I have recently added a number of recordings of live lectures on my Lifestream. I have been particularly taken by Patrick Dixon, and his energetic presentation on visions of the future. 

Having identified video recordings of lectures as a useful source of materials in digital culture in my weekly review, Jenny madea critical comment.

Re the existence of lectures on youtube – is there a distinction to be made here between material that *happens* to be on youtube and material that is created *for* youtube? I think the idea of something being ‘born digital’ is useful here. Just because something is on a computer/ in a web 2.0 application does not mean it is making good use of the possibilities of the medium.

In considering a replyto this comment, I find it is worthy of a blog post on its own. To some extent, I accept Jenny’s challenge in that it is hardly a different learning medium to simply download and watch a recording of a live presentation. The actual lecture is f2f. However, I do identify a number of points that make such presentations worthy of recognition in digital culture.

1. The video enabled me an opportunity to experience the lecture. I would love to have flown to Belgium to be there. The video made it possible.
2. I came across Patrick Dixon whilst looking for something else. I stumbled upon it whilst searching for examples of effective practice in education.
3. The video lasts 55 minutes. As yet, I have not watched all of it yet. I can dip in and out of it at my convenience.
4. If I wish, I can download  the video and edit it for my own use. In other words, I can alter the presentation.
5. Technology is not there yet, but I have read in other blog posts that search engines will eventually be able to search audio data. This means that eventually, by identifying “future” as my search criteria, Mr Dixon will pop up on my screen.

I conclude that recordings of f2f presentations are not digital culture, but their accessibility, usability and editability is.

Tags: digital culture

Exploring digital culture is not the only new challenge I am experiencing at present. Studying this unit is quite refreshing because it co-incides with another significant change in my life. For the first time in 14 years, I have changed jobs. Not only do I have a new remit and employer, I also have an additional daily regime. I have become a train commuter. This change in circumstance has offered me an ideal opportunity to trail flexible, distance learning to the full. E-learning has often claimed to have a capacity to enable participants to engage in education anytime and anywhere. So now I have a perfect opportunity to put this to the test. Can I sit on a train, or my office desk at lunchtime, and slip into digital culture? Two weeks into the trial, the answer would appear to be – yes I can.

I began last week’s review by basing my motivation to study digital culture around an interest in widening participation in e-learning. I find retaining a clear focus on my personal raison d’etre, I am able to gauge my learning and comprehension of what I am doing. This has been particularly relevant this week since the learning activities have found me challenging some of my personal metaphors and stereotypical images of digital culture.

A combination of the Bell article and clips from The Film Festival, have seen me delve into what I have to date, perceived as a geeky, sci-fi world of techno fantasyland. It has not been something I have viewed positively. However, by maintaining my focus on e-learning (and having faith in Sian and Jen who put the course together) I am delighted to see a change in my perspective.

Bell refers to digital culture as being populated by cyberpunks storytelling in cyberspace. Bell talks about the changing format of human interaction; being linked online,  and sharing stories visually via technology. This human/machine interaction creates a new paradigm in cognitive mapping.  In telling the story of the development of the internet, Bell includes the contribution of Barlovian cyberspace. named after cyberspace guru John Perry Barlow (who first used Gibson’s term to describe computermediated communications) represents the mediation of image and reality ‘joining together the visions of cyberpunk to the reality of networks creates a concept of cyberspace as a place that currently exists’.

This reading has enabled me to look at the concept of symbolism in a new light. I now see the potential of digital media to portray the true identity of the author, and illustrate the significance of his/her message. Once again, my lifestream therefore portrays a shift in my stance, and a growing recognition of the relavance of the clips in The Film Festival. Tweets posted earlier last week were dismissive of World Builder and Elephant’s Dream. But now I am drawn to the potential link between digital imagination and reality. To what extent can one’s digital identity, portray who we really are?

In enabling learners to participate in digital culture, I am now considering the potential this offers adult education. Where e-learning previously simply offered a richer and diverse pedagogy to distance and class-mediated learning, I can now see a new angle to e-learning. I wonder if digital culture could be a valuable resource for promoting self-development, problem solving, working with others and creativity. I realise what positive impact this could have upon motivation. Then suddenly I am aware that this is the first course of my studies where I have engaged in some form of study activity every single day. Digital culture and cyberspace has developed my motivation!

I sit here on the train, lettiing my own imagination run rampant. My phone and dongle modem enables me to access and create almost anything I want. Web 2.0 even allows me to share my thoughts with colleagues straight away. Now I look around the train compartment. About 25% of my fellow passengers have earphones in – wired to some digital technology. Many aren’t just listening. They are engaged in some activity on their iphones. So if I am acyberpunk now, so’s many of these commuters. Geeks, punks, social inadequates – or simply digital citizens.

Over the next week, not only do I envisage continued high activity in digital culture, but I also plan to revisit a place where I have had little but negative experience Second Life. Am I disappearing into another world, or simply discovering my true self.

Keep you posted.

Tags: digital culture