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I use Wikipedia myself. I support my kids using it - with qualifications. I try to make them understand that it is a jumping-off point - and should never be the center of serious research. As librarians, we can "not allow" it to be used, and preach the "evils" of Wikipedia - but people ARE going to use it. For that reason, I teach my students how to use it skeptically. Nevertheless, incidents like this are a big concern. With all its wonders, I often fear that the internet is contributing to rampant lazy research in and out of schools. Expressing these worries often results in derision. Luddite being a popular accusation. I cringe when I hear that word. It is often a way to marginalize those of us who have feet planted in BOTH worlds - the new 21st Century Literacy and the more "traditional" approach to reading and research. I LOVE the new tools we have at our disposal. I LOVE the expanse of the internet, with its seemingly limitless ability to expand our thinking. I see the benefits of skimming the surface of knowledge and the perspective that provides. I once saw surfing the net compared to riding a Jet Ski. But what about deep sea diving? We have become so distracted and addicted to speed, that I have to wonder what might happen to deep reading and deep thinking. I had hoped that the print news at least would maintain research standards - but they are only as good as their individual reporters. Also, given the precipitous drop in their revenue, newspapers are cutting journalists and research budgets. If newspapers die, I wonder how long it will be before the bloggers are all blogging about whatever the other person is blogging and that other person is blogging complete fantasy "news" - because there are no more paid journalists doing real primary research for anyone to blog about. Well - that's my quota of curmudgeonliness for the day =) Jacquie "You see, I don't believe that libraries should be drab places where people sit in silence, and that's been the main reason for our policy of employing wild animals as librarians...." (Monty Python) "The Librarian, whose job is to heal ignorance, to keep life safe for poetry and to put knowledge smack dab in the middle of the American way." ~ The Philadelphia Inquirer, 9-20-03 “Education is not about filling a pail, it’s about lighting a fire." ~ William Butler Yeats ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jacquie Henry, MLS Ruben A. Cirillo High School (GHS) Gananda Central School District 3195 Wiedrick Road P.O. Box 609 Macedon, NY 14502 315-986-3521 x 3144 jhenry@gananda.org Library Page: http://www.gananda.org/webpages/hslibrary/ Blog - Library Links For Teachers: http://rachslibrary.edublogs.org/ Blog - Wanderings http://wanderings.edublogs.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. To change your LM_NET status, you send a message to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * LM_NET Help & Information: http://lmnet.wordpress.com/ * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/join.html * LM_NET Supporters: http://lmnet.wordpress.com/category/links/el-announce/ --------------------------------------------------------------------