and interesting.