The fourth MOOC Talk was delivered by Professor Brian Stone. He is a practicing designer, educator and researcher in the field of interactive design, information design, user experience and communication through motion. He also teaches visual communication at the Ohio State University and is a principal partner at the international consultancy, Latitude for the Design. His focus is mainly on interactive screen based forms which can be incorporated into websites, interactive experiences, multimedia presentations and typographic messages. Dr. Stone has received multiple awards including the Apple Distinguished Educator Award.
Visual Literacy and Metaliteracy go hand in hand and therefore it has become very necessary for visual forms of communication and design to be enhanced in this modern age to make the visualization of information way more easy and meaningful. Websites, interactive experiences, multimedia presentations and typographic messages collectively help establish visual connections that create a better mental picture as well as aid all types of users make informed decisions as far as information design is concerned. Visual messages are directly linked with metaliteracy. The combination of the two forms of literacy helps users to make inferences about language, comparison in terms of information, symbolism, familiarity, ambiguity, understanding and connotations.
Dr. Stone shared a couple of visual and typographic materials which really caught my attention. The first one was a map used in my country, England-the London Underground Navigation System. Although the underground map was not really based on actual geographic scales, it still achieved its purpose of making underground transportation easier for all travelers, both local and foreign. The map indicated the starting and ending points of each rail line as well as hubs and locations for making connections. Transport for London(TFL), the body in charge of most aspects of the transportation system in Greater London also adopts a similar approach to make moving around London very simple for all travelers. In my opinion, London has one of the best transportation systems around the world barring the occasional delays and change in schedules.
The second visual representation used by Dr. Stone was based on typographic messages used around the Ohio State University Campus to motivate the students as they walked around. Two visual messages shown in his presentation were the words "thrive" and "grow." Thrive was spelled around a tall tree and this tree happened to take the place of the letter "i" in the word. I felt this was an effective and a very creative communication tool in getting specific messages across to the student body. Dr. Stone used one more example in his presentation which came about when went on an Information Exchange to teach in Singapore in 2010. He mentioned that prior to this experience he was used to teaching about 18 students in his class. However, he had a class size of about 45 students in his class in Singapore which meant he had to devise a smart plan on how he could remember the names of all his students. A group of students collected some visual and specific data which included gender, height and nationalities on each student which made it easier for Professor Stone to remember their names. That was very innovative!
Icons, symbols and signs have really helped in promoting the connection between visual literacy and metaliteracy. In the same manner, narratives or story telling also incorporate understanding the content of the big picture related to information design. It has become very essential for multiple modes of communication to cater to the needs of all manner of information users and metacognitive learners. A lot of consideration has to be put in place to make sure disabled people and the older generations are not left out of the the gradually emerging methods of visual communication and metaliteracy. Progressive disclosure, which involves starting by process and synthesizing a concept from scratch is also very necessary in developing visual literacy and it connection with metaliteracy. Dr. Stone's presentation was very informative!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Metaliteracy in beta: A Southern Anecdote
Dr. Paul Prinsloo moderated MOOC Talk 3.2. He is an Education Consultant and Researcher at the University of South Africa (UNISA). The South African University, where Dr. Prinsloo lectures is a mega online, distance and e-learning institution with a student population of over 400,000 students. Paul's inter-disciplinary focus lies in the fields of Theology, Religious Studies, Online Studies, Business Management and Art History. It is therefore not surprising that Paul has a number publications in addition to his participation in a number of international conferences. He also happens to be the editor of Progressio, which is a resource for open and distance learning practices. His current research focus is in the areas of Learning Analytics, Student Profiling, Student Success and Retention, Graduate Literacies and Attributes.
Dr. Prinsloo began his presentation by providing some clarity on his personal position on the subject of metaliteracy. He provided a disclaimer which stated that his views were shaped by his location and a number of authors including but not limited to Paulo Freire, Manuel Castells, Zygmunt Bauman, James Martin, Pierre Bourdieu and Pankaj Ghemawat. The published works of the aforementioned authors showcased in order in the presentation were as follows: Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Communication Power, Collateral Damage, The meaning of the 21st Century, Key Concepts, World 3.0, Globalization- The Human Consequences. Dr. Prinsloo then looked at the Metaliteracy Framework as presented by Mackey and Jacobson, 2011, 'reading the world,' the importance of 21st century world discourses and being informed then finally came up with a proposal.
Information from time immemorial has always been dynamic and therefore it is necessary to view it as a field with players having diversified roles and a variety of rules, plans, power relations, inclusion and exclusion. In Dr. Prinsloo's interpretation of the Metaliteracy Framework by Mackey and Jacobson, 2011, he likened the newly developed literacies for cultural changes of Web 2.0 to solid changing from its original state to the liquid phase. I really liked that metaphor! Web 2.0 is incorporated into a universal library, global market of digital services and products, multimedia and audiovisual communication, hypertextual connection, social networks and virtual interactive environments. A deeper analysis of liquid metaliteracy brought about a side by side comparison between the work of Mackey and Jacobson(2011) and Area and Pessoa(2012) competencies including instrumental, cognitive-intellectual, socio-communicative and axiological. Liquid metaliteracy aligns with metacognition.
Critical consciousness as the foundation for metaliteracy as agency was a sub-topic I found very interesting during the presentation. According to Freire, learning to read and write starts from a deep understanding of the process of reading the world. In addition, being illiterate prevents individuals from reading and writing then renders them powerless and dependent according to Burbules and Berk(1999). In Dr. Prinsloo's summary of reading the world, it is imperative that an individual is aware of who shapes his or her world, the reasons behind it, how the shape affects his or her position and choices made, what the rules of his or her world and who benefits from those rules(including that person's adherence), and finally how that person disrupts and makes up other narratives for himself or herself as well as others. I really appreciated the fact that Dr. Prinsloo derived his own definition of critical consciousness from Freire and Burbules and Berk's works respectively. It is therefore not surprising that understanding the major discourses of this present and even future ages will help shape our understanding and appreciation of the scope and function of literacies.
James Martin's book, "The Meaning of the 21st Century," provides a vivid example of how two extremes- poverty and wealth, mass terrorism with nuclear and biological weapons, starvation, world wars, pandemics, religious conflicts might collectively create the new dark age, which in one way or the other will directly influence and determine how we live as human beings. Other discourses touched on in the presentation included but was not limited to rampant consumerism and destructive capitalism, a networked age, personal privacy and state security and local and global (dis)connections and arguments. In order to be a literate player in the 21st century, one has to completely understand the rules, field, the game, positions and skills required. Habitus refers to the people and past experiences that shape a person. Capital which may be economic, cultural, social and symbolic in addition to the field and other players help an individual to be literate in a networked and (un)flat world. The product of habitus and capital plus the field sums up to the practice or agency [[(habitus)(capital)]+field=practice/agency].
In conclusion, having a full grasp of our choices in particular instances is nurtured by the positions we have in the particular social field at that point in time. Complicating matters has in itself been shaped by other contexts and individuals in a complex chain of power play. Understanding social media in a broader sense of political, social, economic, technological, legal and environmental discourses and arguments is of the essence. Knowing the producers of information, the purpose and claims made, the supporters and exclusions are very important as well. Information is never neutral and there its production, sharing, remixing flow from existing discourses. Finally, critical and self-reflective agency as well as making up other narratives, disrupting standard discourses and asking new question has never been more critical as it is now
Dr. Prinsloo began his presentation by providing some clarity on his personal position on the subject of metaliteracy. He provided a disclaimer which stated that his views were shaped by his location and a number of authors including but not limited to Paulo Freire, Manuel Castells, Zygmunt Bauman, James Martin, Pierre Bourdieu and Pankaj Ghemawat. The published works of the aforementioned authors showcased in order in the presentation were as follows: Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Communication Power, Collateral Damage, The meaning of the 21st Century, Key Concepts, World 3.0, Globalization- The Human Consequences. Dr. Prinsloo then looked at the Metaliteracy Framework as presented by Mackey and Jacobson, 2011, 'reading the world,' the importance of 21st century world discourses and being informed then finally came up with a proposal.
Information from time immemorial has always been dynamic and therefore it is necessary to view it as a field with players having diversified roles and a variety of rules, plans, power relations, inclusion and exclusion. In Dr. Prinsloo's interpretation of the Metaliteracy Framework by Mackey and Jacobson, 2011, he likened the newly developed literacies for cultural changes of Web 2.0 to solid changing from its original state to the liquid phase. I really liked that metaphor! Web 2.0 is incorporated into a universal library, global market of digital services and products, multimedia and audiovisual communication, hypertextual connection, social networks and virtual interactive environments. A deeper analysis of liquid metaliteracy brought about a side by side comparison between the work of Mackey and Jacobson(2011) and Area and Pessoa(2012) competencies including instrumental, cognitive-intellectual, socio-communicative and axiological. Liquid metaliteracy aligns with metacognition.
Critical consciousness as the foundation for metaliteracy as agency was a sub-topic I found very interesting during the presentation. According to Freire, learning to read and write starts from a deep understanding of the process of reading the world. In addition, being illiterate prevents individuals from reading and writing then renders them powerless and dependent according to Burbules and Berk(1999). In Dr. Prinsloo's summary of reading the world, it is imperative that an individual is aware of who shapes his or her world, the reasons behind it, how the shape affects his or her position and choices made, what the rules of his or her world and who benefits from those rules(including that person's adherence), and finally how that person disrupts and makes up other narratives for himself or herself as well as others. I really appreciated the fact that Dr. Prinsloo derived his own definition of critical consciousness from Freire and Burbules and Berk's works respectively. It is therefore not surprising that understanding the major discourses of this present and even future ages will help shape our understanding and appreciation of the scope and function of literacies.
James Martin's book, "The Meaning of the 21st Century," provides a vivid example of how two extremes- poverty and wealth, mass terrorism with nuclear and biological weapons, starvation, world wars, pandemics, religious conflicts might collectively create the new dark age, which in one way or the other will directly influence and determine how we live as human beings. Other discourses touched on in the presentation included but was not limited to rampant consumerism and destructive capitalism, a networked age, personal privacy and state security and local and global (dis)connections and arguments. In order to be a literate player in the 21st century, one has to completely understand the rules, field, the game, positions and skills required. Habitus refers to the people and past experiences that shape a person. Capital which may be economic, cultural, social and symbolic in addition to the field and other players help an individual to be literate in a networked and (un)flat world. The product of habitus and capital plus the field sums up to the practice or agency [[(habitus)(capital)]+field=practice/agency].
In conclusion, having a full grasp of our choices in particular instances is nurtured by the positions we have in the particular social field at that point in time. Complicating matters has in itself been shaped by other contexts and individuals in a complex chain of power play. Understanding social media in a broader sense of political, social, economic, technological, legal and environmental discourses and arguments is of the essence. Knowing the producers of information, the purpose and claims made, the supporters and exclusions are very important as well. Information is never neutral and there its production, sharing, remixing flow from existing discourses. Finally, critical and self-reflective agency as well as making up other narratives, disrupting standard discourses and asking new question has never been more critical as it is now
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Openness within the Metaliteracy Framework (MOOC Talk 3)
MOOC Talk 3.1was on the subject, "Openness and Metaliteracy," was delivered by Mark McBride, the Director of Library Services at Monroe Community College and Michele Forte, an Assistant Professor and Mentor at the Center for Distance Learning at the SUNY Empire State College. It was based on open learning in higher education.
There is a lingering misconception that due to the open nature of information literacy and its related materials, rigor tends to be missing in academic content. This wrong notion was quickly dispelled and that was the main aim of the main presenter, Mr. McBride.
The Modern Language Association's Commons Model is a form of peer review process and peer production model used by scholars to create and update content accurately and freely for the benefit of the the information literacy community. Wikipedia is a good example of the Peer Production Model which allows users to also create and share information freely as well as conveniently update the content of the material.
Creation Commons Attribution video by Jesse Dylan in the presentation demonstrates how licensed material should be credited to the owner or creator and shared with the community at large. This platform allows to a large extent self-expression, freedom and copyright options in a non-commercial manner. For example, Creation Commons can be used by a group of individuals who come together for a common purpose which to create content such as musicians creating a great piece as a team to share with the bigger outside community.
Openness within the metaliteracy framework gives rise to looking at content in a variety of ways and sharing it with the community as a whole; this could be scholarly work which involves careful thoughts and thorough research. The sharing process allows for the remix and reuse of information.
The discussion proceeded to Open Education Resources (OERs), which is any kind of teaching material such as textbook, syllabi, lesson plans, video, readings, and exams.These materials permit free and uninterrupted access as per the content as well as the free incorporation of remix, reuse, revise and redistribute of the material.
In higher education, the free access of course material is way more beneficial that adding to a publisher's purse by purchasing a particular edition of book then its subsequent editions. The free access students have to course materials is what makes it a major plus for education. It creates a community of higher educators.
Creative Commons as mentioned above allows the transition of education from local to regional then to global. The licensing of content makes it the property of the world and therefore can be used freely, remixed and reused as desired. As a result of social content becoming global, individuals are permitted to add to the material to make it multi-faceted. Individuals with similar interests can collaborate to make content more developed and detailed thus leading to the creation of more solutions to critical problems.
Openness challenges geography in the sense that new bodies of knowledge are developed over time, place and space. Finally, the fact that individuals have the tendency to reflect on their respective contents by referring and relating to that of others, further advances the cause of metaliteracy.
There is a lingering misconception that due to the open nature of information literacy and its related materials, rigor tends to be missing in academic content. This wrong notion was quickly dispelled and that was the main aim of the main presenter, Mr. McBride.
The Modern Language Association's Commons Model is a form of peer review process and peer production model used by scholars to create and update content accurately and freely for the benefit of the the information literacy community. Wikipedia is a good example of the Peer Production Model which allows users to also create and share information freely as well as conveniently update the content of the material.
Creation Commons Attribution video by Jesse Dylan in the presentation demonstrates how licensed material should be credited to the owner or creator and shared with the community at large. This platform allows to a large extent self-expression, freedom and copyright options in a non-commercial manner. For example, Creation Commons can be used by a group of individuals who come together for a common purpose which to create content such as musicians creating a great piece as a team to share with the bigger outside community.
Openness within the metaliteracy framework gives rise to looking at content in a variety of ways and sharing it with the community as a whole; this could be scholarly work which involves careful thoughts and thorough research. The sharing process allows for the remix and reuse of information.
The discussion proceeded to Open Education Resources (OERs), which is any kind of teaching material such as textbook, syllabi, lesson plans, video, readings, and exams.These materials permit free and uninterrupted access as per the content as well as the free incorporation of remix, reuse, revise and redistribute of the material.
In higher education, the free access of course material is way more beneficial that adding to a publisher's purse by purchasing a particular edition of book then its subsequent editions. The free access students have to course materials is what makes it a major plus for education. It creates a community of higher educators.
Creative Commons as mentioned above allows the transition of education from local to regional then to global. The licensing of content makes it the property of the world and therefore can be used freely, remixed and reused as desired. As a result of social content becoming global, individuals are permitted to add to the material to make it multi-faceted. Individuals with similar interests can collaborate to make content more developed and detailed thus leading to the creation of more solutions to critical problems.
Openness challenges geography in the sense that new bodies of knowledge are developed over time, place and space. Finally, the fact that individuals have the tendency to reflect on their respective contents by referring and relating to that of others, further advances the cause of metaliteracy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)