More on information production (D3): pictures telling 1000s of words
In a previous post, I was reflecting on what constitutes information production – noting that the author we were asked to read (Abel) seemed to really equate it to textual production.
However, something struck me when I was commenting on an earlier post by Kristopher, in which he was discussing the potential use of iPads in distributed, mobile learning (in this case, peace operations): the input on iPads (specifically) isn’t only textual. It’s visual too.
iPads take photographs.
It’s obvious, but nevertheless worth mentioning, that the ‘digital explosion’ of the last 15 years or so has also been a visual one… and more to the point, a photographic one. The importance of (digital) photographs as learning devices, and as information producing and disseminating devices, shouldn’t be underestimated. (so says the erstwhile Art History lecturer!)
After all, isn’t one key facet of the iPad’s popularity its visual appeal? (or rather haptic… visual plus tactile all wrapped up into one)
How do you take and use – or manipulate (through photoshop, other software, or an old school kitchen knife) photographs in order to produce, share, and disseminate information/knowledge?
Posted in: Week 09: iPad Apps
David William Price 4:53 pm on November 4, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I agree that doing text on the iPad is a little weird and that its affordances more readily support visual communication. The camera on the iPad is pretty bad, but I think there’s a lot of value in using the touch interface to create diagrams, concept maps, etc. and share them with people and have them work on them as well.