Gottesman Libraries Blog

Library BlogSara Hardman's posts

6 years ago

Like many people these days, a friend and I were recently discussing Oculus Rift. “I really want to try out Oculus Rift,” he said. “Yeah, me too,” I replied. “Yeah, I just want to use it to play video games.” “Oh…” “I mean, it’s not like it can be used for any moral purpose, right? It’s basically just another form of entertainment.” That stopped me. Is that really the main purpose of Oculus Rift and virtual reality in general—to entertain? Sure, using VR to play video games seems like a really cool way to spend an afternoon, but it would be disappointing if the years of rumor...

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Sara Hardman

6 years ago

Using Video Games to Express Emotions

Most adolescents are regular video game players. Though video games can provide entertainment, they can also become a source of addiction. In order to curb this problem, it's important to understand why some gamers play more than others. Researchers in France completed a study to understand the connection between video gaming and emotional regulation, intensity, and expression. They sought to distinguish emotional differences between regular and irregula...

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Sara Hardman

6 years ago

Minerva Schools

I am fascinated by Minerva Schools. For those of you who don't know what that is (I didn't know until last month), it is an innovate new liberal arts college that's goal is to crumble the white columns and ivy-coated walls of traditional higher education. The school is spearheaded by former Snapfish CEO Ben Nelson in addition to several, prominent former Ivy League professors. At Minerva, all classes take place on an innovate online platform. Professor and student can see every member of the class in their own small box on the screen. There are no...

2559 Reads 1 Comment

Sara Hardman

6 years ago

Why Online Math Tutoring Connects With Rural Students

Tutoring is on the rise now more than ever, but for many students, in-person lessons aren’t feasible. This is especially true in rural areas, where students, parents, and schools alike are turning to online tutoring for extra help. A recent study sought to examine the effectiveness of online math tutoring for middle school students in rural areas. Two schools, one in Virginia and the other in Kansas, hosted private online tutoring sessions for studen...

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Sara Hardman

6 years ago

Playing Against Dementia

Chances are, we all know someone living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. With over five million adults with this challenging condition in the U.S. alone, it is one of the most common forms of cognitive decline. Many adults living with dementia live in community homes where the promotion of learning isn’t a priority. A recent study shows that not only is lifelong learning important for people with dementia, ...

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Sara Hardman

6 years ago

We the People, the Lovers of Lists

Unless you haven’t been on the internet in a few years, you’ve probably come across an article written in list form. Although the most notorious of the list-donning news websites is Buzzfeed, the trend has created dozens of lesser-known spinoffs and spread to sites such as the Huffington Post and the Atlantic. B.J. Novak even created an app specifically for this phenomenon, The List App, where people communicate with others exclusively through lists. As more articles and other interactions take on a listed form, I can’t help but ask what is it about the list that c...

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Sara Hardman

6 years ago

The Crazy Serious Side of Rube Goldberg Machines

Zip, zing, and zap—these are just some of the noises you will hear at the annual Rube Goldberg Machine College National Competition. This may be the only DIY tournament that judges teams on their silliness just as much as on their technological innovation. Inspired by the wacky inventions of cartoonist Rube Goldberg, these machines all have a simple task. At this competition, it was to erase a blackboard. Yet, as the col...

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Sara Hardman

6 years ago

Yes It's a T-Shirt, But It Also Gives You X-Ray Vision

As a child, you might have wondered what it would be like to have x-ray vision. With advances in virtual reality technology, what was once an unattainable superpower looks more like a reality. This vialogue introduces the Virtuali-tee, a device that incorporates augmented reality to grant you vision past the skin and into the internal organs and skeletal system of anyone you know. By connecting the Virtuali-tee shirt to your smartphone, the a...

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Sara Hardman

6 years ago

Why You Should Think Twice About Your Brain's Gender

We’ve all heard it: men are better at math and maps, women are better at languages and memory recall. Whether you’ve accepted this as fact or not, this Vialogue features a new study that calls into question whether structural brain differences between the sexes actually exist. After studying over 1,400 brains, researchers at Tel Aviv University have an answer to this question; they assert that there is no such thing as a male or female brain....

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Sara Hardman

6 years ago

8 Second Stories From an Imam on Snapchat

Snapchat: love it or hate it, it's probably here to stay for a while. Though most normally associate the popular social media app with selfies and silly filters, could it have a different use, one that’s serious and even educational? This Vialogue features an Imam who uses Snapchat as a platform for educating people about Islam. Suhaib Webb records his eight-second long videos for Muslim teens and young adults who have questions about their f...

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