Information Antennae

In a very good posting from eLearning Technology, (Winner of an EduBlog Award 2008), Tony Karrer lays out techniques for Learning Professionals to hone their "information radar."

But while in college, students need to practice using their "antennae" for information sources as a precursor to "real" business world "radar."

Many students think that they will face less information once they've graduated, not more. But a collegiate environment normally circumscribes topics for study; the business world does not. Information is everywhere, but usable information may be much harder to discern.

And I'm not convinced that utilizing Wikipedia, MySpace, FaceBook and YouTube actually qualifies students for the business use of Web 2.0 applications. True, they may have more of a "feel" for the technologies than might a 60-year-old colleague, but the elder might have a better idea of where to search (and often more importantly, where NOT to search) and what constitutes a true information nugget.

I would encourage students to begin reading blogs, wikis, and RSS feeds of publications for their field. If nothing else, it will serve as good background; it might even impress a prof with a well-informed question. At best, it will begin a habit that will reap rich benefits over one's career.