Comments on: Fact-Testing on the Britannica Blog: Analyzing Internet Search Skills http://www.matthewktabor.com/2007/08/12/fact-testing-on-the-britannica-blog-analyzing-internet-search-skills/ In Education for the Aughts, Matthew K. Tabor discusses issues in K-12 and higher education. He examines: college, law school & medical school admissions; NCLB & testing; teaching; teacher certification; parent & community relations; school law; school boards; & national education trends. Matthew is an admissions consultant and private educator. He writes out of Cooperstown, New York. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:30:19 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Matthew http://www.matthewktabor.com/2007/08/12/fact-testing-on-the-britannica-blog-analyzing-internet-search-skills/comment-page-1/#comment-929 Matthew Mon, 13 Aug 2007 03:30:39 +0000 http://www.matthewktabor.com/2007/08/12/fact-testing-on-the-britannica-blog-analyzing-internet-search-skills/#comment-929 I think that most of the list is overly paranoid, but erring on the side of caution is usually better. I don't subscribe to the tenets of 'question all authority' or 'everything you think you know is wrong.' I have more respect for myself than that. As I said on Joanne's blog, I found the approach very Zinn-like. I found the weak political bit at the end especially distasteful: "And think of how the world might be if we all had that question before us at all times. Are you sure about those WMDs? Are you sure about that yellow cake uranium from Niger? Are you sure there’s no such thing as global warming? The list goes on, and on . . ." Had I a blog themed differently, I'd have touched on that. Also, I'm with David - I generally read pages in full, too. I'm glad that the usage statistics for this site don't boil down to 20-second visits. At the same time, there's quite a bit of garbage on the internet that wouldn't warrant more than a second, so maybe 20 seconds is generous for some sites. I think that most of the list is overly paranoid, but erring on the side of caution is usually better. I don’t subscribe to the tenets of ‘question all authority’ or ‘everything you think you know is wrong.’ I have more respect for myself than that. As I said on Joanne’s blog, I found the approach very Zinn-like.

I found the weak political bit at the end especially distasteful:

“And think of how the world might be if we all had that question before us at all times. Are you sure about those WMDs? Are you sure about that yellow cake uranium from Niger? Are you sure there’s no such thing as global warming? The list goes on, and on . . .”

Had I a blog themed differently, I’d have touched on that.

Also, I’m with David – I generally read pages in full, too. I’m glad that the usage statistics for this site don’t boil down to 20-second visits. At the same time, there’s quite a bit of garbage on the internet that wouldn’t warrant more than a second, so maybe 20 seconds is generous for some sites.

]]> By: John Kaiser http://www.matthewktabor.com/2007/08/12/fact-testing-on-the-britannica-blog-analyzing-internet-search-skills/comment-page-1/#comment-928 John Kaiser Mon, 13 Aug 2007 02:49:29 +0000 http://www.matthewktabor.com/2007/08/12/fact-testing-on-the-britannica-blog-analyzing-internet-search-skills/#comment-928 Your dispute over rule one doesn't seem shallow at all. Although the rest of the list looks quite well founded and worthwhile. Your dispute over rule one doesn’t seem shallow at all. Although the rest of the list looks quite well founded and worthwhile.

]]> By: David Mackey http://www.matthewktabor.com/2007/08/12/fact-testing-on-the-britannica-blog-analyzing-internet-search-skills/comment-page-1/#comment-926 David Mackey Mon, 13 Aug 2007 02:00:21 +0000 http://www.matthewktabor.com/2007/08/12/fact-testing-on-the-britannica-blog-analyzing-internet-search-skills/#comment-926 It always amazes me - the statistics that is - I generally read pages I am actually interested in entirely. It always amazes me – the statistics that is – I generally read pages I am actually interested in entirely.

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