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TLDR 61

Too Long; Didn't Read Issue 61

Published: 2016-09-02 • 📧 Newsletter

Welcome to issue 61 of the TL;DR Newsletter. In TL;DR I'm synthesizing what I read and learned this week in literacy, technology, and education. If this is your first time here...welcome. :)

This week is all about getting to know you.

You can review archives of the newsletter. Alternatively you can also check out TL;DR on Medium.

This week I spent a lot of time pulling together grant proposals, starting up classes, and prepping for the incoming hurricane.

🔖 Key Takeaways

📺 Watch

In my technology class I have students create a one minute video about themselves to use on their YouTube channel. This video is usually embedded on the websites they create for the class and program.

In years past, we have a steady stream of students lining up in front of the camera and speed reading a script. Most times the students dread the project and the results show. :)

This video was brought to my attention by a colleague that indicated that it was going viral as the new school year started. I'm sharing this out with my students as en exemplar for what they could create. We'll see if this inspires...or deflates their excitement. I know that it makes me want to create an autotuned version of my own video.

📚 Read

Good news for those of you that fear that the book will die off with the influx of new and digital literacies. Results from recent research from the Pew Research Center indicate that when Americans reach for a book, they predominantly select a print book as opposed to e-books or audiobooks.

While print remains at the center of book-reading landscape, habits in ebook consumption is drastically shifting. Ebook consumption has more than tripled since 2011. Readers that do select ebook texts are increasingly selecting multipurpose devices (phones, tablets) rather than primarily using dedicated e-readers.

What I find most intriguing:

College graduates are roughly four times as likely to read e-books and about twice as likely to read print books and audio books – compared with those who have not graduated high school.

Facebook recommended that this psychiatrist's patients friend each other

This is not good.

We've seen Facebook play it fast and loose with user privacy and security in the past. Most recently, Facebook and WhatsApp have been under fire after they announced that they will indeed reverse course and share user info across the two spaces.

In this particular story, "Lisa" (a psychiatrist) noticed that Facebook started suggesting some of her clients as friends on the social network. Things got weirder when one of her patients (a 30 year old snowboarder) indicated that he was strangely receiving friend suggestions from Facebook for 70 and 80 year old citizens in the area. Upon reviewing this, Lisa recognized that all of these new suggested friends were patients of hers.

This is a gigantic privacy violation. This is especially problematic given HIPAA information regulations here in the U.S. I can see problematic situations also arising with FERPA and anonymity requests made in research and reporting.

Facebook has not commented, but Kashmir Hill (the author of the post) tries to identify possible reasons the algorithm picked up these connections. It could be a new feature on Facebook and mobile in which the app is looking at cell phone data, location, and trying to connect people at the local level. It could also be Facebook connecting similar phone numbers across users. As an example, if I have my doctor's phone number saved to my device, I might not be friends with the other individuals that visit my doctor, but Facebook might try to connect the dots and suggest that we become friends.

Once again, in some situations, these connections do not need to be made overt on the social network.

Great long form post from Cathy O'Neil in The Guardian. After reading this post, I subscribed to Cathy's blog MathBabe in my Feedly reader.

The post suggests that employers are routinely using mathematics and algorithms to weed through submitted job applications to automatically sift through the materials. There are few opportunities to know, or understand the process, or the mechanisms operating behind the scenes. Furthermore, Cathy posits that the system and math involved may be punishing the poor.

One piece that will stick to me from this post, "In the US, some 72% of CVs are never seen by human eyes. Computer programs flip through them." A CV is a curriculum vitae, or resume in academics.

A poignant collection of images shared to the hashtag #iwishmyteacherknew on Twitter. These images are shared by teachers that have their students respond to the prompt "I wish my teacher knew..."

The collection is equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting. It provides a good reality check for each of us.

Click on the link above to view some of the shared pieces...or search (and join in) on your own.

Chances are, if you're a regular reader of TL;DR, you're also a big fan of Google, Google Apps, and some of the cool tools sprinkled across these spaces. If so, you might be interested in joining in the new opportunity to train to be a Google for Education Certified Trainer.

If this seems exciting, please check out the curriculum, requirements, and sign up. I may join you in the process. :)

🔨 Do

Can you solve five of the internet's hardest logic puzzles?

A fun set of challenges, puzzles, and games available online.

I love adding links to individual games at the end of online quizzes or activities for students that complete their work quickly. I add them to the link that is shared in Google Forms after a student completes the quiz. This provides a sort of "easter egg" or surprise reward following competition. In a recent quiz, I shared the fantastic Erase All Kittens game for my current students to complete.

These games also provide opportunities for students to play and explore new thinking puzzles during free time in the classroom.

🤔 Consider

"Be the person your dog thinks you are." — J. W. Stephens

This week: getting to know you.

Grant proposals starting classes and prepping for incoming hurricane. Dwayne Reed fourth grade autotuned video - I know that it makes me want to create my own version. Pew Research on book reading - ebook consumption tripled since 2011, what I find most intriguing is college graduates four times as likely. Facebook psychiatrist privacy violation - this is not good, HIPAA and FERPA concerns, connections do not need to be made overt. Cathy O'Neil on algorithms ruling working lives - one piece that will stick is 72% of CVs never seen by human eyes, subscribed to MathBabe. #iwishmyteacherknew heartbreaking and uplifting reality check. Google for Education Certified Trainer - I may join you in the process. Logic puzzles easter eggs for students completing quizzes quickly.

Be the person your dog thinks you are.

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Part of the 📧 Newsletter archive documenting digital literacy and technology.