Hintonblogger

The true challenge of the 21st-century seems to be the ability to identify and assimilate valuable information and then to apply it appropriately. The difficulty lies in the incredible proliferation of information sources which constantly compete for our attention. This situation threatens us with the condition of running from one new thing to the next without ever contextualizing the importance of these new things in the framework of previous knowledge and actions (i.e. it becomes unmanageable). For example of, do you find yourself frequently saying, "I'm so behind the times, I can never keep up," or "My {email/RSS feeds} are overloaded, I'll never get caught up with the {email/posts} I haven't read."

I believe the challenge we face with these elements of our lives are similar in principle to the challenges our students face from slick media marketing and the barrage of "connectedness" from their cell phones, music players, and internet access. As I face this challenge myself, I've reflected upon 3 principles of effective information management that help me to "own" the information (and use it to my advantage) rather than being at the mercy of it.