Hypertext, Hypermedia, and Restructuring of Texts
According to Bolter (2001), it reveals that writing by technology is based on the same form that traditional writing was before. The current structure of writing resembles the shape of books in medieval and Renaissance time according to Ong, as cited by Bolter (2001, p. 31). According to Bolter, the new era is about connection of ideas more than organizing it (p.32). However, I agree that the hypertext is becoming a challenge as well, because the writer while using hypertext adds more symbols and in return complexes the writing so there would be an explanation in how to get the full benefit of the reading (p.38). In the 20th century, the hypertext has been transformed into hypermedia as the commercial mind started to employ the hypertexts technology. I agree that technology, part of it hypertext, is the remediation of the print. To be particular, the internet and its ability to reach millions of readers makes the remediation of the print but in different forms. Now, the hypermedia is taking over the traditional hypertext to an extent that may replace it. Therefore, a new form of orality is strongly born. “Malleability” was described by Bolter about how the word processor encircles writing (p. 32). Before that, writing was rigid and constant. Moreover, word processor has helped in organizing the ideas besides the ability to store them which help in solving the problems of structuring the writing, editing, and the flowing of emergent ideas popping up while writing. At the beginning, like any other technology, there were problems in dealing fluently with writing technology like word processor, even “cut & paste” vital task was a problem to many users (Joram et al, 1990, p.55). In chapter 5, Bolter mentioned an important thing, “the papyrus roll remained too short to meet its own culture’s need as a grand unit of expression” (p.78). And, this is the hub of the idea why today’s culture looking for hypertext and hypermedia and a better technology of word processor so it can meet its ever extended curiosity and cultural needs of a new generation who believe in no boundaries of the knowledge at any time or at any place. In addition, the electronic books are now a part of the whole context of the information on the net and not constitute a closing item that can be stacked end to end (p.80). This transformation of the situation of the electronic books, in my opinion, with all its contents is vital in transforming humanity into another level of unity and homogeneity; which was the desire of the old writers in different centuries like creating a “great book” (p.81). Therefore, digitalization of the information by the internet and the introducing of the multimodal hyper-textual form definitely meet the dream of those writers and thus constitutes the metaphor of the one huge book of the world with an easy access.
Undoubtedly, the advancement of the books, encyclopedia, digital library and hypermedia has shaped the new information and the human culture. It also shaped the schooling and the way the students interact. Furthermore, some of the concept has been changed such as, student’s engagement, because students now are engaged with the artefacts and the “getting by” under the learning process (Wesch, 2008). The ease of access and the navigation between information have reformed our culture and have stabilized the erupted massive information from being lost.
Bassam
References:
Bolter, J.D. (2001). Writing Space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print. Mahway, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Joram, E., Woodruff, E., Lindsay, P., & Bryson, M. (1990). Student’s editing skills and attitudes toward word processing. Computers and Composition, 7(2), 55-72.
A Vision of Students Today (and What Teachers Must Do). (2008, October). Retrieved July 2015, from Encyclopaedia Britannica Blog: http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2008/10/a-vision-of-students-today-what-teachers-must-do/
What I find fascinating is where the idea that literacy only counts when its in the form of handwritten or printed text. Why shouldn’t hypertext and on a bigger picture, hypermedia count as literacy? Some of the later readings (weeks 8 – 10) take a different stand on the “invasion” of technology and hypertext / media into literacy. These later articles seem to take a stance that hypertext is every bit as relevant to literacy as the “classic” forms of literacy – handwriting and print. “A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies” by the New London Group for instance, recognizes the unstoppable train of technology. But it doesn’t not consider it a train wreck but rather an advancement of literacy the same way the printing press advanced literacy. They even recognized that with each new form of literacy comes a new grammar. Hypertext literacy could include, for instance, emoticons, abbreviations, shortened text, letters mixed with numbers.
I believe it was Dobson and Willinsky that observed that the sheer volume of literacy has increased with technology – emails, instant messaging, SMS / text, blogs, social networking and websites. The catch is that you have to wrap your head around the idea that it does not match the definition of “classic” literacy. I guess my question is why does it need to do that?
I would like to add to your idea that “hypermedia has shaped the new information and the human culture”. I propose that if our society shunned this new technology, it would lead to a slow decay of our western culture. Think back to module 1, think for a moment what happened to cultures that were never able to move from orality to literacy. We simply do not see many of them. Think for a moment the success of cultures that have a developed literacy that can be adopted by children and adults, rich and poor. These are successful societies that have developed a system of democracy and freedom, societies that are able to unite and co-operate.
Consider this, literacy freed people from the defensive rhetoric of orality (do not remember what paper I read this from). It gave people freedom of thought reducing the influence of the speaker / author over the reader. The printing press multiplied this effect. Now technology continues to multiply it as well. Not only does it continue to disconnect the reader from the author, but now every one of us can be a published author. And an instant author as well.
Bass,
I think there will always be written literacy as we know it (a sequence of ideas expressed in sentences/paragraphs). We need to have that literacy for certain purposes, like reasoning a case.
If we use conventional written literacy, then we need reading literacy too.
Other literacies like visual literacy, oral/aural literacy and digital literacy have their purposes in connecting people to ideas and to other people. Hence the abbreviations, symbols (like), emoticons, shortened text, photos, animations, videos, mashups etc.
Put simply, our ways of making meaning are fragmenting. We don’t ever lose what we’ve got, we just add to it.
In education, hypertext covers it all – organisation of ideas and connection with ideas and people.