'human connectivity'
This issue reflects the Self/ Other dichotomy that
Vygotsky added a third dimension to- the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Self
as defined by early philosophers
Self versus God/s
Descartes- cogito ergo sum- I think therefore I am, self as an individualist position
Only I exist- the Other is a construction of my mind-the solipsist / existentialist position,
Other is the projection of my hell, I don't exist -Satre
Other
Self-Other- humanists like Martin Buber, the definition of self and other is through the interplay between the two
Vygotsky
The interplay between self and other is in the ZPD. This is a socio-cultural-historical- theory. Education is the key to the Self-Other interplay by the transmission of knowledge and culture. He introduced a cyclical nature rather than the bipolarity of previous thought.
Evolutionary theory
Darwin- survival of the fittest- Self
Socialists- survival of the co-operative behaviour in herds and groups in more complex animals which then becomes the fittest- leads to socialism and communism- Marxism
Plato-
Philosopher kings- Self/ Other
versus
Democracy- rule by the mob or common man- destined to destruction. He foretold the cycles of political activity from Authoritarianism , Oligarchy, Democracy and chaos/
Freud
Self- requires Oedipal Other who will be expert, father figure and carer
versus
Other- institutions which although needed create anxiety based on repression of libidinous drives. Freud eschewed authoritarian hierarchies like Church, State and Army because this repression.
Bion- group psychoanalyst talked about the leaderless group and promoted human connectivity for the purpose of healing
Feminist Philosophy
Self is important
and is part of
Other via nurturing, networking and value of diversity
Is this part of constructivism? well I think that we all construct individually and put all the constructions together as a group to construct as a human connectivity and thus we learn from the group experience and alter our constructivity.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Webresearch
Learning Activity 1.5
I am heading away in June as a welcome break from work and study. I have chosen to go to Montreal so that my son can speak French for his senior studies. I love Canada but haven’t been to Quebec before.
My search on the web starts with a Google search and I type in the words Quebec. I get lost between the pages on Quebec city and Quebec state. So now I put in the word Montreal Canada.
Some 64,900,000 sites of information arrives in 0.22 seconds. This never ceases to amaze me! How to sort through the oversupply of information is the key. There are some sites in French language and although I should probably force myself to the challenge, English will be easier. I have to watch out for sites that are just advertising accommodation, the most common sites. I know that the sponsored links are just purchasing portals and less likely to offer me any information. I am happy to read anything about Montreal, so I can get a flavour for the land , people, places and activities. Google seems to list the most popular and useful sites at the top so that is the place to start. Scanning the websites to find something of interest. The url provides information as to what might be appropriate.
Trip Advisor is always an interesting and often quoted site of interest although I know that it is limited to only a few sites of interest and mostly advertising.
The official government tourist site is usually the best and selling nothing but the country.
There is a camera website that shows live pictures of Montreal which will be interesting. www.montrealcam.com. There is easy to find live pictures from the penguin enclosure at the Biodome with a map of how to get there. The visual input is impressive. The text gives important information about what you can find at the Biodome and an interesting historical fact. There is a link to the weather map which will be more important just before I leave for Canada so I can plan what to bring with me. For this reason I can add this website to the list of favorites so I can find it again quickly next time. There are more pictures of Downtown , Old Montreal and the Port. There are interesting links to the underground city, museums, restaurants, shopping, Old Montreal looks like a perfect picture postcard and I want to go there soon. The video of the town across a day is beautiful. The link travel tips is a bonus site as it lists a printable checklist of items to pack. I will save it to documents so I can add more things then print the list just before packing. That way I won’t miss anything. This page is less colorful and doesn’t have any pictures but that makes it easier for printing. There are more useful links for accomodation, Meeting planner, maps, currency converter and I can join an email newsletter club about Montreal. I can bring my laptop with me and access this website when I am there for more useful information. Rather than print too many pages.
Returning to the Google search I find
http://www.canada.com/cityguides/montreal/index.html which is full of information. I can click links to a range of important , interesting pieces of information. This website is more detailed and confusing .
In simple clicks and scanning I can pick up a huge amount of information, copy, paste, save and bookmark information for a later date.
In contrast I have the book The Lonely Planet Guide to Canada
Requirements
Knowledge
The Book requires the knowledge of language and reading skills. It provides some pictures but these are few and static. The words are in small print and I have learned to use a highlighter to find the important information so I can return to it and retrieve it quickly.
The Internet requires knowledge of search engines and how to use them, particularly Boolean search logic and placing the right search information. The internet requires experience in choosing some relevant websites otherwise a lot of time is wasted downloading and searching through the problem of too much information; Biased information and information that is aimed at sales rather then help.
Skills
Reading a book requires skills in concentration, reading and visualizing text.
The Internet requires the skill of finding where you are n a chaos of information and network of websites, using the desktop to display folders, mouse actions, keyboard skills, sticking to the search and not getting sidetracked by interesting issues, pictures and games. The ability to exit websites that don’t work, flash advertisements at you and don’t seem to be delivering the needed information is important. When you book and buy accommodation, air flight tickets, opera tickets, car rental. As I have done in this case, the skills of assessment of security for credit cards, paying online, printing receipts and vouchers requires practice.
Specific meta-language
Books have tried and well used meta-language. The Lonely Planet Guide Book is divided into liner left to right pages and double column top to bottom text. It is prefaced with a contents page to find the section Quebec and Montreal. There is a series of other areas that the content provides listing for. There are headings that give direction to subgroups of information.
The Internet requires new language including portal, website, url, click, View, enter here brief words and icons, pictures and highlighted links and hypertext to name a few.
In summary, I found both book and website useful I always take the book with me for portability. My laptop and one day a PALM, Navman or mobile phone will override the book for portability.
I am heading away in June as a welcome break from work and study. I have chosen to go to Montreal so that my son can speak French for his senior studies. I love Canada but haven’t been to Quebec before.
My search on the web starts with a Google search and I type in the words Quebec. I get lost between the pages on Quebec city and Quebec state. So now I put in the word Montreal Canada.
Some 64,900,000 sites of information arrives in 0.22 seconds. This never ceases to amaze me! How to sort through the oversupply of information is the key. There are some sites in French language and although I should probably force myself to the challenge, English will be easier. I have to watch out for sites that are just advertising accommodation, the most common sites. I know that the sponsored links are just purchasing portals and less likely to offer me any information. I am happy to read anything about Montreal, so I can get a flavour for the land , people, places and activities. Google seems to list the most popular and useful sites at the top so that is the place to start. Scanning the websites to find something of interest. The url provides information as to what might be appropriate.
Trip Advisor is always an interesting and often quoted site of interest although I know that it is limited to only a few sites of interest and mostly advertising.
The official government tourist site is usually the best and selling nothing but the country.
There is a camera website that shows live pictures of Montreal which will be interesting. www.montrealcam.com. There is easy to find live pictures from the penguin enclosure at the Biodome with a map of how to get there. The visual input is impressive. The text gives important information about what you can find at the Biodome and an interesting historical fact. There is a link to the weather map which will be more important just before I leave for Canada so I can plan what to bring with me. For this reason I can add this website to the list of favorites so I can find it again quickly next time. There are more pictures of Downtown , Old Montreal and the Port. There are interesting links to the underground city, museums, restaurants, shopping, Old Montreal looks like a perfect picture postcard and I want to go there soon. The video of the town across a day is beautiful. The link travel tips is a bonus site as it lists a printable checklist of items to pack. I will save it to documents so I can add more things then print the list just before packing. That way I won’t miss anything. This page is less colorful and doesn’t have any pictures but that makes it easier for printing. There are more useful links for accomodation, Meeting planner, maps, currency converter and I can join an email newsletter club about Montreal. I can bring my laptop with me and access this website when I am there for more useful information. Rather than print too many pages.
Returning to the Google search I find
http://www.canada.com/cityguides/montreal/index.html which is full of information. I can click links to a range of important , interesting pieces of information. This website is more detailed and confusing .
In simple clicks and scanning I can pick up a huge amount of information, copy, paste, save and bookmark information for a later date.
In contrast I have the book The Lonely Planet Guide to Canada
Requirements
Knowledge
The Book requires the knowledge of language and reading skills. It provides some pictures but these are few and static. The words are in small print and I have learned to use a highlighter to find the important information so I can return to it and retrieve it quickly.
The Internet requires knowledge of search engines and how to use them, particularly Boolean search logic and placing the right search information. The internet requires experience in choosing some relevant websites otherwise a lot of time is wasted downloading and searching through the problem of too much information; Biased information and information that is aimed at sales rather then help.
Skills
Reading a book requires skills in concentration, reading and visualizing text.
The Internet requires the skill of finding where you are n a chaos of information and network of websites, using the desktop to display folders, mouse actions, keyboard skills, sticking to the search and not getting sidetracked by interesting issues, pictures and games. The ability to exit websites that don’t work, flash advertisements at you and don’t seem to be delivering the needed information is important. When you book and buy accommodation, air flight tickets, opera tickets, car rental. As I have done in this case, the skills of assessment of security for credit cards, paying online, printing receipts and vouchers requires practice.
Specific meta-language
Books have tried and well used meta-language. The Lonely Planet Guide Book is divided into liner left to right pages and double column top to bottom text. It is prefaced with a contents page to find the section Quebec and Montreal. There is a series of other areas that the content provides listing for. There are headings that give direction to subgroups of information.
The Internet requires new language including portal, website, url, click, View, enter here brief words and icons, pictures and highlighted links and hypertext to name a few.
In summary, I found both book and website useful I always take the book with me for portability. My laptop and one day a PALM, Navman or mobile phone will override the book for portability.
Toyota Prius
1.2
I just love my Toyota Prius, hybrid synergy drive.
So I had to visit the Toyota Prius website and like the car I was not disappointed.
You can access the site -
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/minisite/hsd/index.html?s_van=GM_TN_HSD
Click the enter icon
Discourse
The main themes of discourse is
flashy, new- generation,
peak scientific-based technology
ecology and the environment
Economic and money-saving
Brand- Toyota and Prius.
The title- Everyone has their reason, allows Toyota to introduce all the reasons, based on its marketing demographics so that it can capture the widest audience that are likely to want to buy a Prius.
Linguistic design includes is some normal written text in short sentences with one selling point each. The main discourse is that cool people who are into smart and intelligent technology and care or the environment as well as economically sensible are in the club of Prius or potential Prius owners. I know that the demographics are that professional middle -aged single women are the major share of the market and this is who the web page is appealing to although there is a sense that the young upwardly mobile is another potential market niche.
The words chosen are intelligent and appeal to an upper middle class person. Words such as ‘real-life science fiction’, ‘regenerative breaking’ next to models of the car People and the Environment create the image of multiple reasons and appeals to each person with their own reasons for choosing this car.
The text type is not too bold, softened by the color and crisp clean like the image intended.
Globalization design is seen in the use of Chinese and Spanish language tabs
The Visual design part of this interactive site is the most exciting with splashed of color and designs; an avatar which is realistic and ‘cool’ items such as sunglasses and pictures. There are flash designs and pictures, movement with the car slowly appearing and then disintegrating into dots. There are a number of videos that promote the discourse with pictures of money, environment. Hybrid synergy design, sleek, clean, car design and ‘cool ‘ young people.
Audio design components include music and voice. There are other noises and sound effects in the film clips
The game technology includes interactive and feedback information, choose and click feedback. There are 10 tiles that give you film clips about the reasons to choose the car. This reflects the important discourse about intelligent people choosing an intelligent car. This technology advertises the car technology, which is promoted as fun, years ahead of the others and clever.
Gestures are included with the avatar whose gestures are open- handed, clean-faced; body posture is relaxed and ‘cool’. The other people are placed as everyday people making choices for modern living including advanced technology in their lives.
Spatial relationships include the entry web pages with neat and tidy tabs that highlight and use multi-linear links to other areas of information about the Prius, hybrid cars and other Toyota manufacturing. There is plenty of space on each web=page so that your eyes rest on the information tiles or videos. This uncluttered design promotes the points clearly and with maximal impact.
Multimodal design includes the integration of all the above designs and modalities
With Synaesthesia (more than one sensory input at once).
Cope, B & Kalantzis, M (eds) 2000, Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures London, New York Taylor & Francis Routledge,
http://www.netlibrary.com.ezproxy.usq.edu.au/Details.aspx
Accessed 28/3/2007
I just love my Toyota Prius, hybrid synergy drive.
So I had to visit the Toyota Prius website and like the car I was not disappointed.
You can access the site -
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/minisite/hsd/index.html?s_van=GM_TN_HSD
Click the enter icon
Discourse
The main themes of discourse is
flashy, new- generation,
peak scientific-based technology
ecology and the environment
Economic and money-saving
Brand- Toyota and Prius.
The title- Everyone has their reason, allows Toyota to introduce all the reasons, based on its marketing demographics so that it can capture the widest audience that are likely to want to buy a Prius.
Linguistic design includes is some normal written text in short sentences with one selling point each. The main discourse is that cool people who are into smart and intelligent technology and care or the environment as well as economically sensible are in the club of Prius or potential Prius owners. I know that the demographics are that professional middle -aged single women are the major share of the market and this is who the web page is appealing to although there is a sense that the young upwardly mobile is another potential market niche.
The words chosen are intelligent and appeal to an upper middle class person. Words such as ‘real-life science fiction’, ‘regenerative breaking’ next to models of the car People and the Environment create the image of multiple reasons and appeals to each person with their own reasons for choosing this car.
The text type is not too bold, softened by the color and crisp clean like the image intended.
Globalization design is seen in the use of Chinese and Spanish language tabs
The Visual design part of this interactive site is the most exciting with splashed of color and designs; an avatar which is realistic and ‘cool’ items such as sunglasses and pictures. There are flash designs and pictures, movement with the car slowly appearing and then disintegrating into dots. There are a number of videos that promote the discourse with pictures of money, environment. Hybrid synergy design, sleek, clean, car design and ‘cool ‘ young people.
Audio design components include music and voice. There are other noises and sound effects in the film clips
The game technology includes interactive and feedback information, choose and click feedback. There are 10 tiles that give you film clips about the reasons to choose the car. This reflects the important discourse about intelligent people choosing an intelligent car. This technology advertises the car technology, which is promoted as fun, years ahead of the others and clever.
Gestures are included with the avatar whose gestures are open- handed, clean-faced; body posture is relaxed and ‘cool’. The other people are placed as everyday people making choices for modern living including advanced technology in their lives.
Spatial relationships include the entry web pages with neat and tidy tabs that highlight and use multi-linear links to other areas of information about the Prius, hybrid cars and other Toyota manufacturing. There is plenty of space on each web=page so that your eyes rest on the information tiles or videos. This uncluttered design promotes the points clearly and with maximal impact.
Multimodal design includes the integration of all the above designs and modalities
With Synaesthesia (more than one sensory input at once).
Cope, B & Kalantzis, M (eds) 2000, Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures London, New York Taylor & Francis Routledge,
http://www.netlibrary.com.ezproxy.usq.edu.au/Details.aspx
Accessed 28/3/2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
new literacies in context
1.1 Reflection on context
In my clinical practice I rely on many technologies each to which I need to develop multi-literacies.
I have pen, pencil and paper, still important despite my aim for a paperless office. For legal and access reasons I keep paper notes. I prefer to write rather than record or use a computer because of the socio-cultural context of my patients needs and the legal literacy I have to be aware of.
I have desktop and laptop computers for word processing, emails, Internet search, research, and communications with patients, doctors, suppliers and other networked organizations. In the near future we will be using encryption coding so that all records, letters and personal information can be communicated per Internet. These connections are per landline and wireless broadband.
I use fax and post for visually based text and short tie framed needs.
The telephone, answering machine and intercom are vital to the functioning and communication with patients, referrers, hospitals, nurses, family members, appointments, etc The mobile phone is an adjunct for on-call and out of hours contact. It also allows on a personal note sms texts and photographs between family members. This is especially important for the role of mother as well. My secretary uses the messenger system to keep communication with her children open.
I find that communication with patients is based on content of spoken language but more based on gestural (body language) communication, Some of my patients bring paintings and the children play as communication. I use a whiteboard for teaching but sometimes the children patients like to draw their issues on the whiteboard.
Important literacies I fond relate to listening skills, socio-cultural literacy and reflective skills. I find that sometimes I need to be didactic and give information about illness and treatments, avoidance of self- harm and drug abuse. I impart knowledge and point out how to access information via websites, search engines and books. Sometimes I give out videos, now more updated to dvds for educational purposes.
I have also needed to acquire economic and business literacies in order to run the administration side of the business effectively.
I frequently use and teach scientific literacies with respect to diagnosis, treatment and research.
As my project I hope to realize a further set of literacies and use of technology for my practice. I am surveying my patients as to their access to computer, ability to search the web likelihood that they will access a website for information and contact. I will then develop a website with links to important community facilities, information on illness, research and treatments. The website will also have an interactive discussion board to promote a supportive virtual community of fellow sufferers and their carers.
Such a website will probably be used by computer literate and younger groups of patients due to access and interest by digital natives. I hope to have available printouts for those people who do not have access to the web. I have some illiterate and intellectually handicapped patients who will not be able to use the web page but their families may gain benefits. I do not see many blind or non English-speaking patients but these people may find the resource unsuitable.
Joyce Arnold
In my clinical practice I rely on many technologies each to which I need to develop multi-literacies.
I have pen, pencil and paper, still important despite my aim for a paperless office. For legal and access reasons I keep paper notes. I prefer to write rather than record or use a computer because of the socio-cultural context of my patients needs and the legal literacy I have to be aware of.
I have desktop and laptop computers for word processing, emails, Internet search, research, and communications with patients, doctors, suppliers and other networked organizations. In the near future we will be using encryption coding so that all records, letters and personal information can be communicated per Internet. These connections are per landline and wireless broadband.
I use fax and post for visually based text and short tie framed needs.
The telephone, answering machine and intercom are vital to the functioning and communication with patients, referrers, hospitals, nurses, family members, appointments, etc The mobile phone is an adjunct for on-call and out of hours contact. It also allows on a personal note sms texts and photographs between family members. This is especially important for the role of mother as well. My secretary uses the messenger system to keep communication with her children open.
I find that communication with patients is based on content of spoken language but more based on gestural (body language) communication, Some of my patients bring paintings and the children play as communication. I use a whiteboard for teaching but sometimes the children patients like to draw their issues on the whiteboard.
Important literacies I fond relate to listening skills, socio-cultural literacy and reflective skills. I find that sometimes I need to be didactic and give information about illness and treatments, avoidance of self- harm and drug abuse. I impart knowledge and point out how to access information via websites, search engines and books. Sometimes I give out videos, now more updated to dvds for educational purposes.
I have also needed to acquire economic and business literacies in order to run the administration side of the business effectively.
I frequently use and teach scientific literacies with respect to diagnosis, treatment and research.
As my project I hope to realize a further set of literacies and use of technology for my practice. I am surveying my patients as to their access to computer, ability to search the web likelihood that they will access a website for information and contact. I will then develop a website with links to important community facilities, information on illness, research and treatments. The website will also have an interactive discussion board to promote a supportive virtual community of fellow sufferers and their carers.
Such a website will probably be used by computer literate and younger groups of patients due to access and interest by digital natives. I hope to have available printouts for those people who do not have access to the web. I have some illiterate and intellectually handicapped patients who will not be able to use the web page but their families may gain benefits. I do not see many blind or non English-speaking patients but these people may find the resource unsuitable.
Joyce Arnold
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Ethics Reasearch
Research Proposal
Ethical Issues in New Multi-Modal Literacies and Information technology.
Aim
To assess the issues relating to the social and literacy practices and their implications for literacy education
Summary of the proposed research
This Project uses a focus group to analyze ethical issues in use of multi-modal literacy and technologies. A literature review of ethical issues relating to information technology in education will inform the content of a focus group. It is planned that the online students in EDU 8415 will be invited to take part in an online discussion of the ethical issues that relate to their practice. Using a feminist model of care, diversity and networking to analyze the ethical issues, the researcher will set topics for discussion and analyze the results using reflective research diary.
Identification of research problem
Problem solving and decision making often involve ethical dilemmas. Ethics imply that there are no correct answers even though moral codes are in place. As the technology of computers, the Internet and multi-modal capacity, including fax, mobile phones, PALM, Chat servers, asynchronous discussion has rapidly become part of the education al processes, the ethical analysis of these modes have not been well debated.
I am personally interested in ethics and ethics education. Multi-modal delivery of education regarding ethics is an important aspect of the work I propose for the future, the reverse situation, the ethics of multi-modal education is an integral part of this area.
Research questions
The fundamental research questions are:
1 Are there specific ethical issues that relate to the new technologies?
2 Do some of the basic ethical issues pertaining to other areas in life provide a good model for understanding these issues?
3 Can we use multi-modal delivery of ethics of multi-modal education to stimulate discussion of ethics and provide good outcomes with respect to student understanding of the deeper issues of ethics?
Definition of terms
Ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy. It relates to abstract thought and debate about issues for which there is no ready answer. There are many frameworks in ethics. There is monism, particularly the “golden rule” of “do unto others as you would do unto yourself”. This is often called the deontological position, God-given rights and wrongs. There is a utilitarianism that relates to pragmatism or the least amount of harm. This presents the theory of relativism or the “ ends justify the means”. Post-modern thinking includes pluralism or multiple frameworks that are more individualistic than culturally sensitive. There are many authors and a long history of ethics in philosophy, for example Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Kant, Locke, Rousseau, Derrida, Russell, Nietzsche, Marx, James, Dewey to name a few in western thought. There are eastern and Muslim philosophies as well as other cultural and indigenous ethics
Multimodal –Literacy
New literacy in the knowledge age, information highway of globalized informed democracy has been enhanced by computer and Internet technology. These technologies have included synchronous and asynchronous interactions aided by telephones, mobile telephones, Internet chat, intranets, alms, faxes, Tele and video conferencing, Online forums, discussion boards, Lit servers, search engines and have more frequently involved icons, and visual, auditory stimuli that have moved away from traditional written texts. The ability and capacity to adapt to the changes in communication is defined as the new multi modal literacy
Feminist Philosophy
I subscribe to the feminist philosophy of care, value in diversity and networking which balances a gender bias. Feminist philosophy is a-philosophical, post-modern, non-theory bound and expresses socially conceived narrative rather than analysis. Care pertains to all humans, animals and the environment and although modeled on the mothering approach, also values sustainability and the rights of future generations). Care is a practice not just theory and pertains to giving, receiving, taking care within the context of the ‘Other” or recipient Diversity is valued above the homogenization of dichotomous thought Networking, social interaction and responsibility is a common value with the New Economy and is valued above individualism Although most feminists would argue that men are included in this philosophy, the term ‘feminism’ creates division. I prefer to use anima and animus to describe those stereotyped female and male unconscious parts of the person to avoid this schism
Review of the literature
There is good evidence that we can teach ethical cognitions, problem solving frameworks and ethical praxis Although there is evidence of prior learning, personality and developmental, hierarchical phases of moral development as described by Piaget and Kohlberg, Vygotsky inferred that this was essentially culturally defined Further literature review is required specific to multi-modal text, literacy and information technology.
Methodology
An open discussion in the discussion board of the course Multi-modal Text and New Literacy USQ is situated in an interested group of professionals with experience in the Multi-modal texts and teaching the new literacies of Online and Internet based technologies. This group could define the ethical issues itself. Some leading questions could be posted to stimulate thoughts. Some of these could be case discussions involving ethical dilemmas. Other issues may relate to issues of distributive justice, privacy, security, trust and confidentiality, informed choice, nonmalificence, benificence, netiquette as some examples.
Data collection technique
Copies of the transcripts will be kept for the time related to the research. The issues will be summarized into key pints and the various discussion points around each expanded within the context of the pre-existing literature.
Data analysis
This is a qualitative analysis that will collate the discussion and review them with a feminist philosophy lens by the author. A reflective research diary will be used to document the critical analysis and reflections of the researcher. Supervision of the ethical principles will be given by the philosophy group of Toowoomba to provide validity and reliability of the analysis.
Timetable
The course proceeds until June 2007 so the research will be limited to a four week period form April 17 th to May 17 th. This leaves enough time for the Easter holidays to do some preliminary literature research and time to analyze the data and write the final research.
Resources required
Access to the discussion board is required and time to post and discuss, read and analyze the postings will take approximately 30 hours. Discussion with the supervision group will take approximately 4 hours. Access to library databases is required and this is available via USQ website.
Ethics and politics of research
Each participant in the online discussion board will be aware of the research and its methodology. Each member of the unit will be afforded anonymity, as the discussion will be pooled. Any transcripts published will be by direct assent from the author. Inclusion in the focus group will be by invitation and members of the unit may choose to not be involved or to withdraw at any time. Feedback of the analysis will be given to all members of the discussion unit.
Significance of the proposal
Anticipated uses
It is anticipated that this information may be published so as to inform future research into the ethical aspects related to the new technologies. It is expected that the paper may be used for educational purposes towards ethical uses of multi-modal literacy education.
Anticipated problems
Students my not wish to be involved in truthful discussion of ethical issues in a forum where their names are known, They may not wish to speak freely in a forum that is analyzed for competency. They may be too busy to spend time discussing these issues.
The issues may be indistinct from ethical issues in other parts of life and thus not promote any depth of specific issues relating to the context.
The issues may be so varied as to not form a cohesive whole in understanding the issues, but this may just inform future research.
Assumptions
It is assumed that ethical issues exist in the online, multi-modal aspects of education and new literacies
It is assumed that students in the Masters course understand ethical issues
I t is assumed that an online focus group is the most practical method for establishing ethical issues,
Relevance to research to education
Ethics and ethical social and literacy practices are important aspects of literacy in education. Understanding the pitfalls and dilemmas and providing some guidelines for problem solving will assist decision making for the future. Understanding the ethical issues specific to the field is important in my context of education of ethical issues for business students. Business is increasingly globalized and dependent upon information technology, multi-modal literacies and the knowledge community of practice. Unethical behaviours have been major failures for businesses in recent decades and education towards corporate social responsibilities is an important global need.
Ethical Issues in New Multi-Modal Literacies and Information technology.
Aim
To assess the issues relating to the social and literacy practices and their implications for literacy education
Summary of the proposed research
This Project uses a focus group to analyze ethical issues in use of multi-modal literacy and technologies. A literature review of ethical issues relating to information technology in education will inform the content of a focus group. It is planned that the online students in EDU 8415 will be invited to take part in an online discussion of the ethical issues that relate to their practice. Using a feminist model of care, diversity and networking to analyze the ethical issues, the researcher will set topics for discussion and analyze the results using reflective research diary.
Identification of research problem
Problem solving and decision making often involve ethical dilemmas. Ethics imply that there are no correct answers even though moral codes are in place. As the technology of computers, the Internet and multi-modal capacity, including fax, mobile phones, PALM, Chat servers, asynchronous discussion has rapidly become part of the education al processes, the ethical analysis of these modes have not been well debated.
I am personally interested in ethics and ethics education. Multi-modal delivery of education regarding ethics is an important aspect of the work I propose for the future, the reverse situation, the ethics of multi-modal education is an integral part of this area.
Research questions
The fundamental research questions are:
1 Are there specific ethical issues that relate to the new technologies?
2 Do some of the basic ethical issues pertaining to other areas in life provide a good model for understanding these issues?
3 Can we use multi-modal delivery of ethics of multi-modal education to stimulate discussion of ethics and provide good outcomes with respect to student understanding of the deeper issues of ethics?
Definition of terms
Ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy. It relates to abstract thought and debate about issues for which there is no ready answer. There are many frameworks in ethics. There is monism, particularly the “golden rule” of “do unto others as you would do unto yourself”. This is often called the deontological position, God-given rights and wrongs. There is a utilitarianism that relates to pragmatism or the least amount of harm. This presents the theory of relativism or the “ ends justify the means”. Post-modern thinking includes pluralism or multiple frameworks that are more individualistic than culturally sensitive. There are many authors and a long history of ethics in philosophy, for example Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Kant, Locke, Rousseau, Derrida, Russell, Nietzsche, Marx, James, Dewey to name a few in western thought. There are eastern and Muslim philosophies as well as other cultural and indigenous ethics
Multimodal –Literacy
New literacy in the knowledge age, information highway of globalized informed democracy has been enhanced by computer and Internet technology. These technologies have included synchronous and asynchronous interactions aided by telephones, mobile telephones, Internet chat, intranets, alms, faxes, Tele and video conferencing, Online forums, discussion boards, Lit servers, search engines and have more frequently involved icons, and visual, auditory stimuli that have moved away from traditional written texts. The ability and capacity to adapt to the changes in communication is defined as the new multi modal literacy
Feminist Philosophy
I subscribe to the feminist philosophy of care, value in diversity and networking which balances a gender bias. Feminist philosophy is a-philosophical, post-modern, non-theory bound and expresses socially conceived narrative rather than analysis. Care pertains to all humans, animals and the environment and although modeled on the mothering approach, also values sustainability and the rights of future generations). Care is a practice not just theory and pertains to giving, receiving, taking care within the context of the ‘Other” or recipient Diversity is valued above the homogenization of dichotomous thought Networking, social interaction and responsibility is a common value with the New Economy and is valued above individualism Although most feminists would argue that men are included in this philosophy, the term ‘feminism’ creates division. I prefer to use anima and animus to describe those stereotyped female and male unconscious parts of the person to avoid this schism
Review of the literature
There is good evidence that we can teach ethical cognitions, problem solving frameworks and ethical praxis Although there is evidence of prior learning, personality and developmental, hierarchical phases of moral development as described by Piaget and Kohlberg, Vygotsky inferred that this was essentially culturally defined Further literature review is required specific to multi-modal text, literacy and information technology.
Methodology
An open discussion in the discussion board of the course Multi-modal Text and New Literacy USQ is situated in an interested group of professionals with experience in the Multi-modal texts and teaching the new literacies of Online and Internet based technologies. This group could define the ethical issues itself. Some leading questions could be posted to stimulate thoughts. Some of these could be case discussions involving ethical dilemmas. Other issues may relate to issues of distributive justice, privacy, security, trust and confidentiality, informed choice, nonmalificence, benificence, netiquette as some examples.
Data collection technique
Copies of the transcripts will be kept for the time related to the research. The issues will be summarized into key pints and the various discussion points around each expanded within the context of the pre-existing literature.
Data analysis
This is a qualitative analysis that will collate the discussion and review them with a feminist philosophy lens by the author. A reflective research diary will be used to document the critical analysis and reflections of the researcher. Supervision of the ethical principles will be given by the philosophy group of Toowoomba to provide validity and reliability of the analysis.
Timetable
The course proceeds until June 2007 so the research will be limited to a four week period form April 17 th to May 17 th. This leaves enough time for the Easter holidays to do some preliminary literature research and time to analyze the data and write the final research.
Resources required
Access to the discussion board is required and time to post and discuss, read and analyze the postings will take approximately 30 hours. Discussion with the supervision group will take approximately 4 hours. Access to library databases is required and this is available via USQ website.
Ethics and politics of research
Each participant in the online discussion board will be aware of the research and its methodology. Each member of the unit will be afforded anonymity, as the discussion will be pooled. Any transcripts published will be by direct assent from the author. Inclusion in the focus group will be by invitation and members of the unit may choose to not be involved or to withdraw at any time. Feedback of the analysis will be given to all members of the discussion unit.
Significance of the proposal
Anticipated uses
It is anticipated that this information may be published so as to inform future research into the ethical aspects related to the new technologies. It is expected that the paper may be used for educational purposes towards ethical uses of multi-modal literacy education.
Anticipated problems
Students my not wish to be involved in truthful discussion of ethical issues in a forum where their names are known, They may not wish to speak freely in a forum that is analyzed for competency. They may be too busy to spend time discussing these issues.
The issues may be indistinct from ethical issues in other parts of life and thus not promote any depth of specific issues relating to the context.
The issues may be so varied as to not form a cohesive whole in understanding the issues, but this may just inform future research.
Assumptions
It is assumed that ethical issues exist in the online, multi-modal aspects of education and new literacies
It is assumed that students in the Masters course understand ethical issues
I t is assumed that an online focus group is the most practical method for establishing ethical issues,
Relevance to research to education
Ethics and ethical social and literacy practices are important aspects of literacy in education. Understanding the pitfalls and dilemmas and providing some guidelines for problem solving will assist decision making for the future. Understanding the ethical issues specific to the field is important in my context of education of ethical issues for business students. Business is increasingly globalized and dependent upon information technology, multi-modal literacies and the knowledge community of practice. Unethical behaviours have been major failures for businesses in recent decades and education towards corporate social responsibilities is an important global need.
Literacy in multiple places
Reading activity 1.2
I have chosen a very interesting paper
· 1.5: Rush, LS 2003, ‘Taking a broad view of literacy: lessons from the Appalachian Trail thru-hiking community’, Reading online, vol. 6, no. 7, viewed 7 February 2005,
Dr Rush reviews multimodal literacies in a select group of people called thru hikers who are trail walkers through the Appalachian Mountains.
1-She introduces the concept of ecological literacy, also environmental literacy. This is an area of interest to me. I believe that we have become too urbanized and lost touch with our environment, hence our callous disregard for it. These people need to read the weather, trees, water supply, fog, trail co-ordinates etc, as their lives depend upon it.
2-These people constitute their own socio-cultural system. The language, cultural identity, specific skills and rules they have embedded creates its own discourse and use of multi-modal communication. For examples, they have words and trail names specific to the community, processes for leaving notes on trees, in shelters, and passing along books that is specific to that community
3-These people are body literate. They need to read their bodies for calorie sufficiency given that they do large amounts of hiking in a day and have limited food supplies that they can carry. They monitor symptoms of hydration and read the color of their urine to know what the state of their hydration is. This is very important as they don’t carry much water at all and are dependent upon supplies on the trail. Sometimes these water sources are scarce. They need to survey their health and pain is a good signifier for disease.
4- Visual literacy is important for reading maps; topography maps and some have the ability to visualize areas based on maps. This is important so that they don’t get lost. Drawings are also used to communicate and reading the environment is often a visual mode.
Two questions from this reading
Q1 Where is the literacy. Here is a group of non -academic people and on close observation they have rich literacy skills. Do we have to seek multi modal literacy on computers or is it so commonplace that we do not see the wood for the trees around us?
Q2 Here is a group of people who speak English but their language is specific to the cultural group to which they belong. Is literacy socio-culturally derived?
This reading relates to my role as a psychiatrist (as I am not a teacher) because I am communicating with people all the time and often trying to understand their backgrounds, cultural context and aiming to find some connectivity within which to make a therapeutic alliance. I have been aware that there are different aspects of language and culture when I compare a 4-year-old child patient, to the 14 year old, 40 year old and 80 year old patient. People who come from different cultural heritages, the ‘bush’, academic background, social classes, gay, health workers, colleagues all have different discourse, language, cultural meanings, needs, capacity for multi-modal access, technology acquisition skills etc. Sometimes it is hard to communicate with people about sensitive issues, especially if people have poor emotional intelligence. This paper helps me to seek the communication in alternate modes.
Joyce Arnold
I have chosen a very interesting paper
· 1.5: Rush, LS 2003, ‘Taking a broad view of literacy: lessons from the Appalachian Trail thru-hiking community’, Reading online, vol. 6, no. 7, viewed 7 February 2005,
Dr Rush reviews multimodal literacies in a select group of people called thru hikers who are trail walkers through the Appalachian Mountains.
1-She introduces the concept of ecological literacy, also environmental literacy. This is an area of interest to me. I believe that we have become too urbanized and lost touch with our environment, hence our callous disregard for it. These people need to read the weather, trees, water supply, fog, trail co-ordinates etc, as their lives depend upon it.
2-These people constitute their own socio-cultural system. The language, cultural identity, specific skills and rules they have embedded creates its own discourse and use of multi-modal communication. For examples, they have words and trail names specific to the community, processes for leaving notes on trees, in shelters, and passing along books that is specific to that community
3-These people are body literate. They need to read their bodies for calorie sufficiency given that they do large amounts of hiking in a day and have limited food supplies that they can carry. They monitor symptoms of hydration and read the color of their urine to know what the state of their hydration is. This is very important as they don’t carry much water at all and are dependent upon supplies on the trail. Sometimes these water sources are scarce. They need to survey their health and pain is a good signifier for disease.
4- Visual literacy is important for reading maps; topography maps and some have the ability to visualize areas based on maps. This is important so that they don’t get lost. Drawings are also used to communicate and reading the environment is often a visual mode.
Two questions from this reading
Q1 Where is the literacy. Here is a group of non -academic people and on close observation they have rich literacy skills. Do we have to seek multi modal literacy on computers or is it so commonplace that we do not see the wood for the trees around us?
Q2 Here is a group of people who speak English but their language is specific to the cultural group to which they belong. Is literacy socio-culturally derived?
This reading relates to my role as a psychiatrist (as I am not a teacher) because I am communicating with people all the time and often trying to understand their backgrounds, cultural context and aiming to find some connectivity within which to make a therapeutic alliance. I have been aware that there are different aspects of language and culture when I compare a 4-year-old child patient, to the 14 year old, 40 year old and 80 year old patient. People who come from different cultural heritages, the ‘bush’, academic background, social classes, gay, health workers, colleagues all have different discourse, language, cultural meanings, needs, capacity for multi-modal access, technology acquisition skills etc. Sometimes it is hard to communicate with people about sensitive issues, especially if people have poor emotional intelligence. This paper helps me to seek the communication in alternate modes.
Joyce Arnold
Monday, March 19, 2007
Connectivity and the Internet
Introduction
The theory of chaos has transformed the world. It is a good model for understanding the post modern world. Siemens' theory of connectivism is also a good model for finding the nodes of information and networking them The Internet provides a useful medium for connectivism to occur.
Discussion
People often see the Internet as external to ourselves, vast and unfathomable, as wide as it is deep. If the thought is reversed, the Internet is a repository of the width and depth of our collective thought, it becomes easier to manage. If Chaos theory is used to understand the vast mass of conflicting opinions, 'truths' and knowledge, the tasks of learning becomes that of finding the nodes or repositories of knowledge. Rather than learning individually from experience, knowledge exists and learning how to retrieve it in a giant external memory bank becomes the model of learning connectivity.
This metaphor parallels the connectivity of people in the globalised world. Knowledge and power becomes 'who you know' (networking) not so much 'what you know'. Knowledge is now available to everyone.
Learning has become life -long and life -wide and informal learning provides a bedrock to formal learning. Informal learning will soon become the most important learning paradigm.
Boundaries between people, culture, knowledge base, time, geography, organisations and individuals are becoming more fluid and transparent so that the flow of knowledge, global citizenship and democratic non- government decision making are taking a new direction. The new values include diversity and complexity, networking and care( nurturing) of connectives as well as self-motivation and self-organisation.
People need to learn different skills to negotiate the Internet and the knowledge revolution, including assessment of validity of information, critical analysis, reflective thinking, communication skills, experiential learning towards evolutionary concepts of ' survival of the fittest'.
There are Quantum theories - of trust and scaffolding of knowledge and still a place for linear thinking, but the Internet has taken over a connectivity style of relating
Conclusion
A revolution was created by the introduction of the Internet. Knowledge is shared and the power created for the people, by the people and of the people who are involved. Internet literate people will have the edge in survival. Education to navigate the nodes of connectivity is inherent and required by the Internet. Networking, diversity and care , the pillars of feminist theory are the pillars of Internet connectivity
Bibliography
George Siemens ( 2004)Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age
www.elearningspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
The theory of chaos has transformed the world. It is a good model for understanding the post modern world. Siemens' theory of connectivism is also a good model for finding the nodes of information and networking them The Internet provides a useful medium for connectivism to occur.
Discussion
People often see the Internet as external to ourselves, vast and unfathomable, as wide as it is deep. If the thought is reversed, the Internet is a repository of the width and depth of our collective thought, it becomes easier to manage. If Chaos theory is used to understand the vast mass of conflicting opinions, 'truths' and knowledge, the tasks of learning becomes that of finding the nodes or repositories of knowledge. Rather than learning individually from experience, knowledge exists and learning how to retrieve it in a giant external memory bank becomes the model of learning connectivity.
This metaphor parallels the connectivity of people in the globalised world. Knowledge and power becomes 'who you know' (networking) not so much 'what you know'. Knowledge is now available to everyone.
Learning has become life -long and life -wide and informal learning provides a bedrock to formal learning. Informal learning will soon become the most important learning paradigm.
Boundaries between people, culture, knowledge base, time, geography, organisations and individuals are becoming more fluid and transparent so that the flow of knowledge, global citizenship and democratic non- government decision making are taking a new direction. The new values include diversity and complexity, networking and care( nurturing) of connectives as well as self-motivation and self-organisation.
People need to learn different skills to negotiate the Internet and the knowledge revolution, including assessment of validity of information, critical analysis, reflective thinking, communication skills, experiential learning towards evolutionary concepts of ' survival of the fittest'.
There are Quantum theories - of trust and scaffolding of knowledge and still a place for linear thinking, but the Internet has taken over a connectivity style of relating
Conclusion
A revolution was created by the introduction of the Internet. Knowledge is shared and the power created for the people, by the people and of the people who are involved. Internet literate people will have the edge in survival. Education to navigate the nodes of connectivity is inherent and required by the Internet. Networking, diversity and care , the pillars of feminist theory are the pillars of Internet connectivity
Bibliography
George Siemens ( 2004)Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age
www.elearningspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Transformative learning
The Dilemma
One day I was perplexed by the customer that was complaining.They seemed to be attacking me personally which seemed unfair because I had worked hard to help them and make things better. The minor problems they were complaining about were hardly my fault but I felt guilty and unhappy and frustrated by the experience.
What happened- the transformative learning experience
I saw an educational video by a CBT specialist who role played how he deals with similar experiences. This therapist was highly dramatic and possibly culturally out of place in Australia. He threw his hands up in delight and threw the customer off balance emotionally- so a transformative experience for them too. He said- 'thank goodness you have finally said something useful. I had given up hope that you would do anything, change anything or progress in therapy. Now that you have confronted this issue I think that there is hope' The customer was perplexed but taken off guard, not given the simpering guilt ridden , how can I make it better response he was attempting to distract in a power play with the terapist.
It dawned on me in a powerful way that I was being led into projective identification to the client's projections of dissatisfaction, with their own life. The identification was based on my own counter-transference, or need to be liked, the take responsibility and to be accepted - possibly from childhood learning.
That was obviously not going to help the client - they needed validation for themselves that they could fix the problem, that I could contain their angst .
The Outcome
So my emotional state relaxes when people complain.I interpret the issue with them from the side rather than confronting them head on( more my style). I dont take responsibility, unless it is realistic, and have changed my role in therapy to a more reflective practitioner and less likely to be emotionally involved. This protects me and de-stresses the workload. I changed my behaviour radically, changed my attitude to match and changed the emotional set radically in a sustained way. This was really achieved by interpretation of the psychodynamic issues relating to my own childhood. Having understood them , rather deep level thinking and being, the transformation of myself was processed. The meaning within myself was changed and its effect in the sociocultural realm also changed.By the use of critical reflection, and psychoanalytic interpretation I was able to transform beliefs, attitudes, emotions and behaviours.
Bibliography
Connie Schroeder (2007) Transformative Learning Theory
http://eee.uci.edu/news/articles/060transformative.php
One day I was perplexed by the customer that was complaining.They seemed to be attacking me personally which seemed unfair because I had worked hard to help them and make things better. The minor problems they were complaining about were hardly my fault but I felt guilty and unhappy and frustrated by the experience.
What happened- the transformative learning experience
I saw an educational video by a CBT specialist who role played how he deals with similar experiences. This therapist was highly dramatic and possibly culturally out of place in Australia. He threw his hands up in delight and threw the customer off balance emotionally- so a transformative experience for them too. He said- 'thank goodness you have finally said something useful. I had given up hope that you would do anything, change anything or progress in therapy. Now that you have confronted this issue I think that there is hope' The customer was perplexed but taken off guard, not given the simpering guilt ridden , how can I make it better response he was attempting to distract in a power play with the terapist.
It dawned on me in a powerful way that I was being led into projective identification to the client's projections of dissatisfaction, with their own life. The identification was based on my own counter-transference, or need to be liked, the take responsibility and to be accepted - possibly from childhood learning.
That was obviously not going to help the client - they needed validation for themselves that they could fix the problem, that I could contain their angst .
The Outcome
So my emotional state relaxes when people complain.I interpret the issue with them from the side rather than confronting them head on( more my style). I dont take responsibility, unless it is realistic, and have changed my role in therapy to a more reflective practitioner and less likely to be emotionally involved. This protects me and de-stresses the workload. I changed my behaviour radically, changed my attitude to match and changed the emotional set radically in a sustained way. This was really achieved by interpretation of the psychodynamic issues relating to my own childhood. Having understood them , rather deep level thinking and being, the transformation of myself was processed. The meaning within myself was changed and its effect in the sociocultural realm also changed.By the use of critical reflection, and psychoanalytic interpretation I was able to transform beliefs, attitudes, emotions and behaviours.
Bibliography
Connie Schroeder (2007) Transformative Learning Theory
http://eee.uci.edu/news/articles/060transformative.php
Sunday, March 18, 2007
The Dilemma
A Dilemma
Definition. The dilemma in one of my previous units was presented when the lecturer announced that in order that the discussion board would be used by everyone, he would make it compulsory to post at least 6 discussions, or fail the unit. There were 800 students in this unit and by the end of the first month there were over 900 posts. Most of the posts were unimportant and not worth the time to read. The dilemma was whether to use and read all these posts to follow the course or give up and spend my time more fruitfully studying at my own pace and handing in the assignments.
Assessment of the problems showed that
most of the posts were of poor quality with respect to knowledge, references, new ideas and critical debate
There were too many posts and they would take too long to read them all
These posts did not enhance my learning
They took time away from reading, researching, study and assignments
My options
Ignore all the posts
Ignore some of them
Just post my six required
Debate the problem online with the students and the lecturer
Limit myself to half an hour a day
Select a few people’s posts that I had come to respect, particularly those from the lecturer
Find a technological process to screen
Just do a little bit every night to catch up
4Action Taken
I found that a combination of actions was best. I discussed the issues in the forums and got reasonable feedback from others that they were having the same dilemma. The lecturer also acknowledged that the mandatory posts had worked better than he thought and he recommended that we limit reading and posting to a set timeframe and number of posts, learning to screen them quickly to establish if they were worth reading .I limited myself to half an hour a night so that I could fit in all the other things I needed to do. I found a way of expanding the files so that there was little waiting time for posts to be retrieved and displayed on the screen.
5New Knowledge
Finding the expand process on the files was useful as was discussion with the peers and lecturer about time management and use of discussion boards to aid learning
6. Provisional trying out new ideas
I tried a few of the options and evaluated their usefulness
7. Building self-confidence
I learned how to select useful posts , links and debates. I feel confident scrolling down posts and selecting those I am interested in and wish t gain knowledge from
8.As time is in short supply, I have learned to see discussions as an adjunct, like a real-time classroom. Interactions are a springboard to new ideas but you can’t listen to all the conversations. Discussion boards are good places to seek help just as in real life. That help is available and where to find it, remaining engaged in the community but not the center of all the action, is a life skill for other aspects of life.
Definition. The dilemma in one of my previous units was presented when the lecturer announced that in order that the discussion board would be used by everyone, he would make it compulsory to post at least 6 discussions, or fail the unit. There were 800 students in this unit and by the end of the first month there were over 900 posts. Most of the posts were unimportant and not worth the time to read. The dilemma was whether to use and read all these posts to follow the course or give up and spend my time more fruitfully studying at my own pace and handing in the assignments.
Assessment of the problems showed that
most of the posts were of poor quality with respect to knowledge, references, new ideas and critical debate
There were too many posts and they would take too long to read them all
These posts did not enhance my learning
They took time away from reading, researching, study and assignments
My options
Ignore all the posts
Ignore some of them
Just post my six required
Debate the problem online with the students and the lecturer
Limit myself to half an hour a day
Select a few people’s posts that I had come to respect, particularly those from the lecturer
Find a technological process to screen
Just do a little bit every night to catch up
4Action Taken
I found that a combination of actions was best. I discussed the issues in the forums and got reasonable feedback from others that they were having the same dilemma. The lecturer also acknowledged that the mandatory posts had worked better than he thought and he recommended that we limit reading and posting to a set timeframe and number of posts, learning to screen them quickly to establish if they were worth reading .I limited myself to half an hour a night so that I could fit in all the other things I needed to do. I found a way of expanding the files so that there was little waiting time for posts to be retrieved and displayed on the screen.
5New Knowledge
Finding the expand process on the files was useful as was discussion with the peers and lecturer about time management and use of discussion boards to aid learning
6. Provisional trying out new ideas
I tried a few of the options and evaluated their usefulness
7. Building self-confidence
I learned how to select useful posts , links and debates. I feel confident scrolling down posts and selecting those I am interested in and wish t gain knowledge from
8.As time is in short supply, I have learned to see discussions as an adjunct, like a real-time classroom. Interactions are a springboard to new ideas but you can’t listen to all the conversations. Discussion boards are good places to seek help just as in real life. That help is available and where to find it, remaining engaged in the community but not the center of all the action, is a life skill for other aspects of life.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
pedagogy philosophy
Philosophy of Online Pedagogy
The objectives and course describer of an online course, like most courses sets the discipine based learning and curriculum.From there the individual learner uses a variety of techniques to learn. Online pedagogy currently uses the social, contextural, situational, practical approach. It see the virtual learning community as a community of practice and promotes critical and reflective learning.
My experience of online pedagogies has been variable and reflects the state of confusion over this medium. The student is the motivated one, eagerly seeking new knowledge.
The facilitator needs to be directive, discipline based, examining as well as reflective, promoting discussion and critical analysis as a learning process.
The issues need to reflect society's values and individual needs.Analysis of each student, their capacity, their cultural needs, and their capacity to move from one level of understanding to the next can be a student centred philsophy.
Practically a lecturer, faculty based approach is also needed to maintan standards.The process of learning is a journey we take together.
Joyce Arnold
The objectives and course describer of an online course, like most courses sets the discipine based learning and curriculum.From there the individual learner uses a variety of techniques to learn. Online pedagogy currently uses the social, contextural, situational, practical approach. It see the virtual learning community as a community of practice and promotes critical and reflective learning.
My experience of online pedagogies has been variable and reflects the state of confusion over this medium. The student is the motivated one, eagerly seeking new knowledge.
The facilitator needs to be directive, discipline based, examining as well as reflective, promoting discussion and critical analysis as a learning process.
The issues need to reflect society's values and individual needs.Analysis of each student, their capacity, their cultural needs, and their capacity to move from one level of understanding to the next can be a student centred philsophy.
Practically a lecturer, faculty based approach is also needed to maintan standards.The process of learning is a journey we take together.
Joyce Arnold
New Literacy
Multi-modal text and new literacy
1.2 Definitions
Literacy
Literacy is the ability to read and write symbols of language, mathematics for the purposes f communication
New Literacy
The new literacies are aligned with new technology. They include computer literacy, global and cultural literacy and are based on the knowledge/ information basis of society.
Multi-modal text
Text can now be presented in many modes or styles. These include synchronic- chat formats online, the Internet, search engines, CD Rom and Online print based information, PALM, SMS and Video-conferencing modes. Asynchronous text is seen in discussion lists, Blogs, Wiki, Email format.
Multi-literacies
These are the ability to read and integrate information from a number of sources, as above.
Text
Written symbols that constitutes language and visual based communication.
Reading
New times, new literacies’, Literate futures, pp. 1–12, viewed 2 February 2005,
3a Reflection
Changes in the Workplace
Social organization
Little changed in the workplace since the Industrial Revolution. Marx discussed the problems of class separating the rich and the poor based on economic structures. The new middle class became a majority, but was still stuck in a hierarchy in the 1950’s. Post WWII possibly required this structure as mass production fuelled the boom of the recovery period.
Since that time a number of processes have occurred throughout the world.
Technology seems to have been the catalyst for most of them. Democracy and middle class power has created a more equal society. Unions held power for some time since the 1950’s bringing the under classes into power.
Streamlining and re-engineering following the recession was also fuelled by a flatter, more horizontal organizational structure in the workplace. Innovation used the new technology to set a faster pace of change. Knowledge became a fast changing but vital supply in the new innovations.
Nationalism has changed and people see themselves as global citizens. Despite this local issues are important. The Green slogan, think globally, act locally is common philosophy that drives communities.
Technology, Knowledge and Skills
The knowledge society, information highway was made possible by the computer, Internet and library services. The Internet as a free service brought the power of knowledge to everyone. The increased communications as well as free trade agreements brought globalization. People can now work from home, communicate with staff, suppliers, customers, retailers, accountants, financiers, media, government and publicity experts in synchronized or asynchronized communication. What took weeks to months to achieve in communication in the1950’s now takes seconds. Software can link visual and text based information and maintains secure pathways.
In the 1950s usually women were typists. There were mechanical typewriters. Handwriting was the usual format for most documents. Today school children learn to type and the keyboard, reflecting changes of equality and the feminist movement, is not gender biased. Text is digitally produced and easily manipulated. Pictures, digital photographs, digital designs have superceded 1950’s literature. There are a multitude of colors, designs, fonts, formats and automatic spelling and grammar checks that have revolutionized literature. Copy techniques, which were easy and cheap to use increased the flow of literature. These are now superceded by digital information that is relatively cost free and instantly transmissible.
Intercultural communication
As the world began to communicate more readily, American English became to language of the world. Although individual differences and multiple languages are still retained, bilingual literacy became more important. Organizations that originally moved from a parent body that had international agents began to move into virtual space and become globalized.
Organization, Positioning
The consumer, and other stakeholders, rather then the shareholders, now drive the workplace. There is a bottom–up process in organizations. Innovative teams, brainstorming, team structure, networking have become the job of everyone in an organization. Knowledge is the key to successful competition and this is provided with computers, Internet, intranet, web-based and formal education as key aspects of organization function. In the past a person obtained skills or qualifications early in their life and then remained stable in a job for their whole life. They rarely needed to learn anything new. Learning is now life-long and life-wide as a continual process and people change their careers every 5 years on average. There are less permanent jobs but more contracts, self-employment and performance based remuneration,
Structure
Capitalism has driven an economic structure to everything, including education. The demand for more and better market share in the macroeconomics of business structure has driven rapid changes. The large entities are disintegrating and small businesses take up 70 % of the GNP share. There is a large voluntary force of labor, 90% from the recent statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Just -in -time processes have changed the structure of business towards a matrix network that relies on good communication in a globalized environment. The virtual structure has alleviated many overheads and communication difficulties. Elimination of the middle- man, less middle management has moved businesses from large hierarchies to small networked, flatter horizontal organizations that are networked with other stakeholders.
Social relations and Process
Originally organizations were very powerful. They used resources such as water, electricity, air and human resources as free commodities with little thought for its effect on the human and other aspects of the world. The product and price were most important. These were important ways to help people rebuild, expand and move into new area across the world. Countries like Australia needed to sell its raw materials to create wealth and survive in the post war period. It has taken many years of protest and political lobbying but the green revolution has reigned in the massive expansionism. Stakeholder theory replaced shareholder theory and thus corporate social responsibility as altered the social relations between the business organization and people power. Technological advances drove most of the green revolution. In this way organizations, like Green peace, brought information rapidly and globally into play.
Learning is part of the process of participatory democracy. If he population is well educated it can lead sensible democratic process.
3bPedagological thought
Although the term pedagogy implies child based learning, from its derivative roots, the term andragogy has dropped out of favor.
Creativity, Innovation and entrepreneurship are the keywords for the future in the workplace. These will outstrip Discipline based curriculum and learning. Discipline based learning will stifle some students and reflects the hierarchical process of 1950’s style business and learning strategies.
A new pedagogy for the new economy, new technology, new social order of globalization, capitalism and democracy is needed. This learning style needs to develop the skills of the learner to fit into the new society and to lead it to the next phase of development.
Technological and information based literacy is important as part of the new education. Networking and global communication using multiple languages, computer based language and cultural literacy are important components of the new education.
This pedagogy requires people to learn how to manage the explosion of information They will never be able to assimilate it all. Gone is the possibility of the universal man like Leonardo da Vinci when all knowledge was learnable in a lifetime. This pedagogy requires that learning be about understanding information, putting it into practice and communicating with team members in a practical way. Knowledge need not be memorized, as it is forever available at just a click away. Vygotsky used a concept of scaffolding for learning that reflected upon new information, obtained communal information and stepped up to deeper levels of understanding in a stepwise fashion.
The current trend is to use Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory to bring about communities of practice, critical and reflective thinking, scaffolding of students understanding and networking skills. Multi-literacies using web based computer technology is capable of such processes in a simple and cost effective way. Once learned as a skill, the technique fits well into the tem based networked organization of the postmodern era. Networked learning uses a situated learning, cognitive apprenticeship and communities of practice. It is a synthesis of pedagogies, based on prior learning, goal oriented learning. The concept of deficit of knowledge is the motivation for discovery and finding social meaning underpin the new learning paradigm.
So this is all the “right” thing to be espousing, Sounds somewhat like newspeak to me, thought control if we are not careful.
I have a visual fancy of a networked world of people attached to their computers, like a part of the computer providing the DNA components. Despite the fact that we think we are invisible, secure and in private, there are a million listening devices in the system and the ‘thought police” are everywhere. We will be promoting computer geeks to the to of the social order, those with expertise in technology will have the power. Real communication may become obsolete. Rue the day! Ultimately science fiction may be proved right and we can become jars with brains inside and computers and robots can do the physical things of life. Well maybe that is far fetched but Plato had a powerful analogy of the cave where people were chained to see things n one direction. They could only see the shadows of a story played for them to keep them blinded to the truth. So if you break free of the bonds and go outside the cave and see the real light- what do you do about it?
4 Context
Contextual learning means that the team identifies its values. There is a pooling of prior knowledge and learners obtain an overall picture, clarify their own conclusions, use a continuous learning loop and foster a global vision.
Within the context of my work, I would like to extrapolate to the place I would like to be in. I would like to educate MBA students towards ethics, applied philosophy and Corporate Social Responsibility. I believe that Online learning is a particularly good way of increasing the number of MBA students who will learn these issues and the community of practice m using true to life scenarios in a team approach to learning about the ethical issues of business management is best served with a socio-historical- cultural approach. Globalized teaching with multiple literacies, languages and cultures will be important experiential learning for these students. The ability to discuss debate and learn from each other is perfectly suited to ethical discussion and learning. This virtual community can be similar to Plato and Socrates discussing, debating and using Socratic didactics in their place of learning.
5 Reflections in the reading
The most important part of the reading is the color, font, formatting and style of the paper. There are pictures, photographs, collages, artistic payouts, boxes of information and meta-analysis. There is dot point presentation of the important issues and minimal academic presentations. Reflection points and questions promote thought and critical reflection. There is space for note taking and comparisons like the old newspaper to highlight the changes in the last 50 years.
His paper presents like a piece of government propaganda, which is what it is. Its format is to appeal to a professional organization, of teachers, who do not want their intelligence slighted. Where it invites reflection however, the text has cleverly hidden agendas. My initial impression of the paper was revulsion of government interference.
Keeping an open mind however, the content of the paper was well written and summarized the issues well. The equation of learning towards economic competitiveness raised my sense of equality. Government investment in education however is made on the basis if future productivity, wealth creation and economic buoyancy. Education for education’s sake must remain a purely personal quest.
The dramatic changes from the 1950’s provides a stark reality to modern education and society needs. I wonder of the 1950 s were chosen because of the greater comparison or this was a statistical fact for the teachers who were digital immigrants and found information technology difficult to understand.
Bibliography
New times, new literacies’, Literate futures, pp. 1–12, viewed 2 February 2005,
John Anderson 2004 Politics of Inclusion and Empowerment: Gender, Class, Citizenship United Kingdom , Palgrave Macmillan.
Andy Blunden 1997 Vygotsky and the Dialectical Method www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/works/comment/vygotsky.html
Peter Goodyear (2002), Psychological Foundations for Networked Learning in Christine Steeples & Chris Jones eds Networked Learning :Perspectives and Issues , Great Britain, Springer- Verlag.
Judy McKim 2004 www.le.ac.uk
Jenny Moon 1999, Reflection pdp.bournemouth.ac.uk/reflective-skills.html
Sherry Wulff, Joan Hamer & Robert J Bulit 2000 The roles and interrelationships of presences , reflection and self-directed learning in effective World Wide Web-based Pedagogy in Robert A Cole Issues in Web-Based Pedagogy; A critical Primer m Westport Connecticut , London , Greenwood Press.
1.2 Definitions
Literacy
Literacy is the ability to read and write symbols of language, mathematics for the purposes f communication
New Literacy
The new literacies are aligned with new technology. They include computer literacy, global and cultural literacy and are based on the knowledge/ information basis of society.
Multi-modal text
Text can now be presented in many modes or styles. These include synchronic- chat formats online, the Internet, search engines, CD Rom and Online print based information, PALM, SMS and Video-conferencing modes. Asynchronous text is seen in discussion lists, Blogs, Wiki, Email format.
Multi-literacies
These are the ability to read and integrate information from a number of sources, as above.
Text
Written symbols that constitutes language and visual based communication.
Reading
New times, new literacies’, Literate futures, pp. 1–12, viewed 2 February 2005,
3a Reflection
Changes in the Workplace
Social organization
Little changed in the workplace since the Industrial Revolution. Marx discussed the problems of class separating the rich and the poor based on economic structures. The new middle class became a majority, but was still stuck in a hierarchy in the 1950’s. Post WWII possibly required this structure as mass production fuelled the boom of the recovery period.
Since that time a number of processes have occurred throughout the world.
Technology seems to have been the catalyst for most of them. Democracy and middle class power has created a more equal society. Unions held power for some time since the 1950’s bringing the under classes into power.
Streamlining and re-engineering following the recession was also fuelled by a flatter, more horizontal organizational structure in the workplace. Innovation used the new technology to set a faster pace of change. Knowledge became a fast changing but vital supply in the new innovations.
Nationalism has changed and people see themselves as global citizens. Despite this local issues are important. The Green slogan, think globally, act locally is common philosophy that drives communities.
Technology, Knowledge and Skills
The knowledge society, information highway was made possible by the computer, Internet and library services. The Internet as a free service brought the power of knowledge to everyone. The increased communications as well as free trade agreements brought globalization. People can now work from home, communicate with staff, suppliers, customers, retailers, accountants, financiers, media, government and publicity experts in synchronized or asynchronized communication. What took weeks to months to achieve in communication in the1950’s now takes seconds. Software can link visual and text based information and maintains secure pathways.
In the 1950s usually women were typists. There were mechanical typewriters. Handwriting was the usual format for most documents. Today school children learn to type and the keyboard, reflecting changes of equality and the feminist movement, is not gender biased. Text is digitally produced and easily manipulated. Pictures, digital photographs, digital designs have superceded 1950’s literature. There are a multitude of colors, designs, fonts, formats and automatic spelling and grammar checks that have revolutionized literature. Copy techniques, which were easy and cheap to use increased the flow of literature. These are now superceded by digital information that is relatively cost free and instantly transmissible.
Intercultural communication
As the world began to communicate more readily, American English became to language of the world. Although individual differences and multiple languages are still retained, bilingual literacy became more important. Organizations that originally moved from a parent body that had international agents began to move into virtual space and become globalized.
Organization, Positioning
The consumer, and other stakeholders, rather then the shareholders, now drive the workplace. There is a bottom–up process in organizations. Innovative teams, brainstorming, team structure, networking have become the job of everyone in an organization. Knowledge is the key to successful competition and this is provided with computers, Internet, intranet, web-based and formal education as key aspects of organization function. In the past a person obtained skills or qualifications early in their life and then remained stable in a job for their whole life. They rarely needed to learn anything new. Learning is now life-long and life-wide as a continual process and people change their careers every 5 years on average. There are less permanent jobs but more contracts, self-employment and performance based remuneration,
Structure
Capitalism has driven an economic structure to everything, including education. The demand for more and better market share in the macroeconomics of business structure has driven rapid changes. The large entities are disintegrating and small businesses take up 70 % of the GNP share. There is a large voluntary force of labor, 90% from the recent statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Just -in -time processes have changed the structure of business towards a matrix network that relies on good communication in a globalized environment. The virtual structure has alleviated many overheads and communication difficulties. Elimination of the middle- man, less middle management has moved businesses from large hierarchies to small networked, flatter horizontal organizations that are networked with other stakeholders.
Social relations and Process
Originally organizations were very powerful. They used resources such as water, electricity, air and human resources as free commodities with little thought for its effect on the human and other aspects of the world. The product and price were most important. These were important ways to help people rebuild, expand and move into new area across the world. Countries like Australia needed to sell its raw materials to create wealth and survive in the post war period. It has taken many years of protest and political lobbying but the green revolution has reigned in the massive expansionism. Stakeholder theory replaced shareholder theory and thus corporate social responsibility as altered the social relations between the business organization and people power. Technological advances drove most of the green revolution. In this way organizations, like Green peace, brought information rapidly and globally into play.
Learning is part of the process of participatory democracy. If he population is well educated it can lead sensible democratic process.
3bPedagological thought
Although the term pedagogy implies child based learning, from its derivative roots, the term andragogy has dropped out of favor.
Creativity, Innovation and entrepreneurship are the keywords for the future in the workplace. These will outstrip Discipline based curriculum and learning. Discipline based learning will stifle some students and reflects the hierarchical process of 1950’s style business and learning strategies.
A new pedagogy for the new economy, new technology, new social order of globalization, capitalism and democracy is needed. This learning style needs to develop the skills of the learner to fit into the new society and to lead it to the next phase of development.
Technological and information based literacy is important as part of the new education. Networking and global communication using multiple languages, computer based language and cultural literacy are important components of the new education.
This pedagogy requires people to learn how to manage the explosion of information They will never be able to assimilate it all. Gone is the possibility of the universal man like Leonardo da Vinci when all knowledge was learnable in a lifetime. This pedagogy requires that learning be about understanding information, putting it into practice and communicating with team members in a practical way. Knowledge need not be memorized, as it is forever available at just a click away. Vygotsky used a concept of scaffolding for learning that reflected upon new information, obtained communal information and stepped up to deeper levels of understanding in a stepwise fashion.
The current trend is to use Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory to bring about communities of practice, critical and reflective thinking, scaffolding of students understanding and networking skills. Multi-literacies using web based computer technology is capable of such processes in a simple and cost effective way. Once learned as a skill, the technique fits well into the tem based networked organization of the postmodern era. Networked learning uses a situated learning, cognitive apprenticeship and communities of practice. It is a synthesis of pedagogies, based on prior learning, goal oriented learning. The concept of deficit of knowledge is the motivation for discovery and finding social meaning underpin the new learning paradigm.
So this is all the “right” thing to be espousing, Sounds somewhat like newspeak to me, thought control if we are not careful.
I have a visual fancy of a networked world of people attached to their computers, like a part of the computer providing the DNA components. Despite the fact that we think we are invisible, secure and in private, there are a million listening devices in the system and the ‘thought police” are everywhere. We will be promoting computer geeks to the to of the social order, those with expertise in technology will have the power. Real communication may become obsolete. Rue the day! Ultimately science fiction may be proved right and we can become jars with brains inside and computers and robots can do the physical things of life. Well maybe that is far fetched but Plato had a powerful analogy of the cave where people were chained to see things n one direction. They could only see the shadows of a story played for them to keep them blinded to the truth. So if you break free of the bonds and go outside the cave and see the real light- what do you do about it?
4 Context
Contextual learning means that the team identifies its values. There is a pooling of prior knowledge and learners obtain an overall picture, clarify their own conclusions, use a continuous learning loop and foster a global vision.
Within the context of my work, I would like to extrapolate to the place I would like to be in. I would like to educate MBA students towards ethics, applied philosophy and Corporate Social Responsibility. I believe that Online learning is a particularly good way of increasing the number of MBA students who will learn these issues and the community of practice m using true to life scenarios in a team approach to learning about the ethical issues of business management is best served with a socio-historical- cultural approach. Globalized teaching with multiple literacies, languages and cultures will be important experiential learning for these students. The ability to discuss debate and learn from each other is perfectly suited to ethical discussion and learning. This virtual community can be similar to Plato and Socrates discussing, debating and using Socratic didactics in their place of learning.
5 Reflections in the reading
The most important part of the reading is the color, font, formatting and style of the paper. There are pictures, photographs, collages, artistic payouts, boxes of information and meta-analysis. There is dot point presentation of the important issues and minimal academic presentations. Reflection points and questions promote thought and critical reflection. There is space for note taking and comparisons like the old newspaper to highlight the changes in the last 50 years.
His paper presents like a piece of government propaganda, which is what it is. Its format is to appeal to a professional organization, of teachers, who do not want their intelligence slighted. Where it invites reflection however, the text has cleverly hidden agendas. My initial impression of the paper was revulsion of government interference.
Keeping an open mind however, the content of the paper was well written and summarized the issues well. The equation of learning towards economic competitiveness raised my sense of equality. Government investment in education however is made on the basis if future productivity, wealth creation and economic buoyancy. Education for education’s sake must remain a purely personal quest.
The dramatic changes from the 1950’s provides a stark reality to modern education and society needs. I wonder of the 1950 s were chosen because of the greater comparison or this was a statistical fact for the teachers who were digital immigrants and found information technology difficult to understand.
Bibliography
New times, new literacies’, Literate futures, pp. 1–12, viewed 2 February 2005,
John Anderson 2004 Politics of Inclusion and Empowerment: Gender, Class, Citizenship United Kingdom , Palgrave Macmillan.
Andy Blunden 1997 Vygotsky and the Dialectical Method www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/works/comment/vygotsky.html
Peter Goodyear (2002), Psychological Foundations for Networked Learning in Christine Steeples & Chris Jones eds Networked Learning :Perspectives and Issues , Great Britain, Springer- Verlag.
Judy McKim 2004 www.le.ac.uk
Jenny Moon 1999, Reflection pdp.bournemouth.ac.uk/reflective-skills.html
Sherry Wulff, Joan Hamer & Robert J Bulit 2000 The roles and interrelationships of presences , reflection and self-directed learning in effective World Wide Web-based Pedagogy in Robert A Cole Issues in Web-Based Pedagogy; A critical Primer m Westport Connecticut , London , Greenwood Press.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Time is an illusion
Reading Activity on Synchronous/Asynchronous Learning/Teaching
By Joyce Arnold
I liked the paper by Andrew Marks , 2005 as referenced below. The whole topic of Synchronous/Asynchronous learning needed review so I have included some other references that helped me come to some reflections as discussed below.
Summary of the paper
Andrew Marks (2005) “Changing Spatial and Synchronous Structures in the history and culture of learning: a Heideggerian analysis of the history of the English University” Higher Education 50, p. 613-630.
accessed Ebscohost, USQ Library database 7/3/2007
This paper takes a holistic view of the history of university learning. It describes four ( R )evolutions in the socio-cultural aspects of universities. Although he bases the differences on space, he also includes time aspects of teaching.
By describing Heidegger’s concept of space as a pragmatic, utility concept of proximity rather than Euclidian geometry/geography. Although the social aspects of learning from elitism for social classes towards a more democratic model are interesting, the analysis is one of the circle of human history. We have returned to the concept of space and time relevant to the user. The 5th stage of university learning incorporates a virtual university devoid of spatial and time bound learning/ asynchronicity.
This has inherent problems of short-term learning and creates a new social class divide ( ie. those who have access to technology).
This is a different approach to the positivism of most other papers on virtual universities and synchronous learning, as well as idealisation of the asynchronous model ( Harvard, Du Jiansua & Olinzak 2005).
The paper introduces the idea that there is nothing new in the synchronous/asynchronous debate. The circles of history have just turned again. This raises the important point that learning is not new and that new tools assist, but cannot rule or take over or fundamentally change the real process of learning. This is debated in many other papers that see synchronous learning as completely different to asynchronous learning ( Bergsma 2005). These discuss the polarity of the two concepts but gradually a ‘hybrid’ model shows that there is considerable overlap between the two models.
Reflections
‘Time is an illusion’ in the theory of relativity. If you study the history of the concepts and philosophy of time, one comes up against the fact that time is a human construct that is not real. Time was not always seen as discrete equal parts and was not always measured by clocks. Time has been described as only existing in the present so that all synchronous/asynchronous learning must be synchronous. There are also those people who argue with good measure that there is no reality in the concept of the present. Thus all learning must be asynchronous.
Just as we are returning in another cycle towards multimedia and away form text based learning, we are returning to learning that is not linked to the concepts of time. The hybrid model of synchronous /asynchronous learning is a prime example of this.
Although Socratic thought required dialogue and polar or dichotomous thinking its ultimate synthesis is an integrated position. The synchronous/ asynchronous debate must also be solved by an integrated hybrid design (Latchman, Salzmann, Gillet & Xim 2001).
For example, even face-to-face learning is not entirely synchronous. Students always take home the thought, mull it over, discuss, obtain extra resources, process consciously and unconsciously in a totally asynchronous learning method. On the other hand, just in time asynchronous learning requires timely response, assignments with a due by date so that they are more synchronous.
Questions for debate
Are the pedagogies of critical reflection, Socio-cultural learning, and communities of practice possible in synchronous as well as asynchronous learning?
Is there a difference in the cohorts or age groups that would make synchronous or asynchronous learning preferable?
Are space and time fixed concepts?
Are we progressing, regressing or going around in circles?
List of references
Bergsmam, Harley 2005, ‘ Synchronous asynchronous technology’, Encyclopedia of Educational Technology
www.llcoe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/synchrasynchtech,index.htm
accessed Google Search 6/3/2007
Harvard, Byron, Jiansua, Du & Olinzak, Anthony (2005), ‘Deep Learning’ , Methods and Cognition processes in the Instructor led Online Discussion” The Quarterly Review of Distance Education 6 (2) p. 125-123
Accessed Ebscohost USQ database 6/3/2007
Latchman,H, Salzmann, C, Gillett, D & Xim, J 2001 ‘Learning on Demand-A Hybrid synchronous/asynchronous approach’ Pedagogical Archives in Integrated Education
www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/es/May2001/10/Bogin
accessed Google search 6/3/2007
Marks, Andrew (2005) “Changing Spatial and Synchronous Structures in the history and culture of learning: a Heideggerian analysis of the history of the English University” Higher Education 50, p. 613-630.
accessed Ebscohost, USQ Library database 7/3/2007
By Joyce Arnold
I liked the paper by Andrew Marks , 2005 as referenced below. The whole topic of Synchronous/Asynchronous learning needed review so I have included some other references that helped me come to some reflections as discussed below.
Summary of the paper
Andrew Marks (2005) “Changing Spatial and Synchronous Structures in the history and culture of learning: a Heideggerian analysis of the history of the English University” Higher Education 50, p. 613-630.
accessed Ebscohost, USQ Library database 7/3/2007
This paper takes a holistic view of the history of university learning. It describes four ( R )evolutions in the socio-cultural aspects of universities. Although he bases the differences on space, he also includes time aspects of teaching.
By describing Heidegger’s concept of space as a pragmatic, utility concept of proximity rather than Euclidian geometry/geography. Although the social aspects of learning from elitism for social classes towards a more democratic model are interesting, the analysis is one of the circle of human history. We have returned to the concept of space and time relevant to the user. The 5th stage of university learning incorporates a virtual university devoid of spatial and time bound learning/ asynchronicity.
This has inherent problems of short-term learning and creates a new social class divide ( ie. those who have access to technology).
This is a different approach to the positivism of most other papers on virtual universities and synchronous learning, as well as idealisation of the asynchronous model ( Harvard, Du Jiansua & Olinzak 2005).
The paper introduces the idea that there is nothing new in the synchronous/asynchronous debate. The circles of history have just turned again. This raises the important point that learning is not new and that new tools assist, but cannot rule or take over or fundamentally change the real process of learning. This is debated in many other papers that see synchronous learning as completely different to asynchronous learning ( Bergsma 2005). These discuss the polarity of the two concepts but gradually a ‘hybrid’ model shows that there is considerable overlap between the two models.
Reflections
‘Time is an illusion’ in the theory of relativity. If you study the history of the concepts and philosophy of time, one comes up against the fact that time is a human construct that is not real. Time was not always seen as discrete equal parts and was not always measured by clocks. Time has been described as only existing in the present so that all synchronous/asynchronous learning must be synchronous. There are also those people who argue with good measure that there is no reality in the concept of the present. Thus all learning must be asynchronous.
Just as we are returning in another cycle towards multimedia and away form text based learning, we are returning to learning that is not linked to the concepts of time. The hybrid model of synchronous /asynchronous learning is a prime example of this.
Although Socratic thought required dialogue and polar or dichotomous thinking its ultimate synthesis is an integrated position. The synchronous/ asynchronous debate must also be solved by an integrated hybrid design (Latchman, Salzmann, Gillet & Xim 2001).
For example, even face-to-face learning is not entirely synchronous. Students always take home the thought, mull it over, discuss, obtain extra resources, process consciously and unconsciously in a totally asynchronous learning method. On the other hand, just in time asynchronous learning requires timely response, assignments with a due by date so that they are more synchronous.
Questions for debate
Are the pedagogies of critical reflection, Socio-cultural learning, and communities of practice possible in synchronous as well as asynchronous learning?
Is there a difference in the cohorts or age groups that would make synchronous or asynchronous learning preferable?
Are space and time fixed concepts?
Are we progressing, regressing or going around in circles?
List of references
Bergsmam, Harley 2005, ‘ Synchronous asynchronous technology’, Encyclopedia of Educational Technology
www.llcoe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/synchrasynchtech,index.htm
accessed Google Search 6/3/2007
Harvard, Byron, Jiansua, Du & Olinzak, Anthony (2005), ‘Deep Learning’ , Methods and Cognition processes in the Instructor led Online Discussion” The Quarterly Review of Distance Education 6 (2) p. 125-123
Accessed Ebscohost USQ database 6/3/2007
Latchman,H, Salzmann, C, Gillett, D & Xim, J 2001 ‘Learning on Demand-A Hybrid synchronous/asynchronous approach’ Pedagogical Archives in Integrated Education
www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/es/May2001/10/Bogin
accessed Google search 6/3/2007
Marks, Andrew (2005) “Changing Spatial and Synchronous Structures in the history and culture of learning: a Heideggerian analysis of the history of the English University” Higher Education 50, p. 613-630.
accessed Ebscohost, USQ Library database 7/3/2007
demedicalisation of medicine
Push or Pull Process?
So now everyone is an expert as knowledge is abundant. Unfortunately a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. The community wants to make informed decisions which is wonderful. There is a larger amount of misinformation available, blatant propaganda that is highly polished and excellent at marketing its self-interest.
Sounds good to the politician who wants to reduce the costs of health care, reduce the power of the medicos. So we cut the numbers of doctors in training producing a shortfall. Doctors work such long hours that they have no time to consider what is happening to them. Offer then assistance, albeit poorly qualified or experienced, nurse practitioners, physician's assistants, administrative managers and in the spirit of meekness they are grateful. Before long the doctor becomes a rubber stamp, just sign here, take full legal and ethical responsibility but don't ask any questions. Sounds scary? Well it is happening under your very noses. As the state government run health services all seem to be run into the ground, starved of resources, rife with chaos and bullying, doctors escape and there is the "proof: that you don't need doctors to run a health service and federal government take over. It is already happening!
How to protect the health of our nation?
Joyce Arnold
So now everyone is an expert as knowledge is abundant. Unfortunately a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. The community wants to make informed decisions which is wonderful. There is a larger amount of misinformation available, blatant propaganda that is highly polished and excellent at marketing its self-interest.
Sounds good to the politician who wants to reduce the costs of health care, reduce the power of the medicos. So we cut the numbers of doctors in training producing a shortfall. Doctors work such long hours that they have no time to consider what is happening to them. Offer then assistance, albeit poorly qualified or experienced, nurse practitioners, physician's assistants, administrative managers and in the spirit of meekness they are grateful. Before long the doctor becomes a rubber stamp, just sign here, take full legal and ethical responsibility but don't ask any questions. Sounds scary? Well it is happening under your very noses. As the state government run health services all seem to be run into the ground, starved of resources, rife with chaos and bullying, doctors escape and there is the "proof: that you don't need doctors to run a health service and federal government take over. It is already happening!
How to protect the health of our nation?
Joyce Arnold
the role of the university
The future of the University
Well its true that everything has been reduced to the politic and economic rationalist.As the buzzwords of globalisaton, the NEW economy, Democracy, the information revolution and the knowledge highway, technology ring in our ears, the university is fighting for existence.
Once seen as the place for the elite, priveledged, men without the pressure to earn money or like Plato's philosopher kings, the university has been captured by the Marxist yet democratic position. All power to the paying student and all power to the smart nations.
Universities now compete with each other ansd with other enterprises in learning. Marketing, fund raising and relevance to students for workplacement have taken the ivory towers down a peg or two. So now you can be a doctor of nursing ?? or have a masters in naturopathy!!!
Yes Virginia the world has gone mad.
As knowledge is in over supply, demand will reduce.
If universities don't re-invent themselves they will become an anachronism.
So now virtual universities, large conglomerates of universities that combine marketing and purchasing power. Resources are minimised and soon libraries will be outsourced.
Is this progress? Soon everyone will be an expert and the world will no longer have a division of labour.Knowedge will be sidelined to the quasi experimental, qualitative, 'expert' opinion that frankly has no value but follows fads and fashions.
This will be all ok as knowledge and truth is socio-culturally defined.
Perhaps we should take stock and design the process of change rather than react to the fprces.
Joyce Arnold
Well its true that everything has been reduced to the politic and economic rationalist.As the buzzwords of globalisaton, the NEW economy, Democracy, the information revolution and the knowledge highway, technology ring in our ears, the university is fighting for existence.
Once seen as the place for the elite, priveledged, men without the pressure to earn money or like Plato's philosopher kings, the university has been captured by the Marxist yet democratic position. All power to the paying student and all power to the smart nations.
Universities now compete with each other ansd with other enterprises in learning. Marketing, fund raising and relevance to students for workplacement have taken the ivory towers down a peg or two. So now you can be a doctor of nursing ?? or have a masters in naturopathy!!!
Yes Virginia the world has gone mad.
As knowledge is in over supply, demand will reduce.
If universities don't re-invent themselves they will become an anachronism.
So now virtual universities, large conglomerates of universities that combine marketing and purchasing power. Resources are minimised and soon libraries will be outsourced.
Is this progress? Soon everyone will be an expert and the world will no longer have a division of labour.Knowedge will be sidelined to the quasi experimental, qualitative, 'expert' opinion that frankly has no value but follows fads and fashions.
This will be all ok as knowledge and truth is socio-culturally defined.
Perhaps we should take stock and design the process of change rather than react to the fprces.
Joyce Arnold
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
the reflective student
Joyce Arnold welcomes comments to her thoughts.
The article regarding Donald Schon
donald schon (schön): learning, reflection and change© Mark K. SmithFirst published July 2001. Last update: February 11, 2005m http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-schon.htm
The article regarding Donald Schon
donald schon (schön): learning, reflection and change© Mark K. SmithFirst published July 2001. Last update: February 11, 2005m http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-schon.htm
Donald Schon saw change as fundamental.
I imagine that evolution is part of the equation of continual change. The pace of change is variable and some changes are so fast they are called revolution ( (r ) evolution).Alvin Toffler talked about the acceleration of change causing a crisis, existential anxiety, particularly of the knowledge revolution.
So much knowledge, infromation, the question is how do we make sense of it all? We might need to be somewhat critical and not accept all of it as trusims. We could also see many ideas as fads or fashion. Of the many ideas that are starters inthe race, only a few will go the course.Picking the winners is more a gambling man's domain.
So reflective practice, the ability to think is important to negotiate the information highway.
I like to think of life from the three main scientific paradigms
Linear thinking is unidirectional,logical and at times hierachical
Quantum reasoning, shows stepwise accumulation of knowldge and is an hierachical process. Often the 'aha' moment indicates a quantum leap of knowledge
Chaos theory is akin to post-modern concepts of thought. In amongst the chaos there are fractals of organisation, 'truths'.
These three models all co-exist and any one model may be an appropriate methodology for reflection .
The post-modern reflective practice is more in keeping with an existential approach. It reveres the individual within society and follows their life history. making meaning for that life. This contrast sharply with the deontological approach that specifies the Truth.
I see a paralell with the work of Bion in the leaderless groups as society moves away from 'authority' (Bion, working with groups ). Using Freud's analysis in Civilisations and its Discontents ,the immature projection of the father figure and the oedipal anxiety created a society that was authority bound Power became the greatest exchange agent. This resulted in war and conflict. The current democratic proess challenges the rights of authoprity and at one level can be seen as the maturation of society. I can't help thinking however of Plato . In The Republic, he reviews political processes and the cycle of political systems. Democracy, rule by the lowest common denominator was posted as the worst possible scenario , just before complete chaos.
Final thought- the baddie at the moment is the rational positivist scientist who is technical and lacks empathy. Unfortunately the warm fuzzies of anything goes philosophy is mostly just wrong. The human race may revert to lemming like behaviour abandoning all logic.
Joyce Arnold
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