Research in a total connect world?

I really wanted to record this one for later use.

I have now been involved at one way or another in the application of new technology for many decades. Now Orange has released a new research paper, What's left to Know, dealing with the impact of very large data sets. The report is subtitled research in a total connect world.

In writing the last sentence I almost made a major error. I wrote a total disconnect world instead of a total connect world. That was arguably a Freudian slip because it captured my reservations about some of the new approaches.

As I write, the Vice Chancellor of the University of New England (Professor James Barber) is continuing his campaign in favour of online learning. I quote: 

ONLINE education is revolutionising the way information is accessed to the point of redefining the roles of academic staff and casualising their employment - a trend of significant consequence to Armidale.

With the University of New England seeking to source internationally-based staff to direct its students over the internet, concerns of employment security in a casualised academic work environment have arisen on the Armidale campus.

UNE Vice-Chancellor, James Barber, would not rule out an increased casualisation of academic staff in Armidale, but wished to challenge the notion that permanent, full-time tenure was the only good mode of employment.

As I have argued in other posts, I have major reservations about the hype now attached to social media and the new communications technologies. I just don't believe the arguments. So far I have only scanned the Orange report, but it appears to contain some interesting material. I am interested as to how it might affect my present thinking.