Delia's podcast

When people who have become fascinated by BBSs or networks start spreading the idea that such networks are inherently democratic in some magical way, without specifying the hard work that must be done in real life to harvest the fruits of that democratizing power, they run the danger of becoming unwitting agents of commodification. First, it pays to understand how old the idea really is. Next, it is important to realize that the hopes of technophiles have often been used to sell technology for commercial gain...

The great power of the idea of electronic democracy is that technical trends in communications technologies can help citizens break the monopoly on their attention that has been enjoyed by the powers behind the broadcast paradigm--the owners of television networks, newspaper syndicates, and publishing conglomerates. The great weakness of the idea of electronic democracy is that it can be more easily commodified than explained. The commercialization and commoditization of public discourse is only one of the grave problems posed by the increasing sophistication of communications media. The Net that is a marvelous lateral network can also be used as a kind of invisible yet inescapable cage. The idea of malevolent political leaders with their hands on the controls of a Net raises fear of a more direct assault on liberties...

I also believe that those who would prefer the more democratic vision of the future have an opportunity to influence the outcome, which is precisely why online activists should delve into the criticisms that have been leveled against them. If electronic democracy advocates can address these critiques successfully, their claims might have a chance. If they cannot, perhaps it would be better not to raise people's hopes...

Howard Rheingold
Chapter 10, Disinformocracy, 'The Virtual Community'

Music, 'A Celtic Tale', provided by www.freeplaymusic.com

Michael Coghlan's podcast can be found at: http://michaelc.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2007-09-29T08_18_59-07_00

The excerpts from Howard's book can be found, 4 clicks from Michael's site, at:
http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book/10.html

These are the links listed in a handout for the ACAL 2006 workshop, 'Voices and Visions'.

Audio tools
AUDACITY
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

AUDIOBLOGGING
http://audioblogger.com/
http://npaudio.blogspot.com/
http://mikecogh.blogspot.com/

PODOMATIC
http://www.podomatic.com/
http://michaelc.podomatic.com/
http://deliab.podomatic.com/

SKYPE
http://www.skype.com/helloagain.html

Other resources
ACAL
http://www.groups.edna.edu.au/course/view.php?id=221 (ACAL’s ‘Literacy Live’)

DIFFERENT VOICES, DIFFERENT SPACES website
http://dvds.flexiblelearning.net.au/index.html

DIFFERENT VOICES, DIFFERENT SPACES project report
http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/go/home/projects/2005/pid/126

DIFFERENT VOICES, DIFFERENT SPACES CD-ROM resource (2005)
http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/go/home/projects/2005/pid/126

MICHAEL’S SITES
http://users.chariot.net.au/~michaelc/mater/easy_voice.htm
http://users.chariot.net.au/~michaelc/nz/CLESOL/keynote_language.htm

NEW PRACTICES IN FLEXIBLE LEARNING 2005
http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/go/home/projects/2005/pid/54
(Resources for: Beyond Text, Connecting the Dots and Social Interactions Packs)

OUR CLASS 2006
http://ourclass2006.blogspot.com/

PODCAST DIRECTORY FOR EDUCATORS
http://recap.ltd.uk/podcasting/index.php

I thought it would be helpful to assemble all the links for the 'Literacy Link' article here where connections are easy and quick.

New Practices Audioblog: http://npaudio.blogspot.com/

Different Voices, Different Spaces: http://dvds.flexiblelearning.net.au/index.html

For free CDs of Different Voices, Different Spaces,
contact Ros.Howell@westone.wa.gov.au.

Beyond Text: http://btresource.flexiblelearning.net.au/index.html

Connecting the Dots: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/go/home/projects/2005/connectdots

Social Interaction Packs report: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/go/home/projects/2005/pid/125

Social Interaction Packs resource: http://sipresource.flexiblelearning.net.au/index.html

Global Voices Online: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/globalvoices/top/about-global-voices/

Our class 2006: http://ourclass2006.blogspot.com/

Podcast directory for educators, schools and colleges: http://recap.ltd.uk/podcasting/index.php

I'm posting here in case my ODEO response did not arrive at Sean and Stephan's CTN podcast. I propose a spectrum as a way we might think about social software discussions, in particular, and socio-political issues, in general. At one end of the spectrum is 'quality control/big business' and, at the other, 'democracy/commmunity participation'.

This photo embodies for me the open and generous conversations that are my ideal. It comes from the free photo repository, 'stock.xchng' and can be found at:
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/218910

This podcast is in response to Sean and Stephan's 'Casting the Net' podcast on the 4th of April in which I discuss the time it takes to listen to podcasts, the value of collective knowledge making and how to ensure reflectiveness.

Dear Sean and Stephan,

Samples of the two thinkers I mentioned are:

1.Helen Chen: In a 2005 online article, ‘Reflection in an Always-on Learning Environment: Has It Been Turned Off?’ in Campus Technology, Helen Chen from Stanford University raises a question being asked and investigated by adult educators in many parts of the world. She concludes:

'The issue is not just about providing time to reflect, but recognizing that reflection for the purpose of learning is a skill that needs to be taught, possibly through an apprenticeship model… it is our responsibility to help them (future graduates) make meaningful and lasting connections as they live their frenetic lifestyles.'

She also says:

'Blogs and e-portfolios are two examples of the social software tools that might scaffold more reflection… in the process gaining access to self-reflection and a sense of audience, or how others make meaning. The adaptation of these, and other emerging social software tools, has great promise for encouraging the development of intellectual coherence and integrative capacities in our future graduates.'

2. Daniel Pink: As you probably know, he is one of the guest speakers at this year’s e-Learning Guild 2006 Annual Gathering in Boston. He states:

'Today, the defining skills of the previous era – the metaphorically ‘left brain’ capabilities that powered the Information Age – are necessary but no longer sufficient. And the capabilities we once disdained or thought frivolous – the metaphorically ‘right brain’ qualities of inventiveness, empathy, joyfulness and meaning – increasingly will determine who flourishes and flounders. For individuals, families, (communities) and organisations, professional success and personal fulfilment now require a whole new mind.'

Or, as one reviewer of Pink’s latest book, A Whole New Mind, elaborates:

'We are entering the Conceptual Age and to prepare for it we need to improve six essential abilities. They are: Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning.'

I value these two thinkers because they take us back to the most primary questions of all: Why are we doing all this? With the largesse of resources at our fingertips, what vision of society propels all our efforts? What sort of world are we trying to create? Hopefully, a more democratic, humane, compassionate, optimistic and inclusive one. Wow, I’ve gone on, haven’t I?

Some of your thoughts reminded me of Ivan Illich, the deschooling debates and other discussions around liberatory education movements. Thanks again for keeping these conversations going at 'Casting the Net' podcast, http://castingthenetpodcast.blogspot.com/2006/04/casting-net-podcast-001-4th-of-april.html,

Delia.

Below is the written quote. I wish I could use bold or colour here to highlight the key concepts for me.

The future development of technology, in turn, will be influenced by which social group wins this struggle over the meaning of technology. If the group that values teaching as performance has the most influence, we will put more energy into developing flexible courseware that promotes social engagement and interaction. We will also develop intellectual property laws that support revision while respecting the rights of creators. If the group that sees teaching as textual has the most influence, we will develop more elaborate technologies for delivering courses as online texts, emphasising the role of the student as audience rather than as participant. We will develop increasingly restrictive intellectual property laws that protect the course as text from being changed or copied. We will also continue to develop elaborate schemes of digital rights management to protect our investment.

Brent, Doug (2004) ‘Teaching as performance in the electronic classroom’
First Monday
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_4/brent/
(Accessed 9 November 2005)