TLDR 98

Too Long; Didn't Read Issue 98

Published: 2017-05-19 • 📧 Newsletter

Welcome to issue #98 of TL;DR. This is a weekly synthesis of things you need to know about education, technology, and literacy. Feel free to share with someone that you believe would benefit. Subscribe to this newsletter if you stumbled across this newsletter online.

This week's issue is all about manipulation, misinformation, and radicalization.

This week I posted the following:

Digitally Literate Courses: Building buzz through freebies - I'm still continuing my work developing online courses to help people become experts in teaching and learning with tech. This latest post is all about buzz, freebies, and marketing.
Reflecting on my StrengthsQuest Report - Last week I took the StrengthsQuest assessment for a workshop at my institution. In terms of radical transparency, I am sharing my results on my blog. I've been motivated by discussions with friends online as they document "how they like to work" on their blogs. I think this is one possible step in that direction on my site.

Please get in touch with me at hello@wiobyrne.com. You can review archives of the newsletter or on Medium. I also share the quotes at the bottom of the newsletter on Instagram.

🔖 Key Takeaways

I Wonder How These Tips: One key takeaway is about eye contact. The narrator indicates that you should look long enough to identify the color of another person's eyes. I wonder how these tips might translate to digital contexts.
This Post from Zeynep Tufecki: This post from Zeynep Tufecki in the NY Times asks the broader question about why we don't do more to stop these threats from impacting our lives and data.
Most Importantly: Our dependence on media is under attack from groups and their "attention hacking" efforts to manipulate these information streams. Most importantly, media manipulation may contribute to decreased trust of mainstream media, increased misinformation, and further radicalization.
I Think the Other Challenge: Google may be gaining more from the schools than just the sale of low cost laptops. I think the other challenge is that we're giving Google access to these treasure troves of data from learners over time.
This Essay Has Me Rethinking: This essay from Molly Worthen has me rethinking my policy of allowing students to call me by my first name. This decision may lead to confusion in which some students don't know how to communicate in power structures.
Dylan Fenton Shares: Dylan Fenton shares the strategies he uses with his students to get them to revise their work and focus on audience.
Dorsey Suggests: Dorsey suggests giving each day a "theme" that guides all work for that day. That way you remain focused on general things you need to address, while not getting bogged down in the minutiae of daily events.

📺 Watch

Top 10 psychology hacks you can use to control situations

Ten quick tips on how to maximize social, professional, and academic situations. These simple hacks can be used in any situation and can help you more quickly get to "yes."

One key takeaway that I'll have is about eye contact. The narrator indicates that you should look long enough to identify the color of another person's eyes. They also describe the need to form a triangle from the person's eyes to their mouth. You should have your eyes gaze back to this triangle every 5 to 10 seconds in a discussion.

I wonder how these tips might translate to digital contexts.

📚 Read

The world is getting hacked. Why don't we do more to stop it?

This past week a major ransomware attack popped up and quickly spread across the globe. Ransomware is ransom demanding computer software that takes over your computer and blocks access to your data until the ransom is paid.

This version of ransomware was apparently a variant of a hacking tool called EternalBlue used by the National Security Agency in the U. S. To protect yourself against this threat, review this post from Alex Hern.

This post from Zeynep Tufecki in the NY Times asks the broader question about why we don't do more to stop these threats from impacting our lives and data.

Media manipulation and disinformation online

A great research report from Alice Marwick, Rebecca Lewis, and the group at Data & Society.

The report examines the subcultures and ecosystems that help to manipulate the news, media, and propaganda. Our dependence on media is under attack from groups and their "attention hacking" efforts to manipulate these information streams. Most importantly, media manipulation may contribute to decreased trust of mainstream media, increased misinformation, and further radicalization.

Read the full report here. Use this supplemental syllabus to help identify ways to connect lessons learned to the classroom.

How Google took over the classroom

A detailed analysis on how Google dethroned Microsoft and is the current king of the classroom in edtech. This piece by Natasha Singer in the NY Times shares many of the decisions, and product offerings that have helped propel Google into this position.

As the piece also posits, Google may be gaining more from the schools than just the sale of low cost laptops. They're getting future citizens that are hooked on Google products as they use them throughout their schooling.

I think the other challenge is that we're giving Google access to these treasure troves of data from learners over time. They're becoming indoctrinated into the Google ecosystem, and Google is building up a diverse profile on digital representations of their identities.

U Can't Talk to Ur Professor Like This

In my Language and Literacy class, we discuss the power of names, and the titles that we assign to individuals. I use this as a start to the new semester as I discuss my syllabus and course policies. I also give my students permission to call me by my first name. Much of this is to help my exploration of language, culture, and identity.

This essay from Molly Worthen has me rethinking my policy of allowing students to call me by my first name. This decision may lead to confusion in which some students don't know how to communicate in power structures, and should be learning during this time period. This also may lead to concerns about appropriate norms of communicating during this time period. Finally, this may also lead to larger problems for the learner later in the job force.

Why revise? Because you have an authentic audience

Post from Dylan Fenton in Edutopia sharing the strategies he uses with his students to get them to revise their work and focus on audience.

Self-publishing fiction - Have students build voice and focus on audience by writing their own fiction on spaces like Wattpad and Figment
Recording podcasts - Have students record their own work, in their voices
Blogging - Have students regularly write short posts about their interests
Writing correspondence - Write letters to real people
Making videos for YouTube - Make short, creative films about student interests, how-to videos, screencasts, or interviews

🔨 Do

Be more productive by giving your day a theme to regain focus

I've been taking handwritten notes more often as I try to move my note taking and journaling away from Evernote. I'm testing ways to improve my "to do" list for each day as well.

This time hack comes from Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter and Square.

Dorsey suggests giving each day a "theme" that guides all work for that day. That way you remain focused on general things you need to address, while not getting bogged down in the minutiae of daily events.

I do this somewhat as I organize my week around the days I'll teach. Certain days become writing/research days, while others are identified as teaching/grading days.

🤔 Consider

"The words you say never live up to the words in your head." — Chris Cornell

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🌱 Connected Concepts:

Psychology Hacks — Ten quick tips maximize social professional academic situations simple hacks help more quickly get to yes, one key takeaway about eye contact look long enough to identify color of person's eyes I wonder how these tips might translate to digital contexts.
WannaCry Ransomware — Major ransomware attack spread across globe ransom demanding software takes over computer blocks access to data, variant of hacking tool called EternalBlue used by NSA Zeynep Tufecki NY Times asks broader question why we don't do more to stop these threats.
Media Manipulation — Data & Society research report Alice Marwick Rebecca Lewis examines subcultures and ecosystems manipulate news media propaganda, our dependence on media under attack from attention hacking efforts most importantly media manipulation may contribute to decreased trust increased misinformation and further radicalization.
Google Classroom Dominance — Natasha Singer NY Times detailed analysis how Google dethroned Microsoft current king of classroom edtech, I think the other challenge we're giving Google access to treasure troves of data from learners over time building up diverse profile on digital representations of identities.
Professor Titles — Molly Worthen U Can't Talk to Ur Professor Like This power of names and titles, this essay has me rethinking my policy of allowing students to call me by first name may lead to confusion students don't know how to communicate in power structures may lead to larger problems later in job force.
Authentic Audience Writing — Dylan Fenton Edutopia strategies to get students to revise work and focus on audience, self-publishing fiction recording podcasts blogging writing correspondence making videos for YouTube.
Daily Themes — Jack Dorsey productivity hack giving each day theme that guides all work, you remain focused on general things need to address while not getting bogged down in minutiae of daily events I do this organize week around days I'll teach.

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