elearnspace

Blog Malaise

I share Dean's concerns in Blog Malaise: "Readers, have you noticed lately that very recent blog posts are starting to appear at the top of Google search results?...The problem with this is that blog content is moving up near news content as authoritative, current information - I'm not sure that this is a good development". But, I don't think whether "its a good development or not" is the real issue. The fact is, today's information currency finds its value in connections. And Google is the banker. If you want society to know you exist, you need to be found by search engines. I had a conversation with Peter Tittenberger on the shift in what it means to be seen as competent or an expert. For most people seeking information today, Google is the starting point. What kinds of results does Google return? Results that find their origin and value in connections (after all, that's what search engines evaluate today - a site's authority stems from the connections it has amassed over time). What happens when brilliant researchers conduct brilliant research but publish it in closed journals? The researcher or the research may likely not reach the awareness of individuals who find information through search engines (though, with Google Scholar, this will likely change somewhat). Voices of authority (as seen from the perspective of an average information seeker) are determined by how accessible and how prominently connected they are.