Class Two Summary

Discussion of "great ideas" commercial

The underlying question was "How does this relate to internet pedagogy?" The BMW commercial is only on the web. it is therefore a "web product." It was examined for content, context, metaphor, repurposing, manifest and latent messages, etc.

A mini-lecture focused on "theory of text". This section began with an assumption (to be questioned and tested) that the internet is essentially a text medium. The author - reader - text model from literary theory was introduced to show how complex understanding text can be.

Text was defined broadly, beyond traditional print text as "any message presented in a form whose existence is independent of sender and receiver." By that definition, television, cinema, radio are all "texts" to be read. Also, by that definition, "reading the internet" becomes a critical idea.

Textual fundamentalism was defined as the belief that texts always say just what they mean. On the other hand, Derrida argues provocatively that " a written text can usrvive the absence of its author, the absence of its addressee, the absence of its object, the absence of its context, the absence of its code... and still be read."

The class concluded with a introduction to a website called TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design). Ted is a high powered exclusve think tank which holds an annual conference in Monterey California. The highlight of the conference is a series of 20 minute high powered presentations by the attendees. These have been placed on the web and ar avaialble for free use.

The class concluded by viewing the presentation by Sir Ken Robinson, British educator who specializes in the domain of creativity. His talk argued that we need to enhance and support creativity in the learner. In relation to this course, the message should be: How can internet pedagogy add to a creative way of thinking and teaching and learning?

Interestingly and perhaps tellingly, the 20 minute video (on Mp4 concluded with the 30 second "great ideas" BMW commercial we had discussed at the beginning of the class.


Next Class: Discussion of assignments and social bookmarking tutorial.