This posting from Craig Silva was caught in the error cycle because it included the heading from Judy Quail...Liz Rykert > >> One of the things >> that is happening with so many people gradually gaining access to >> the internet is that the health care provider will not be in control >> of the information partakers receive. > >Hmmmmmm? Is that good or bad? Being an info junkie myself I err on the >side of it being good. But it opens up an important area of >discussion. > >> What is the process of >> becoming informed? It seems like there might be external and >> internal or psychological aspects to this experience. What >> assistance do people need to help them to access information, to >> understand it and to begin to make some judgements about it, and >> then to use it? > >A good education? No seriously, the availability of mass information >requires that everyone should be educated to encourage and develop >their critical skills so as to be able to assess the quality and also >more importantly to determine the authenticity of the information >available. > >> What needs to be in place to assist people to find >> their way through the tremendous amount of information out there. > >Libraries and librarians will have an increasingly important role in >providing indexes of useful and authoritative sources of information. >Equally, key institutions in a particular area of study can serve a >similar function. > >> It is almost like people will need mini- research skills, because >> they are going to be learning about information itself, not only the >> subject matter. > >A key question in this is the authority of the information available >online. The ease with which anyone can publish on the web is a >two-edged sword. Whilst it has a liberating effect and breaks >certain information monopolies it also allows any crackpot or >charlatan to advertise their weird and wonderful views on the world. >One area that hasn't yet (to my knowledge) been tested is that of >liability for wrong or inadequate information. The lawyers in the US >are no doubt wetting themselves over the potential for litigation in >this area. > >>I'd like to do some more reading on this so if >> anyone can suggest any articles, research studies whatever I'd >> appreciate hearing from you. > >I can't think of any particular work but I'm sure that a search at >Alta Vista will start you off :-> > >Regards > >Craig >--------------------------------------------------------- >Craig Silva, Electronic Outreach Program Officer >Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Melbourne Australia >e-mail: [log in to unmask], Tel: 61 3 9345 3211 >--------------------------------------------------------- > >