The semantic Web, created by World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, is an extention of the Internet which allows people to contect and share beyond the normal restrictions of the World Wide Web.
According to the 'Ed Technology Glossary of Terms' the Semantic Web "provides a common framework that allows data to be shared and reused across application, enterprise and community boundries." (http://www.uen.org/core/edtech/glossary.shtml [Accessed 26/03/09]) For the Semantic Web to work many applications such as URLs are integrated into the World Wide Web system.
The idea of the Semantic Web states that the computer understands and has a deeper knowlegde of what the user is searching for when online. An example of this would be when typing into a search engine. The Semantic Web allows the computer to know what you have requested and to give you options of websites which relate to your word or sentence.
Friday, 27 March 2009
Tailored Education
The beauty of education today, in my opinion, is the variety we are given. When considering our previous places of education, some of us went to grammar schools, some went to private, some went to boarding schools, some of them were mixed-sex schools and some weren't. But the best thing about them was that, although we studied similar subjects which were on the curriculum, we were all given a different teaching style, and our education was built around different theories and structures.
Because of this, we have all come to university with sound knowledge of different areas, allowing us to expand on what we already know and share what we studied with others. All of this broadening our intelligence and understanding.
If education was tailored to fit certain cultural and personal preferences then this broad spread of knowledge would be narrowed. As stated in a previous blog I believe education needs to stretch a person and how can this be achieved if we are all being taught at the same cultural level. It is common knowledge that some people find education easier than others, and with only a tailored education, how are some going to be able to stretch themselves?
Similarly, with Prensky's theory on education, suggesting that new media should be more advanced in schools, if everyones education was based on technology then would that mean losing the ability to learn important everyday skills taught it necessary subjects such as English and Mathematics.
Personally I think that education allows children to grow into adults with their own personalities. Education shapes and builds a person, hence why schools which are higher up in education standards generally mould more intelligent, personable students. Because of this tailored education would be restricting the growth of different personalities and a group of people who are share the same ideas and knowledge.
Because of this, we have all come to university with sound knowledge of different areas, allowing us to expand on what we already know and share what we studied with others. All of this broadening our intelligence and understanding.
If education was tailored to fit certain cultural and personal preferences then this broad spread of knowledge would be narrowed. As stated in a previous blog I believe education needs to stretch a person and how can this be achieved if we are all being taught at the same cultural level. It is common knowledge that some people find education easier than others, and with only a tailored education, how are some going to be able to stretch themselves?
Similarly, with Prensky's theory on education, suggesting that new media should be more advanced in schools, if everyones education was based on technology then would that mean losing the ability to learn important everyday skills taught it necessary subjects such as English and Mathematics.
Personally I think that education allows children to grow into adults with their own personalities. Education shapes and builds a person, hence why schools which are higher up in education standards generally mould more intelligent, personable students. Because of this tailored education would be restricting the growth of different personalities and a group of people who are share the same ideas and knowledge.
Digital Divide Issues around the World
Similar to the previous post on socioeconomic issues in societies, Prensky’s notion of the digital divide does not work across different countries around the world. Across the globe are thousands of countries which have different economic stability. As a westernised nation we live in a country which can afford luxuries such as technology and increasing developments in the digital world. For poorer, third world countries technology is a dream, for many it may be something they have never heard of. Prensky’s theory addresses the westernised cultures but does this mean that those born into poorer countries in this generation are still digital natives?
When studying Distance Learning we saw that countries such as
Another issue of global digital divide looks at areas which many have the economic climate to have technology but are not advanced enough for such digital change. For example, many areas of
Digital Divide in Socioeconomic Issues
Prensky’s theory on the digital divide does not address the issues which surround socioeconomic groups in certain societies. For example, although we live in one of the richest parts of the world where technology is developing and up-grade culture thrives, we still belong to different societies, communities of practice which fit us into different socioeconomic groups.
Prensky’s idea of the digital native speaking the digital language only works if the said digital native has had the opportunities to use technology from an early age and has grown up with the ability to use new media. However, if born into a community/society which can not afford technology or has less means to gaining technology, then how is the child meant to better his technological mind? You are not born with the ability to speak the digital language, you are just able to respond to and comprehend technology at a faster rate due to always having had it.
Similarly, a digital native born into the digital world may not be as technologically advanced as others in his generation due to the fact that economically his family are less able to afford certain digital gadgets. Does this therefore, considering Prensky’s theory, mean that he is not a digital native, despite having some technology experience but not as much as his peers?
Wenger and Prensky's Theories
Prensky’s ideas of the ‘digital divide’ lend to his notion on education. He believes that education is in need of a reform due to the young generation becoming increasingly good with technology. Education, in his mind, is lacking in teaching this new generation or the ‘digital natives’ what they need to learn in order to improve on their digital minds.
Wenger’s ideas of Communities of Practice (CofP) see groups of people forming and belonging to certain groups. When considering Prensky’s theory in relation to Wenger’s ideas we can see that CofP are formed between the digital natives and the digital immigrants.
There are many CofP which go against Prensky’s theory of the digital divide however. For example, sport groups, social and family groups etc can all contain members who belong to the two separate digital groups. My family is a CofP where we have “relationships which bind us together” and we share a “mutual engagement”, however, we are made up of two digital immigrants and two digital natives.
However, when the theory of CofP is placed into the education theory, Prensky shows the divide between those who are digitally aware and those who are not, the students and the teachers. In education a CofP is born, in the school, in classes and in particular friendship groups. CofP are also born between teachers and between students, forcing the two groups to have their own CofP due to the digital divide.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Experiences of a technophile in 2020
I believe the future brings about a greater use of technology in a much wider setting. For example, I believe that by 2020 there will be access to any form of wireless Internet anywhere in the world. I think that there will also be the ability to have wireless charging where by leads and plugs will no longer be needed. For a university student these future advances will make a huge difference.
I also feel that as up-grade culture develops so too will the decrease in digital size. Everyday new phones and gaming stations are made smaller and faster allowing society to become more mobile with their technology.
A student in 2020 will hold all his university work on a small pen, as he writes in his lecture his pen will digitally store everything he scribes and will then wirelessly stream to his laptop at home, allowing his lecture and seminar notes to be stored safely and written up on his computer. As well as this, the wireless Internet and the wireless charging allows the student to access his files and work anywhere inside or outside of campus. He does not need to worry about taking leads with him to charge his laptop. As the technology gets faster and smaller he also will have a hand-help laptop which is easy to carry around.
I also feel that as up-grade culture develops so too will the decrease in digital size. Everyday new phones and gaming stations are made smaller and faster allowing society to become more mobile with their technology.
A student in 2020 will hold all his university work on a small pen, as he writes in his lecture his pen will digitally store everything he scribes and will then wirelessly stream to his laptop at home, allowing his lecture and seminar notes to be stored safely and written up on his computer. As well as this, the wireless Internet and the wireless charging allows the student to access his files and work anywhere inside or outside of campus. He does not need to worry about taking leads with him to charge his laptop. As the technology gets faster and smaller he also will have a hand-help laptop which is easy to carry around.
A Neo-Luddite University Student
A neo-luddite is a person who greatly dislikes technology. A dislike of technology would usually stem from not being able to use it and find it very hard to work.
Being a student at University has taught me so much about different forms of new media and technology, Universities today are mostly run by the use of online learning and technology produced lectures and seminars. To be a neo-luddite in today's society at University would be a great challenge.
Before attending a lecture the slides must be printed off so the student has something to work from. Finding the lecture notes on the Internet or the universities home page (blackboard) would confuse a technology frightened person. As well as this, many seminars are increasingly being taught online, such as this module. A neo-luddite would fall back in their work if they relied purely on technology to gain them a degree.
As well as online learning through university there is a lot of online interaction spent if you are a student at university. Socially the Internet is very important, not just for organising meetings but for keeping up with fellow students and friends. As scary as it seems, those who interact online more than others tend to keep a larger group of friends, due to the ease of keeping in contact and the communities formed in certain groups. For example, Facebook helps students at the university of Lincoln to form communities of practice, a term coined by Wenger, by allowing students to group together.
Without technology I believe University would not be run as smoothly and would perhaps not appeal to many people. What do you think?
Being a student at University has taught me so much about different forms of new media and technology, Universities today are mostly run by the use of online learning and technology produced lectures and seminars. To be a neo-luddite in today's society at University would be a great challenge.
Before attending a lecture the slides must be printed off so the student has something to work from. Finding the lecture notes on the Internet or the universities home page (blackboard) would confuse a technology frightened person. As well as this, many seminars are increasingly being taught online, such as this module. A neo-luddite would fall back in their work if they relied purely on technology to gain them a degree.
As well as online learning through university there is a lot of online interaction spent if you are a student at university. Socially the Internet is very important, not just for organising meetings but for keeping up with fellow students and friends. As scary as it seems, those who interact online more than others tend to keep a larger group of friends, due to the ease of keeping in contact and the communities formed in certain groups. For example, Facebook helps students at the university of Lincoln to form communities of practice, a term coined by Wenger, by allowing students to group together.
Without technology I believe University would not be run as smoothly and would perhaps not appeal to many people. What do you think?
A person who threatens the notion of natives/immigrants in digital culture
Prensky's theory of digital immigration is a simple one. He assumes that all those born into the digital world are natives and are easily adjustable to technology creations. He believes those born before technology are immigrants and therefore struggle with any forms of new media. This view is very generalised and does not consider any anomalies. I think that Prensky's idea follows the nature/nurture debate. In Prensky's mind nature over-rules and anyone born in a certain time must be a certain way. However, as seen in previous blogs this is not so.
When discussing Prensky's theory it must be considered that to be born into the digital world you must be surrounded by technology. So what if a native is born into a society which does not have such luxuries as technology? Surely then they would have nothing to build their experiences on.
Some of the most successful, richest people in technology are technically digital immigrants for example Bill Gates, the creator of the biggest computer software company in the world, Prensky's theory suggests that Bill Gates should have little skills in technology.
The two examples previously mentioned in the blogs are clear instances of digital natives and immigrants who are out of place in their digital groups.
When discussing Prensky's theory it must be considered that to be born into the digital world you must be surrounded by technology. So what if a native is born into a society which does not have such luxuries as technology? Surely then they would have nothing to build their experiences on.
Some of the most successful, richest people in technology are technically digital immigrants for example Bill Gates, the creator of the biggest computer software company in the world, Prensky's theory suggests that Bill Gates should have little skills in technology.
The two examples previously mentioned in the blogs are clear instances of digital natives and immigrants who are out of place in their digital groups.
Youngest Digital Immigrant
The youngest digital immigrant I know is probably my brother who is nearly two years younger than me and is 18 years old. Although he was obviously born into the digital world we as a family did not get a computer until my brother was about seven years old. He also did not get too into gaming unlike other boys his age. This may seem young however, it meant that he wasn't surrounded by technology or using it on a daily basis.
At school we were both lucky enough to gain a strong education in Information Technology, however, this was not a subject my brother picked up well. Although he is able to use the basics on any computer, he finds it hard and it does take him longer to grasps new digital concepts, in a similar way to my parents who, before 10 years ago, were technology illiterate and definitely digital immigrants.
According to Prensky's theory, my brother should be a native because he was born into the digital world however, as he struggles with technology in a similar way to someone who was not born into the digital world, then surely he is more of an immigrant.
Does Prensky's theory take into account the fact that maybe one can be a digital immigrant born into a world of digital natives?
At school we were both lucky enough to gain a strong education in Information Technology, however, this was not a subject my brother picked up well. Although he is able to use the basics on any computer, he finds it hard and it does take him longer to grasps new digital concepts, in a similar way to my parents who, before 10 years ago, were technology illiterate and definitely digital immigrants.
According to Prensky's theory, my brother should be a native because he was born into the digital world however, as he struggles with technology in a similar way to someone who was not born into the digital world, then surely he is more of an immigrant.
Does Prensky's theory take into account the fact that maybe one can be a digital immigrant born into a world of digital natives?
The Oldest Digital Native
The oldest digital native I know is probably my cousin who is 30 years old. This may seem too old but I know although he was not born into an already digital world, technology developed quickly around him.
Although schools at a young level may not have had Internet access but by the time he needed to learn about computers and technology, they were available to him.
He now works for a design building company which uses the highest computer technology around. He managed to comprehend the complexity of the digital technology used in his job by already having an understanding of new media and being able to speak the digital language.
I think it is hard to state whether people are too old to be a 'digital native' because some people have more opportunities of technology in their words. Another reason why my cousin is so advanced with technology is because his father always had a lot of technology due to his own job. Prensky's idea of growing up around technology is correct in meaning that 'digital natives' do learn a lot quicker when using similar forms of technology.
Although schools at a young level may not have had Internet access but by the time he needed to learn about computers and technology, they were available to him.
He now works for a design building company which uses the highest computer technology around. He managed to comprehend the complexity of the digital technology used in his job by already having an understanding of new media and being able to speak the digital language.
I think it is hard to state whether people are too old to be a 'digital native' because some people have more opportunities of technology in their words. Another reason why my cousin is so advanced with technology is because his father always had a lot of technology due to his own job. Prensky's idea of growing up around technology is correct in meaning that 'digital natives' do learn a lot quicker when using similar forms of technology.
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