[Hidden-tech] need thoughts on future search tools for kid's book

[Chris Hoogendyk]

Darn, it complained about my markup, and, without thinking, I hit "send 
as text only". So, my edit of your paragraph again:


Chris Hoogendyk wrote:
> A - Z International wrote:
>> <snip>
>>
>> Here is the original text:
>>
>> In social studies class you are studying Africa. Your teacher asks 
>> you to find an article on your desktop computer about the people of 
>> Central Africa. By 2030 there is so much information on the web that 
>> you need a software tool called a 'bot to help find the data. 'Bots 
>> are animated computer figures that ask questions to make your data 
>> search easier.
>>
>> Here is my suggestion for changing it...
>>
>> In social studies class you are studying Africa. Your teacher asks 
>> you to find an article on your desktop computer about the people of 
>> Central Africa.By 2030,computer memory has grown so large, that all 
>> knowledge since the dawn of civilization will be available on line. 
>> Using special "thinking" software called Artificial Intelligence, the 
>> computer will not only find the answer to your question but will also 
>> try to guess what else you might need before you ask it. 
>
>
> With that caveat, maybe something like: In social studies class you 
> are studying Africa. Your teacher asks you to use your personal agent 
> to find an article on your desktop computer about the people of 
> Central Africa. By 2030 there is so much information on the web that 
> you need a intelligent software tool called a 'bot to help find the 
> article data. 'Bots are This software appears in the form of an 
> animated computer figures that asks questions to follows your 
> instructions and makes your data search easier. Learning how to 
> instruct your personal agent is one of the most important skills of 
> the digital era.
>
> Note that that also puts the action in the child's hands (the child 
> instructs the agent) rather than in the software's hands (it asks the 
> child questions). I think that is an important distinction. The child 
> can imagine getting from here to there rather than being a passive 
> answerer of questions. They can imagine reaching in and controlling 
> things, or programming things, or whatever suits them. Put them in 
> passive mode, with the agent as the adult asking questions, and a lot 
> of kids just close up and shut down.

Sorry about the confusion in posting that without the markup the first time.


---------------

Chris Hoogendyk

-
   O__  ---- Systems Administrator
  c/ /'_ --- Biology & Geology Departments
 (*) \(*) -- 140 Morrill Science Center
~~~~~~~~~~ - University of Massachusetts, Amherst 

<hoogendyk at bio.umass.edu>

--------------- 

Erdös 4


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