Category Archives: Academic Reflections

CHS e-portfolio requirements

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CHS e-portfolio requirements (June 2011)

  • Reflection on teaching, including indicators of professional reading
  • Evidence of student feedback with teacher reflection
  • Reflection on engagement with parents
  • Reflection on professional development over the last two years
  • Samples of students’ work with teacher reflection
  • Reflection on other roles in the school community
  • Role as teacher leader
  • Equipment management (purchase; repairs; maintenance) & Technological  expertise:
  • Cross curricular activities (helping teachers & their students make films for their classes):
  • Extra duties:
  • Benefits for CHS
  • Technological innovation

Synthesis: (ETEC 565)

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E-Portfolio assignment #6: Synthesis reflection

From my flight path

As I contemplate what I learned since the beginning of this course, I realize that although my flight plan has been slightly altered during the process, my destination has remained unchanged: to discover pertinent technological applications in the field of digital communication. The difference is that, instead of exploring the digital film realm, I took a new route and redirected my course of studies towards the field of foreign language education.

What I originally put forward in my flight plan:

  • On Moodle: Investigate the various interactive and assessment options, available on this platform.
  • Harness the power of social media to provide students with a vehicle for exploring and creating original content.

“Children and teenagers are the main target of the powerful mass media and their messages. We act, think, live and dream depending on what others think about us, so we create this imaginary world where we present ourselves as the reflection of a media constructed image” (Christensen, 2000).

 I tried tackled the concept of identity when I selected a tool for my digital story. I found an appropriate type of content, a Mayan legend, and devised a project allowing the use of imagination as well as the exploration of Hispanic cultural settings.

What I explored:

  • At first, I thought that I was going to create a digital film for this course, and use it to enhance what I do in the digital film communication classes. However after further reflection, and after more information about what this course had to offer, I decided to experiment with the various tools at our disposal and opted to create effective Spanish communication tools.

Reflection on the eLearning toolkit experience overall

  • The design of a UBC blog:
    • The activity confirmed my interest in this powerful tool. Not only does it allow the presentation of student research and accomplishments; it is also available for future references and for collaborative work.
  • DVD authoring:
    • A favorite of mine, as the digital film communication leader in my institution. I tend to believe that, despite the level of difficulty involved in the more complex filmmaking tools, this form of storytelling is one of the most inclusive ways of presenting knowledge. It comprises audio and visual components, which allow for artistic expression; linguistic abilities (for scripts); communicative and collaborative skills (for screening); and research & technological know-how. In brief, it satisfies many, if not all the ISTE standards (2007).
  • Assessment on Moodle:
    • The production of a quiz in Moodle was a new experience for me. I found the possibilities worthy of note and intend to continue experimenting with these tools in the future.
  • Wiki activity:
    • Wikipedia has become such an important web-based tool that it seems justifiable to explore the way it is collectively shaped.  
    • On the one hand, cooperation with this type of medium can be complex due to the quantity of information that it can store and the number of people that can participate.
    • On the other hand, HTML authoring is an essential part of digital literacy. The wiki activity allowed students to further practice this useful code.
  • Web-based storytelling (Slide; Picasa; Flickr; …):
    • After exploring a great number of the suggested applications:
      • Animoto; motionbox;
      • VCASMO;
      • Kerpoof;
      • Voice Thread
    • I am pleased with the discovery of “Slide”. This tool is easy to use; offers many options; includes the use of music with the proper licensing; and can be tailored to a number of linguistic activities. It is a very good alternative to filmmaking, which, as mentioned before, can be a complex endeavor for less experienced students and teachers
    • Using the SECTIONS model (Bates & Poole, 2003) to analyze this social medium:
      • it will appeal to students;
      • it is easy of use;
      • there are no costs involved for the students (the structure is paid by the school: web access);
      • the teacher becomes a facilitator and the students becomes in charge of their own learning;
      • it is interactive;
      • organizing the activity is simple and relates well to the course objectives;
      • the novelty is enticing and can be linked with other social media tools such as Flickr, etc.;
      • the speed of production and delivery is adequate.
  • E-Learning toolkit: Web design and HTML authoring:
    • Useful tips:
      • Avoid too much information; not too little either
      • Be consistent in the way it is structured; designed
      • Use relevant images
      • Clear print
      • Easy to follow numbering system
      • Good overall design
  • Social media:
    • With the recent changes on Facebook, it has been a challenge to decide whether or not to keep the account. I am aware of the fact that some schools do not allow teachers to use Facebook with their students. In my case, it is the main reason why I use Facebook: to be able to easily contact my family, friends and old students.
  • Weblogs:
    • It is one of the invaluable technological tools that I have learned to use in my classes. In the film class, all my students have e-portfolios and we use wikis and blogs to embed their films and archive them for university applications. In Spanish, I intend to do the same.
  • Wikis:
    • This kind of platform allows me to store my students’ films without having to worry about the price or the storage space. I can embed the films if they have been uploaded on my student’s e-portfolio, on YouTube (most have, except for the ones who were too long or experienced some uploading complications).
  • Adaptive technologies:
    • It’s important to realize that while many people with disabilities have access to these technologies, in my school very few do. Therefore, I usually build my online resources with a minimal need for such technologies.
    • I think that the most important technological adaptation would be auditory. It may not be due to a disability, but rather because some people learn better by hearing rather than visually. This is often the case with language students (and teachers too!).
  • M-learning:
    • Accessible to all and less expensive than say, cameras and microphones.
    • Behaviorist – activities that promote learning as a change in learners’ observable actions
    • Constructivist – activities in which learners actively construct new ideas or concepts based on both their previous and current knowledge
    • Situated – activities that promote learning within an authentic context and culture
    • Collaborative – activities that promote learning through social interaction
    • Informal and lifelong – activities that support learning outside a dedicated learning environment and formal curriculum
    • Learning and teaching support – activities that assist in the coordination of learners and resources for learning activities

 Reflection on the overall ETEC 565 experience

Selecting appropriate technological tools

  • To start with, it has become clear that selecting appropriate technological tools is a sine qua non for teachers. Rather than trying to follow trends, educators benefit from making judicious choices about the technology they use by considering the ways in which it supports their programs’ learning outcomes (Bates & Poole, 2003).

Assessment Strategies

  • Starting with the end in mind is always a good place to initiate an adventure. In this light, the creation of an evaluation rubric for an LMS system was a worthwhile experience. It also combined the “communication and collaboration”; “critical thinking, problem solving and decision making”; as well as “technology operations and concepts” prescribed in the ISTE standards.
    • Collaboratively recognizing key attributes of a LMS, as well as weighing the infrastructure needed for successful delivery, made it possible to come to an agreement on the choice of an appropriate platform.
    • Investigating the characteristics of synchronous and asynchronous communication gave me an unambiguous idea of the manner in which time and space can be allocated in learning environments.
    • Real –time has taken a new meaning and is linked with the ability to connect at any time, in a chosen location. For this reason, technology assisted assessment can be very practical and motivating for students, who seek to have immediate feedback on their achievements. Peer assessment as well as critical thinking, triggered by discussion forums, are also valuable opportunities offered online.

Digital Storytelling

  • By using “slide” as a tool to illustrate a Spanish legend, I realized the potential of this type of online experience in relations to exploring new cultures and collaborating in the creation of projects in a foreign language.

The next steps in terms of my practice in educational technology

  • In my flight plan I considered the use of “Audacity”, a software program for the production of audio elements. I explored the tool in this course, but chose not to include it in my digital story assignment. A PowerPoint presentation is incorporated in the Spanish Moodle course (created for ETEC 565, UBC) and involves audio recording. With the audio already covered in my LMS’ second module, I decided to investigate other tools. Now that I have experimented with Audacity, it will be an exciting challenge to find other relevant ways to apply this tool in the Spanish courses.
  • Thanks to the Moodle course created as an assignment for ETEC 565, I have finally discovered an LMS course design that I can reproduce for both my digital film communication classes and the Spanish program. I have already started to mentor other teachers in that regard. In Spanish, all our courses will be structured in a similar way on Moodle. This will facilitate the navigation for students. Some of the online activities are also included in the assessment procedures, which will encourage active participation and collaboration.
  • My next endeavor is to create a pilot course for a full online digital film communication program for my institution. It will include the creation of an international media studies and digital storytelling curriculum. I plan to use the SECTIONS model to design the course: students; ease of use; cost structure; teaching and learning; interactivity; organization; novelty; and speed (Bates & Poole, 2003). While keeping in mind the “7 Principles of Good Practice” (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996), I also plan to continue my exploration of online learning theoretical frameworks (Anderson, 2008).

Conclusion

To close, a review of the 2007 ISTE standards clearly shows that innovative educational strategies were taken in consideration for this course: Creativity and innovation (digital story); communication and collaboration (assessment rubric); research and information fluency (social media); critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (wiki activity); digital citizenship (copyright infringement laws); technology operations and concepts (e-learning toolkit: LMS; web design; communication tools; social software; weblogs; wikis; and multimedia tools).

It is with both regret and satisfaction that I complete my last course in the Master of Educational Technology program at UBC. It has been a fabulous didactic quest that I will bring with me as long as I teach. This online experience has changed the way I look at education. Thanks to the possibilities offered on the web, I will always look forward to my next learning adventure.

References:

Anderson, T. (2008). Towards a theory of online learning. In: Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Athabasca Unversity. Accessed Online 9, June, 2009 http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/14_Anderson_2008_Anderson-Online_Learning.pdf

Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: a Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. In Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. (pp. 77-105). San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.

Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S. C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39(7), 3-7. Accessed Online 15, May, 2009 from http://www.aahea.org/bulletins/articles/sevenprinciples.htm

Christensen, L. (2000). Unlearning the Myths that bind us: Critiquing Cartoons and Society. In reading, writing and rising up: Teaching about social justice and the power of the written word (pp. 40-47) A Rethinking Schools Publication.

The ISTE (2007), National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•S) and Performance Indicators for Students: http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007_Standards.pdf

Slide: http://www.slide.com/

Educause: http://www.educause.edu/ELI/Archives/MobilityandMobileLearning/5527

The Hidden Dangers of Social Networks: You can log-on but you cannot hide: http://www.slideshare.net/lisbk/the-hidden-dangers-of-social-networks-you-can-logon-but-you-cannot-hide

Literature Review in Mobile Technologies and Learning: http://www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/lit_reviews/Mobile_Review.pdf

Indigenous identify and contrasting societal values (ETEC 521)

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Article “Introduction to decolonizing methodologies”, Smith, Linda.

What is the general tone of the Indigenous memory of scientific research?

The general tone of the Indigenous memory of scientific research is very negative. So much so that it is constantly reiterated by the author, who describes it at “dirty”. 

How have Indigenous communities and the revival of Indigenous culture become spaces of resistance and hope?

The revival of Indigenous culture becomes a beacon of hope when attempts are made to deconstruct; take apart history; reveal underlying messages; and give voice to unspoken truths.

This deconstruction of Western views allows for Indigenous communities to reinvent themselves. They find their vocabulary, their insights, their explanations to express experiences that are meaningful to them.

Can technology be useful in supporting Indigenous communities’ efforts to de-colonize values and thoughts?

In terms of a technology, I would offer the use of digital film. E-learning platforms are ideal to facilitate the involvement of Elders in the education of indigenous students. Web-course designers can undoubtedly find videos or organize the creation of digital films providing precious interviews with Elders speaking in their native tongue.

For young native learners who may not be fluent in their tribe’s language, sub-titles are easily added, or a simultaneous translation is also possible. For easy downloads, an audio only option may be advisable. With the use of an I-pod (or a modern telephone), students can effortlessly access these types of interviews.

What are some questions a non-Indigenous researcher should ask her/himself before going to do research in an Indigenous community?

  • Are the indigenous people participating in the research taking ownership of it?
  • Do the participants have a say in the way the results of the research will be used?
  • Will the research benefit the community?
  • How will the members of the community be empowered to participate in the framework of the research? \
  • How will the participants actively co-work with the researchers?
  • Can the participants be encouraged to verify the data; double check the transcription of the interviews, etc.?

 Can an Indigenous person who is educated in a mainstream research university ever be a representative of a traditional Indigenous community?

Yes, as long as they continue to hold the greatest respect for their ancestral wealth, their elders, and their communities at large.

Can a “traditional” community person become “educated” at a university and still remain traditional?

Yes, but the process is facilitated if the people experience a “bi-cultural” education. On the one hand, the students learn and research about their own communities; learn the tribal language, etc. On the other hand, they become acquainted with a common system of educational structures that permits them to fully participate in the “information” age.

Traditional Culture, Technology and Youth (ETEC 521)

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History, Representation; globalisation and Indigenous Cultures: A Tasmanian Perspective

Julie Gough, a Tasmanian artist, re-contextualizes historical narratives by “retelling documented events from an alternative perspective […]”, (ch. 5, p. 106).

Her exposé on hybridity, and the fact that it is NOT new, contrasts with the recent idea that globalization created hybridity just recently.

Developing the theme of hybridity the artist goes on to explain how the “other” has been seen historically and manipulated by dominant cultures in order to fit the social order of the day. Changing native names, for example, represents a clear path to assimilation or the devaluation of indigenous identities.

Add to this an account of the re-naming written by a colonizer, and the story takes a Westernized twist, distorting and depreciating native languages and cultures.

In other words, historical “facts” are often either fabricated by the ones in power of biased according to one’s perception of reality.

To go even further, Gough speaks of a native image, devised by “Westerners”, relegating aboriginals to a “non-real” no man’s land type of a world. This is generated by over idealizing the “native” concept, making it impossible for natives to ever impersonate this ideal. Furthermore, it is produced by denying native perspectives altogether.

The author concludes by analyzing the meaning of globalization. On the one hand, the term implies freedom and non intervention from centralized powers. On the other hand, who is to keep the “wannabes” from distorting aboriginal messages and transmission of ancestral wisdom?

“We are captured, contained and therefore exist within the framework of this identifying and locational device of colonialist propaganda” (p. 102).

Do you think that the web will help native peoples to “free” themselves from this captivity?

Contemporary Indigenous identities (ETEC 521)

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Contemporary Indigenous identities  & 21st Century skills

Website: First I must say that I was very impressed with the Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic website.What a wealth of information in one place!

Article: From what I have learned in this course and in the article .Education Indigenous to Place: Western Science Meets Native Reality, in order to accommodate indigenous students, educational pathways must be designed holistically and knowledge must be contextualized.

  • Another sine qua non for indigenous learners is the use of authentic activities epitomized by the guidance of elders through artistic creations; story-telling; songs; anecdotes; vision quest; etc.
  • As shown in the Alaska Native knowledge network, the appreciation of indigenous languages within formal educational settings are various ways of promoting and protecting their distinctive identities.
  • Encouraging a form of literacy interlacing education with relationship, reciprocity and responsibility challenges the Eurocentric models of schooling. “From observing nature, Native people learned that the earth and the universe are built upon the premise of cooperation and interdependence” (Kawagley & Barnhardt, p. 9).

How do you react to this statement?

Aboriginals’ collective and situated (culturally, ecologically, historically) pedagogical approaches are well suited to deliver 21st century skills, such as interconnectedness and relevance, and positions indigenous learners & educational designers as leaders in the implementation of educational innovation.

References:

Education Kawagley, A. Oscar and Barnhardt, Ray, .Education Indigenous to Place: Western Science Meets Native Reality.”

Website: Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic

Indigenous cultures in an interconnected world (ETEC 521)

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Indigenous cultures in an interconnected world

In this chapter, it is made very clear that aboriginal peoples want to be in charge of their online image.

  • The authors underline the negative perception that natives seem to have of the “Indian wannabes”.
  • The web seems to be a fruitful avenue for indigenous learners as long as:
    • There is an involvement of the community
    • There are ways to ascertain the non interference of wannabes
    • Internet / Advantages:
      • There are ways to join with other tribal or traditional groups
      • Internet / Drawbacks:
        • How to compose with powerful concepts like: “One web, one culture… “

Chapter 4 of book (Indigenous cultures in an interconnnected world, Claire Smith & Graeme K. Ward, 2000)

Nanook of the North (ETEC 521)

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Nanook of the North

Archaic:

Of course this video was made a while ago and it represents the perception that the “white man” had of the “Eskimos”: wild people dressed in furs and looking a bit disheveled.

Dramatized:

As we know, some parts were “dramatized”, as when Nanook “tastes the vinyl disk”. I loved the beginning of the movie with all these people and the dog coming out of this seemingly very small canoe! Was that staged too?

Educational ambivalence:

Frankly, this is very much what I remember watching when I was in elementary school. “Primitive” cultures were presented to us as a heritage to be protected. The members of these cultural traditions were portrayed as innocent; naïve; unaware and uninterested in modernity.

  • Nanook trades his valuable furs for a few knives and necessities… What a bargain for the traders!
  • It shows indigenous people as a collective. They are always in a group.  Individuality seems not to exist (denied?)
  • The members of the family are seen in nature; struggling against the elements; even the comment about how Nanook killed the bears with his own hands suggests a battle with the environment.

So, basically, the Inuit are seen as one with their environment; “uncivilized”; probably illiterate (at least in regards to the traders’ languages).

Entertainment vs. information:

On the one hand the movie is a fiction and should be entertaining. On the other hand, the impressions that we keep propagate the stereotypes of the “noble savage”.

It is not a bad image but it can be disconcerting when non-natives, who see aboriginals this way, have to reconcile today’s issues with that representation. It’s almost as though, when a native person treats the environment (or animals) badly, we are disappointed… even if in fact non-native are much more responsible than First Nations for the destruction of the planet.

This YouTube video called “Dr. Daniel Wildcat – Mother Earth speech” presents a very different vision of what a native person looks like, sounds like and believes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkPtyDr8PNA&feature=related (4 min.)

“Wholism”: Analysis of two videos (ETEC 521)

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In the first video, with Alannah Young (First Nations counsellor)

What caught my interest:

  • Communities define elders.
  • Through ceremonies: build relationships.

 “Wholism” was linked with

  • balance of male and female
  • giving value to locals

Amy Parent (Masters student in Educational Studies)

Her research focused on Aboriginal youth their relationship to traditional knowledge in urban settings.

  • Indigenous knowledge important in their lives
    • Wholism meant something to them
  • Indigenous knowledge a process for native youths
    • Indigenous knowledge can be expressed in different ways
    • No youth talked about technology / hip hop
  • Need for place based education; getting out of the city
  • Youth want to know about their languages

LOVE THIS:
Real Youth:

  • film / taught how to make claymation videos
  • Film competition
    • Won awards

Of course I am the Digital Film Communication Curriculum Leader at my school and I really do believe that digital film can be an incredible means of expression for young people.

When making a simple animation; a public service announcement or a short narrative, students take charge of their learning. That’s why they did not want to leave at the end… it was “their” film… they took ownership. That’s powerful!

The reason why young Aboriginals did not talk of the technology, in my opinion, is that they were talking of substance, not tools. In education, technology should be a means to communicate. Not a goal in itself. That being said, we all know that it affects the message…

 amyparent

 

 


 

 

 Amy Parent

The Media, Aboriginal People and Common Sense (ETEC 521)

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Re: The Media, Aboriginal People and Common Sense

Before becoming an educator, I was a journalist. So, when I read this article, I was inclined to look back at my experience as a national reporter.

At one point, the author mentions that journalist often have to rely on second hand sources. I would add that time is often very scarce and there is a lot of pressure to deliver “the news” first. This is no excuse for misinformation, of course; but it’s reality too.

After all, newspapers and many other communication channels are commercial media.

On the other hand, the public is also in a hurry and few can take the time to research complicated issues.

In the end, the information is … superficial; we make judgments based on “bumper stickers”, slogans, repetition and stereotypes.

From the points of view of the reporters and the public:

Is the lack of well researched information due to laziness? Is it justified by the frenetic pace of our lives? Is it caused by apathy?

References:

Harding, Robert,“The Media, Aboriginal People, and Common Sense.”

“Visual Media and the Primitivist Perplex” (ETEC 521)

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A pact with the “devil”

In Pins’ article entitled “Visual Meida and the Primitivist Perplex”, a dilemma is explained in the form of stories.

The filmmaker recounts his experiences with various tribes as he endeavored to produce documentaries about their lives; their political desires and their need to preserve their traditions.

What I find interesting about the article is this whole dichotomy or contradiction between having to deal with the “Western world”, while also wanting to protect customs historically kept hidden from outsiders.

The “devil” or “Faustian” expression may not mean solely “Western culture” in this paper, but rather the dangers of revealing ancestral secrets coupled with the use of modern technology. The ladder implies a certain “dependence” on “civilized cultures”.

This type of dependence, if managed properly, can play in the advantage of Aboriginal cultures. However, there may also be a tendency to “assimilate” the members of the tribe to new ideas or “tint” the ancient knowledge with foreign concepts.

References:

Prins, Harald E.L., “Visual Media and the Primitivist Perplex: Colonial Fantasies, Indigenous Imagination, and Advocacy in North America,” in Media Worlds: Anthropology on a New Terrain, eds. Faye D. Ginsburg, Lila Abu-Lughod, and Brian Larkin, Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002, 58- 74

Are Indigenous Communities Different? (ETEC 521 – Module 1)

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Are Indigenous Communities Different?

Let me start with two major criteria:

(The Trojan Horse of Globalization, p. 356)

  • Communal vs individualistic societies
  • Hierarchical vs non-hierarchical societies

We could say that indigenous cultures usually have communal structures. However, you could also say that of Asian cultures and several traditional cultures as well.

First nations usually value and respect their elders. Again, we could say the same of various Asian cultures. So, what makes aboriginal cultures really different?

Perhaps for each culture, it is the combination of factors that accounts for their specificity. For example, even though aboriginal cultures may be hierarchical and communal, like other traditional cultures, their connection with nature may be what distinguishes them from, say, oriental traditions.

Here is another thought… can we actually put all “indigenous” cultures in the same category?

Is technology culturally neutral? (ETEC 521 – Module 1)

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Is technology culturally neutral?

No, in my opinion, technology is not culturally neutral.

Culture permeates learning.

Issues concern:

  • the social and cultural dimensions of task design
  • communication channels
  • structures of information

The use of technology in education, to mediate learning, carries cultural values and assumptions.

For example, computer-based collaborative work can transform classroom cultures, the roles of teachers and the expectations of learners.

References:

http://elrond.scam.ecu.edu.au/oliver/2000/ajet.pdf

What are the implications of technosecularism? (ETEC 531)

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What are the implications of technosecularism?

Secularism:

… is the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs.

In Western cultures (even in debates where religious input would be most helpful such as human cloning or fetal research) religion is in retreat as part of civil discourse while science has captured the field.
The triumph of the secular in our culture is largely the result of the triumph of empirical science.
The spiritual self:

“Knowing, being and doing are inextricable. Who we are, and how we understand ourselves in terms of our relationship with Other and the context in which we find ourselves embedded affects how we act.” (Feng, 2005)

So, on the one hand, we want to look at technology objectively. On the other hand, we are “subjects” inevitably filtering our “objectivity” through various cultural, social and economical lenses (just to name a few).

Technology may be separated from religions, if we look at religions as institutions. However, when it comes down to the more general concept of “spirituality”, encompassing many religious belief systems, it is far more difficult to set technology apart.
My place in the universe / vs / the place of my computer go hand in hand. For me, after all, my computer doesn’t exist if I don’t exit.

Existentialism & responsibility:

Existentialism, as I see it, is a philosophy based on responsibility. Human beings are responsible for their actions and decisions (even if they may not be responsible for being there in the first place).

If we look at technology through the eyes of “responsibility”, the question becomes:
• how can we use technology responsibly?
• Does that not imply that we also need to use technology compassionately? (compassion for the “robot” as much as for the “human”)

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism
http://www.firstprinciplesjournal.com/articles.aspx?article=738
Last edited on: July 14, 2009 2:42 PM

Compassion and responsibility

Responsibility refers to “consequences”
On the net, at this time, what is the ratio of discussion re: responsibility compared to, say, discussions on Paris Hilton? I bet you that Paris wins…
That’s where I get less “enthralled” with technology… I think that it gives people a chance to communicate freely…

Communicate what?

The question is: what are we talking about and why?

This does not necessarily come from “freedom” of expression… it often comes through “programming” from television and the same media we use to communicate.
The message first:

So, is technological change only superficial, when we look at it from a communication point of view?
Perhaps the role of the teacher is to constantly bring students back to the main issue: what do you have to say?

How might technoanimism alter our views on technology and spirituality?

Animism:

• The term is derived from the Latin word anima meaning breath or soul.
• In anthropology it’s used to classify religious belief systems in which both animate and inanimate objects have souls or spirits.
• More generally, it is a world view that spiritual life permeates all things

Many researchers have indicated and innate human propensity – and even willingness – to attribute non-human objects with human-like characteristics and intelligence, even when we know fully well the objects are not human.

As the internet gains ground, and ideas of cyberspace arise, we see the collective unconscious asserting itself with a technological parallel world alongside the physical…

We are beginning to see cyberspace as a fantasy-laden realm separate to the physical, and we are filling it with all the symbolism that traces itself throughout our spiritual history.

“We have never been modern”, Latour.
References:
http://seniorproject.eu/resources/PETER_LUTZ.pdf
http://beyondtheblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/techno-animism/
Last edited on: July 14, 2009 2:26 PM

How different is collective prayer from collective intelligence on the Internet?

Maybe one of the differences is that praying, even collectively, creates a “silence” in one’s own… what shall I call it… heart, soul?

Whereas, collective intelligence creates “noise”… and the brain (mind) has more to do with it than the heart…
Hence this whole “secular vs spiritual” discussion…

Of: Third nature; knowledge as a commodity; free of computers? (ETEC 531)

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Of: Third nature; knowledge as a commodity; free of computers?

What implications might follow when we speak of technology as Third Nature?

First, let’s define “third nature”.

First nature:

as used in farming landscape

Second nature:

city landscape

Third nature:

information landscape

Implications:

Possible negative aspect:

·         We lost contact with our physical environment

·         Cultural pollution, loss of community

Possible positive aspect:

·         The same technology that separated us from the environment may actually reconnect us with it due to the power of the media.

·         Gain of a different kind of community (cyberspace)

·         Creation of new types of culture (world cyberspace cultures?)



What reasons might Lyotard have for bringing up the crisis of legitimation of knowledge?

When knowledge becomes a commodity, it loses some of its value. Also, productivity and “performativity” (Lyotard) are not compatible with a world inhabited by humans. Human beings need art, leisure, silliness, fun… which brings along creativity, innovation, fresh ideas.

I agree with Lyotard when he equates technological development with:

Sophistication

Imagination

and

inventiveness

 

Is it possible (or not) to break free of the totalizing effect of computer-controlled environments?

“I’ve been colonized” (Rheingold, Culture and technology, p. 202)

I think that his statement sums it up very accurately. We live with computers, whether we like it or not. Either we learn to use them, preferably creatively and peacefully, or we are out.

This machine driven world implies isolation, generalization and it also means a creation of smaller communities, with their own political discourses (the “petit récit).

Cyberdemocracy has become visible in the horizon with the rise of the Internet. Various discussion groups can be decentralized and are less easy to control for big governments.

CMCs (computer mediated communities) have become a reality. They are bound to generate many new ideas… will they be able to gel and change social barriers that create the disparities of our world?

Nation & State in Conflict (ETEC 531)

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How might the role of a nation conflict with that of the state?

The state:

is in essence the operations needed to control the socialization of a people.

A nation:

is comprised of peoples; traditions and ways of life (Culture & Technology, Murphie & Potts, p.181).

Conflict:

The network state, like the European Union tends to use processes and information gathering that is essentially global. The scope of operations is international (economy, politics, etc.).

To respond to this globalization shift, cultural identities are formed, such as environmental groups. By definition, these entities are interested in local issues.

What implications might there be if the nation-state is in decline?

In Canada, at least for time, there was much talk about Québec’s sovereignty (a word put forward by the leader of the Parti Québecois). The notion supposedly involved the idea that culture would be preserved. The French language would be protected and global enculturation would be kept at bay.

As we know, the separatist movement lost its wings and the province of Québec is now fully endorsing globalization.

This means that the government is now adopting a less selective approach to strategic decision making, allowing for more flexibility in commercial dealings.

However, it also means that the nation (people) is become more fragmented, less cohesive, and more fundamentally pluralistic. Some advantages: tolerance and diversity. Some disadvantages: loss of traditions and identity.