Media Literacy: Making Sense Of New Technologies And Media by George Siemens - Sep 6 08
Are media and technology making you dumber? Do you feel socially distanced from what you really care about due to your increased use of technologies?
We search Google and think we have acquired knowledge. We blog and think we have subjected our ideas to peer review. Or, we publish an article on our website and think that qualifies as a publication.
Photo credit: centrevirtuel
George Siemens, MasterNewMedia contributing author focusing on making sense of new technologies and media, is back today with a rich basket of great findings, reports, announcements for making more sense of the world of new media technologies that surrounds you.
For those of you interested in getting an even greater opportunity for learning and making sense of these fast changing times, Dr Siemens' first online Connectivism and Connective Knowledge course, is just about to start. The course is completely free and you can still sign-up for it. Not to be missed is also the upcoming week-long online conference, entitled Corporate Learning: Trends and Innovations 2008, which he has organized with Jay Cross and Tony Karrer.
Once again, a richly packed report of news, pointers and stories to stay in touch with this fast changing media and technologies world.
eLearning Resources and News
learning, networks, knowledge, technology, trends
by George Siemens
Blending Online and Traditional Media
Pew Internethas released an interesting study on how people blend online and traditional media. I rarely read a physical newspaper or watch a news program. Apparently that's not the norm. While traditional media has declined (newspaper readers has dropped from "40% to 34% in the last two years alone"), it certainly hasn't been abandoned.
In the report we're introduced to new terms: integrators, net-newsers (ugh), traditionalists (largest group), and disengaged. We're still at that interesting crossroads of serving the the function of the old with new media and beginning to recognize new opportunities.
Quick Introduction To Connectivism Course
I'm almost done posting links to the course on this blog... I'll continue the posting on the course blog. A short presentation introducing massive open online courses (MOOCs) is now available here.
Connectivism Course Starts Next Week...
The Connectivism and Connective Knowledge online (open) course starts on Monday. If you're interested, you can still sign up. The course outline is also available if you'd like to get a sense of what's coming next...
TED Talks
TED Talks are extremely popular. Excellent speakers and provocative subjects. Universities are aware of the value of short informative videos and are launching similar initiatives.
I see no reason why all universities and colleges shouldn't have a similar feature to attract learners, students, and donors. Why not showcase your best?
Does Technology Connect or Disconnect Us From Others?
I've read a series of books / articles recently that are quite negative on technology. A particular emphasis seems to be that technology is somehow making us dumber - distancing people from what really matters.
We search Google and think we have acquired knowledge. We blog and think we have subjected our ideas to peer review. Or, we publish an article on our website and think that qualifies as a publication.
I partially understand the negatives being expressed by these authors. Times of transition are unsettling. We don't know if we're giving up too much. I struggle with this with my children - how much screen time a day is too much?
This past week, I found myself informing my daughter that she should search for information beyond Wikipedia and rely on other sources as well. But that's just good information management. We should always be seeking multiple sources. We should always be striving for a deeper understanding of subjects through the type of information and dialogue we engage in. Critics are valuable in that they give us moment to pause and consider where we are really going.
One area of concern that I just can't fathom is the assumption that technology disconnects us from others. I'm more in touch with more family members, friends, and colleagues than I have ever been. Through skype, twitter, facebook, mobile phones, (and yes, email) I have a continual connection to people I wish to be connected with. A recent report supports this feeling: "Almost all (97 per cent) of the respondents stated they felt more connected to people and networks now than they did 5, 10 and 20 years ago."
Top 20 Web 2.0 - Canada
I link to this largely because it's a rare point of focusing on innovation that arises in Canada (and, after all, the world needs a bit more Canada :)): Backbone Magazine Top 20 (via Academica). Many of the sites listed were new to me...
Why Google Chrome?
I'm trying to understand why Google is releasing a browser. I'm sure there's a very good reason. When Apple announced it's Safari browser for Windows, it didn't make much sense - why enter the battle ground of browsers? Well, as was evident once Apple released the iPhone, Safari is a browser that helps to bridge the transition from Microsoft to Apple computing devices. Safari for Windows was more about introducing a new audience to Apple than about trying to create a better browser.
Google is expected to release its new browser - Chrome - today. A short comic book overview of Chrome is available. While the official marketing message is about creating a more stable, safe, functional, and user-friendly online experience, the message I think is more in line with Apple's move. Google offers significant support for Mozilla, so in theory, they don't need a browser. But, Google also recognizes that if the web is the "new" operating system, then a browser is the key battle ground for control.
Google asks us to make a simple sacrifice: they'll make the online experience much simpler in exchange for our ongoing reliance on their products. Tying together our Gmail, search, and other online activities will be a valuable addition. Focused advertising based on our online habits is the logical next step (it already happens in gmail, google groups). But Google does more.
Google also promises to filter sites. In theory this is good. In actuality, this moves Google away from being a neutral provider to assigning a value statement of content. Obviously, given the amount of junk online, this is important. I just don't want the same company that provides the access to also provide a value statement. How much longer can Google innovate the web before it crosses over to controlling it (a strong argument could be made that this has already happened)? Out of Microsoft and into Google...
Elgg
Elgg was one of the first services to focus on a broader application of social networking services.
While many of the tools at the time - Friendster, MySpace - were focusing on simply connecting people to each other, Elgg took a learning centric focus in the creation of their tool. Elgg straddles the content creation, social interaction, and eportfolio worlds. Congrats are in order on the announcement of the recent release of v1.0 and on receiving Infoworld's award for best open source social networking application.
While I haven't played with Elgg for almost a year, I used previous versions for teaching, corporate networking, eportfolio management, and so on. Great tool.
QuarkBase
I discovered this neat little tool via OU News: QuarkBase.
It looks like most web traffic tracking sites, but includes results from Technorati, Twitter, del.icio.us, Digg and others. A most useful site...
Wisdom Is In Managing Crowds?
Only a few years ago, user-filtering sites such as Digg were seen as more of a fad than a legitimate way of organizing people and information. That has changed.
In 2004, James Surowiecki published The Wisdom of the Crowds.
In 2006 Time gave a formal nod to the masses in declaring "you" the person of the year.
Now we have traditional academic institutions - such as Oxford in this case - contributing to a research base on the dynamics of distributed networks for information creation and sharing.
I'm surprised by how antiquated the findings seem.
We need "serious academic research" to tell us what we've known for years (that distributed networks are used for "sharing, contributing and collaborating")?
Corporate Learning: Trends and Innovation 2008
Last year, we hosted a highly successful event: Corporate Learning: Trends and Innovation.
This year, Jay Cross, Tony Karrer, and I are again organizing as week-long online conference: Corporate Learning: Trends and Innovations 2008.
The conference runs November 17-2008. It's online. And it's free. If you've been involved in conferences we've organized before, you know the routine: if you want to be kept informed on developments, sign up. Or follow our conference blog: LearnTrends.
Photo credits:
Blending Online and Traditional Media - nataq
Quick Introduction To Connectivism Course - George Siemens and Stephen Downes
Connectivism Course Starts Next Week... - clix
Does Technology Connect or Disconnect Us From Others? - solarseven
Top 20 Web 2.0 - Canada - Digital Ottawa
Why Google Chrome? - Google
Elgg - Elgg
QuarkBase - QuarkBase
Wisdom Is In Managing Crowds? - James Surowiecki
Originally written by George Siemens for elearnspace and first published on September 4th 2008 as weekly email digest on eLearning Resources and News.
About the author
To learn more about George Siemens and to access extensive information and resources on elearning check out www.elearnspace.org. Explore also George Siemens connectivism site for resources on the changing nature of learning and check out his new book "Knowing Knowledge".
George Siemens -Reference: eLearnSpace [ Read more ]
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