Blurts

Here are the results of an extensive survey regarding teen use of microblogs. Do they? Why and when?

This Wired article explores the notion of “good enough” as it has applied to the digital camera and camcorder market. Should it apply to software as well? There used to be less expensive and less featured versions of apps, now there is often a single bloated, pro version.

The change started with the Department of Education under the Bush administration, he explains, which wanted to see a much heavier focus on the basic tools of reading — like phonics and spelling.

NPR has announced that Reading Rainbow, a program that has been aired for more than 25 years, will end. Not enough money to keep going. A program about why you read, but as the article says some have concluded not about how you read.

Just forwarding this list of tips for taking travel photos. Unfortunately, I will have to wait a while to apply them. Note the polarizing filter – I used to have one, but that was back when I used film.

This survey of college faculty members’ use of Twitter from Campus Technology.

69.3 percent of respondents said they do not use Twitter in any capacity, and 56.4 percent haven’t tried it at all. The survey, Twitter in Higher Education: Usage Habits and Trends of Today’s College Faculty, found that some of the reasons faculty members do not use Twitter were that they don’t see the relevance to education, that they think microblogging might contribute to poor writing skills, that they don’t understand how to use it, or that they don’t have time for it.

Computer World has just released a brief summary of a cross-sectional study of gamers in the Seattle area by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). The study will draw attention because it paints a different picture of the average gamer (male and mid-30s rather then teenagers).

There is a connection with health issues:

It gives Americans just another reason to be fat, dumb and lazy.

Like so many attributes of gamers, the question is are certain categories of individuals attracted to games or does preoccupation with the games lead to consequences.

nnIf you read the pdf (the research article is available), the Computer World comment on teenagers requires some clarification. The article does cite research from other sources on gaming interest across a wide age range. However, the study surveys individuals 19+.nnIf this topic interests you, do read the original study. There are some interesting comments in the discussions section. For example, video games as self-medication.