Here are the readings and dates. Subject to a few addition.
Everyone is asked to pre-read and bring the appropriate papers to class.
October 9:
Colin: The new imperialism of borderless education. (Hall) Available from Garry's blog
http://mystuff-gstrick.blogspot.com/
October 16:
Lucile: Paper by Croft
Antoinette: Walter Benjamin. The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction.
October 23
Sharon: Globalization for teaching and learning
Carolyn: Owsten: The world wide web...
October 30
Brian: Graham: Anarchy and the internet
Janice: Rothenberg: How the web destoys the quality...
November 6:
John: Catone
November 13:
Karen: Nothing to hide.
Garry: Borgman (Marlboro Man)
November 20:
Meghan: Virtual Hamburger
Judy: Umberto Eco
November 27
???
Others to come. You can let me know by email, or next week.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Class Five
Class five will begin with an examination of the Internet in the Clasroom, then will move to a discussion of the paper on globalization by Hall . (to be led by Colin.) That reading is available in pdf format on Garry's website at http://mystuff-gstrick.blogspot.com/ Please download and read in time for class discussion.
Internet in the Classroom
As has been seen, there are not dozens, or hundreds or thousands, but millions of potential websites. Information overload is the term used when information becomes so overwhelming that one doesn’t quite know where to start. One becomes frozen into inaction. The problem can be ameliorized somewhat by considering the metaphoric aspect of the internet. If one focuses on the internet only as a resource or only as a library or only as a communication medium, that at least lessons the potential choices.
In this section, we will consider the internet to be a teacher resource.
Mike Sandbothe argues that the internet will challenge four basic assumptions about education. They are (1) Knowledge conveyed in schools is localized; ie. education requires a physical sense of place (2) Lessons are “live”; communication is f2f (3) Teachers are in authority. (4) knowledge is structured; the structure of knowledge is the basis of curriculum.
Five ways to search a topic.
Search engines search differently. Google is the penultimate choice, that normally comes to mind, so much so that the term has become a verb “to google” in just ten years. But consider a given topic that one wants information on. Let’s take “cyberbullying.” A google search will reveal a grab bag of documents of different kinds. Next, consider a search of “google news” . It immediately becomes clear that the kind of information received here is different, Here we get information that is written ONLY by journalists, and ONLY from newspapers. A third search is google scholar. Now the search is limited to scholarly works.
Questia.com
The above section identified “five ways” to search a topic. The next two are “special” in that they are subscription databases. Questia advertises itself as the worlds largest online library. It is a “real” library that houses only what you find in a physical library. Books, Journals. Magazines. The cost is relatively miniscule: about the cost of a single textbook for a year… about $100.
Questia has several other useful features as well, including assistance for writing papers for students, and lists of significant works in major areas.
If Questia has a problem, it is that it is not quite large enough, and is not always as current as one would like. Still, these issues seem relatively minor.
Questia offers a useful “peek” for non subscribers. The system locks out outsiders only when they attempt to read complete texts.
Dissertation Abstracts
Dissertation abstracts has always been a foundational source for academia. It belongs to a set of subscription databases belonging to ProQuest. Dissertation Abstracts provides “free” abstracts of masters and doctoral dissertations. Complete pdf versions of dissertations can be ordered at less than $50 per title.
SparkNotes.com
Every student knows about Cliffs Notes in the US, Monarch Notes, or in Canada Coles Notes. These detailed summaries for students have often been frowned upon by teachers who worry that students will buy the Coles Notes version of novels, and never read the novel itself. These outlines tend to kick in at the high school and college level or possibly upper middle years. Nevertheless, the online equivalent is Sparknotes, created by graduate students from Harvard University.
Lesson Plans: NewYorkTimes.com
Lesson plans can be found throughout the web. Here, we shall identify one source only, regrettably a US site, but excellent nevertheless. The New York Times provides a free service for teachers that prepares lessons based on current events. Not only does a teacher get ideas for teaching, but the news stories which serve the basis for the lessons are provided as well. If there is a weakness, it is that to transfer to Canada, we cannot expect any Canadian content.
Class reading, presentation and discussion
Martin Hall (2000) The new imperialism of borderless education.
1. The term "imperialism" is a red flag, suggesting that "borderless education" is not all that it is cracked up to be. Synonyms inlcude globalization, internationalization, and ... on another front ... free trade.
2. "How many students can fit into a virtual classroom and still learn." Hall suggests 12-20. This is a stunning contradiction to the current best practices model that sees hundreds of enrolled students in a given online class. It suggests that the "small is beautiful" model is not only beautiful, but eminently practical.
3. "Most of us make our money from thin air. We produce nothing that can be weighed, touched or easily measured...We are all in the thin air business." This comment from Charles Leadbeater suggests a significant and sobering perspective on 21st century productivity.
4. "Space of flows" is a term coined by Manuel Castells. Castells, one of the most significant theorists of 21st century information technology, aruges that we live in a new space that flows from real to virtual and without a centre.
5. The rise of virtual education will increase rather than decrease the phenomenon called "the digital divide."
Internet in the Classroom
As has been seen, there are not dozens, or hundreds or thousands, but millions of potential websites. Information overload is the term used when information becomes so overwhelming that one doesn’t quite know where to start. One becomes frozen into inaction. The problem can be ameliorized somewhat by considering the metaphoric aspect of the internet. If one focuses on the internet only as a resource or only as a library or only as a communication medium, that at least lessons the potential choices.
In this section, we will consider the internet to be a teacher resource.
Mike Sandbothe argues that the internet will challenge four basic assumptions about education. They are (1) Knowledge conveyed in schools is localized; ie. education requires a physical sense of place (2) Lessons are “live”; communication is f2f (3) Teachers are in authority. (4) knowledge is structured; the structure of knowledge is the basis of curriculum.
Five ways to search a topic.
Search engines search differently. Google is the penultimate choice, that normally comes to mind, so much so that the term has become a verb “to google” in just ten years. But consider a given topic that one wants information on. Let’s take “cyberbullying.” A google search will reveal a grab bag of documents of different kinds. Next, consider a search of “google news” . It immediately becomes clear that the kind of information received here is different, Here we get information that is written ONLY by journalists, and ONLY from newspapers. A third search is google scholar. Now the search is limited to scholarly works.
Questia.com
The above section identified “five ways” to search a topic. The next two are “special” in that they are subscription databases. Questia advertises itself as the worlds largest online library. It is a “real” library that houses only what you find in a physical library. Books, Journals. Magazines. The cost is relatively miniscule: about the cost of a single textbook for a year… about $100.
Questia has several other useful features as well, including assistance for writing papers for students, and lists of significant works in major areas.
If Questia has a problem, it is that it is not quite large enough, and is not always as current as one would like. Still, these issues seem relatively minor.
Questia offers a useful “peek” for non subscribers. The system locks out outsiders only when they attempt to read complete texts.
Dissertation Abstracts
Dissertation abstracts has always been a foundational source for academia. It belongs to a set of subscription databases belonging to ProQuest. Dissertation Abstracts provides “free” abstracts of masters and doctoral dissertations. Complete pdf versions of dissertations can be ordered at less than $50 per title.
SparkNotes.com
Every student knows about Cliffs Notes in the US, Monarch Notes, or in Canada Coles Notes. These detailed summaries for students have often been frowned upon by teachers who worry that students will buy the Coles Notes version of novels, and never read the novel itself. These outlines tend to kick in at the high school and college level or possibly upper middle years. Nevertheless, the online equivalent is Sparknotes, created by graduate students from Harvard University.
Lesson Plans: NewYorkTimes.com
Lesson plans can be found throughout the web. Here, we shall identify one source only, regrettably a US site, but excellent nevertheless. The New York Times provides a free service for teachers that prepares lessons based on current events. Not only does a teacher get ideas for teaching, but the news stories which serve the basis for the lessons are provided as well. If there is a weakness, it is that to transfer to Canada, we cannot expect any Canadian content.
Class reading, presentation and discussion
Martin Hall (2000) The new imperialism of borderless education.
1. The term "imperialism" is a red flag, suggesting that "borderless education" is not all that it is cracked up to be. Synonyms inlcude globalization, internationalization, and ... on another front ... free trade.
2. "How many students can fit into a virtual classroom and still learn." Hall suggests 12-20. This is a stunning contradiction to the current best practices model that sees hundreds of enrolled students in a given online class. It suggests that the "small is beautiful" model is not only beautiful, but eminently practical.
3. "Most of us make our money from thin air. We produce nothing that can be weighed, touched or easily measured...We are all in the thin air business." This comment from Charles Leadbeater suggests a significant and sobering perspective on 21st century productivity.
4. "Space of flows" is a term coined by Manuel Castells. Castells, one of the most significant theorists of 21st century information technology, aruges that we live in a new space that flows from real to virtual and without a centre.
5. The rise of virtual education will increase rather than decrease the phenomenon called "the digital divide."
Class Four Summary
Class Four began with an introductory ten minute presentation on audio tape from Darin Barney's 2007 Hart House Lecture at the University of Toronto. Then an introduction to postmodernism set the stage for discussions (to follow) by Kenway, Poster and others.
The Kenway paper was discussed. Two previews from TED were presented in order to set the stage for presentations to come in class. Al Gore's presentation on global warming illustrated how the TED site can bring world experts into the classroom. A TASTE OF TED provided a five minute overview of the TED phenomenon as an example of creativity in presentations.
Class notes:
Postmodernism and Internet Pedagogy
One cannot understand information technology without understanding postmodernism. So what is postmodernism?
Here are two simple definitions. Lyotard’s classic definition is “incredulity towards metanarratives". Another definition is “alternative conflicting discourses.”
Questioning Technology.
The modernist view sees technology as the saviour of humankind. The postmodernist view is skeptical sometimes even pessimistic. The yay-sayers dismiss the postmodernists as “luddites” but that designation is clearly not fair.
The literature on internet pedagogy is often characterized by the use of the term postmodern. Whether Jane Kenway’s article the Information SuperHighway and post-modernity, or the work of Darin Barney, or Richard Coyne’s two significant works, Designing information tcchnology in the postmodern age and his follow-up study, the term postmodern is a significant foundational concept once one turns to the academic literature. At the very least, if one wants to speak intelligently in the theoretic domain of internet pedagogy, a grounding in postmodern ideas is critical.
So we need an entre into PM. On the one hand it is a slippery concept, sometimes difficult to grasp and subject to some degree of scorn by those who don’t understand it or who are frightened by its implications. The term should be neither scary nor difficult.
Postmodernism is not an ideology which one buys into such as Marxism or even Behaviorism. Postmodernism is described by Jean Francois Lyotard as "a condition." It is a condition of contemporary society, and it is a condition which many now think has been caused by technology. If that is so, then educational technologists are part of that condition. Charles Newman writes "Post-modern means the first culture in history totally under the control of twentieth century technology."
In a 1994 paper, I identified six characteristics of the PM conduction as multiple voicing, breakup of the canon, supplement, non-linearity, slippery signifieds, and ironic juxtaposition.
Multiple voicing: The modern classroom spoke with voice of the teacher and the voice of the textbook. Most often, there was nothing else. Which voices should we silence?"
breakup of the canon When things were simpler, if they ever were, there was a single canon. Whose culture should we marginalize now?
The supplement, Derrida argues, has two functions: It adds on and it eventually replaces
non-linearity Postmodern educational technology is unique in its ability to deliver content in non-linear ways.
slippery signifieds In a postmodern world, meanings do not stay put. In a postmodern classroom meanings get tangled with local contexts. Meanings (signifieds) are slippery and changing.
ironic justaposition This stems from the fact that postmodernism is self-referential and self-reflective. It juxtaposes and accepts ironic situations not as being right or wrong, but simply, and existentially, as being.
The Kenway paper was discussed. Two previews from TED were presented in order to set the stage for presentations to come in class. Al Gore's presentation on global warming illustrated how the TED site can bring world experts into the classroom. A TASTE OF TED provided a five minute overview of the TED phenomenon as an example of creativity in presentations.
Class notes:
Postmodernism and Internet Pedagogy
One cannot understand information technology without understanding postmodernism. So what is postmodernism?
Here are two simple definitions. Lyotard’s classic definition is “incredulity towards metanarratives". Another definition is “alternative conflicting discourses.”
Questioning Technology.
The modernist view sees technology as the saviour of humankind. The postmodernist view is skeptical sometimes even pessimistic. The yay-sayers dismiss the postmodernists as “luddites” but that designation is clearly not fair.
The literature on internet pedagogy is often characterized by the use of the term postmodern. Whether Jane Kenway’s article the Information SuperHighway and post-modernity, or the work of Darin Barney, or Richard Coyne’s two significant works, Designing information tcchnology in the postmodern age and his follow-up study, the term postmodern is a significant foundational concept once one turns to the academic literature. At the very least, if one wants to speak intelligently in the theoretic domain of internet pedagogy, a grounding in postmodern ideas is critical.
So we need an entre into PM. On the one hand it is a slippery concept, sometimes difficult to grasp and subject to some degree of scorn by those who don’t understand it or who are frightened by its implications. The term should be neither scary nor difficult.
Postmodernism is not an ideology which one buys into such as Marxism or even Behaviorism. Postmodernism is described by Jean Francois Lyotard as "a condition." It is a condition of contemporary society, and it is a condition which many now think has been caused by technology. If that is so, then educational technologists are part of that condition. Charles Newman writes "Post-modern means the first culture in history totally under the control of twentieth century technology."
In a 1994 paper, I identified six characteristics of the PM conduction as multiple voicing, breakup of the canon, supplement, non-linearity, slippery signifieds, and ironic juxtaposition.
Multiple voicing: The modern classroom spoke with voice of the teacher and the voice of the textbook. Most often, there was nothing else. Which voices should we silence?"
breakup of the canon When things were simpler, if they ever were, there was a single canon. Whose culture should we marginalize now?
The supplement, Derrida argues, has two functions: It adds on and it eventually replaces
non-linearity Postmodern educational technology is unique in its ability to deliver content in non-linear ways.
slippery signifieds In a postmodern world, meanings do not stay put. In a postmodern classroom meanings get tangled with local contexts. Meanings (signifieds) are slippery and changing.
ironic justaposition This stems from the fact that postmodernism is self-referential and self-reflective. It juxtaposes and accepts ironic situations not as being right or wrong, but simply, and existentially, as being.
Class 3 Summary
1. Intro: Alistair Cooke
The day began with Alistair Cooke's Letter to America presentation titled "The magic of the internet?" The five minute presentation was discussed under a rubric which focused on context, content, and meta-analysis. The context explored both Cooke and Tom Wolfe who is quoted at length in the essay. The gist of the brilliant short essay is gthat the internet is merely a medium of communication, nothing more. It can contain a good idea or a stupid idea. Meta-analtically, it was noted that the approach to listen to Cooke (as well as to read has paper simultaneously) added a significant dimension to the presentation. The "aura" of a live presentation mattered.
Two tutorials followed, in the computer lab.: Social bookmarking and blogs. John walked the class througth delicious
The day began with Alistair Cooke's Letter to America presentation titled "The magic of the internet?" The five minute presentation was discussed under a rubric which focused on context, content, and meta-analysis. The context explored both Cooke and Tom Wolfe who is quoted at length in the essay. The gist of the brilliant short essay is gthat the internet is merely a medium of communication, nothing more. It can contain a good idea or a stupid idea. Meta-analtically, it was noted that the approach to listen to Cooke (as well as to read has paper simultaneously) added a significant dimension to the presentation. The "aura" of a live presentation mattered.
Two tutorials followed, in the computer lab.: Social bookmarking and blogs. John walked the class througth delicious
Thursday, September 20, 2007
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.
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.
Class One Summary
This class introduced the concept and potential of internet pedagogy.
Several internet metaphors were introduced including the information superhighway, digital library, electronic mail, electronic marketplace, digital world, dumpster and panopticon.
Themes running through the course were identified as
Low cost / no cost
User friendly
Postmodernism (alternative conflicting discourses
Teachers are teachers, not technicians
Other themes include democracy, social justice, globalization and the Canadian discourse.
The class concluded with an exercise. They viewed (three times) a commercial by BMW which stated “What if great ideas were no longer cherished? What if they carried no importance or held no value? There is a place where artistic vision is protected. Where inspired design ideas live on…”
Students were to submit a one page analysis. Interpretation or summary of the commercial for discussion in the next class.
Several internet metaphors were introduced including the information superhighway, digital library, electronic mail, electronic marketplace, digital world, dumpster and panopticon.
Themes running through the course were identified as
Low cost / no cost
User friendly
Postmodernism (alternative conflicting discourses
Teachers are teachers, not technicians
Other themes include democracy, social justice, globalization and the Canadian discourse.
The class concluded with an exercise. They viewed (three times) a commercial by BMW which stated “What if great ideas were no longer cherished? What if they carried no importance or held no value? There is a place where artistic vision is protected. Where inspired design ideas live on…”
Students were to submit a one page analysis. Interpretation or summary of the commercial for discussion in the next class.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Assignment Two: Paper and Project
EDUB 5840 Internet Pedagogy
Dr. Denis Hlynka
September 2007
Assignment #2: Paper and Presentation
NOTE: THE IB PAPER PART OF THIS ASSIGNMENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. IT IS REPLACED BY A PRESENTATION AND HANDOUT ONLY.
1. Produce a paper dealing with a topic of your choice dealing with internet pedagogy grounded in some (perhaps 4-8) of the course readings
2. The paper will follow the IB (International Baccalaureate) model as described below in #4.
3. The paper must include the following:
1. The paper is approximately 4 pages or 1000 words
2. The paper is written completely in third person
3. Topic selection: Select a topic relevant to your interests or needs, but related to the course readings.
4. The paper is divided into six sections
a. The Plan (In one paragraph, state the purpose of your investigation.) 25-50 words
b. Summary of evidence. This is the crux of your content. Produce at least a dozen key points and for each provide a footnote which references where the points came from. 250-500 words
c. Evaluation of sources: Evaluate at least two of your sources. One page. Discuss their potential credibility, strengths, possible biases.
d. Analysis: 2 pages 250-500 words
e. Conclusion: One paragraph 100 words
f. Bibliography
5. Grading:
a. Plan 2 10
b. Evidence 5 25
c. Evaluation 4 20
d. Analysis 5 25
e. Conclusion 2 10
f. Bibliography 2 10
Total 20 100
EDUB 5840 Internet Pedagogy
Dr. Denis Hlynka
Assignment: Class Presentation
1. Select one of the readings presented in the course “textbook.”
2. Report to class with a five minute presentation. Be prepared to lead a discussion on the topic.
3. Prepare a one page handout to accompany your presentation which includes the following information:
Title/Topic:
Context:
Target Audience (Who does this paper think you are?):
Content.
Relevance to internet pedagogy
Bibliography/References
Dr. Denis Hlynka
September 2007
Assignment #2: Paper and Presentation
NOTE: THE IB PAPER PART OF THIS ASSIGNMENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. IT IS REPLACED BY A PRESENTATION AND HANDOUT ONLY.
1. Produce a paper dealing with a topic of your choice dealing with internet pedagogy grounded in some (perhaps 4-8) of the course readings
2. The paper will follow the IB (International Baccalaureate) model as described below in #4.
3. The paper must include the following:
1. The paper is approximately 4 pages or 1000 words
2. The paper is written completely in third person
3. Topic selection: Select a topic relevant to your interests or needs, but related to the course readings.
4. The paper is divided into six sections
a. The Plan (In one paragraph, state the purpose of your investigation.) 25-50 words
b. Summary of evidence. This is the crux of your content. Produce at least a dozen key points and for each provide a footnote which references where the points came from. 250-500 words
c. Evaluation of sources: Evaluate at least two of your sources. One page. Discuss their potential credibility, strengths, possible biases.
d. Analysis: 2 pages 250-500 words
e. Conclusion: One paragraph 100 words
f. Bibliography
5. Grading:
a. Plan 2 10
b. Evidence 5 25
c. Evaluation 4 20
d. Analysis 5 25
e. Conclusion 2 10
f. Bibliography 2 10
Total 20 100
EDUB 5840 Internet Pedagogy
Dr. Denis Hlynka
Assignment: Class Presentation
1. Select one of the readings presented in the course “textbook.”
2. Report to class with a five minute presentation. Be prepared to lead a discussion on the topic.
3. Prepare a one page handout to accompany your presentation which includes the following information:
Title/Topic:
Context:
Target Audience (Who does this paper think you are?):
Content.
Relevance to internet pedagogy
Bibliography/References
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