Comments for John's E-learning and Digital Cultures Blog

Comment on Cyborgs by johns

johns — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:51:29 +0000

‘Can’t decide whether to say ‘cool’ or ‘eep’! Maybe both.’
I agree Jen. I think that things are moving very fast- not only in technological development, but the effects on people also. We seem, as usual, to be led by technology and may be doing some damage to ourselves as we go. It’s been in the press a lot here lately (e.g. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/in-their-sites-20091115-igeu.html) (as it has been at home on the other side of the pond) about privacy issues, especially with teens. Couple that with the possibility of McAfee’s ‘Cyber warfare is a reality’ headline in todays papers and it may be a ’spiral’ indeed. Don’t know if it’s e- or de-volution though.. and possibly dangerous too.

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/in-their-sites-20091115-igeu.html

Comment on Cyborgs by jen

jen — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:02:53 +0000

I’m reminded of Nicola’s visual artefact and the way she showed what is strange and freakish (the ear on the mouse) giving way to what is taken for granted technology (cochlear implants) -http://digitalculture-ed.net/nicolao/2009/10/17/dystopia-vs-utopia-my-visual-object-for-week-4/ . It occurs to me that maybe part of what’s difficult about the week 8 readings is that the moment at which some of this (particularly the cyborg stuff) seemed strange and new, and worth talking about, has passed?

The transformation of humans into ‘vehicles for information flows’ does put a different spin on the idea of the semantic web – http://semanticweb.org/wiki/Main_Page. In the Hayles reading for this week she argues for cognisphere, not cyborg, as the appropriate ‘unit of analysis’ (p.160) for our times – as we are woven ever more tightly into the flows and ecologies of data that the semantic web is making possible we’re part of what Hayles calls a ‘co-evolutionary spiral with intelligent machines’ (p.164). Can’t decide whether to say ‘cool’ or ‘eep’! Maybe both.

Comment on Bell and Community by jen

jen — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:37:00 +0000

Though Bell’s paper is showing its age, I reckon that the point about online communities being domains of bunkering and withdrawal (p 105) might still be of significance – even though or perhaps especially because there are so many more people online now. The ‘new spaces’ may not feel so new, but we can still pick and choose them and to a large extent shield ourselves from difference and dissent. The whole concept of trolls and flamers seems like one that could only emerge in conditions of relative homogeneity.

Comment on Week 3/4 Artifact by johns

johns — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:54:18 +0000

thanks guys- it is scary- but only scary at first. It would have been a gradual introduction for us digital immigrants (as much as I hate the phrase!)- ease into it over the years with email, surfing the web with a browser, usenet groups, shopping, spam, file-sharing, dot.com boom, security scares, Y2K, google, youtube, social networking, facebook etc. Poor Hula Man encountered this all in one go!

Comment on Week 3/4 Artifact by silvanad

silvanad — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:55:44 +0000

I really enjoyed this piece, John. Thanks for combining humour with all the key points about digital media. You’re a genius!

Comment on Week 3/4 Artifact by sibyller

sibyller — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:46:48 +0000

I really liked this as well. A very good contrast between Hulaman and the machine which renders him immobile while he has to watch all these promises of a “better” life. Like Sarah I found this quite scary! You feel really pleased for Hulaman that he seems to reject this.

Comment on Week 3/4 Artifact by Sarah Payne

Sarah Payne — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:36:02 +0000

Great piece John – I liked the use of humour to get your message across. There were two comments there that really jumped out at me – “Mediator of your world” and “I will be always watching you”. These both suggested that the Internet has a power that we as consumers may not really have thought about before – the power to contol us; by editing our content and through surveying our every move. A scary vision – no wonder Hulaman ran screaming!

Comment on Week 3/4 Artifact by Damien DeBarra

Damien DeBarra — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:24:00 +0000

Great stuff John!

Comment on Digital Culture as ‘pervasive technology’ by sibyller

sibyller — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:57:43 +0000

Good one. How the world has come together. I had similar thoughts about the world in my classroom. When I teach foreign languages I can connect to that world with a click. Videos, news items, I get them as soon as they’re out and can use them for teaching.
Sibylle

Comment on Digital Culture as ‘pervasive technology’ by jen

jen — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:50:45 +0000

lol – love that guy. The assumption of connectivity is an interesting definition of digital culture – and he takes it beyond the pragmatism of that kind of statement in a useful way – assuming responsibility for others, for action, and for solutions to problems. Thanks for the link.