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Good films and books

The 10th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards

The only major book awards decided by readers – 5 million votes in 21 categories. Best fiction: Still me – Jojo Moyes; Best mystery and thriller: The outsider – Stephen King; Best science fiction: Vengeful  – V.E. Schwab; Best fantasy: Circe – Madeline Miller; Best historical fiction: The great alone – Kristin Hannah…

https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2018

 

Author interviews on ABC One plus one

Always an interesting program. Tune in after xmas for a week of author interviews from throughout 2018 with Jane Hutcheon……or check the archive. Includes Morris Gleitzman, Clementine Ford, Marcus Zusak, Liane Moriarty, Jeff Kinney, Michael Robotham, Tim Winton

https://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/one-plus-one/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/one-plus-one/archive/

 

The dry – Jane Harper

Winner of the 2017 ABIA Book of the Year; 2017 Indie Awards Book of the Year; 2017 Gold Dagger for Crime Novel of the Year and many more. Federal Agent Falk returns to his old hometown to uncover the truth about the death of his childhood friend and face the demons of his past. I have just started reading this and I’m hooked!

‘Something mythic and valiant … a quintessential Australian story beautifully told’ (SMH)

http://janeharper.com.au/Books/The-Dry

 

Film version The dry

Eric Bana will star as Aaron Falk in the film version, to be directed by Robert Connolly. Filming begins February.

https://www.eonline.com/au/news/991937/eric-bana-to-star-in-movie-adaptation-of-aussie-bestseller-the-dry

Harpers other books: Force of nature (2017) – Agent Falk returns to investigate a missing bushwalker at a corporate retreat.

The lost man (2018) – What really happened to the third brother in the isolation of the outback?

The Lost Man is Jane Harper’s third consecutive marvel…and her most marvellous yet…. What an extraordinary novel: part family drama, part indelible ode to the Outback – a thriller as forceful and atmospheric as a brewing storm. Harper works miracles. We’re lucky to witness them.’ (A.J. Finn)

 

La belle sauvage (The book of dust part 1) – Philip Pullman

I have just finished this prequel to the Northern Lights series and loved it! Pullman’s concept of human souls manifested as animal daemons is unique and special. I want one! There will now be 2 series made, with HBO now co-producing with the BBC series; series 1 will air in 2019.  Stars Dafne Keen as Lyra, James McAvoy as Lord Asriel and Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby; directed by Tom Hooper. Northern Lights won the Carnegie Medal and  later named as the finest Carnegie winner of them all. It’s an awesome series that deals with many philosophical issues. Can’t wait for The testaments, the sequel to the novel The handmaid’s tale by Margaret Atwood – due Sept 2019 (series 3 of the excellent TV series due 2019).

https://www.cnet.com/news/his-dark-materials-fantasy-tv-series-release-date-cast-plot-bbc-hbo/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6168651/His-Dark-Materials-TV-series-LOOK.html

https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/28/18116012/handmaids-tale-sequel-margaret-atwood-the-testaments

 

Mortal engines film

In a dystopian future, remnants of humanity form mobile predator cities, where larger cities hunt and absorb smaller settlements. Based on the popular book series by Phillip Reeve, the film has received mixed reviews, but the author states: ‘Christian Rivers has done a fantastic job – a huge, visually awesome action movie with perfect pace and a genuine emotional core…There are many changes to the characters, world, and story, but it’s still fundamentally the same thing.’

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1571234/

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/box-office/lotr-directors-new-film-an-epic-flop/news-story/fd223c75c58072effe5c836dafcfb9f9

 

Mary Queen of Scots and The favourite

Stars Margot Robbie as Elizabeth I and Saoirse Ronan as Mary; directed by Josie Rourke. Explores the battle for power between the 2 women.

‘A darkly compelling, if factually questionable, retelling’ (The Guardian). The film The favourite, starring Emma Stone and Olivia Colman, also looks excellent – an historical comedy-drama about 2 cousins jockeying to be the court favourites of Queen Anne in the early 1700s.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/nov/16/mary-queen-of-scots-review-saoirse-ronan-josie-rourke

https://www.indiewire.com/2018/11/mary-queen-of-scots-review-saoirse-ronan-margot-robbie-1202021017/

https://www.wmagazine.com/story/the-favourite-movie-emma-stone-yorgos-lanthimos

 

Top Google searches 2018

Australian and global. Most searched person: Barnaby Joyce; What is?…bitcoin; How to…opt out of My Health Record…..

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-14/google-top-searches-for-2018/10616794

https://www.smh.com.au/technology/the-year-in-google-what-aussies-searched-for-in-2018-20181214-p50m82.html

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books censorship ed tech future Games and gaming Google human rights internet literature Mental health mobile phones popular culture Science resources sociology websites

Social credit in China, ICT and book news

Social credit in China

You may have seen the intriguing Foreign Correspondent program on ABC 18 Sept. China is undertaking the most ambitious social engineering program the world has ever seen. Their ‘social credit’ system is designed to engineer better individual behaviour. By 2020 China’s 1.4 billion citizens will get a personal digital scorecard, with good behaviour rewarded and bad behaviour punished. Some say it is the world’s first digital dictatorship.

Excellent article with video. Looks at a young woman with a good social credit score and a journalist who lost his social credit and had his access to various services disabled: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-18/china-social-credit-a-model-citizen-in-a-digital-dictatorship/10200278

Foreign Correspondent ABC 18 Sept: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/foreign-correspondent

Black Mirror in China?: https://www.newstatesman.com/world/asia/2018/04/no-china-isn-t-black-mirror-social-credit-scores-are-more-complex-and-sinister

 

Women in physics

The new HSC physics syllabus for NSW will contain no mention of the contributions of female physicists to the field. The syllabus has 25 scientists mentioned 56 times and focuses completely on male physicists and their work. It is also believed that the gender gap in the science workforce will persist for generations, particularly in surgery, computer science, physics and maths. The gender gap was measured using data on 36 million authors of 10 million articles in 6000 scientific journals published since 2003. Globally in science and medicine, women make up 40% of the workforce, but some fields will take many years before the gender gap disappears.

https://theconversation.com/year-11-and-12-students-in-nsw-will-no-longer-learn-about-womens-contributions-to-physics-102988

https://theconversation.com/new-study-says-the-gender-gap-in-science-could-take-generations-to-fix-95150

 

URLs – is it time for something new?

Internet pioneer Tim Berners-Lee regrets developing the double slash after ‘http’. A growing group now think the URL is increasingly complicated and too easily compromised. Google said they are rethinking URLs as they are hard to read and hard to know if they can be trusted. Even the ‘https with a padlock symbol’ doesn’t mean much as both good and bad sites can be encrypted.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-09-16/google-time-to-reinvent-the-url-web-browser/10238296

 

Phenomenal success of Fortnite

Launched in Sept 2017, the online video game Fortnite now has over 125 million players and has made $1.6 billion for Epic Games. It has also been linked to 200 divorces. Fortnite’s success is due to 3 principles: accessibility (it’s free with in-app purchases, on all platforms and simple to play); sociality (players can express themselves and play with others) and spectacle (failure is fun and a spectator sport). Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, a gamer on YouTube and Twitch, has made up to $500 000 a month streaming Fortnite sessions from his bedroom.

https://theconversation.com/stay-alive-and-if-something-moves-shoot-it-one-year-of-phenomenal-success-for-fortnite-103528

Could playing Fortnite lead to ‘gaming disorder’ (video game addiction)? The World Health Organisation says yes, others disagree.

https://theconversation.com/could-playing-fortnite-lead-to-video-game-addiction-the-world-health-organisation-says-yes-but-others-disagree-98458

 

3 things we can learn from people who don’t use smartphones or social media

They spent more face-to-face time with others – connecting, talking, touching and supporting. They know that switching off is not missing out – it is exhausting to sustain numerous online connections, endless exchanges of trivial information and keep up with the overwhelming flow of information and tasks. They enjoyed new-found vitality because they connected with the world around them, helping them to reset and relax. They also had more free time.

https://theconversation.com/three-things-we-can-all-learn-from-people-who-dont-use-smartphones-or-social-media-103468

 

Man Booker Prize Shortlist 2018

Winner announced 16 Oct 2018. Includes previous winners.

https://www.bookdepository.com/Man-Booker-Prize?utm_source=NL-Body&utm_medium=email-Newsletter&utm_term=button&utm_content=MANBOOKER&utm_campaign=20180920_MANBOOKER_SHORTLIST

 

Man Booker Prize – best of the rest

The bestselling shortlisted titles that didn’t win from 50 years of the Booker Prize. Includes The handmaid’s tale; A fine balance; Cloud atlas; The secret river; Atonement; Empire of the sun; Dirt music; Notes on a scandal….

https://www.bookdepository.com/dealsAndOffers/promo/id/1876

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ed tech future Games and gaming Google internet media popular culture robots and drones sociology TV virtual reality

ICT news

Young and eSafe

Portal from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner that empowers young people to make a positive impact in their online world.“ Practical advice by young people, for young people to help challenge the haters and fakers online.” Sections include: I question things; I get back up; I am responsible; I feel for others; I respect differences. Lots of clear information – great for secondary class discussions.

https://esafety.gov.au/youngandesafe/

Excellent primary and secondary classroom resources: https://esafety.gov.au/education-resources/classroom-resources

 

Tim Berners-Lee on the future of the web: ‘The system is failing’

The inventor of the web remains optimistic but has concerns over advertising, net neutrality, fake news, propaganda and the web’s increasing polarisation. The web as an open platform has changed and there are ‘increasingly powerful digital gatekeepers’ who can easily manipulate algorithms and use Artificial Intelligence to distract and target web users. Clickbait, fake news and ad revenue does not promote truth and democracy.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/15/tim-berners-lee-world-wide-web-net-neutrality

 

Google’s push to make the web more secure

Google wants all websites to migrate to using HTTPS and now flags websites as ‘not secure’ that use HTTP. Google states that 64% of Chrome traffic on Android is now protected as well as over 75% of Chrome traffic on ChromeOS and Mac. 66% of Windows Chrome traffic is also protected. 71% of the top 100 websites now use HTTPS by default. Apple and Facebook have also supported the shift to HTTPS.

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/20/https-is-booming-says-google/

 

Twitter doubles tweet limit to 280 characters

User growth has been slow so you can now use more characters. Tests showed that longer tweets meant more followers, more interactions and more time on the platform. It was also easier to tweet and fit thoughts in. The roll-out includes all languages except Japanese, Korean and Chinese because they can convey double the amount of information in one character compared with many other languages.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-07/brevity-begone-twitter-doubles-tweet-limit-to-280-characters

 

Technology addiction and what you can do about it

Short and sharp facts about children and technology (12 min.) – parents have an important role in appropriate screen use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0adeZP6aDQw

 

How Netflix sucks you in

Netflix tries to personalise its service, featuring different titles for different customers. It hires taggers around the world who watch every piece of content and tag it eg. storyline, tone etc – yes they get paid! For the hit show Stranger Things, the Netflix algorithm applied 12 tags to capture how people relate to it. Netflix also has 2000 ‘taste communities’ and a popular show can appear in more than one community. It also tailors the images that accompany recommendations for you, to suit what you like to watch.

https://www.cnet.com/news/stranger-things-addict-heres-how-netflix-sucked-you-in/?ftag=CAD1c318f6&bhid=23787909704659446143753669728655

 

Animojis

Animated emojis – only for the iPhone X, which uses its front-facing camera for facial recognition. Using thousands of data points, your facial expressions are turned into an animoji which mimics your movement.

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/getting-started-with-the-iphone-x-animoji-apple/

 

Are you eSports ready?

Professional video game playing is huge – thousands of teams, millions of players, $24m prize pool, $266m in sponsorship, $696m revenue and a global audience of 385 million and growing. Players are usually aged 16-30, with 80% male. Popular eSports include League of Legends and Dota 2. Watch highlights on YouTube or streamed live on Twitch, where you can interact with players and other fans.

https://australiascience.tv/vod/are-you-esports-ready/

http://www.businessinsider.com/esports-market-growth-ready-for-mainstream-2017-3/?r=AU&IR=T

 

Sophia robot granted citizenship to Saudi Arabia

The lifelike robot was granted citizenship at a tech summit. She appeared on stage saying she was very honoured to be the first robot in the world to be granted citizenship. Sophia responded to simple questions about artificial intelligence. She has also visited Australia recently.

https://www.livescience.com/60815-saudi-arabia-citizen-robot.html

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/why-sophia-the-robot-is-not-what-it-seems-20171030-gzbi3p.html

 

Augmented Reality enhanced educational books

Textbooks of the future will probably all be like this….Livit Studios is launching a series of AR books with features including animated 3D models, animated characters and interactive 3D games.

http://www.emergingedtech.com/2017/11/new-electronic-text-augmented-reality-textbook/

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1418527006/imagina-books-human-body-augmented-reality-educati

 

Trust me, I’m an expert

A new monthly podcast for The Conversation. Fascinating stories where the experts “bust the myths, explain the science and put the news headlines into context…in a way we can understand and enjoy”. 2 Nov: Sibling competition and its role in evolution.

https://theconversation.com/au/podcasts/trust-me-podcast

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ed tech future Google internet Mental health mobile phones popular culture robots and drones sociology

ICT news, top tools and tech trends

We need to talk about kids and smartphones

US statistics and a variety of expert opinion..…. but are increasing rates of teenage depression and suicide linked to smartphone use and social media? Since the advent of smartphones in 2007, mental health issues have increased dramatically and anecdotal evidence from Australian schools seems to support this hypothesis. Even if smartphones aren’t the cause of mental health issues, they can fuel teenage angst. With phone use, young people are constantly distracted, less sensitive to the emotions of others, feel disinhibited about saying things and see whitewashed lives that seem perfect. Staring at screens also limits social interaction and its benefits.

http://time.com/4974863/kids-smartphones-depression/

 

Top 200 tools for learning 2017

Compiled by Jane Hart in the 11th annual survey of 2 174 learning professionals from 52 countries. Includes top 100 tools for personal and professional learning, workplace learning and education.

All 3 lists, including new tools with info: http://c4lpt.co.uk/top100tools/

Top 100 tools for education: http://c4lpt.co.uk/top100tools/rankings/

  1. Google Docs/Drive 2. Word 3. PowerPoint 4. YouTube 5. Google Search 6. Excel 7. Wikipedia 8. Prezi 9. Twitter 10. Kahoot. Interesting to see WhatsApp at #13 – great for backchannelling, projecting via web, collecting material, sharing resources, no text limitation. Canva, the very simple and effective graphic design tool, is at #19. http://c4lpt.co.uk/top100tools/canva/

WhatsApp: http://c4lpt.co.uk/top100tools/whatsapp/

Analysis: http://c4lpt.co.uk/top100tools/analysis/

 

Top 10 technology trends 2018

From research firm Gartner – foremost are artificial intelligence and machine learning, used in many areas. Intelligent apps that use AI have the potential to transform the nature of work. Other intelligent ‘things’ such as autonomous vehicles and drones will see rapid growth. Conversational platforms (eg.Siri) will be the main goal for user interaction. Virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality are of high interest but need much more development. Blockchain technologies, a core component of the digital currency BitCoin, are still in their infancy, but will have a huge impact on the future of the internet.

https://www.crn.com.au/gallery/here-are-the-top-10-technology-trends-of-2018-according-to-gartner-474796/page1?eid=61&edate=20171007&utm_source=20171007&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=crnweekly_newsletter

 

Blockchain

Blockchain is a kind of ‘vast, global, distributed ledger running on millions of computers and available to everybody, and where every kind of asset from money to music can be stored, moved, transacted, exchanged and managed all without powerful intermediaries’ (Don Tapscott). Blockchain technologies enable ‘exchange of value without intermediaries acting as arbiters of money or information’. They will enable excluded people to enter the global economy, protect privacy, allow people to monetise their own information and ensure creators are compensated for their intellectual property. Uses of blockchain include cryptocurrencies, online voting, insurance, Internet of Things, medical records, smart contracts, music industry and copyright payments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockchain

http://au.pcmag.com/amazon-web-services/46389/feature/blockchain-the-invisible-technology-thats-changing-the-world

 

Robots to mark NAPLAN?

From 2018, NAPLAN writing tasks will be marked by an automated essay scoring system and then double-marked by a teacher. Fully automated testing and marking will be introduced by 2020. Some experts believe it is impossible for a robot to score the subjective aspects of writing. Perelman (ex MIT) notes that algorithms tend to reward ‘verbose gibberish’ and give higher marks to essays with complex words and sentences. ‘Assessment of creativity, poetry, irony or other more artistic uses of writing is beyond such systems.’ Rabinowitz (from ACARA) believes automated essay scoring for NAPLAN tasks ‘works as well as human markers.’ Robots vs humans…it’s happening.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-12/us-academics-warn-against-automated-naplan-english-testing/9039408

 

School Library Journal Tech Trends 2017

Free webcasts, available live or on demand. 1. Build a makerspace 2. 60 tools in 60-ish minutes 3. Take the plunge: STREAM (add reading).

https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=reg20.jsp&referrer=&eventid=1488038&sessionid=1&key=5AEEB5CADFA4BAD227B0D13CB1C29AE8&regTag=155881&sourcepage=register

 

18 good Chromebook apps for education

Kahoot, Socrative, Canva, PiktoChart, Haiku Deck, Tiki-Toki….

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2017/10/18-good-educational-chromebook-apps-to.html

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coding ed tech Facebook future Games and gaming geography and global resources Google Indigenous resources internet iPads mobile phones pedagogy popular culture robots and drones Science resources sociology TV Wikipedia YouTube

ICT and STEM news

STEM learning

Special edition of STEM articles from Teacher magazine. Includes virtual classrooms for Year 10s, STEM and gender and best practice for primary STEM.

Demystifying the AC Digital Technologies Curriculum P-6

Webinar with Dr Linda McIver; 19 June and 31 July 3.45-5pm.

http://email.acer.edu.au/t/ViewEmail/r/60882C5177B09AF02540EF23F30FEDED/F4AF64F35C0EDFC438A555EB6E97B45B

STEM learning: international best practice: Queensland science teacher Sarah Chapman gathered evidence from around the world. Essential elements include real world experiences, expertise from industry links, mentorships and cross-curricular integration.

https://www.teachermagazine.com.au/article/stem-learning-international-best-practice

Full report: https://cew.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Engaging-the-future-of-STEM.pdf

 

Australian Online Landscape Review (latest: April 2017)

Quarterly report produced by IAB/Nielsen. Top 10 brands: 1.Google 2.Facebook 3.YouTube 4.MSN/Outlook/Bing/Skype 5.Apple 6.eBay 7.Microsoft 8.Wikipedia 9.Instagram 10.Yahoo7.

Top 10 brands for streaming: 1.YouTube 2.Facebook 3.VEVO (music) 4.Vimeo (videos) 5.news.com.au 6.smh.com.au 7.MSN/Outlook/Bing/Skype 8.nine.com.au 9.Yahoo7 10. ABC Online

Smartphones are used more than desktops, which are used more than tablets.

file:///H:/Downloads/Digital%20Landscape%20Report_April%202017.pdf

 

Australians’ viewing habits

There are more screens (6.4 in each home) and most are internet-capable. Viewing is spread across devices but TV remains by far the most-watched screen. 86% of video viewing is on TVs – free-to-air or subscription; live or played back. TVs are also used for other tasks – gaming, DVDs, internet, music streaming, YouTube videos etc

http://www.nielsen.com/au/en/insights/news/2017/how-australians-viewing-habits-have-changed-over-the-past-five-years.html

http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/Other/Q4%202016%20AMSR_release.pdf

 

Australia’s internet speeds

According to the most recent Akamai State of the Internet report we are now 51st in the world for home broadband internet speeds (10.1 Mbps). However, we are well above the global average of 7 Mbps even with a large area to cover. Fastest is South Korea (26.1Mbps) 2. Norway 3. Sweden 4.Hong Kong 5.Switzerland. We are leading the Asia-Pacific region in mobile connectivity speeds (13.8 Mbps).

https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2017/03/australias-internet-speeds-are-a-global-embarrassment/

 

Why do adults think video games are bad?

The excellent news site The Conversation is running a series for children – Curious Kids, where children send in questions they would like an expert to answer. Recent research suggests that playing online games that involve puzzle-solving increases scores in maths, science and reading, whereas using social networking reduces academic achievement.

http://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-do-adults-think-video-games-are-bad-76699

http://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/5586/1742

 

The science for and against video gaming

They can make your brain grow and they make you more self-aware and happier; but they can make you less empathetic and more violent.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/is-video-gaming-bad-for-you-the-science-for-and-against/

 

People could be genetically predisposed to social media use

One to two-thirds of variance in social media use is attributable to genetic traits; unique and shared environmental factors account for the remainder of variance.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/ica-pcb050217.php

 

NASA EarthKAM

“A classroom with the ultimate view” – students enrol in missions on the International Space Station and request images of specific locations on Earth. The program was set up by astronaut Sally Ride in  1995, initially on space shuttle flights. 8000 schools from 78 countries have now participated with over 500 000 students creating a library of 94 000 images.

https://www.earthkam.org/

Search the image gallery: https://www.earthkam.org/ek-images

https://cosmosmagazine.com/geoscience/capturing-the-earth-as-art

 

Google Maps street-view of Uluru

Just launched after 2 years of consultation with traditional owners. The interactive map includes audio stories from the Anangu owners about the significance of Uluru, traditional law and creation stories. Many sacred sections of the rock were not photographed. Viewers can zoom into crevices, walk along trails and view ancient art. Google plans to map other Australian cultural sites, including Kakadu.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-08/google-street-view-allows-visitors-to-experience-uluru/8599050

 

Live interactions with robots increase their perceived human likeness

We need to get used to a future where robots will be part of our everyday lives, but rarely do we see robots face to face. A recent study found that people who watched live interactions with a robot were more likely to consider the robot to have more human-like qualities. Robots presented in virtual reality also scored high in human likeness. Watching a robot on a 2D screen scored lowest. “Many people will have their first encounter with a service robot over the next decade. Service robots are designed to communicate with humans in humanlike ways and assist them in various aspects of their daily routine. Potential areas of application range from hospitals and nursing homes to hotels and the users’ households” (Schreiner).

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/ica-liw051017.php

 

The 2017 emoji list: emoji version 5.0

All those cute little emoji have to be approved by the Unicode consortium and will be launched this month. There are 69 new images; 24 have 5 additional skin tones and 10 are non-gendered. New emoji include a genie, an older person, a breastfeeding mum and broccoli. There are now a total of 239 approved emoji.

http://blog.emojipedia.org/final-2017-emoji-list/

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ed tech Facebook Google internet maths resources news popular culture sociology websites

Wootube maths tutorials and ICT news

Eddy Woo and Wootube maths tutorials

Head Teacher Mathematics at Cherrybrook High in Sydney, young and enthusiastic Mr Woo has been uploading his maths lesson videos to YouTube since 2012. He has attracted 4 million views and many grateful students. He featured on Australian Story this week – Channelling Mr Woo (iView until 24 May).

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-01/teacher-eddie-woo-changing-the-face-of-maths/8472522

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/australian-story/NC1701Q012S00

https://misterwootube.com/

 

Google moves to demote fake news

Following increasing incidents of fake news and other flaws, Google is updating its algorithms and demoting misleading and offensive content in its search results. Algorithms will prioritise more “authoritative” content eg. affiliation with a university or verified news site and the quality of sites that link to the site in question. Users can now use a feedback button to report offensive and false results, including offensive autocomplete results that appear as you type in the search box.

https://www.recode.net/2017/4/25/15415428/google-updating-search-flagging-fake-news

 

China is creating an online encyclopedia

Known as the ‘Chinese Encyclopedia’, the national encyclopedia will go online in 2018. Twenty thousand scholars from universities and research institutes will contribute articles in more than 100 disciplines with 300,000 entries of 1 000 words each. These will showcase China’s science and technology developments, promote historical and cultural heritage and strengthen the core values of socialism.  The goal isn’t to mimic Wikipedia, which is blocked in China (though internet giant Baidu has its own online encyclopedia). “We have the biggest, most high-quality author team in the world. Our goal is not to catch up, but overtake” (Yang Muzhi, editor). China has the world’s largest internet population (720 million users) and some of the world’s most restrictive internet laws. The ‘Great Firewall of China’ is the world’s most most sophisticated censorship tool, blocking ‘unsavoury’ parts of the internet.

https://news.vice.com/story/china-is-recruiting-20000-people-to-write-its-own-wikipedia

 

Facebook ramps up its response to violent videos

Facebook will hire 3000 more people  to review violent videos and other posts (4 500 employees already identify questionable material for removal). Since introducing the live video feature Facebook Live in April 2016, many unacceptable videos have been uploaded. Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook wants to respond quickly when someone needs help or when an unacceptable post needs taking down.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/facebook-hire-3000-review-videos-crime-suicide-47178911

 

Amazon is coming….look busy

‘The everything store – fast, vast and low-priced’ – it will shake up Australian retail. Amazon is the fastest company in history to hit $US100 billion in annual sales and leading businesses such as Harvey Norman, Myer and JB Hi-Fi could lose half their earnings to Amazon. Amazon will offer “extreme convenience” and goods could be delivered within an hour of ordering online. Amazon Marketplace, for third-party retailers, will launch this year. Amazon is currently searching for a huge logistics facility.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/fast-vast-and-lowpriced-amazon-to-shake-up-australian-retail/news-story/026ace527679086657bc156735863dc8

 

Categories
Facebook future Google media news newspapers popular culture sociology

Fake news and other media news

Fake news

Politicians and the media have created a post-truth world and young people are easily duped. A recent Stanford University study found 80% of middle-school pupils could not tell an online news story apart from a piece of advertising and uni students did little better. The research covered news literacy, as well as students’ ability to judge Facebook and Twitter feeds, comments left in readers’ forums on news sites, blog posts, photographs and other digital messages that shape public opinion. Young people need to be taught digital literacy and learn about source criticism and cognitive bias and learn to mistrust the voice that says something must be right.

https://ed.stanford.edu/news/stanford-researchers-find-students-have-trouble-judging-credibility-information-online

 

News Integrity Initiative – countering fake news

Announced 3 April. Facebook, Mozilla, the Walkley Foundation (Aust.), Jimmy Wales (Wikipedia) and other tech leaders, non-profits and academics  have formed the $14 million consortium to counter fake news. The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism will administer the initiative and plans to make tools to help people be discerning about stories they read online and to increase trust in journalism around the world.

https://www.cnet.com/au/news/facebook-spearheads-14m-consortium-to-counter-fake-news/

 

Fake news, piracy and digital duopoly of Google and Facebook

“Google and Facebook, the 2 most powerful news publishers in human history, have created an ecosystem that is dysfunctional and socially destructive” (Robert Thomson, Chief Executive of News Corp). They do not distinguish between the fake and the real because they make a lot of money from both.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/wall-street-journal/fake-news-piracy-and-digital-duopoly-of-google-and-facebook/news-story/52784483d9650cdbf8624247a590c7f8

 

Google and Facebook should pay for content

Senator Nick Xenophon thinks news organisations, publishers and TV networks should be given the right to charge Facebook and Google a content fee for publishing their stories and videos. He believes protecting traditional media companies is a crucial part of safeguarding democracy and open debate.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/digital/xenophon-bid-to-charge-facebook-and-google-for-content/news-story/d5c5cdf7142b319ad7b8fd7c7bd9fc54

 

2016: the worst year for print

2016 saw decreased revenue from advertising for newspapers and magazines (so much advertising money goes to Google and Facebook). Readership in 2016: Sydney Morning Herald – decreased M-F and Sat; The Australian – increased M-F and decreased Sat; Aust. Geographic – 31% increase; Big Issue – 35.9% increase; New Scientist – 26.8% increase; Time – 18.2% increase; Rolling Stone – 11.5% increase; Frankie – 6.6% increase; Hyper – 6.9% increase.

https://mumbrella.com.au/2016-worst-year-yet-print-industry-new-smi-numbers-reveal-419898

http://www.roymorgan.com/industries/media/readership/newspaper-readership

http://www.roymorgan.com/industries/media/readership/magazine-readership

 

Newspapers – print or digital?

A University of London study reveals that online UK newspapers engage each visitor for less than 30 seconds per day, but readers of print newspapers engage for 40 minutes per day. Time spent reading print and online newspapers doesn’t vary much between countries. In Australia, Fairfax (The Age & SMH) was expected to switch weekday editions to digital only, but is continuing with daily papers ‘for some years yet’.

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/study-national-press-online-readers-average-30-seconds-per-day-versus-40-minutes-for-print/

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/feb/22/fairfax-media-announces-half-year-profit-and-plan-to-keep-printing-newspapers

 

Digital news takes precedence at ABC

ABC News (the largest news organisation in Australia) is planning a major refocus away from TV and radio to concentrate on expanding its digital news output and this could affect the 7pm flagship news and other current affairs programs. The ABC has a declining and ageing audience for news and current affairs (the 7pm news has 82% of viewers aged over 50). Increasingly, younger viewers watch very little live TV and often don’t watch news programs. To reach younger viewers, the news division will increase production of digital videos and launch a mobile-first story-telling unit.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/digital-news-takes-precedence-at-abc/news-story/fc9f8cc6ced53f9dd5127ab3a6bb6cfa

 

Hilarious! Check this broken link and read comments from many well-known politicians eg. Trump: “Do you believe it? The Australian brought thousands of readers here and there’s nothing. Why? I will study this dumb broken link”. Someone had a lot of time on their hands J

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/fake-news-c hildren-of-the-internet-happy-to-live-a-lie/news-story/0045fccc 0724b8f8e1389202aef82c14

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Apple books ed tech Facebook films future Google Indigenous resources internet Internet of Things language literature media mobile phones news newspapers pedagogy popular culture robots and drones science fiction sociology TV YouTube

What’s new in ICT, popular culture, media and education?

Some interesting developments – artificial intelligence, robots taking our jobs, disengaged students, Generation Alpha, words of the year, great new films, TV and books….

Previous presentations about What’s New can also be found here.

http://dckclib.wikispaces.com/Technology%2C+media+%26+popular+culture+updates

 

 

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Apple ed tech Facebook films future Games and gaming Google internet iPads mobile phones pedagogy popular culture robots and drones sociology TV virtual reality

ICT news

Ok it had to happen…your bot shopping experience is here! The Kmart Buddy bot will help you with suggestions this Xmas. Search for Buddy in Facebook Messenger. Specify what you want and Buddy presents web pages where you can buy the goods online.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/kmart-buddy-bot-can-it-do-your-christmas-shopping/news-story/9f0b135b5def79e6e6880b39b54dc53f

 

Digital Inclusion Index Report

Produced by Swinburne University of Technology and Telstra in August. The Australian Digital Inclusion Index measures the extent of digital inclusion in Australia – access, affordability and digital ability. No surprise – Australians are spending more time and doing more online. The highest-scoring state is ACT, followed by Victoria. Groups with high digital inclusion include those who speak other languages. Those with low levels of income, education and employment are less included. Indigenous Australians and people with disability have low but improving inclusion. The gender gap is narrow but there is a marked difference in attitudes towards learning new technology. Geography also plays a critical role – inclusion is higher in capital cities than country areas. Access and affordability can be barriers but a person’s digital ability (attitudes, skills, activities, safety concerns) also has a large impact. The Index will help inform and promote policy and programs to enhance digital inclusion in Australia.

http://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/latest-news/2016/08/swinburne-study-measures-australias-digital-divide.php

http://digitalinclusionindex.org.au/

http://digitalinclusionindex.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Australian-Digital-Inclusion-Index-2016.pdf

 

Born Digital 2016

Born Digital 2016, the National and State Libraries Australasia conference in August, explored the collection and preservation of digital content via video interviews with experts. Topics included Science and space; Indigenous voices; Digital lifestyles; Video games.

http://www.nsla.org.au/born-digital-2016

Why it’s important to preserve video games: http://www.nsla.org.au/news/borndigital2016-day-5-play

Truth and history with John Birmingham – libraries need to preserve digital content such as Facebook, blogs and tweets: http://www.nsla.org.au/news/borndigital2016-day-3-truth-and-history

 

The NBN GranTechie Report: the new wave of silver surfers

This Sept 2016 report shows that access to fast broadband, NBN and smart devices is redefining how older Australians are using the internet and debunks myths that they are not using technology to connect and learn. 72% of grandparents say the internet makes them feel more educated, more purposeful (66%) and more connected (85%). 93% go online every day; 79% use technology to stay connected with family and friends; 59% use the internet for online shopping; 72% couldn’t imagine life without the internet. And 49% of 18-34 year olds believe older generations are just as savvy as them when it comes to technology and the internet. Go Nan and Pop!

http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/The%20nbn%E2%84%A2%20GranTechies%20Report.pdf

https://startsat60.com/stories/tech/grantechies-rise-of-the-silver-surfer

Good books and reviews: https://startsat60.com/category/stories/entertain/books

 

Google Expeditions adds 50 new tours for schools

There are now over 400 virtual reality field trips, with over 100 lesson plans also available. Places include Machu Picchu, Antarctica, coral reefs, the International Space Station and a Viking settlement. Expeditions has been used by over 1 million students and is the app is available in 123 countries. Google Cardboard VR sets make the experience more immersive, but are not essential. Android and iOS.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/peter-cosgrove-launches-google-tour-of-government-house/news-story/560b2534672c74be7174c170ae587fb0

https://blog.google/topics/education/adding-50-new-tours-schools-google-expeditions/

https://support.google.com/edu/expeditions/answer/6335093?hl=en&ref_topic=6334250

 

Google Earth Timelapse

Google has updated Timelapse, their comprehensive picture of the Earth’s changing surface. First released 2013, it now includes 4 additional years of imagery, petabytes of new data from satellites, and a sharper view of the Earth from 1984 to 2016. Watch the sprouting of Dubai’s artificial Palm Islands, the retreat of Alaska’s Columbia Glacier, glaciers in Antarctica and a river in Tibet.

https://blog.google/products/earth/our-most-detailed-view-earth-across-space-and-time/

View Timelapse: https://earthengine.google.com/timelapse/

 

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Verbs

This infographic lists verbs used to facilitate technology in the classroom, from lower-order thinking skills (LOTS) to higher-order thinking skills (HOTS).

https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/blooms-digital-taxonomy-verbs

Bloom’s taxonomy and apps for the iPad: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2016/06/new-visual-on-blooms-digital-taxonomy.html

More Bloom’s and apps: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2016/11/new-blooms-digital-taxonomy-poster-for.html

 

Netflix shows can now be downloaded and watched offline

Rolled out worldwide last week. Enjoy an offline binge on your smartphones and tablets. Update your Netfix app and choose the downward arrow icon when browsing. Free.

https://www.wired.com/2016/11/netflix-offline-viewing/

 

18 best external storage devices for iPad and iPhone

Very useful when your device is full of photos and videos. Includes Verbatim iStore ‘n’ Go (USB at one end and a Lightning port at the other) and SanDisk Connect Wireless USB flash drive (copies photos automatically straight onto the device).

http://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iphone/best-ways-get-more-storage-for-your-iphone-or-ipad-external-devices-3579792/

Lexar JumpDrive (USB and Lightning connectors): http://www.lexar.com/products/usb-flash-drives/Lexar-JumpDrive-M20i-USB-3-flash-drive.html

 

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ICT news

Mobile web browsing overtakes desktop browsing for the first time

Not really surprising – but now it’s official. Browsing on smartphones and tablets now accounts for 51.3% of worldwide web browsing (StatCounter). However, in Australia, desktop accounts for 55.1% of browsing; 58% in the US and 55.6% in the UK. This will only decrease. Mobile-friendly websites are now essential and Google recently made a change making mobile search potentially more up to date than desktop.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/02/mobile-web-browsing-desktop-smartphones-tablets

 

Google’s desktop search could be out of date

Google has now begun to push mobile search and desktop searches could end up slightly out of date compared to mobile searches. Google is splitting its search index into 2 versions – a rapidly updated mobile version and a separate search for the desktop.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/14/google-desktop-search-out-of-date-mobile

 

Nielsen Digital Landscape Report

Monthly summaries of Australian online behaviour. Latest report September.  19.8 million people actively surfing, with ages 50+ having the largest percentage online (30.27%). Top 10 brands: 1. Google 2. Facebook 3. YouTube 4. MSN/Bing/Skype 5. Apple 6. eBay 7. Microsoft 8. Yahoo7 9. Wikipedia 10. Instagram. Top brands for streaming: 1. YouTube 2. Facebook 3. Vevo 4. News.com.au (9.ABC).  Men outnumber women for streaming: 7.35 million men vs 6.34 million women.

file:///H:/Downloads/Digital%20Landscape%20September%202016.pdf

http://digitalmeasurement.nielsen.com/digitalmedialandscape/surfing_report.html

 

American Academy of Pediatrics lifts ‘No screens under 2’ rule

Last month the 1999 rule was lifted. The focus has shifted from what is on the screen to who else is in the room. For babies under 18 mths, no screens are best – except for live video chat. From 15 mths to 2 yrs, children may learn new words from educational media, but only if parents are watching alongside them. Treating videos or apps like a picture book is best. Preschoolers aged 2 to 5 have the ability to transfer knowledge from screens to the real world.

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/10/21/498550475/american-academy-of-pediatrics-lifts-no-screens-under-2-rule

 

Hour of Code 5 December

ABC and Code Club Aust. have set a challenge for students to make their own video game using Scratch.

http://splash.abc.net.au/res/nl/20161118/STEM_news/STEM_news_20161118.html

60 min. tutorials for all ages: https://code.org/learn

 

Zuckerberg to invest $4bn in health

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his pediatrician wife Priscilla Chan will invest nearly $AU4 billion over the next 10 years to build technology that can speed up research on disease. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative LLC will initially create the Biohub research lab in San Francisco, which will create tools for researchers such as a cell atlas (a map of the different human cell types). Other tools could include a chip to diagnose disease and using machine learning to analyse large databases of cancer genomes. Zuckerberg and Chan have promised to give away 99% of their wealth over their lifetimes via their Initiative – one of the world’s largest philanthropic initiatives. They have also created Chan Zuckerberg Science.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/zuckerberg-family-fund-to-invest-4bn-in-research-technology/news-story/6ac9a9c2235e1318e6e9abb568311240

 

Google Play Music

Music streaming, as with movie/TV streaming, is the most popular way of listening to music. Google Play Music is now smarter and easier to use. It uses machine learning and a diverse range of datasets connected to your Google account – search history, maps, YouTube etc – to personalise your music. It then mixes in signals like location, activity, and the weather along with hand-picked playlists to give you music that you like. Started last week in 62 countries for Android, iOS and the web. Workout music as you enter the gym; a sunset soundtrack at dusk….

https://blog.google/products/google-play/introducing-the-new-google-play-music/

 

Google self-driving car project

Monthly report Oct 2016. 24 Lexus SUVs on the road along with 34 prototype vehicles. Over 2.23 million miles  driven in autonomous mode and Google cars are experts at 3-point turns.

https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//selfdrivingcar/files/reports/report-1016.pdf

 

Failed Google projects

Google has been involved in a host of projects – not all of them successful. These projects may soon cease development: Project Wing (delivery drones); Verily smart lenses (measure diabetic glucose levels via eye tears); Google Glass (sales were stopped in 2015 and social media data erased). Autonomous cars may not be available till 2025.

http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/with-so-many-failing-x-projects-its-time-for-google-to-get-back-to-basics-346227.html

 

Google to ban fake news sites from ads

Advertising tools will be closed to websites that promote fake news. Fake news easily goes viral.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/14/13630722/google-fake-news-advertising-ban-2016-us-election