Information overload is definitely a problem for people online today - after a few minutes of searching, we end up with multiple open tabs, all of which we intend to search before continuing our homework, assessments, or work. We browse one tab, then open a new one because we found something else that was interesting and we don't want to miss out on that information either! Before you know it, three hours have passed and its time for lunch...what did we achieve over that time....I can't remember! There is so much information out their on the web that it is easy to either waste time or feel overwhelmed because we cannot possible see everything. This is information overload - how can we possibly process so much information and be productive with it.
Our lecture addressed some of the techniques which can be used to deal with this problem. Specific ones of interest to me included folksonomies and RSS feeds. I believe folksonomies could be a great help, while RSS feeds could accelerate the problem. Tag clouds are a good example of a helpful folksonomy. Here, we can get the web to organise our information so that we can find articles/websites/resources more easily than ever before. Click on your tag and it will take you straight to a selection of specific quality articles. Tag clouds have the potential to get out of control if we tag carelessly- but if we keep our tags specific it can save time.
RSS feeds, on the other hand, seem to me as though they are encouraging information overload. They are a fantastic tool - feeding through specific information that you would probably look at anyway. However then there is no limit as to how much time you spend on line - you are constantly being bombarded with new stories, new podcasts - and you might feel obliged to read/listen/view every single one. This is very time consuming.
I think one of the main ways to control information overload is to simply designate certain hours to web-browsing throughout the day. Have a piercing alarm sound when it is time to get back into work/study mode and be disciplined about it! And also, I think it is important to realise and accept that while there is a lot of information on the internet, it is not our duty to look at every single link provided to us. That is the beauty of it - we can choose what information we wish to view, and what information we would prefer to ignore.
All in all
13 years ago
I can tell when I've been online for too long. I never got into gaming because it was just sensory overload. The problem is I find other distractions, like the CD playing in the background or the book on my bedside table. I think it's in our nature to get distracted and sometimes distractions in the classroom can be a good way to move in another direction or give everyone a breather.
ReplyDeleteJenny, you're right that RSS can quickly become overwhelming if you subscribe to too many feeds, or if you feel obliged to read everything that turns up in one of your feeds. The key is balance - having enough key sources that you get the info you need, but not overdoing the number of sources, and not feeling obliged to read material that doesn't seem important or relevant. RSS is really designed to save you having to constantly search for new information, or revisit useful websites to see whether there's anything new. Like all these tools, though, you have to keep it under control!
ReplyDeleteI guess it starts to become a bit like watching the news on 3 different channels, you start to see the same thing being repeated and then you know it is safe to "tune out".
ReplyDeleteThat's a great way to look at it Averil - you just need to be able to recognise when to tune out. Plus, accessing any information is never a waste, even though it does take up time. It just makes us more interesting individuals!
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