Monthly Archives: September 2011

Paradox and Tension in Theories of Orality, Text and Technology

Paradox is defined as contradiction or conflict with statements that are reasonable or possible. (Merriam Webster Dictionary)  Theories surrounding the nature of orality, text and technology is rife with paradox. It is through illuminating paradox that we become comfortable with … Continue reading

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The Technological Invasion: Is it adding, subtracting, or overpowering our thoughts and actions?

One cannot dispute the fact that technology is at the center of global affairs and is causing panic, excitement, intrigue, and fear among others across the world. These emotions span many languages and transcend all geographical boundaries. With this rapid … Continue reading

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Commentary #1: Determined by technology or determined by our actions

Postman’s article, The Judgement of Thamus (Postman, 1993), illustrates how new technologies alter our conception of reality. This transformation is an ecological change. The intrusion of a new technology involves an entire culture and context. It is not possible to … Continue reading

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Ecology of Orality

The gradual shift from orality to literacy has been much discussed and marveled at. It is fascinating to see how orality dominated the human culture for so long and then was over taken by literacy. Now many call orality primitive … Continue reading

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Commentary 1: Is Rote Learning Valuable Today?

Photo posted on Flickr by Terr-Bo The main purpose of rote learning is to memorize information such as basic math skills, dates, poetry, spelling words etc. As we become more dependent on mobile devices it seems like there is less … Continue reading

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Reflection – module 2

How might an understanding of the possible differences in the thought processes exhibited in oral and literate cultures inform teaching practices at all levels (especially the practices used in teaching young children who are preliterate, as well as adults who … Continue reading

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Commentary 1 – Thought Processes

To answer the question, What effects has writing had on human thought processes? I went back to investigate the emergence of the concept of the environmental impact on human cognition. Nell (1999) postulates that this idea emerged in Marxist thought, … Continue reading

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Leonora Zefi – Introduction

My name is Leonora Zefi. This is my sixth MET course. I am keenly interested in exploring the role of text and technology in education and specifically in online teaching and learning. In my daily work, I often hear comments … Continue reading

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Initial Text Thoughts

At the beginning of Module 1 I wrote my initial thoughts on, “What is text?”. I naively wrote that text is the representational recording of language and influences cultures. Of course this view is influenced by my background as a … Continue reading

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Technology is Ever Changing

Dilbert Comic Strip December 23, 2010 As we discussed the Cambridge Forum audio recording, did you realize that the host did not describe it as a podcast but an audio recording? I found that fascinating. Just as technology has shaped … Continue reading

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Technology as Social Need

“Wherever we start in such a chain of cause and effect, we can identify an interaction between technical qualities and social constructions – an interaction so intimate that it is hard to see where the technical ends and the social … Continue reading

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Technology is everything

In my search for clarification about the meaning of the word “technology”, I came across this quote from Max Frisch: “Technology … the knack of so arranging the world that we don’t have to experience it.” This quote struck me … Continue reading

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Nailing it down with text

I’ve been having mind-popping revelations as I read through the Ong (1982) text, but to focus on one particular statement, “Chirographic and typographic folk tend to think of names as labels, written or printed tags imaginatively affixed to an object … Continue reading

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The Unabomber

“The system does not and cannot exist to satisfy human needs. Instead, it is human behavior that has to be modified to fit the needs of the system. This has nothing to do with the political or social ideology that … Continue reading

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Thoughts on Text

“The printed word (which is always separated from context) has been represented by Western thinkers as a more accurate representation of reality than the spoken word, which is dependent upon context and interpersonal accountability.” This quote is from C.A. Bowers … Continue reading

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We are tools of our tools…

My understanding of the word technology continues to expand and that is a good thing. Being asked to distinguish between text and technology through these postings has been a challenge. I think I said something to this effect about text, … Continue reading

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My Definition of Technology

Technology is the constant development of products and processes by humans in an effort to improve upon existing conditions. Continued technological development results from humanity’s perpetual struggle to solve problems, and to meet needs and wants that are perceived to … Continue reading

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Text could be… anything on flickr

My understanding of the word text is continuously changing. Being asked to distinguish between text and technology through these postings has been a challenge. I could have picked any image on flickr to be representative of text. I picked the … Continue reading

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Text

“Man acts as though he were the shaper and master of language, while in fact language remains the master of man.” -Martin Heiddegger Lyric Portrait 2nd Attempt by Chris Wicks Text is the interface through which we explore our thoughts … Continue reading

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Technology

“We ask [ of the computer ] not just about where we stand in nature, but about where we stand in the world of artefact. We search for a link between who we are and what we have made, between … Continue reading

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