• Internet

    Friday Video: Digital Natives

    by  • July 18, 2014 • HIgher Ed, Internet, Libraries • 0 Comments

    John Palfrey

    HOST: Alexander Heffner
    GUEST: John Palfrey
    AIR DATE: 06/21/14

    I’m Alexander Heffner, your new host on The Open Mind.

    For more than a half-century, my grandfather explored the universe of ideas from this chair, and I was fortunate to benefit from his tutelage.

    In taking his seat as he hoped I would, I’ll carry on Open Mind’s mission as he conceived it: “To elicit meaningful insights into the challenges Americans face in contemporary areas of national concern…a quiet and thoughtful excursion into the world of ideas.”

    Paying attention to issues such as immigration, climate change, and the nature of our digital society, Open Mind’s commitment to non-adversarial conversation in the public interest continues here today…as I welcome my first guest.

    There is no more perceptive analyst of technology and “Digital Natives,” those who came of age during the Internet revolution, than John Palfrey: Chairman of the Digital Public Library of America and Head of School at Phillips Academy, Andover, where he leads a seminar on “Hacking: A Course in Experiments.”

    The former Henry Ess Professor and Vice Dean at Harvard Law School, Palfrey was Executive Director from 2002 to 2008 of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, where he co-authored the critically acclaimed bookBorn Digital.

    I know John Palfrey to be a most inspiring champion of open access, digital literacy, and youth empowerment – both in his stewardship of the Digital Public Library and as a mentor to many Harvard and Andover students.  While eternally optimistic that the digital world is a glass half-full – not half-empty – Palfrey is sensitive to the human values, ethical, and legal considerations of a pre-Google world that sometimes appear in conflict with the tactics of WikiLeaks or Edward Snowden.

    In a February lecture in Akron, Ohio, Palfrey compellingly explored the uses and misuses of technology, the digital divide between naïve and sophisticated Web-users, and the Digital Public Library’s role in bringing knowledge to more communities – topics we’ll explore in a moment.

    But first I want to ask John Palfrey how he sees this generation of Digital Natives to be evolving, if there remains a tension between “open access” and “privacy”, and if, perhaps, a second generation of Digital Natives has already arisen without these clashing interests.

    Google+ changes its name policy

    by  • July 15, 2014 • Internet • 0 Comments

    Google+ Logo

    Over the years, as Google+ grew and its community became established, we steadily opened up this policy, from allowing +Page owners to use any name of their choosing to letting YouTube users bring their usernames into Google+. Today, we are taking the last step: there are no more restrictions on what name you can...

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    Tech Talk with Michael Sauers: Enter the Mozillarian: Weaving the Mozilla and Library Communities

    by  • June 26, 2014 • Internet, Libraries, video • 0 Comments

    More and more librarians and library-lovers are realizing that they have a lot in common with Mozilla. While some people think Mozilla is just a tech company that makes Firefox, these savvy “Mozillarians” know that they’re more than that: Mozilla is a global community of people who believe that openness, innovation, and opportunity are key to the continued health of the Internet.

    Mozilla creates initiatives like Webmaker and drives the Hive Learning Networks — both focused on advancing web literacy, connected learning, and digital skills. These programs spark creativity and innovation, as well as build tools, curricula, and a community of people dedicated to helping others. Initiatives that enable citizens to develop 21st-century skills, become creators and shapers of the web, explore interests and opportunities, and develop themselves and their communities. Which kinda sounds like, well, what librarians do :)

    In this session we’ll highlight some Webmaker tools and resources, showcase some emerging Mozillarians, and give you some easy ways to get started by throwing a Webmaker Party.

    In this monthly feature of NCompass Live, the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Michael Sauers, will discuss the tech news of the month and share new and exciting tech for your library.

    Presenters:

    akeÅke Nygren, Stockholm Public Library
    Over the years Åke has been active in various library projects with a focus on lifelong learning, learning environments, digital inclusion, and social media. He is currently working with digital signage and social media for the Stockholm Public Library Digital Library Dept. Åke is a big fan of Mozilla and other projects working for a free and open internet. In January 2014, he launched a collaborative blog — Mozillarian.org — where he and other “Mozillarians” explore the intersection between the Mozilla community and the library world.

     

    chrisChris Lawrence, Mozilla Foundation
     Chris is the Senior Director of Mozilla’s Webmaker community team. Through this work Chris helps guide the Hive Learning Network project — helping to spread connected learning and web literacy through the exploration of digital skills for youth and educators. He is a graduate of Bank Street College’s Museum Education program and previously worked at the New York Hall of Science.

     

     

    christineChristine Prefontaine, Facilitating Change
     Christine is a strategist, activist, innovator, and designer. She is the founder of Facilitating Change, a boutique consultancy focusing on international, nonprofit, and community development. Her recent work focuses  on civic media and technologies, libraries and other innovation spaces, and web-first publishing. She is a huge library advocate and an active member of the Mozilla community. Previously, she worked for the Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA) at the University of Washington Information School, Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and Deloitte’s Emerging Markets Group.

    For more information, to register for upcoming NCompass Live events, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live Webpage.