In his Introduction to this beautifully curated collection of essays, Steven Johnson heralds the arrival of a new generation of technology writing. Whether it is Nicholas Carr worrying that Google is making us stupid, Dana Goodyear chronicling the rise of the cellphone novel, Andrew Sullivan explaining the rewards of blogging, Dalton Conley lamenting the sprawling nature of work in the information age, or Clay Shirky marveling at the 'cognitive surplus' unleashed by the decline of the TV sitcom, this new generation does not waste time speculating about the future. Its attitude seems to be: Who needs the future? The present is plenty interesting on its own. Packed with sparkling essays culled from print and online publications, The Best Technology Writing 2009 announces a fresh brand of technology journalism, deeply immersed in the fascinating complexity of digital life.
The iPad. The Kindle. Twitter. When the Best Technology Writing series was inaugurated in 2005, these technologies did not exist. Now they define our 21st-century lives. As Julian Dibbell writes in his introduction to "The Best Technology Writing 2010, ""The digital is us. Yet for that reason, it is also something more, a lightning rod for our feelings about technology in general." Whether it is Sam Anderson's giddy but troubled defense of online distractions, David Carr's full-throated elegy to the dying world of pre-digital publishing, Steven Johnson's warm appreciation of Twitter's bite-size contributions to collective human intelligence, or Evan Ratliff's fascinating month-long quest to disappear without a digital trace, many of the essays gathered here register our intense and complicated fascination with digital media. But as Dibbell notes, these essays also remind us that some of the most disruptive and fascinating technologies continue to come from beyond the digital world. Jill Lepore's writing on the politics of breast-feeding gadgetry, Stephen Silberman's investigation of the placebo effect in pharmaceutical testing, Burkhard Bilger reporting on efforts to build a better cook stove for the developing world, and Tad Friend's profile of electric-car developer Elon Musk's efforts to head off environmental catastrophe all invite us to reflect on how many aspects of human experience remain fundamentally unchanged by digital technology. Packed with marvelous essays on technologies old and new, "The Best Technology Writing 2010 "is an outstanding addition to this "fantastic" (Cory Doctorow), "fascinating" (Chris Anderson) series. "The Best Technology Writing 2010" includes essays written by: Sam Anderson Burkhard Bilger Joshua Bearman Mark Bowden David Carr Douglas Fox Tad Friend Ben Greenman Vanessa Grigoriadis James Harkin Adam Higginbotham Alex Hutchinson Steven Johnson Kevin Kelly Jill Lepore Alexis Madrigal Javier Marias Mike Massimino Evan Ratliff Daniel Roth Clay Shirky Steve Silberman Annie Trubek Lawrence Weschler
More emphasis is being placed on writing instruction in K-12 schools than ever before. With the growing number of digital tools in the classroom, it is important that K-12 teachers learn how to use these tools to effectively teach writing in all content areas. The Handbook of Research on Digital Tools for Writing Instruction in K-12 Settings will provide research about how students use digital tools to write, both in and out of school settings, as well as discuss issues and concerns related to the use of these learning methods. This publication is beneficial to educators, professionals, and researchers working in the field of K-12 and teacher education.
The author of the breakout hit Here Comes Everybody reveals how new technology is changing us for the better. In his bestselling Here Comes Everybody, Internet guru Clay Shirky provided readers with a much-needed primer for the digital age. Now, with Cognitive Surplus, he reveals how new digital technology is unleashing a torrent of creative production that will transform our world. For the first time, people are embracing new media that allow them to pool their efforts at vanishingly low cost. The results of this aggregated effort range from mind-expanding reference tools like Wikipedia to life-saving Web sites like Ushahidi.com, which allows Kenyans to report acts of violence in real time. Cognitive Surplus explores what's possible when people unite to use their intellect, energy, and time for the greater good.
Based on a 2012 symposium on Perfection, held at the Whitechapel Gallery in East London, this book explores the ways in which artists engage with ideas of perfection, drawing on screenings, performances and discussions. The symposium featured the work of an eclectic group of artists and writers, who use photographic lenses of many kinds to create works that engage with or disrupt ideas of perfection. Framed from an artist’s perspective and spanning a diverse range of artworks that question how these ideas shape our personal identities and our social and political systems, On Perfection considers the multifaceted nature of lens-based practices.
How to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, from the prestigious National Writing Project As many teachers know, students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. In the classroom, students are increasingly required to create web-based or multi-media productions that also include writing. Since writing in and for the online realm often defies standard writing conventions, this book defines digital writing and examines how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction. Shows how to integrate new technologies into classroom lessons Addresses the proliferation of writing in the digital age Offers a guide for improving students' online writing skills The book is an important manual for understanding this new frontier of writing for teachers, school leaders, university faculty, and teacher educators.
An anthology Malcolm Gladwell has called "riveting and indispensable," The Best Business Writing is a far-ranging survey of business's dynamic relationship with politics, culture, and life. This year's selections include John Markoff (New York Times) on innovations in robot technology and the decline of the factory worker; Evgeny Morozov (New Republic) on the questionable value of the popular TED conference series and the idea industry behind it; Paul Kiel (ProPublica) on the ripple effects of the ongoing foreclosure crisis; and the infamous op-ed by Greg Smith, published in the New York Times, announcing his break with Goldman Sachs over its trading practices and corrupt corporate ethos. Jessica Pressler (New York) delves into the personal and professional rivalry between Tory and Christopher Burch, former spouses now competing to dominate the fashion world. Peter Whoriskey (Washington Post) exposes the human cost of promoting pharmaceuticals off-label. Charles Duhigg and David Barboza (New York Times) investigate Apple's unethical labor practices in China. Max Abelson (Bloomberg) reports on Wall Street's amusing reaction to the diminishing annual bonus. Mina Kimes (Fortune) recounts the grisly story of a company's illegal testing—and misuse—of a medical device for profit, and Jeff Tietz (Rolling Stone) composes one of the most poignant and comprehensive portraits of the financial crisis's dissolution of the American middle class.
Succinct, yet comprehensive, Assistive Technology is designed to help educators better understand assistive technology and how it can support students with disabilities from early childhood through the transition into adulthood. This practical book is organized around the purpose of technology and the support it can provide rather than a student’s disability categorization. Grounded in research and filled with engaging case studies and activities, author Emily C. Bouck offers an unbiased depiction of the advantages and limitations of technology. Readers are exposed to a full range of assistive technology including up-to-date coverage of low- and high-technology, as well as free and for-purchase options that can be used to support students with disabilities.
School inclusion is a perennially popular yet polemic topic in most countries. This timely book explores what is known about inclusion, highlighting outstanding examples of inclusion to provide a complete overview of successful inclusion. The book concentrates on how to make inclusion work - from the view of internationally established practitioners in the field of teacher education - with a focus on what variables are likely to make a difference in practice. What Works in Inclusion? covers three key aspects: Theories of inclusive education Examples of how inclusion can be encouraged and facilitated What prevents inclusion from being successful Drawing on case studies from a wide range of countries, including USA, Australia, UK, Canada and Italy, there is focus on the positive aspects of inclusion: 'how' it can work and 'what actually works', helping you understand successful aspects of inclusion as well as developing an understanding of how inclusive education can best be implemented. In addition to the research-based accounts of how to make inclusion work, the book considers the difficulties that can arise in attempting to achieve successful inclusion and how such barriers can be overcome, to ensure a successful inclusive experience for both teachers and students. This is a key text for all serving and aspiring teachers and SENCOs, as well as those interested in inclusion and SEN in schools, and will inform and challenge in equal measure. Contributors: Adrian F Ashman, Robert Conway, Joanne Deppeler, Roberta Fadda, Laurel M. Garrick Duhaney, Fraser Lauchlan, Margo Mastropieri, Kim M. Michaud, Brahm Norwich, Petra Ponte, Diane Richler, Richard Rose, Spencer J. Salend, Tom Scruggs, Roger Slee, Jacqueline Thousand, Richard Villa, Catharine Whittaker "Focusing on both theory and practice, this timely volume provides a refreshing set of challenges to all of us who are committed to the development of more inclusive education systems. The presentation of ideas and experiences from different countries is particularly powerful in this respect." Professor Mel Ainscow, University of Manchester, UK "Boyle and Topping provide a collection of salient chapters on critical issues pertaining to inclusive education from a collection of world leaders in the field. This book is scholarly, current, and research-based, yet at the same time readable and informative for a wide audience of university teachers and their students, along with practicing educators in the field. Recognizing that inclusive education is an ongoing project this book nevertheless provides a rigorous gestalt of inclusive education theory, practical advice for implementation, and potential barriers to success. This is one of the finest books on this topic currently available." Professor Tim Loreman, Faculty of Education, Concordia University College of Alberta, Canada
